A truly exhilarating taste of tea and unity

Among the staff busy serving and greeting loyal customers is Penba, manager of the Woser Gamchung Tea House.

"There are even more people on weekends," he says, raising his voice a bit to be heard above the hustle and bustle. "We sell up to 11,000 cups a day."

Tibetan sweet tea, which is made using black tea and powdered milk, is a must for many local residents as they begin or complete their day, and many of them visit tea houses of repute, such as the one Penba manages.

He says when the tea shop opened in 1978, it only served between 30 and 40 people a day and some customers described it as being "as small as a box".

Business began to grow about 20 years ago as increasing numbers of tourists, business owners, migrant workers and other customers also began to drop in and join local residents for a cup of sweet tea. Consequently, the tea house had to expand.

Today, a relaxing moment and a cup of sweet tea at the Woser Gamchung is on the to-do list for many spending their time on the 1,300-yearold street, the evolution of which was linked to the construction of another landmark, the Jokhang Temple.