Tea in the Mountains

If you're new around here, you may not know it, but I'm a self-diagnosed tea-a-holic. Allow me to define this for you:

1. tea·a·hol·ic

   te-aˈhôlik/

   noun

   1. 
a person with a great dependency on tea with a strong addiction to teas of varying sorts.


   Synonym: an Aimee


   
   

It all began when I was younger. My mom works everyday, Monday-Saturday, and she's worked this harsh schedule from even before I was born. On Sundays we have church, so naturally, the only time we've been able to have some 'us' time is on Saturday afternoons when she came home from work. 

Every Saturday, for as long as I can remember, we've been having mother-daughter dates, most often at a little cafe in the mall called Jardin (maybe I'll do a post on this some time if you'd like, let me know in the comments!).

I'm not sure if it's the taste or the fond memories I've had throughout the years while having tea with my mom, but tea for me has always been an escape in a cup.  I've always loved minty things, so it's no surprise that from very early on, I developed a love for all things mint, spearmint and peppermint. So too, do I feel about chai, cinnamon and honey... needless to say that they're all favorites of mine. Particularly the loose-leaf varieties. 

One of the places we used to go to when I was much younger on afternoons was the PAX Guest House which is just a few minutes from the very popular Mount St. Benedict. Mount St. Benedict is the home of the Benedictine monks who live and work in Trinidad and Tobago. They follow a way of life with roots that trace back to St. Benedict of Norcia, who was born in Italy in the year 480. In fact, the Mount has become an integral part of the country's spiritual tapestry. 

Beautifully nestled in the hills of Trindad's northern range, PAX and the famous church at Mount St. Benedict are approximately six hundred and sixty feet above sea level, with lush flora and fauna surrounding the most picturesque views. 

There's a wonderfully simple tea service on afternoons from 3:00pm - 6:00pm that my mom and I love having on weekends. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a very simple option, somewhere super serene and peaceful. Through the hustle and bustle of daily life, it had been a while since we visited, but last weekend we decided to carve out a little time to revisit a place with many fond memories.

Sitting in the same wooden chairs my feet would swing off years ago, now with them firmly planted on the floor, I realized how much time had passed and how precious memories like these are. The tea filled me up with nostalgia even the taste of the tea-cake reminded me of my childhood. What a priceless experience! Not to mention the always soothing views. I can't wait to someday bring my own little ones to tea here. 

If you're looking for a quiet escape, be sure to check them out!

Until our next adventure,

Aimee.