Bedouin Tea at Feynan Ecolodge
Written By: Katy Rose
Nestled in the Dana Biosphere Biopark, about three hours south of Amman, Jordan, you will find the Feynan Ecolodge; a sustainable lodge surrounded by Bedouin encampments. From the spring water that is piped in to our locally grown food, this property operates in harmony with the Bedouin families in the area.
Feynan is the type of place where you can meet a Holy Man on the side of the road, chat with a young Bedouin about the perils of flirting on Facebook or make a wish on a shooting star. It is here where I experienced the warmth of the local hospitality and a way to remember a people and their country: by sharing a glass of tea.
Our first evening at Feynan started with a sunset hike. With the sun in our eyes, we walked westward making our way past Bedouin encampments, goat kraals and a humble mud mosque. On the look-out, we were offered a cup of sweet Bedouin tea made white sugar and green sage. Tea with dried sage is common throughout Jordan, although I discovered that tea is also brewed with dried mint, thyme or rosemary.
The strong black sweet tea was surprisingly refreshing. It was served to our group in small, heavy, glass tea cups and brewed in a weathered aluminum teapot. As we sipped on the sage tea and listened to the gentle call to prayer from the village mud mosque, I reflected on the nature of this basic tea; it was no more than water, tea, fire and a pot.
Photo Source: Katy Rose
It took a trip to this stark, sandy desert landscape to show me that a simple act of sharing tea can be a powerful demonstration of hospitality; a gesture that shows the world from a different perspective.
Meet Our Writer:
Katy is from sunny South Africa, where food, wine and the great African outdoors are all the ingredients you need for a well lived life. She works as a Chief Stewardess on board Luxury Super Yachts, which allows for plenty of foreign travel and other rum-fueled sailor adventures. When she’s not serving Champagne to the A-Listers or taking care of housekeeping emergencies, you will find her doing her “research” in the nearest Farmers’ Market or Wine Tasting room. Katy writes Katy’s Table, a Food, Wine and Lifestyle blog based in Cape Town, South Africa.
