This vendor is drinking mate, the drink of the Uruguayans. It is a drink made from the yerba mate plant and is said to be a "wild, bitter green beverage "with a caffeine level between coffee and tea.
The mate flask has a double glass construction to keep the liquid hot for hours. The straw or the "bombilla" is open at one end and at the other , the one submerged , it has a sieve with tiny holes where the mate gourd is placed.
The mate cup can be shared or drunk individually. In this photo, the woman has the mate cup while her husband carries a thermos to refill the cup as needed. I saw many , many Uruguyans drinking their mate and holding a thin thermos in the crook of their arm. Some power drinkers have a larger thermos they can sling on their shoulders.
I was really surprised to see so many people in a shopping mall drinking their mate in, of course, a special mate cup with a thin thermos nestled in their arm. I have seen businessmen going into meetings at a hotel casually drinking mate. I have watched people stroll the seafront drinking their mate and chatting with friends.It must taste delicious and be most relaxing. I can't imagine being encumbered with a cup and thermos while shopping or strolling.
No comments:
Post a Comment