The first Latin American Medical Tourism & Health Tourism Congress is going to be held on April 27 – 29, 2009 in Monterrey, mexico.

There will be almost 400 attendees from 25 countries who will discuss the development of Medical Tourism in Latin America.

There will be many guest speakers from Mexico and abroad. All the details of Medical Tourism is examined and studied, including its economic impact, effect on the spread of higher quality medical services in Mexico, and the attitude of medial professionals.

mexican medical professionals hope to turn these conferences into a traditional gathering during which the future strategy of the health sector is examined in a thorough manner.

Located in the Northeastern mexican state of Nuevo Leon, Monterrey is an important business center and hot spot for modern industry. The city has become popular for international trainings and conferences making hotels a hot commodity. Enter the Gran Hotel Ancira which proudly and historically stands close to the excitement of Monterrey offering the very best in style and relaxation.

Puerta extraordinaire (CC photo by Lucy Nieto courtesy of Flickr)

The classy exterior of the hotel holds fast to a golden era of sophisticated architecture and stunning attention to detail. Regal comfort meets guests with luxurious pampering from the entrance to each guest quarter. The doorway leads you to a beautiful staircase and a lobby offering tranquil music sometimes through a live quartet.

Lanterns at Ancira (CC photo by Kevin Lare courtesy of Flickr)

While the hotel’s room service is top notch, visitors are delightfully surprised by the amazing  buffet offered on Sundays. The restaurant is a favorite during the week, but many excitedly await the bounty of Sunday’s culinary menagerie of local and traditional brunch favorites.

The staff is known for being especially helpful to guests at the hotel and are happy to answer any questions and offer advice about the local attractions. Many are thrilled to offer suggestions for delicious local eateries and the best area events and entertainment.

Plaza Hidalgo With Hotel Ancira in the backdrop (CC photo by Leoncillo Sabino courtesy of Flickr)

By no means is the Gran Ancira the most glamorous hotel in Monterrey, but history presents itself in the aesthetically pleasing facade of the building and the comfortable charm employees present. It is a nice place to stay with family or on a business trip. You will have everything you need, be close to all the fun of downtown Monterrey, all at affordable prices. The Hotel Ancira is a favored stay time and time again.

Queso fundido in Yucatan (CC photo by Jasjadekker1 courtesy of Flickr)

Melted cheese really has the magic to please even the most conservative palates. The many amazing cheeses found throughout mexico’s cities are the main reason queso fundido is such a deliciously popular dish. This cheese fondue is much different from other fondues, mostly because of the cheese used and ingredients added. It will probably never taste the same since recipes change from chef to chef. What will always remain is the delicious texture and indulgent qualities of this delicious cuisine.

Fundido from Puebla (CC photo by Marshlight courtesy of Flickr)

Queso Asadero is the most popular cheese for fundido in Mexico. Queso Manchengo is another delicious mexican cheese that seems made for melting. Monterrey Jack and Fontina both make good substitutes if Mexican cheese is not available. Additions to fundido can add interesting texture and taste. Tomatoes are a popular ingredient, as well as, chilies. The type of chili is going to make it hotter, sweeter or even offer a smoked quality. Mushrooms, garlic and cilantro are also popular additions.

Gooey marvel (CC photo by stu_spivack courtesy of Flickr)

The basic recipe calls for about one tablespoon of olive oil to about a half pound of cheese. The additional ingredients are usually cooked in the oil along with any spices then the cheese is gradually added while continuously stirring.

Queso from Monterrey (CC photo by cll1969 courtesy of Flickr)

Serving the dish can be tricky since the cheese begins to solidify fairly quickly. The molten mass, as seen above, is sometimes simply placed in a tortilla or over chips. One of the best ways to present fundido is how it is served throughout Mexico. The hot fundido is transferred to a sizzling hot cast iron skillet and carefully placed on the table. This method allows the cheese to cool more slowly, maintaining the perfect oozy characteristics that make it irresistible. Wherever your Mexican travels take you, make sure to try queso fundido.

In the state of Monterrey, to the west of the city, you will find the famous Huasteca Canyon, This is made up of 300 meters cliffs and a park. Because of the different scenery you can find here, there are many different activities or sports to practice here, such as rock climbing. Because of its many nice trails and its spectacular peaks many climbers from all over the world come here and many consider this place its their favorite place for weekend hikes.

This place has also become a popular weekend destination for families, especially since the 1990s. People come in great numbers every day, and especially so when the river is shallower and good for swimming. This also has its negative side because due to the large number of visitors, this place is suffering from a greater amount of left-behind waste. In order to raise some funds to try to work on this problem, the Government began, in 2004, charging families $10 to enter to some parts of the park, but at the same time leaving the climbing areas free to enter.

Because of the rocky scenery, this place offers you the possibility of developing diverse activities, which can be counted. Activities such as long walking, mountain climbing, rappel, swimming, and photography.  This place is ideal to pass the day with family or friends. The area is open to the public from Monday to Sunday, and it is open from 9:0am to 6:0 pm. The entrance to the park is free, except for some areas.

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San Luis Potosi, also called SLP, or simply San Luis, is the capital city of the mexican state of San Luis Potosi. The city is well known for its European architecture. Actually many people say that architecturally, the downtown of San Luis is very similar to cities in Spain.

The downtown is made up of different plazas and colonial buildings. The “Plaza de Armas” is home to the main Cathedral and the Governor’s Palace. It is really fascinating to see couples and families enjoying Popsicles and chatting around the downtown area especially on weekends.  Here you can also find “El Templo of Nuestra Señora del Carmen”, which is considered among mexico’s finest churches because of its colorful tiled domes and beautiful altars.

San Luis Potosi is considered the tenth largest metropolitan area in Mexico, with a population of approximately one million inhabitants. The city is a mayor  commercial and industrial center in the country because It lies in an economically advantageous area, at the heart of the triangle formed by the three largest cities in Mexico:Mexico city, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

In recent years, the city has attracted European and American investors because of its location and because it is politically and economically stable. Recently San Luis Potosi, and its Metropolitan area was named the third best city in which to live in Mexico, according to a survey conducted by the magazine “The Investor”.

There are different important sights that you can visit when coming to San Luis Potosi, such as the house of the culture, the cathedral, the museum of science and the different museums you will find in the city. As in any other Mexican city, San Luis Potosi has many things to offer for visitors to make it a very relaxing and comfortable vacation. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants in the city for every kind of taste and budget. if you ever happen to be in SLP, as the locals call it, you will really be amazed at the beauty of this Mexican colonial city.

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Monterrey is located in the state of Nuevo Leon, mexico. It is a city filled with much to do and harbors a rich culture. One of the major landmarks and cultural sites in Monterrey is the Santa Lucia River Walk which attracts many other venues, similar to the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas. Monterrey is also home to many museums, including The Museum of Modern Art, Museum of mexican History, and El Museo de Vidrio among several others.

Also in Monterrey is La Macroplaza, a large plaza filled with shops and restaurants. Besides delicious mexican food, there are many different types of cuisine available in Monterrey including Jewish, Japanese, Argentine, Italian, Chinese and much more.

At Monterrey’s La Macroplaza you will find Kidzania. Kidzania is a real-world themed amusement park. There are two locations in Mexico; one in Mexico City and the other in Monterrey. Kidzania is a unique type of theme park because of its design. It is a kid-size replica of a city.

Kidzania is complete with buildings, shops, houses and vehicles. Children of all ages can enjoy many aspects of an adult life with a job, a house, a car and more. It offers an educational experience filled with numerous fun filled activities. It also offers private rooms for special occasions such as birthday parties. The park contains a restaurant area with many fast food parlors such as McDonalds and Domino’s Pizza.

Kidzania also provides an adult lounge for people who are 18 and older to relax and unwind. Kidzania is a great place to visit when vacationing with family in Mexico. You can learn more about Kidzania at Kidzania.com.

Another fun destination for kids and their parents in Mexico is Parque Plaza Sesamo – an amusement park based on Sesame Street. You can learn more about this fun-filled location at parqueplazasesamo.com.

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