Of tea and chocolate

I woke up to a messy apartment. First thoughts; Where am I? Is this my apartment? Why does my tummy hurt? Ohhh now I remember.

As I stumbled into my kitchen I wondered how the heck I managed to wash my face, brush my teeth, get changed into my pj’s and into bed last night? I found my boots in the kitchen, Cheryl’s emergency plastic spew-bag on my desk, presents on my couch, an unwrapped piece of gum on my sink, my clothes on my bathroom floor and a bowl of fruit salad on my table.

I did my washing and realised that my tea ceremony club from school was meeting up in Akashi for some tea ceremony thing at 1pm. Jumped into the shower, changed and raced to Akashi Castle Park. My stomach was still not feeling all that good but the tea was delicious. Still a brilliant green but slightly a different colour to the matcha we use in club. “This tea is more rich. Expensive tea,” said one of my 2nd year girls.

The ladies who served us were in amazing kimonos, intricate obi’s, with their hair beautifully done up and breathed a captivating sense of grace, elegance and beauty.
Perhaps to my ‘untrained’ eye, they were just normal kimonos but to me they were exquisite. I want one. The equipment they used were also amazingly beautiful. The natsume (tea holder) for example, was made of dark, polished wood with a picture of two white cranes on the lid. The shapes of the cranes were made from egg shells and gold leaf.

I haven’t been to tea ceremony class for awhile and I felt really bad that I forgot to bring my fukusa (bag) and sensu (fan). But the other student forgot too, so there I was standing in line with the other girls with our heads bowed down as tea-sensei shook her head in disappointment. I also nearly died from pins & needles as I haven’t sat in seiza position for such a long time. After watching these ladies make and serve tea so effortlessly and hypnotically, I really want to get back into it again.

Afterwards I headed into Sanners and met up with Hana at Choco Cro as part of my ‘recovery process’ and Sam and Leigh joined us later. That chocolate croissant was just what I needed.