FOOD!!

 The Food for lunch and dinner for the team, has been prepared and provided by the local Rotarians, Red Cross volunteers and the Mayor!  We have been incredibly well fed with local food freshly prepared for our meals at the hospital!  I will try and add some names to the food below (only a small sample of the dishes we have eaten this first week!)  I have had rice at EVERY meal (breakfast- at our hotel; lunch and dinner - at the hospital; and 2 evenings as guests at the Mayor's home.)  The "Luchon" (roasted pig) is very popular for a special dinner and we have been served it on three evenings now (the First night at the Rotarian's Fellowship dinner for us and 2 nights at the Mayor's).  Last night as guest of the Mayor's (with about 40 of her family and friends) one of the Mayor's sister-in-laws compared their presentation of "luchon" to our roasted turkey- good comparison!  But still seems strange to have the WHOLE PIG present!

 Rice - of course!  And a "vegatable" dish... was like split pea soup and included other blended local vegatables.

 MANGOS, MANGOS and MORE MANGOS!  The best I've ever had! And a TEAM favorite in the break room!

 These Bibingkitas tasted like souffles- are rice cakes with eggs and spinkled with sugar and seasoning- quite delicious!

 Even though last year I just could quite eat (or figure out) the fish with the heads on....it was delicious (once we got around the bones!)  Another wonderful lunch provided to keep the team- especially the OR staff- nourished!  THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING UNTIL WELL INTO THE NIGHT TO GET THE CHILDREN THEIR SURGERIES!  THE FOOD HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO KEEP THEM ALL GOING!  And Susan and I too- although we usually get back to our hotel earlier than the OR staff- about 7:30 PM.

 This is a fruit here that looks like a large turkey leg with marshmellows attached! The fruit is picked off and very sweet! I can't remember how to spell the name!

LUCHON- that poor roasted pig!  (Have to admit it's tasty to us carnivores!!