Bandarawela

Upcountry refuge from the heat, luscious tea estates, beautiful people ... This is what we encountered during our visit to Bandarawela in south central Sri Lanka's hill country, where my father-in-law often seeks refuge from the hustle and bustle of Colombo at a cozy, century-old cottage in the forest.



The land is hilly and gorgeous - with more shades of green than I could have imagined.

We drove by rolling tea estates perched precariously on hillsides, and had the opportunity to visit a working tea factory.

This tractor outside the factory reminded me of the Waltons on TV from way back yonder (remember “Good night, John boy” anyone?).

Once the tea sacks are moved to the top floor, the processing begins with the fresh leaves spread out on drying shelves spanning the length of the factory.

One floor down, the dried leaves are ground into various textured grades using different methods.

Tea quality is apparently a combination of blending different types of tea leaves as well as the texture of the ground tea.

My cousin Ann Marie captured this shot of a tea worker who graciously paused for the photograph.

Adios tea country, and greetings, a whole new appreciation for a good cuppa.