[Paisleychick-lj] My Yerba Mate!!!

[Beatrice M's blog]

[![][1]][2]   
[My Yerba Mate!!!][3]   
Originally uploaded by [blmurch][4]. 

We are back in Montevideo after some more time in Buenos Aires. FYI, the MRI I had (for my headaches I had back in December) came back clear, nothing going on in my brain - yay! I'll try to post those photos when I can convert them into a jpeg or tiff.   
  
We're going to explore Uruguay some more. I bought my own Yerba Mate gourd and _bombilla_ (straw). You can read all sorts of wonderful things about [Yerba][5] [Mate][6] on Wikipedia. There is quite a science to putting it in the gourd, let alone drinking it. Check out the [Wikipedia article][6], really. I'm sure I'll be corrected soon enough. I probably paid way too much ($20) for it, but I figure that I'm helping someone out with their business and I can afford it and it's pretty and it's mine. I bought Yerba Mate and then I bought the gourd and _bombilla_ later. Now, I just need to buy a thermos and I'll be good to go. It's very much like green tea, but there's a powdery substance along with the leaves and twigs. It is very bitter to drink, but [*everyone* here in Uruguay][7] has it in the crook of their arm as they are walking down the street. I figure it will help me not look so much like a tourist and it's good for me. More people drink it here than in Argentina even. Something that tastes that bitter *must* be good for me, right?   
  
It is something that is shared among friends in the afternoon. I was really happy when our couch surfing "mother" shared some with me when we first got to Buenos Aires back in November. As it is an [appetite suppressant][8], I figure it helps people stave off the hungries for the late dinners they have here. It seemed to work this evening when Kragen and I shared some as we waited for him to finish coding.  


   [1]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/175/377035201_38a4eb07d5_m.jpg
   [2]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/377035201/ (photo sharing)
   [3]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/377035201/
   [4]: http://www.flickr.com/people/blmurch/
   [5]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_mate
   [6]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mate_%28beverage%29
   [7]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/tags/yerbamate
   [8]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/377034350/

URL: http://paisleychick.livejournal.com/289496.html