Tuesday, November 27, 2012

A Delightful Day and the Dentist

A while back, San Geraldo and I met another American in Sevilla who gave us the name of a dentist who speaks English. When we finally came around to making our appointments, however, we discovered he didn't participate in our insurance plan, so I instead phoned the dental center run by our insurance company and asked if they had any dentists who speak English. "Oh, yes," was the response. I made two appointments with that dentist and we taxied over there today.

CROSSING THE SAN TELMO BRIDGE INTO TRIANA AND LOS REMEDIOS.

Like the medical center run by Sanitas, the dental center is beautiful, modern, high-end, and very pleasant. We checked in and filled out our patient information forms. They were in Spanish. San Geraldo began to try to translate but finally gave up. I started to just feed him the answers. When he got to question 14, "Women: Are you pregnant?" I forgot he was no longer reading along and I told him the answer to that one was "no." He marked "no." Oops. San Geraldo hates going to the dentist, but he behaved himself fairly well in the waiting room.

LOOKING BACK ACROSS THE RIVER GUADALQUIVIR.
(TOWER OF GOLD, CENTER.)

When the dentist was ready, San Geraldo went first (because if I had gone first, there was a good possibility he would have run out the door). Unfortunately, this dentist did not in fact speak English. (Maybe the other one was out today.) San Geraldo had no idea, most of the time, what he was being asked. He told me he had answered some of the questions anyway with what he thought would be good answers. When it was my turn, the dentist congratulated me on the new baby. (Not really, but he did ask me for clarification on what he had asked San Geraldo.) We were both told our mouths were perfect (ha! I've been told sometimes I have a "smart mouth" or a "dirty mouth," but never a perfect mouth) and we go back next week to have our teeth cleaned.

TEX-MEX NACHOS AT PHOENIX PUB. OUR REWARD FOR A GOOD VISIT WITH THE DENTIST.

QUESADILLA, SPANISH STYLE.

The office is in the neighborhoods of Triana/Los Remedios and Albert had recently told me about a great restaurant on Plaza de Cuba. It's an Irish pub with Spanish, Irish, American and Tex-Mex on the menu. Since Albert has never steered us wrong, we thought we'd give it a try. Great nachos. My quesadilla (my first quesadilla in Spain) was also very good. I got one with Iberian ham and cheese, to give my Tex-Mex experience a Spanish twist. The cheese inside was delicious. The cheese on top looked like Velveeta (which we recently tried to describe to Teré), but it had a stronger cheddar taste. We sat outside in the beautiful sunshine and relaxed before our walk home.

I wonder if we should start considering names for the baby. Nacho comes to mind.

JUST PAST THE JEREZ GATE HEADING TOWARD AVENIDA DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN.

ON THE AVENUE, WITH THE CATHEDRAL IN THE BACKGROUND.

33 comments:

  1. It's funny... your photos make even a trip to the dentist a beautiful experience. But I'd go to the dentist anytime if I got that tasty reward you did.

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    1. The Odd Essay:
      It was a perfect day yesterday (and again today). Great for walking and appreciating the views. As for me, I love going to the dentist. I don't have problems, so there's no worry when I go (knock wood). It may not be the same anymore but when I was working I would schedule my cleanings for the start of the day. I loved sitting in the chair for an hour not having to do or say anything!

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  2. I can't believe anyone would say you have a 'smart mouth'....you are delightful and if they can't take a joke...well...you know what they can do...LOL! Dentists do not rate high on my list of "oh, I can't wait to go there"....too much fainting and white knuckle exhaustion for me. Our Dentist is a joker so it helps a bit but sometimes you just want him to 'shut it' and get the work over with. Phew that was long...now let's eat!
    Ron

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    1. Ron:
      I DO know what they can do if they can't take a joke... which is why my father used to say I was a "smart mouth." I don't mind dentists at all (see my reply to The Odd Essay above). The only time I ever minded was when I had a hygienist who never stopped talking but never said anything of interest. Being a captive audience in that situation was not fun.

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  3. I know many people with horror stories to tell about dental visits but I've never had a bad visit. This food looks great. My favorite local Mexican restaurant closed for some reason and it's been a while since I had good Mexican food.

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    1. Stephen:
      In Southern California, we had access to great Mexican food all the time (and took advantage of it). It's nice to have a couple of good options here now.

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  4. Now a kitten named Nacho might be a nice new addition to you family if your other cats would tolerate it.......Or are two enough?

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    1. Kristi:
      I think we'll pass on the third kitten. Dudo and Moose are a joy ... and more than enough. Yesterday, after stopping Dudo from tipping over my bathroom trash can and then pulling my towel off the rod to make a bed, I caught him climbing the shower curtain because he thought a fly had flown between the pleats.

      So, you don't think Nacho would be a good time for a little girl?

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  5. I so know that feeling San Geraldo!!! I actually did run out of the dentist's office and down the street! OK, I was 5 at the time.

    Good to hear all is OK in those mouths of yours! I am always humored when dentists ask you a question and he/she has their hands in your mouth!! WT...! So it really doesn't matter how or what you answer I guess.

    I see it must be FREEZING there in Sevilla!! Look at those jackets everyone has on! Br-r-r-r

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    1. Jim:
      My sister was known for screaming in the chair before the dentist even did anything. I was very cooperative.

      As for having a conversation with your mouthful, I told San Geraldo yesterday that was one of the benefits for him of not speaking the language. The dentist/hygienist can ask him anything they want and all he has to do is shrug.

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  6. Good job translating and getting through the whole event. You are a wise mouth!

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    1. Judeet:
      I've been described as a wise something and a smart something, but "mouth" was never the "something" that followed.

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  7. Wow, I've never known anyone with a perfect mouth before! Glad your checkups were good.
    The city streets are so clean and beautiful, it would be a joy to walk home on them.

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    1. Ms. Sparrow:
      I love nothing more (as you may have noticed) than wandering the city taking pictures. So much beauty.

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  8. Isn't your post title and oxymoron!! HA! Apologies to all dentists.

    And I inherited my grandmom's perfect mouth. She died at age 92 with all her original teeth. And now I'm age 45 and still haven't had a cavity. It is the one thing I really have going for me so I try to work in into a conversation at any possible opportunity.

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    1. Jenners-Who-Has-Never-Had-A-Cavity:
      I suppose we should all remember to address you this way. I'm one of those crazy people (masochists?) who love a visit to the dentist. Not so San Geraldo.

      I promise when the day comes that we meet in person I'll introduce you to all my friends as Jenners, who has still has all her own teeth... cavity-free.

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  9. Explaining Velveeta would be challenging...similar to explaining Spam, I imagine!

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    1. Michelle:
      I've never tasted Spam, but I've seen it. I've tasted Velveeta once, and that was enough. There are products here that look kind of like Spam, but they're apparently very good. I can't get myself to try them. Maybe I should bring back Velveeta and Spam from my next visit to the States.

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  10. Open wide and say, "¡Olé!"

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  11. Your trip with more photos of your beautiful city was pain free and of culinary interest, bravo, thank you.

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    1. the cuby poet:
      So many more streets to explore. I take photos every day and have a hard time deciding what to share.

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  12. I can't get over what a beautiful city that is.

    And yes. I would like some of those nachos please. :-)

    Pearl

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    1. Pearl:
      When we were trying to figure out where in Spain to live, we were told by many different people that they came to Sevilla once and fell in love. We completely understand.

      I could go for some more of those nachos right now.

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  13. I am with San Geraldo when it comes to the dentist although I do remember going to see the incredibly handsome Dr. Steel, a Scottish dentist, who held my hand while he explained what was going to take place: teeth cleaning.
    I was an impressionable and rather-nervous-of-dentists young man in my early thirties but with Dr Steel sitting in front of me, holding my hand, gazing into my eyes and speaking soothingly I forgot all my fears. . . either that or I was being hypnotised. . .

    I wish all dentists were like him!

    Your photographs make me want to go to Seville for a holiday right now!

    If it is a girl I think her name has to be 'Nacha' or possibly Nachette. Nacho would be the boy's name.

    Kirk

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    1. Kirk Dale:
      I've never had an incredibly handsome dentist... well, let me rephrase that. None of the dentists I've seen for dental care have been incredibly handsome. We did however meet a doctor McDreamy in an ER in Southern California. How about Quesadilla for a girl?

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  14. I think Nacho is a great name. My husband is Fritz, but years ago typo occurred on one catalog's mailing list and the z got turned into an o. Lists were sold and the typo would up on lots of mail, addressed to Frito Bell. Fritos are, of course, a popular snack food so if I can have a Frito, you can certainly have a Nacho!

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    1. Will:
      I love the name Fritz, but Frito is the best! I always wanted a nickname like that. It's hilarious what one miss-spelling can do to a person's reputation. I had a friend named Delphine. She received a mailing to Ms. Del Phine. To her friends, she became Ms. Feen.

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  15. There are many, many great feelings in this world and stepping OUT of the dentist's surgery is one of them!

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    1. Owl Wood:
      I love sitting in that chair (when it's just a cleaning).

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  16. "Baby Nacho", I like that! COngrats on the good dental appointment, language barriers not withstanding.

    I always love the food pics on your blog. I think I'd enjoy eating my way through Spain!

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    1. Knatolee:
      I apparently AM eating my way through Spain!

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  17. Cootchie-cootchie Nacho, you'll be proud parents! ;)

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