Hong Kong, people standing next to a food stand

I think this chap is drinking 'Leung Cha' - a Chinese medicinal tea, a cure-all for anything from indigestion to headache. Tastes awful, like any good medicine, so better downed in one with a sweet or cookie to hand ready to take the taste away. The stallholder has placed these conveniently near the teacups .

H.

I searched the internet for an adjective that best describes the taste, one site lists more than 100.   "awful" is a very good match in spirit and substance, partly because "foo" in Cantonese can also mean sorrow or hardship  while drinking it.  I had a few many years ago but can't remember for what illness.  The price was the same so I preferred their other drink - sweetened chrysanthemum tea.  I wonder if these shops remain popular today. 

Yes, the leung cha shops are still popular, with a big shiny urn or two on the counter. Here's a photo of one in Central:

http://static.apple.nextmedia.com/images/apple-photos/apple_sub/2012091…

It appeared in the article about Gwulo at Apple Daily a few years back:

http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/supplement/culture/art/20120915/18016673

Regards David

There was a better medicinal drink than "Leung Cha".  It was a recipe handed down from previous generations. Usually the grandma in a family used it when the grand kids were sick. She would draw a magical hierogram on a paper and burned it. The ashes would be mixed in a tea. It really tastes great:)