Old Tea Shop

I was writing a post for our Adventure Teaching blog today, and I thought I'd share it on mine as well.

A couple of weeks ago, we were strolling through the shops of Insadong when we stumbled down a small alley and came across a small place called ‘The Old Tea Shop.’ We made our way up the winding staircase (possibly the creakiest little staircase I’ve ever walked up), and entered into a haven of tea and birds. Yes, birds! This little tea shop is filled with the aroma of wonderful tea, antique furniture, and the sounds of birds chirping from every corner.

I’ve really never experienced anything like it. I was so mesmerized by the countless little colorful birds flying around the shop, resting on the windowsill, and proudly parading little strands of toilet paper to their secret hiding places, that I nearly forgot to order my tea. I’m glad I didn’t! I ordered the Quince, which was wonderfully sweet, citrus, and refreshing. Ali got the Jujube, which was strong and bitter and definitely not for the faint of heart! They had an extensive tea menu (almost as extensive as their collection of birds!) and it all seemed to be made with love and care.

The whole shop, from the birds to the antique rickety wooden benches, is glowing with vibrancy and eccentricity. As the sun warmed us while we drank our tea and the birds commanded the room with their incessant chirping, I looked out as the light was hitting the old Korean rooftops and thought... “Now this is Korea.”