Charlie and the Tea Factory 
Kyle and I had talked about hiking around World’s End today, a popular attraction in Horton Plains National Park where a plateau comes to a sudden end and drops straight down for roughly 880m. It sounded pretty cool, but it was a foggy day and we were still recovering from Adam’s Peak. We figured it wasn’t the end of the world.
Instead we took our time driving from Nuwara Eliya back to Kandy, stopping at the Tea Factory Hotel for tea and chocolate cake (the traditional sidekick) and then stopping a few hours later at the Labookellie Tea Factory for more tea and cake. We got a tour of the tea factory in Labookelie, and, among other things, I learned that:
1) “tea” is an acronym!
T – tanning
E – enzyme
A – acid
…I like tea better.
2) Ceylon tea = Sri Lankan tea.
I was looking at all of the different kinds on the shelves and asked our guide: “Why is there so much Ceylon tea? Is that grown in Sri Lanka?” She contained an obvious giggle and responded, “Sri Lanka used to be called Ceylon. That is our most famous tea.”
After today’s long drive, I’m becoming convinced that Sri Lanka is the most consistently beautiful country I’ve seen. We are yet to turn down a single road that would make a bad picture: rows of tea bushes on every slope, trees that could only be found in a Dr. Seuss book, colors Crayola is yet to manufacture. Some call it one big tea plantation, others a tear drop of heaven.
Even the mundane is spectacular: women walking with bundles of sticks on their heads, tea pickers, a long white beard contrasted with dark weathered skin. We pulled over on the side of the road to buy vegetables from 2 guys that had scattered their lettuce, carrots, turnips…on the ledge of a waterfall. It was a rainy and hectic maneuver, but I was in awe that a simple produce stand had a waterfall backdrop.
In addition to the physical beauty, the land has a majestic, immaculate aura. Kyle described it as a mix of Costa Rica and Thailand – a blend of their natural, spiritual, and cultural splendors.
It was dark when we got back to Kandy. Home sweet home. We drank some of the Ceylon tanning enzyme acid that I had bought from the factories and called it a night.
Holla!
So I’m sitting in Belmont in Bunny’s Office (is it her office?) at the very same place we both were at when we printed our famous poem. Good times.
Easy flight today - watched Kingdom of Heaven (not bad, not good), the Justice Roberts confirmation hearings, That 70’s Show (all thanks to Jet Blue). Mom and I rented a car, then drove here. Was going to go into Harvard tonight, but I’m working on 2 hours of sleep and I’m exhausted, so school must wait till the morning.
Fun dinner with Mom, Rick, Bun, and Becs - Rick, Bunny, Becs, and I are going to have dinner here at Belmont every Sunday night! I’m really excited that they’re all here this year, and obviously for home-cooked meals!! Also, as long as I let Bun know ahead of time, I can bring friends, so that will always be a nice end to the weekend/start to the week treat. I’m also with them for the High Holy Days, woohoo again! (where will you be on Yom Kippur, lol?)
Mihiri facebook messaged me today - she was eager to meet the “less attractive” brother as you put it. I beg to differ.
Excited to meet her in the next few days.
Sorry we missed your call earlier today, I really hope I get to talk to you before the week is out! Loved the new posts!! Lots of love.
-LB
September 13th, 2005 at 9:21 pmHi Charlie,
We really miss you around here. I have been following your journey with equal parts fascination and glee. And you write with an honesty and clarity that is thoroughly engaging. Teddy ,of course follows your adventures daily and talks about you to anyone who will listen:) I am wondering…. Have those tea tanning enzymes had the desired effect???
Keep yourself safe. We love you lots,
Hugs,
Ellen
September 13th, 2005 at 7:52 pmwow, i just looked at all your pictures and they are astonishing. it’s absolutely beautiful where you’ve been. and you look great too! have you grown? you deifnetely look more built and bigger (no, im not hitting on you mister). anyway, i miss you a lot. love dan
September 13th, 2005 at 5:49 pmHey, pal, great talking to you this morning; caught up by phone with Nick and Mom this afternoon (they were waiting in drive-thru line for Dunkin’ Donuts in Cambridge). They were sorry to miss you, but happy to be caught up and will doubtless be thrlled by latest postings, which are terrific. I am left to hobble around by my lonesome til Sunday when your mother returns, but with meetings tomorrow night (WGA committee), Thursday night (synagogue capital campaign), Saturday morning (different WGA committee), and Sunday all day (synagogue board retreat), not much time to cry in my beer. Oh, and I have a script to write and several others to supervise. Never dull (sometimes tedious, but never dull). Will have a cup of Tanning, Enzyme, and Acid tonight and think of you doing wondrous things on the other side of the world. Love, YGOP
September 13th, 2005 at 3:49 pmcharlie the never ending puns never get old haha…i always laugh out loud…i cant wait to see the pictures from sri lanka, i feel like i can already see it from the stuff youve described!! i get more jealous of you everyday…when are more pictures coming up?? how long are you in sri lanka?? nick said seomthing about someone wanting to publish your writings…im not kidding, this would make an incredible book, you really should look into it…anyways, updates at UVA…im in commerce class right now actualyl haha so boring…ali helen and i are going up to wash dc this weekend i think to visit georgetown buddies/go shopping (duh) haha but anyways, we’re missing you and hope you’re safe…talk to you soon!
September 13th, 2005 at 12:53 pmlove ya
connie