Simple cup of tea lifts traveler's spirit

I arrived in Marrakech late on a rainy Friday night, completely washed up from 20 hours of travel and a lingering sore throat. Our host Hassan served me a cup of mint tea that soothed my throat, eased my travel-weary body and lifted my spirits.

That one cup of tea in a small glass set the tone for the whole trip. It was a strong, sweet elixir so unlike anything I had ever tasted. It was comforting and reviving at the same time. Somehow, I knew I was going to like Morocco.

Walking through the souks in the medina of Marrakech, the smell of mint was heavy in the air. As I passed an old man with a leathery face, he smiled at me over the top of his cart piled high with mint. I gestured to him how I enjoyed both the smell and the tea his fragrant herbs provided.

Round trays with teapots and small glasses lined the shop counters and sidewalks, evidence of the many cups of tea required for each business transaction. Tea breaks happened everywhere, with groups of men crouched around low tea tables just about anywhere, from the bus depot to the street corner.

I started each day of my trip with an early morning jog, shortly after the sun came up. I was surprised at how early the city awakened, with shopkeepers hosing down the sidewalks and garbage collectors making the rounds.

I carefully made my way around the donkeys pulling carts of fresh mint to market in the early morning. The cafes opened early, with many Moroccans taking a cup of tea at a sidewalk café on their way to work.

One morning after I returned from my run, I craved a hot beverage. As the rest of the guests in the house were still sleeping, I decided against coffee since it would be too noisy to grind the beans.

Tea would be much quieter. I examined the remains in the teapot left out from our previous afternoon's tea. Would I be able to duplicate this delicious brew I had been enjoying?

I cleaned the teapot and set the kettle to boil. I found the box of Chinese green gunpowder tea, and the glass jar on the counter with a bouquet of fresh mint.

I put in the tea and a few sprigs of fresh mint with the stems broken to release the flavorful spearmint oils. I added a handful of sugar cubes, filled the pot with boiling water and waited. I held the teapot high in the air and poured the first cup. I then returned it to the pot, to aerate the tea and mix the sugar.

Hmmm. Not bad. Feeling pretty pleased with myself, I poured several more glasses and carried them upstairs to the other guests.

Kirsten Harrington lives in Spokane.

The Travel Essay, written by readers about an adventure or insight, runs each Sunday in The Seattle Times and also online at seattletimes.com. Essays, which are unpaid, must be no longer than 600 words and will be edited for content and length. E-mail to travel@seattletimes.com or send to Travel, The Essay, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. Because of the volume of submissions,

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