Georgetown, Washington DC, is ancient by California standards. Historic events that shaped our country took place centuries ago amongst the ancient worn cobblestones and brick townhomes. To walk the roads of Georgetown, is to fall into a magical portal that transports the voyager to another time; exciting and somewhat exotic. Raucous and prestigious at the same time, if that is possible. If you have ever studied history and the forging of our nation, you will quickly understand that our forefathers were a wild lot. Braving a new land teeming with danger, they defied all odds and created the greatest nation on earth.
But, I regress. This is not a history lesson on Georgetown, this is a story about tea. Real tea from China, served traditionally with all of the wonderful and magical elements of taking tea in China. Except I’m in Georgetown with one of my oldest and most loved friends. We’ve know each other since were babies, our mothers being best friends, and it’s going on almost 60 years. My friend is one of the most gracious, kind, intelligent and fun people that I know and had invited me to the East Coast for an action packed visit full of sight seeing and many many laughs. We were in Georgetown. It’s raining hard. We have to peer through a heavy curtain of gray rain to see where we are going. But we don’t give up. The destination is Ching Ching Cha. Self-described as: “Ching Ching Cha provides a peaceful sanctuary sharing the experience of the Chinese tea ritual and original tea houses cuisine.”
The tea room is located adjacent to the C&O Canal tow path in a tiny historic building. It was raining and chilly, but we took time anyway to admire the canal, which was completed in the 1800’s and used to ship goods. Eventually the canal became obsolete, as it was not as efficient as the railroad and it became a community with all types of homes and shanties until it became a National Park. The canal is living history and I had never seen anything like it.
Before we got to drenched, we speeded up and rushed in from the rain. We entered a small welcoming hallway with a place for umbrellas and made our way toward the tea room. The tea room itself is open and spacious with wood paneling low tea tables and large cushions to relax like a Pasha against the wall as tea was served. The tables much like low platforms showcase the tea that will arrive soon and the meals that you might decide to order with it.
My friend says I should share a link, so you know what we looked like:
https://www.artnet.com/artists/alexandre-gabriel-decamps/a-reclining-pasha-KqGEwF4x44LXvyZ3poqP7w2
I order green tea which has properties that contribute to a long and healthy life. The Monkey King Green Tea from Anhui Provence in China. It comes in a glass carafe with a glass teacup and is presented by our hostess. Beads of moisture cling to the steaming hot glass and long green shoots of tea, a floating island of fluorescent chlorophyll, floats and bobs languorously in the bubbling water. I take a cautionary sip. The flavor is fresh, verdant, and grassy. I flashback to childhood days spent in the park across the street from my house, rolling in freshly mowed grass, burrowing my nose in the silky wet strands, and inhaling a mixture of the earth and vegetation.
We drink our tea. We reminisce. We enjoy the tea room ambiance, which is open, airy, relaxed, and friendly. After about 20 minutes, the tea is working its magic, and feeling refreshed, we head out for more sightseeing and walking the city. Cha Cha Ching is a unique experience and a must if you want to step into a magical world and experience a Chinese Tea Room and the teas of China. It’s exotic, amazing and fun and a tea experience that is not to be missed.