[西藏 Tibet] 藏式茶館 Tibetan Tea House

Tibetan Tea House

終於可以在離開西藏前去了藏式茶館，又多了一樣喜歡西藏的原因了。
It is great that I visited the Tibetan Tea House before I left Tibet.

當青旅認識的人都沒有陪我去茶館時，剛好之前在雲南認識的藏民大哥聯絡我，他是在西藏做旅遊的，在雲南分開後，他一直訊息問候背包中的朋友，確保我們安全。他問我在哪，我說我在找茶館，但一個人不敢進去茶館因為太多男性藏民，大哥沒有說什麼只是叫我去找他，我心裡開心的想著，有人陪我不用害怕了。

When no one I met in Hostel wanted to go to Tea House, a Tibetan uncle Xi(I can't remember his name, just call him this name hahaha), who I met at Yunnan, messaged me by asking where am I. I told him that I wanted to visit Tea House but I was afraid to enter as I was alone and most of the customers were Tibetan male. He said I can find him at Tea House. He is a nice person and always text us to make sure the solo-backpacker (like me) to travel safe in China. I feel glad there is someone go with me in the Tea House.

餃子和甜茶。
Dumpling and milk tea.

到了茶館，一排排的長桌椅，坐滿了藏民和遊客，眼見藏民佔了八成。大哥把我領到他的朋友堆中。大哥走開了我坐在藏民中感覺好奇怪，因為他們沒有對我的坐下很好奇，他們說著藏語繼續聊天，有些避開望向我，我猜可能他們不跟漢人交流或者跟女生要保持一段距離或者其他原因。不久大哥端著一杯甜茶給我，看到我最愛的甜茶很高興，尤如平時飲開的奶茶，甜度和茶味適中。之後侍應端上一碗餃子，對於西藏的餃子我有點抗拒因為之前去了漢人在西藏開的餐館吃到的餃子都是負分。當吃下第一粒茶館的餃子，大為改觀，好好食，同樣都是厚皮類似水滴狀的餃子，食完一粒會回味，我一粒接一粒的吃，大哥問我好不好吃，我說很好食比我之前吃到的好吃，他聽到笑了。

The Tea House was full of customers and Tibetan people occupied the most and few are tourists. Uncle Xi led me to his Tibetan friends. He then left me in the seat to buy food. It was quite strange for me to seat in a crowd of Tibetan males. They seem to be not interested in why I am sitting here and continue their conversation with friends. I guess maybe they are not interested to communicate with Han (Mainland Chinese) (I am not mainland but my face can't tell) and maybe I am just a little girl. Meanwhile Uncle Xi come back with a cup of Tibetan Sweet Tea/milk tea. I really like the milk tea. Later, a waitress put down a bowl of dumpling. I did not have good memory about dumpling in Tibet but this one is a Good one! I eat it one by one with no pause. Uncle Xi asked me is it good. I replied with full of dumpling in my mouth "It taste better than what I ate before." He laughed.

人民幣這樣皺皺的放在桌上用以給侍應識別要否續杯。
The creased Yuan placed publicly on the table to show the cup need to refill.

當我飲完了一杯甜茶時，拿著茶壺的女侍應走過來幫我續杯，收起桌上放著的五元人民幣紙幣，她從圍裙的袋裡找了兩張一元和五張五角，皺皺的放在桌上，原來桌上大家擺著的紙幣是這個用途，第一次在中國的餐館見到錢是可以如此開揚的放著。

When I finished my cup of milk tea, a waitress with a tea pot come and help me to fill another cup. He pick up the Five dollar Yuan paper notes and put back two One-dollar Yuan and five Five-cent Yuan. And then I just released that those creased paper money on the table is a sign for waitress to recognize who want to fill in the drink. This is the first time for me to see Chinese people to expose the money publicly on the table. 

我跟大哥說，西藏的茶館都有好多藏民在坐著聊天，他說這裡的人都在浪費時間，聽到我笑了。藏民有很多空餘時間一般會去茶館跟朋友見面聊天，去茶館這個活動是幾乎每天都會發生，我說我很羨慕他們這麼休閒的生活，而且茶館的收費也便宜，這樣跟朋友聊天坐多久也沒有人跟你反白眼。對比城市裡的咖啡廳，價錢翻十倍，在香港有些咖啡廳也變成了「來也怱怱去也怱怱」的地方，已稱不上「悠閒」。當時我身處在熱鬧的茶館，坐著坐著也不想離開。

I told Uncle Xi there were so many Tibetan in different tea house everyday. "Yes they waste their time like this" he replied normally. I laughed as for me they are relaxing. When there is a free time, Tibetan will go to the Tea house to meet friends and chat. Also, the food price is low here. Compare to cafes or coffee shop in city, the tea house is an affordable and lively place for majority to stay. In Hong Kong, the cafe is like a fast food restaurant and not always relaxing instead crowded. If it is like this, I would prefer Tea House, however there is none in HK.