A typical Argentine custom, to drink mate, is something that wakes enormous curiosity among visitors who arrive to the country.
It is an infusion of yerba (Ilex Paraguariensis) that’s produce in the North of Argentina, in the province of Misiones.
Originally it was served inside a small dry hollow pumpkin and it was drunk through a cane by the Guaranies (natives from Paraguay).
The cup is also called mate and currently you could find it made of different materials, colors and sizes and we drink it with a metallic straw called “bombilla”.
Mate is something that you should to bring with you, just the so touristic bars in posh areas offer mate, but any local goes to a bar to drink mate.
We usually drink mate at home, at the office or when we go to some park, like a pic nic.
For a lot of people it’s a social ritual that invites you to share a meeting with friends or relatives.
To drink mate doens’t have any side effects and whoever drink it comments of the refreshing and relaxing effect it produces.
There are also mate consumers in Uruguay, Paraguay, southern Brazil and distant countries such as Syria.
Of course, in our bike tours in Buenos Aires we do a stop to enjoy some mates and share more about this habit that has been maintained since the founding of Buenos Aires city.
