You're the second person since I've been here to say the largest
ethnic population outside of China is a lousy place to buy Chinese
teas. In my metro areas we have several megagroceries of Chinese
merchants serving Vietnamese with streets and blocks of other stores
and services in rundown shopettes. Sometimes the good places are hard
to find because of the intimidation factor. I wouldn't expect to pay
more $1/100g US for any sow-mei. One of my biggest disappointments
ever was finding sow-mei(leaf) which I understood was White Tea but
what I really wanted was Silver Needles(bud). Any Chinatown I've been
in is a high rent district and the trick is to shop with the locals
and not tourists.

Jim

"Peter" > wrote in message >...
> Usually in Chinatown, Vancouver. I also buy 3-for-$20 Hong Kong DVD's, for
> that matter. Chinatown here is not where the best Chinese teas in town are
> to be had, though. It's more for everyday tea. There are shops in
> Richmond, and other areas of Chinese concentration which carry much higher
> grade stuff. I once bought some sow-mei that was $17CAD for 100 grams at a
> place just outside an Asian supermarket, and it was heavenly. It's not
> really a steep price, but more than you can pay in Chinatown, at least any
> place I've seen.
>
> Peter