Feature: My Favorite Date Place, Chingkeetea (ULOG#16)

Chingkeetea has taken a huge space in my heart ever since it was established. I remember that the first Chingkeetea shop was situated few blocks away from Xavier University way back when I was in college. I also remember the first kiwi yakult tea I tried was with popping bobba. I was never a fan of teas though not until I tried theirs!

By the way, Chingkeetea is a tea shop founded by no other less than Chingkee Te herself. It is a homegrown tea shop that has been loved by my fellow Cagay-anons and also by those who are outside Cagayan de Oro City.

As I could remember, a lot of memories were made at their first branch.

It was the first place I visited after our graduation ceremony. It was Eli and I who were the first to visit the place. I was just so happy then that Chingkee greeted us

I also remember dating someone and then ended up catching the guy dating someone else on the same place and on the same spot where we usually hanged out. That man was just so incredible, I forgot to slap his beautiful face.

It was a happy place for me and my friends. We were just so sad then that it was demolished by the owner of the land and was turned into a parking lot instead. A lot of their regular customers were sad too when the news about its closing was spread around the city.

Fortunately, it reopened but on a different location which is bigger. It means it could accomodate more customers. But it was just different. The original place could never ever be replaced, or so I think.

For the sake of sharing, Chingkeetea has also taken a huge portion of my heart because the first time I posted about it here on steemit, @blocktrades upvoted for me after being curated by @curie. It did not just boosted my account, it also helped me financially because at that time (and even until now I think).

Anyhow, back to the present. My brother knows how spontaneous I could get and awhile ago it just so happened that I really want to drink a good cup of milk tea after folding tons of washed clothes.

I told him to get ready because we are heading downtown. He was like, we better hurry then or else mom would soon arrive. It was not mom though that we passed over as we are heading to the jeepney terminal. It was dad! We just took the moment to ask him for some amount of money and he gave us Php50.00 each. Well, not bad though. It was better than having nothing from him at all.

The new Chingkeetea branch is located at the old Gazebo. To be specific, it is situated along the Velez-Gaerlan St. Well, that was what my brother told me and I am sharing it to you all because I trust him.

It was reconstructed into a fine modern European tea shop now. I hope I am not wrong with this though. Haha! The theme for this shop is just so lovely and it is suitable for the working class, especially to those who are on the dating stage or even to those who loves to hang out for a while with their friends.

^{Since it only opened around 4 in the afternoon, the tea shop was not yet packed with customers. But once the word would spread around the city, it would be filled with customers then. Trust me, Chingkeetea is really popular in our city.}

I just find this place very lovely as the tables are all hard wood and designed with preserved flowers. There is also an area were preserved flowers wer hanged giving a somewhat romantic vibe. And one of the flowers of the flowergirls from Chingkee Te's wedding was hanged on the wall. The idea was just so lovely.

The first one is a lovely letter of the owner's husband. I wonder if I would also receive sweet notes from my future husband as well. Few of Chingkee's artworks were also posted on the wall. I just love its simplicity.

While looking around the shop, it made me want to make a revamp of my room and oh -- of our house as well. Only if furnitures are just that cheap.

And the best part of this tea shop will always be the tea and the memories being shared while sipping it. For me, it is just next to perfection.

^{@gailbelga or Johanna Gail is a free-spirited freelance artist. She took up Bachelor of Arts in International Studies in one of the Ateneo universities in the Philippines. She is currently a candidate for Masters in Public Administrations. She volunteers in various non-profit/nongovernmental organization which aims for human rights through political education. She draws and writes about the country to provide awareness and promote the Philippines to foreign tourists.}