This is what I’ve been missing for the last 5 years

[Robert Watcher]

This is what I’ve been missing for the last 5 years.

Part of the Latin American culture that I thoroughly enjoy and have been missing, is the street food. While tacos aren’t necessarily unique in Canada —— I will never experience the beauty and flavour of these freshly made Tacos Al Pastor back home. These ones that we enjoyed tonight just 3 blocks from our apartment, are some of the moistest most flavourful we’ve experienced. Great having an iPhone to take advantage of the late afternoon lighting.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Yes it does look so moist and I cottony delicious.

Are you in an apartment you rent for a month or so or that’s a home?

What about the tourist common fear of travelers sicknesses from street food or even restaurants. Or are you already past that and your years of travel have you well minimized.

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

We are in a small rental studio apartment that we booked through Airbnb.

As for eating street food, I guess we just know our personal dispositions. Neither Anne or I have ever been sick from it. We do have a long history, begining this type of cultural exploration in 2008 in Costa Rica, then Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador as well as Mexico. Not that we can’t get sick, but so far so good.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Robert,

With all that sampling over the years tears, 1m serum, (from your blood), could rescue an army afflicted with “Montezumo’s Revege“ anywhere on that subcontinent!

 

[Robert Watcher]

Robert,

With all that sampling over the years tears, 1m serum, (from your blood), could rescue an army afflicted with “Montezumo’s Revege“ anywhere on that subcontinent!

That is hilarious Asher. You have made my day

 

[Jerome Marot]

What about the tourist common fear of travelers sicknesses from street food or even restaurants.

In most places, restaurants and food stalls catering for the locals are reasonably safe. They don't want to poison their regular customers.

 

[Asher Kelman]

In most places, restaurants and food stalls catering for the locals are reasonably safe. They don't want to poison their regular customers.

Jérôme,

For sure, but regular customers do, after all, come from the same bacterial and vial ecosystem where the community shares common acquired immunity to prevalent infectious agents!

Asher

 

[Jerome Marot]

I am not a doctor and you are, but I thought the reaction of our immune system when our digestive system is invaded by the wrong bugs is simply to flush it by the bottom end. Only if one does not have acquired immunity can the bugs enter other parts of our body and make us seriously sick or even die.

Therefore, I thought the restaurants who need return customers would take measures to minimize the standard immune system reaction as it is uncomfortable even when the customer does not die. Dying is obviously out of the question as well as the customers are then not return customers, unless one fears ghosts.

 

[Asher Kelman]

I am not a doctor and you are, but I thought the reaction of our immune system when our digestive system is invaded by the wrong bugs is simply to flush it by the bottom end. Only if one does not have acquired immunity can the bugs enter other parts of our body and make us seriously sick or even die.

Therefore, I thought the restaurants who need return customers would take measures to minimize the standard immune system reaction as it is uncomfortable even when the customer does not die. Dying is obviously out of the question as well as the customers are then not return customers, unless one fears ghosts.

Actually pathogens and their antigens reach the lymphatics and also in phagocytes, (in all tissues), that process antigens, delivering them to the immune system. This triggers an immune response resulting in populations of cells ready to react to the next appearance of those antigens, to coat them and inactivate them. Also at the outset, soluble antibodies are also produced which not only are in the blood but in addition, species of antidotes that are are secreted into all mucus membranes lining cavities such as aerodigestive tracts!

 

[Doug Kerr]

All that having been said, anecdotal evidence I have heard most of my life is that often food regularly eaten by the "locals" with no ill outcomes can seemingly cause diarrhea and such when eaten by "tourists".

This may not even be generally so.

If it is, I have no idea as to the etiological premises for it.

Best regards,

Doug