Macwood's Tea Estate

Around Nuwara Eliya (elevation 2,000m), we stopped at Mackwood’s Tea Estate for a tour. Founded in 1841, this company includes 27,000 acres of plantations consisting of 17 tea and rubber estates. In addition to exporting vast quantities of tea, it also exports essential oils, organic/biofoods, coconut/fiber geotextiles, and rubber. After some sampling of the orange pekoe tea, I went on a short tour of the factory.

The first step in tea is plucking. Only women do this job, as their hands are considered more nimble. These women deftly pick two leaves and a bud. About 10,000 kilos per day of leaves are picked on 1,200 acres. According to my guide, each bush yields about ½ kilo per pick. Each woman picks approximately 10-15 kilos per day and makes between 500-600 rupees ($4.40) a day. The company does provide health care, education, and other services for the families. Four times a month a bush can be picked again. About 1,000 workers are employed – most of whom are women. Men do work such as pruning (every five years a bush is pruned, after which plucking can be done in three months), weeding, and factory work. A natural tea bush can last 100 years. Macwood’s uses cloned ones, which last only about 60 years but produce a much higher yield.

The second step is withering. After about 14 hours, over 50% of the moisture from the leaves is gone. The crushing machine then takes about 250 kg of leaves at a time. Then the leaves are rolled for about 20 minutes, which twists the leaf and brings the juices to the leaf’s surface. Fermentation, the fourth step, takes about two hours. The tea is further dried for about 20 minutes in a special firewood kiln which reaches 105°C (220°F). Only about 2-3% of the moisture remains at this point. The extractor then separates the fiber from the leaves, with the leaves being graded by size and shape. Taste tests are conducted and the tea is packed in large bags, which are hauled to Colombo where they are auctioned. 80% of Mackwood’s tea goes for export. Asian and Arab countries are common destinations.

More costly tea grades such as silver tips follow a slightly different process, with the leaves drying in the sun. Seven kg of leaves yields only 1 kg of tea for this process. More expensive teas are flavorful by themselves and are not served with milk or sugar.

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Early Morning Teapickers

The next morning I said goodbye to my Ella friends and got into the van that would take me to Kandy. We kept the windows open, letting the cool morning air of the mountains inside the vehicle. Tea field plantations dominated the area, interspersed with steep grassy hills and government-protected forests. Waterfalls and streams gushed everywhere, seemingly out of nowhere. They were particularly plentiful in the tea fields. Finally we spotted our first tea pickers, who were just coming to work. After tying their lunch bundles onto bushes closer to the path’s entry, the women took their pole and picking bag and marched further into the field.

After passing through a few towns, the paved road ended and construction began. Due to the dustiness, we rolled up the windows and turned on the AC. Construction workers donned hard hats and flip flops. Some had plastic-looking face masks to help filter out the dust. Although more equipment was used than in some construction in India, a lot of work still was done by hand.
Along side of the road people had produce stands, each selling about the same items within a stone’s throw of each other. In addition to the usual fruits and vegetables, they also had for sale the smelly durian and jackfruit.

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Nine Arches Bridge, Ella

Back in Ella with plenty of time before lunch (I was invited to Kasun’s house to eat), we got out of the auto rickshaw at the spot where logging was occurring. Alas, no tea picking was going on today in Ella either. Instead, we walked on a path through the forest following a stream until we reached what is known as “Nine Arches Bridge.” This landmark railway bridge was built by the British to help haul timber, tea, and other resources from the region. Next to the railway, a cow, tied to a tree, happily munched on grass, its bell tinkling. People were walking on the tracks, familiar with the timings of the trains. The high arches – all nine of them – were slender and graceful. Near the tops of the arches were large beehives. The insects, explained Kasun, chose this area knowing they wouldn’t be disturbed by people or animals.

Out in the sun, the temperature was warm, so we headed back into the shade of the forest. Retracing our path, we headed back into town where I picked up a clay pot of fresh curd (a favorite of Kasun’s mother) and then went to his house. There we had a meal of rice, green beans, dahl, fish curry, pampadam, and curd. After watching a “Dennis the Menace” Christmas movie borrowed from the cousin and looking at Kasun’s stamp collection and newspaper clippings of the civil war, I once again thanked the family for their generous hospitality and went to the hotel. Shortly thereafter, the Sri Lankan hotel guest family and I were invited to the birthday party of the hotel owner’s daughter. Although not hungry, I joined the others in having a piece of cake. Now how often does that happen in large-town hotels? Had I known about the birthday party, I would have skipped the evening meal, but I still did have some beef curry, vegetables, potatoes, and shredded carrots.

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Handloom Textile Factory

We also stopped at a converted tea factory building now housing a textile business. Here, women worked on handlooms to create more utilitarian tablecloths, bedspreads, clothing, placemats, and other household textiles. The creaky wooden floors and overall look reminded me a bit of the granary barn on our farm. In the upstairs level, several women were working on the looms, with most of the light coming from the windows. One woman eagerly showed me how several looms and spinning devices were operated. Next she demonstrated how what I thought was a small design embroidered later was actually carefully added one row at a time, incorporated directly within the loom weaving. Through Kasun I asked her how long she had worked at the factory, to which she replied “40 years.” That would make her one of the original workers at the factory. While I looked in another room where more women were using Singer treadle-type sewing machines to make clothing, Kasun’s cousin was busy fixing a loom. After seeing some finished pieces, we moved onward.

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Dowa Cave Temple

The next day we headed out in Kasun’s cousin’s auto rickshaw and headed towards the Halpewaththa Tea Factory for a tour. Unfortunately there was no production going on, since no tea had been picked the day before. I was invited to come back the next morning, but I had planned to head towards Kandy then. Equally disappointing, the only tea pluckers we spotted were way in the distance up a steep hill. So much for tea photos and tours.

The auto rickshaw coasted down the hill and then turned towards Bandarawela, where we stopped at the Dowa Cave Temple. While waiting for the attendant, we looked at the large standing Buddha carved into the rock. A sizable Bodhi tree (sacred to Buddhists) was adorned with streamers of Buddhist flags and some good-luck flags. A big skeleton key was used to open up the short doors, revealing old frescoes on the wall and ceiling. Lotus flowers were painted on the ceiling and some walls. Scenes of Buddha were painted in rows. Inside were two reclining Buddha statues as well as several seated figures. Newer rooms revealed more scenes of Buddha, depicted in a more realistic style. Through a back door Kasun showed me a cave whose entry (now blocked) once was connected to another temple.

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Hike to Little Adam's Peak, Ella

The next morning I was awakened by the horn of a train, which coincided with the time the residents of the small town began to go about their daily business. After breakfast at the Sun Top Hotel consisting of eggs, mounds of toast, freshly made pineapple juice and honey made from palm trees, I returned up the small road to Kasun’s house. With his brother and younger cousin joining us, we walked through the tiny town and up the road towards Little Adam’s Peak. Amidst the tea bushes was a large tin corrugated roof structure, from which sounds of kids, dogs, and chickens emanated. Kasun said that over 200 tea pickers lived there, many whom were from Tamil Nadu (India) or were Tamil in origin. In addition to speaking their native language of Tamil, these workers also spoke Sinhalese. He added that the tea pickers (always women) earned about 15 rupees (13 cents) per kilogram of picked leaves and could pick up to 50 kg per day. Many families had around five children, creating a financial burden. Up past the dwelling I saw Hindu temple in early stages of construction.

On the way up, I paused to look at my surroundings – and beautiful they were. Blue and yellow flowers dotted the embankment by the tea bushes. Trees popped up amidst quilted landscape of the tea bushes. Looking forward on the path, Ella Rock appeared in the distance. Buildings occasionally punctuated the green landscape. Kasun explained that there were four tea factories in the immediate area. The government owned the land, but rented it to the tea companies in exchange for part of the profits. Hotels were also going up, especially in the hills. Although they would have a beautiful view, Kasun was concerned about water availability. We also walked past a plot of land with its trees being cut down. These trees were planted by the British but are not conducive to the land (take too much water, not good wood, birds don’t like), so new ones are going to be planted to take the place of the pine trees.

Up more paths and some steps, we arrived at Little Adam’s Peak. Oh, what a green view! The steep slopes were covered in grasses. Nearby hills had grass and were tree-covered. Red busses made their way along the narrow, slithering mountain roads. Near Ella Rock we could see Rawana Ella Falls – our next destination. On clear days, one can see the sea and some lakes, but with the haziness of today, all we could see where distant bluish mountains. After taking in the view for a while, we headed back down the hill and into the small town. Here we had a snack of curd (made from buffalo milk) mixed with fresh fruit, as well as some tea.

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Down a Friendly Path, Ella

Wanting to at least scope out part of the town, I took a hilly path past the police station and into a wooded area. Through the clearing, Ella Rock was visible above some tropical trees. Going past several small colorful houses, I had reached the end of the small road and so I turned back. At one house, I took some photos of eager children and their mothers. Next door, a grandmotherly woman came out and greeted me, asking if I wanted tea. (Thankfully there are many drinks with names common across languages, such as tea, coffee, coke, and juice). As she went to make the tea, I met her adopted sons, one of which was around 18 and the other around 25. The older son spoke fairly good English and eagerly showed me a school report he had made of Ella, with writings in both Sinhalese and English, and photos taken by him as well as postcards, etc. After tea and hard biscuits, the younger son asked if I could help him with Photoshop, of which I eagerly obliged. It was nice to be able to give back a bit, with the teen already feeling more confident with his new skills. When I bid the family good-bye and thanked them for their hospitality, the older son offered to take me the following morning to Little Adam’s Peak and some other local sights. Such generous people – something you likely wouldn’t discover so quickly in large cities!

That evening, I had supper at the Sun Top Hotel, consisting of homemade beef curry with coconut milk over local red rice. Okra, cassava, pumpkin, mushrooms, and pampadons were also brought out. Along with a drink, the large meal was about $4.50. Although some of the dishes were similar to what I’ve had in South India, they were less oily and gentler, probably due to the coconut milk. Back at my hotel room, the night was dark and quiet. Only the sounds of frogs and insects punctuated the silence. Lightning bugs flickered on and off, adding their touch to nature’s concert.

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Train Ride to Ella, Sri Lanka - pt 2

Further up into the highlands, the train chugged through tunnels, some of which were rather long. Children in the observation car stuck their heads out the open window, shouting and screaming in the dark. Daylight once again revealed lush vegetation of the area. In some parts, one side of the train revealed a beautiful view of the valley below. The other side, by contrast, might only have the side of hewn rock quite close to the train window as a view. Passengers familiar with the area alerted me to upcoming large waterfalls, granting me time to go to the open train door and get a better shot. Occasionally misting, the high points of the mountain were enshrouded in rapidly-moving low clouds and fog. Coupled with the streams and waterfalls, it gave the area a sense of serenity. Still higher, the tea plantations were replaced with tall trees that were not of the tropical variety.

By now, the observation train was mostly empty. Most of the warm Sri Lankan families I had met on the train had now reached their destinations. Thankfully even the tiny train stations had their signs posted in the triple language. The train began a slight descent towards Ella, once again revealing some tropical trees. After peeking out of the doorway to see the station sign, I quickly grabbed my backpack and headed onto the platform. Here I was met by the owner of the small hotel, who led me on a tiny footpath behind the train station down a hill to where the hotel was. Apologizing for the unavailability of the room at his Sun Top Hotel for that night due to a couple who decided to stay an extra day, he had already arranged with the neighboring nicer hotel to accommodate me at the same rate.

Ella Train Station

 Comfort Inn, Ella

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Train Ride to Ella, Sri Lanka - pt 1

Instead of touring one of India’s many destinations for our October break, I decided to visit its southern neighbor, the teardrop-shaped island of Sri Lanka. Arriving in the capitol’s airport at just before 4AM, I quickly made it through immigration, got my visa, and some cash to get me started. A city bus took me within a few blocks of the train station – much cheaper than getting a taxi. After purchasing a few local snacks for the train, I purchased a ticket for a seat on the observation car - less than $7 for what would be a ten-hour ride.

Train Ride to Ella
Morning light revealed rather flat land, with many rice paddy fields barren or flooded. Paths between the fields were also made muddy with the recent rains. White pinnacles of Buddhist stupas peeked between the palm trees. Moving slightly higher in elevation, we began seeing some rubber trees and plenty of bananas. Fields gave way to steep tree-covered hills. Rubber tires were placed as steps, assisting navigation up step paths to homes perched up high hills. Farming of the terra-cotta colored ground here was mostly restricted to terraced methods.

Between the trees, I spotted some tea bushes – the first of many to come. Soon the landscape was converted into an emerald green carpet of tea bushes, the hills and mountains appearing as if manicured by giants. Streams flowed through the fields, carving right through the plantations. Waterfalls of varying sizes became a common sight, emerging from forested areas and cascading down rocky slopes. Signs in Sinhalese, Tamil, and English indicated to which tea plantation the land belonged. The white of the larger buildings made it easy to spot the many tea factories dotting the area. Occasionally distant flecks of color were spotted in the tea fields, indicators of women tea pluckers. Near villages, plots of land was reserved for vegetable gardens. The mounded ground particular to that area reminded me of a Hershey’s bar. Auto rickshaws in a variety of colors scooted along the narrow road, with artificial flowers, pictures of religious icons, small statues, and writing distinguishing one from the other. Colorful Hindu temples, white Buddhist stupas, and green minarets (along with the occasional Christian cross) dotted the sides of the roads in towns.

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