Mate

In Uruguay, everywhere you look people are drinking mate. Often shared among friends, the loose yerba mate tea is steeped in a small gourd, also called mate, and drunk through a silver straw with a filter called a bombilla. Its not the most simplistic approach to a caffeine fix; mate lovers carry their mate, bombilla and a thermos of hot water with them throughout the day. Although sometimes the gear is carried in a leather pouch, more often people hold their mate in one hand and tuck their thermos under their arm. The drink is popular in all of South America from small towns to busy city sidewalks.