Green Tea Fields in Boseong

Jeollanam-do, Korea's southwestern most province, is all about the green.  There are more farmers here than anywhere else in Korea and zipping through on the expressway reveals green field after green field.  The center of all this greenness is Boseong, famous for it's rolling hills of cascading green tea plants, rolling up and down every hill in sight.  The green tea fields are ready for tourists, with everything from green tea spas to green tea ice cream.  This was the whole reason for our trip last week, and while the sun never really came out, Boseong was worth the trip.  As always, here's 10 pictures and some foolish comments.

It's not exactly the blue sky and sunshine I pictured when planning this trip, but it sure was green.

Sara was serious about picking green tea leaves and filling up her basket.

Everywhere in Korea has to have two little mascots.  The Olympics had them, the World Cup had them, our town has some, every town has some, and so these are Boseong's.  

If it had been clearer, we would have been able to see all the way to the water behind those hills.  It took a lot of standing around and squinting to finally see it through the haze.

While they were selling a ton of green tea snacks, I don't think it's advised to eat them like this.

After about thirty minutes, here's Sara's haul.

Sara shows the proper technique for harvesting leaves.  I think all the leaves are harvested by hand, which seems crazy in this day and age of tractors and computers you wear on your face.

Green tea country is kind of like wine country.  You can go to plantation after plantation and taste the different green teas, wander in the fields, only after six cups of green tea, you're still cool to drive.