by Alex (March 19)

I am going to present you a thing you may not know. It is a natural and cultural drink which is not drunk in a simple glass as water or beer. You can find it Latin America : THE MATE.

The drink comes from the indigenous population. It is a mixture of hot water with a special herb which is now cultivated. Latin American people put it in a kind of metal glass (which is also called "the mate") or a pumpkin and use a metal or bamboo straw. So there are different mates, more or less aesthetic.

Several persons (friends or family) drink in the same mate. It is a moment of relaxation, a reunion with everybody : students, adults, farmers, old people, children...

If you wish to react to this article, write to the editor.

April 2, 2005

I agree with all that you write except with the part that said "it’s a moment of relaxation ". I don’t believe that because I drink it and it doesn’t make me relaxed. I think you should put that it is a moment to take a break from studies or work. Another thing, not all mates are made of glass or metal. There are many different types of mate, for example pumpkin or pezuña (the foot of a cow or a bull depends on the size).That’s my opinion .

Mariano (Buenos Aires)