At our first hotel-sponsored tea time, we were given about 5 tea choices. Dad and I both chose coca tea. Me, because cocaine is made from the leaf—in a very disgusting and unhygienic manner—and indigenous people have been using the leaf for centuries as an antidote to altitude sickness. Dad chose coca tea because he thought the waitress said “coco.” He was expecting chocolate tea! Despite this surprise, he’s learned to love the drink but mashing the leaves up a bit, letting it seep for 8-10 minutes, and adding some raw cane sugar. Sadly, no euphoric effects to report, yet dad is still a fan. This morning at breakfast: “Do you think they’d let me bring a bag of this back to the States?”