Tea, an institution

VERY sugary, VERY strong black tea made with fresh mint. Most families have a little garden plot on their compound that has....mint. Yes, just mint. Everyday, after lunch, 3 rounds of tea go down. I read that the first is supposed to be sweet for love, the second bitter for death, and the third a compromise, representing life. No one I met in West Africa seemed to know what my guidebook was talking about. haha.