Sri Lanka, Part 4 - Damro Tea, Nuwara Eliya

We are now in the mountains part of SL.  Driving through the winding roads take time.  Some parts are even perilous because they are so narrow that only one vehicle can pass at a time.  To make it worse buses and trucks use this road as well.  One side has to stop to wait for the other side to pass.  But, it was beautiful country, with all the green tea plantations around.

Lush green scenery 

The shoot of the tea plant is used for making tea

Close up look at the tea plant

Tea bushes are grown on the side of the mountains

I've been looking forward to visiting a tea plantation.  Most tea estates don't give tours or demonstrations but Damro Tea does.  We were first shown how raw tea leaves are processed to be consumable tea.  All tea start from the same tea leaves.  It's the processing that makes it different - whether it's black, green, oolong, white, etc.  White tea are the most expensive because it's a delicate process to make them.  We had sample cups of tea and of course, a showroom to sell you tea.  I had orders from Doris to buy tea that is used for making milk tea, her favorite Hong Kong beverage.  I wasn't sure I'll be able to find it.  But as soon as I asked one of the ladies she knew right away what tea is best - BOPF, which stands for Black Orange Pekoe Fanning.  It's a strong black tea that when added a teaspoon (or more) of condensed milk makes it a very delicious drink.

Most tea estates sell their tea at auctions in Colombo, the capital.  The bidders represent major tea brands and they mix tea from different estates before packaging them.

Most of the tea pickers were brought to SL from India, especially the Tamil region.  Tea pickers are paid 1,000 rupees a day, about US$5.51, and they must pick 50 kilos (about 110 lbs) a day!  It's very tough work because you have to climb on the side of the mountains and balance yourself on the slopes.

Tea Leaves being dried by machine

A Cup of Milk Tea

Boxes of BOPF tea, about US$20 for 5 boxes

On the way to Nuwara Eliya we passed a small town that was having a Hindu procession.  I don't know what the festival is all about but everything about the festival was colorful, including the saris worn by the Indian women.

Indian women with their colorful saris pulling a shrine

A Hindu procession

We finally checked into the Ceybank Rest hotel, almost in the middle of Nuwara Eliya town.  It's a very old hotel that has seen better days.  Everything about the place is old.  However, the staff try their best and provide as good a service as they can.  After check-in we took a walk in the Central Market to see what they sell.  It's an interesting assortment of fruits, vegetables and fish.

At the Central Market with Mohan, my driver

Jackfruits.  These are smaller and used for cooking

Indian bitter melon, looks different from the Chinese bitter melon

Many varieties of bananas are sold here

Peas for making dahl

Banana flowers for cooking

Egg plant, called brinjal here

Okra, sometimes call Ladies Fingers

Another type of bitter melon

We also walked along the main street of town and see what kinds of things the shops sell.  There were a few bakeries, clothing stores, provision stores, etc.  We also walked through a market that sells well-known brand jackets and clothings from Patagonia, Columbia, North Face, etc.  They are all made in Sri Lanka but I don't think they are genuine.

These are called string hoppers

Statue of Buddha in the middle of town

Market for selling fake name-brand jackets