Half the fun of travel is the new food, right? ...right?

Well I'm alive! We've cut off further testing, unless I have more problems, I finish the antibiotic on Saturday, and we're banking on the possibility that this is a problem with my gallbladder that can be controlled by what I eat (or what I don't... aka no more hot pocket o' death). My new regimen includes flax seed tea (literally, hot water poured on flax seeds), lime juice (because I can't find lemons), and something I found that promises to be high in fiber. I believe the claim, too, because it tastes like a tree. Combine it with a little yogurt, sprinkle on a little flax seed (you really can't have too much of this good thing), and the sticks don't taste so bad. I included a picture, and they pretty much taste like they look. For the time being, however, I feel a lot better. If this plan works I'm going to write a book and title it "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but they just may save your life in South America if you eat them."

To celebrate, Toby and I went for a walk today on the beach, and I bought 2 coconuts - we're upping the anti there. Toby is not a good beach buddy, though; he's too high maintenance. He will sit still for about 30 seconds, and then bark at the birds, and the bark at the guy selling stuff, and then bark at the tree he just peed on. He only sits still when he's "cleaning" himself, and that's just embarrassing to sit next to. And then he tried to lick me, which is when I decided it was time to leave.

The final cap on the night was when Luiza and I went back to our Danca do Ventre (belly dancing) class - our professora is so enthusiastic and charming (she calls all of us something like "skinny lady"), and she was double the fun to come back to after being gone for a week and a half. I must be doing better! Belly dancing: the real test of health.