I Love the Matte Man

They’re Rio de Janeiro’s ambassadors of nostalgia and good vibes.

It’s a scorching 31°C in February. In American, that’s 86.4°F.

I’m your typical gringo tourist in Rio de Janeiro. I‘ve got my Havaianas flip-flops with the cute little Brazillian flag and I’m bumbling along Copacabana beach like a clueless macaw.

Ocean waves flirt to my left, and Pão de Açúcar lies behind me.

Ahead of me is beautiful, colourful chaos. Footvolley is being played nearby while friends and families sprawl out on their patterned cangas. Sunbathers pick their spots to soak up that Vitamin D.

A day ago, I was bundled up in -7°C Toronto cold. Now, I’ve got the whitest legs on the beach.

I’m melting. Maybe I should just throw myself into the water.

“Olha o mate! Mate gelado!”

There they are — Glorious, bright orange Carioca angels.

They shout with pure confidence. “Matte Leão” sponsor stickers are plastered all over their matching hats, pouches, shirts, and shorts.

I spot a friendly vendedor de mate (mate vendor) strolling toward me, barefoot.

Two shining aluminum tanks hang by his sides — One’s filled with crisp lemonade. The other is full of ice-cold yerba mate.

He holds a large plastic bag in his right hand. Biscoito Globo, Rio de Janeiro’s ultimate beach snack. A carioca tradition since 1955, they’re made from polvilho (cassava starch) and are 100% addictive.

You crunch one, and then your hand involuntarily reaches for another. You won’t stop till you finish the bag, I promise.

You’ve got two flavours to choose from:

Green is salty.

Red is sweet.

I’m a salty boy. I grab a bag and watch as my guardian angel reaches for a cup — It’s sweltering, but he’s cool as a cucumber.

He mixes the lemonade and mate. The ratio is secret, known only to his feather-touch.

Pure magic.

“Obrigado”, I say. I hadn’t learned “valeu” yet.

I sip my first taste of heaven. He nods in approval as the mate rejuvenates my soul.

“Aproveite! Boa praia!” He smiles.

I translate in my head — Enjoy the beach.

He grabs those 50kg portals to Eden and walks off to continue God’s work.

I was a foreigner, but the matte man welcomed me with open arms.

Ice cold mate com limão and crispy Biscoito Globo — I was thrown right back to my Asian childhood.

You know how it is. A family day at the beach. Your normally strict parents break character and let you have a cold drink and a snack — it’s the best thing you’ve ever had.

These mate beach vendors have to be time travellers. There’s no other explanation.

With COVID19, Rio’s beaches are empty.

But mate vendors never give up. They’re adapting, turning their business into home-delivery services, all for the sake of spreading a little happiness.

“People are missing taking a dip in the sea, but at least this lifts one’s soul,” said Flavia Torres, taking delivery in her Botafogo apartment of a packet of biscuits and an iced tea.

“It is the aroma of the beach.”

— National Post

I’m counting down the days till I return to Copacabana.

Thank you, Brazil. Stay strong.

I miss you dearly.

Thank you Matte Man, you made me fall in love with your country — One sip is all it took.

Saudades!