No one that has visited Argentina can ignore mate. This bitter herbal infusion is in Argentina what tea in the UK or beer in Germany. It's more than a drink, it's a social facilitator. Drinking mate is an excuse for socializing and talking among friends, and also a nice way of meeting other people or "breaking the ice".
It is common to see Argentinians anywhere (in the bus, in a bar, in the street,...) carrying with them their hot water thermos that they use for their mate. And they don't drink just a cup, they can drink liters of it. I've had mate in a boat after diving, in a bus, during a tour, in the hostel,... as I said, just anywhere.
Mate is made with "hierba mate", an herb that grows in Paraguay and the Misiones province (where the Iguazu Falls are) and it's is served a round wood cup with a metal straw. A single load of herbs is enough to prepare many servings of mate.
And there are strict rules when drinking mate: always the same person fills the cup (usually the one carrying the thermo), you have to finish all the water before handling the cup back, you never say thank you (unless you don't want more mate) and cups are served always in the same order and using the same cup.
I don't particulary like the taste of mate (too bitter for me), but I love the atmosphere around it. It's probably the closer that you can get to smoking a joint, but using "legal" stuff :) For some reason, you feel closer to everybody in a group after sharing several rounds of mate.
So, just a brief cultural note I though you might enjoy. And next, my report on Ushuaia.
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