Mint tea, explained
Why it is poured from high up, why you drink three glasses, and how to decline politely.
Why pour from so high
To aerate it and create the foam, the sign of a well-made tea. It is not a show for tourists: it is simply how tea is served.
Three glasses
The first is gentle as life, the second bitter as love, the third soft as death, says the proverb. In practice, the tea steeps a little longer with each round.
Declining without offence
A hand on the heart and a “thank you, I’m fine” is plenty. Nobody will take it badly, whatever you may have read.