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Published: January 26th 2011
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Lauren and i have just spent an intensive afternoon on our diabetes in mexico healthcare assignments. Thought it might be time to take a break and blog.
We left of at sunday afternoon... after an amazing 4hr nap we headed to get dinner at a tacos joint down the road named Paco's Taco's. Ale took us as we were somewhat inexperienced in ordering in spanish and this joint appears to be a family favourite. It was AMAZING!! Its a small shop front only opened of a night time with a few stools around the walls. On the pavement, the owners have set up a large hotplate with a bench and some stools. We took a seat at the hotplate, adding to the experience as we were able to watch Paco make the different dishes. Paco has lightening hands and can make multiple dishes at once. We started with Voy y Ver, which is meat and ham wrapped in cheese (similiar to haloumi) surrounded by a tortilla, we then tried other version such as vegetables, meat and cheese and cheese and mushroom. As we do with every other meal we then added salsa, lime and onion. Suprisingly this meal only cost
us 30 pesos, less then $3... Bargain!.
Monday afternoon we headed to what we thought would be a public hospital. Hospital de Jesus. It turned out to be one of the cheaper private hospitals in mexico city, but was suprising all the same. Firstly hospital entrance is surrounded on either sides by shops selling shoes, formal dresses and perfume. The tiny entrance was misleading and we soon found our selves in an enormous hospital (all mexican houses are very misleading in size including our own). It was the first hospital built in all of the america's and combines the older architecture, statues, gardens and murals with the newer hospital floors (as well as a church and an impressive room occupied by the president of the hospital built in the 1500's) . Most interesting though was when we toured the wards. This hospital, despite its size, has only 35 beds available. At the time of our visit there were only 2 patients in the hospital. Doctors nurses etc were still working. This was quite shocking as as you all know we do not have enough beds in Australian hospitals and turnover patients quite quickly because of this. We have been
told the public hospitals here are busy but we may not get the opportunity to visit them.
Monday night we had a lovely dinner with the family. Sometimes the room gets very loud because there is a mishmash of english and spanish and everyone talking over the top of each other but it is really fun. We have counted there are currently 15 people staying in our house and we have no idea were the all fit. Lauren and I are on the bottom level and the levels and rooms keep going upwards. we have no idea where anybody fits.
This morning on our way to Uni, Ale decided to take us on a detour to show us the food markets were she buys weekly all the fruit vegetables and meet. They were just setting up when we arrived but we could alreasy tell it was going to be impressive. We went to a fruit stall and the man there let us try mango, tangerine and chico sabora (not spelt right) which was unusually sweet. We decided to come back this afternoon for lunch. We were definitely suprised when we got there. The market had tripled in size
and we could hardly make our way through. They sold everything! Fruit, vegetables, meat, chiles and herbs, lollies, clothed, jewellery, dvds, animals, a giant stand of pork crackling ( I was amazed... Lauren was not.lol) . The best part was that it was not aimed at tourists but at the average mexican person. (Lauren especially enjoyed this). We were defintitley the only foreigners there. We had lunch at another taco stand, and managed to order in just spanish and hand gestures. Lauren and I then headed to browse ad found ourselves taste testing a dessert. Fruit and cream. They put it into a cup like a sundae. We had mango and black berry... and then they add every topping imaginable. Carnation milk, chocolate topping, cream muesli, sultanas, chocolate sprinkle, cherries, wafer, biscuits and gummy bears all on the one thing. Lucky we manage to say no to a fair few of them. It was a great afternoon and well worth experiencing something different.
Also, we have both managede to finally catch up on some sleep, which makes a big difference to our days. Tommorow we are off to see the ballet. Exciting!
Buenos Noches xo
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Bryn
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Mystery meat AND ham wrapped in cheese?! brilliant - should rate as a "super food".