I couldn't resist buying these at Costco. This is Coke, the "real" kind. No, not the ancient stuff that was sold as a medicine and had coca leaves, like essentially all "medicines" in the 19th century. I mean, the first kind to be bottled, with carbonation: in glass, with sugar instead of nasty High Fructose Corn syrup. Always the real thing! An American icon, right?

When someone asked me if they still made those things, I replied, "Si por supuesto... hecho en Mexico, señor." Sure enough, the side of the bottle says "DISFRUTA" Coca-Cola.

So, yes, this particular American icon is still available. In Mexico. So, if you're hopping the border fence any time soon, bring me along a case, willya?

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PS: I am still amazed by the volume of this stuff I used to drink: about three liters a day, if you were curious. I think it came from a very "health-conscious" upbringing, in which soda was kind of a Holy Grail of unattainable treats except for a few special occasions. So, naturally, as soon as I could control my own purchases walking home from middle school, I would always stop at the little convenience store and buy a Coke. But, this was on a five-to-ten dollar per week allowance, so I had to be budget conscious. If a twenty-ounce bottle cost $0.99, and a two liter bottle cost $1.29, often on sale for $0.99, what would YOU do?