Confused Malaysians

Malaysian chinese are a confusing lot I remember those days as a kid, i used to drink chinese tea regularly, as a substitute for drinking plain water. One of the reasons for doing so, i was told by the old folks, was to neutralise the chlorine smell in our tap water. . . . . Then came the day when we started to adapt the Taiwanese culture of 'tasting' chinese tea, that was when a lot of Malaysian chinese suddenly learned to be great enthusiasts of chinese tea and also teapots. Tea cakes and teapots suddenly became many a collectors' item, some even speculate on prices of 'antique' tea leaves. . . . . . A friend once invited me to his house to admire his collection of tea leaves and tea sets, as well as treating me to some of his priced collection which cost as much as 300 ringgit a tael. . . . . . When i saw the miniature cups he used to 'taste' (not drink) tea, i laughed. I asked him for a rice bowl because i was very thirsty then, the miniature cup of tea couldn't quench my thirst. Even the whole teapot itself was smaller than a rice bowl. Ohmigod. . . . . Friend said, we have to taste tea sip by sip, so as to enjoy the lingering taste from those 'expensive' tea leaves, and not gulp a whole mug down 'like a cow'. . . . . Oh yes these tea lovers are the same people who 'taste' beer and wine 'like a cow'. They never bother to 'sip' the precious brew, and enjoy the great taste of wine there and then. Their interpretation of 'enjoying wine and beer' is actually by 'gulping down mug after mug' and 'vomitting it over a longkang/ shithole' to clear stomach space for MORE. . . . . . What a contradicting way of tasting (or enjoying) wine and tea, ho ho ho ho.