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Nara, Japan: The Tea House at the Nara Hotel

Andreas and I used a conference planning meeting to enjoy a restful tea service at the Tea Room at the Nara Hotel. We sat down at a beautifully appointed table with this perfect little view. Our service was both crisp and very welcoming.

Here is our tea set, each with a pot of tea and a cake of our choosing. I ordered oolong while Andreas ordered English breakfast. Our tea arrived in white pots with blue trim. On the side was a petite inverse egg timer. It was made of lava lamp materials, with blue oil suspended in water. Rather than pouring down to count time, the blue oil poured up. When all the blue bubbles reached the top, we removed our bags and enjoyed perfect cups of tea. Andreas ordered the cheesecake while I tried the pine nut cake. The cake was delicious and just the right size, big enough to enjoy but not too large or sweet.

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