Argentina Travel Precaution – Mate

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Argentina Travel Precaution Mate

Have you ever heard of mate? (that's mate pronounced ma-tay' rather than mate as in friend). If you've never been to South America there's a good chance that you've never heard of it before in your life. However, when it comes to Argentina travel experiences, you'll quickly find that mate is very much a part of everyday existence.

Wherever you venture in the country, from the depths of Patagonia to bustling Buenos Aires to the high peaks of the Andes, there is nowhere you will not find mate being imbibed.

So what exactly is it?
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Mate is a drink consisting of yerba (a type of leaf that has been dried and crushed into a coarse powder) and hot water. The actual mate is the vessel which the yerba goes into. People then use a metal straw known as a bombisha to suck up the water after it has diffused the flavour of the yerba.

Sounds fine so far so why the precaution?

Well, it turns out that, for many first-time visitors to Argentina, mate is not all that they expect it to be when they first try it. In fact, in the vast majority of cases, the first taste of mate is met with nothing less than horror and disgust.

This is a surprise for many. The fact is, mate is so ubiquitous that tourists are led to believe it must be the most delicious beverage known to man. People drink it everywhere. Argentinians drink mate with a passion bordering on outright addiction. It is a nation completely obsessed.

Mate is a classic Argentina travel topic. It is so important culturally that for any tourist who is even slightly interested in finding out more about the Argentinian way of life, trying mate is part of the experience of going on holiday here in the first place.

If you visit Argentina you will want to like mate. Everyone will be drinking it around you, and you'll want to see what all the fuss is about. But I have to warn you be prepared for disappointment.

Is it really that bad?

Having lived in Argentina for a number of years, I can confirm that mate is an acquired taste. My first impression of mate was one of sheer revolt. It is so strong, so bitter, a taste so unfamiliar to the Western palate that after the first mouthful it's hard to see how anyone can possibly like this stuff.

But over time, gradually, yes it does become something of an addiction. If you end up living in Argentina, then mate is so prevalent you are almost forced to like it. You don't have much of a choice.

So if you do go to Argentina, be warned: no matter how much you may want to like mate, there's a good chance that the first time you try it will not be a pleasant experience. Be especially careful if you try it for the first time surrounded by other Argentinians. You'll do your best to smile and feign delight, but what you'll really be thinking is "please don't pass me that vile liquid again" (which is unlikely because mate is a social drink that is normally shared around in a group).

If you are looking for Argentina travel tips, this is one I can give you: don't be too disappointed the first time you try mate. It will take at least a few attempts before it starts to become bearable. Give it time, try the different varieties, stick with it and after a while you may even start to like it.

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