Our First Independent Excursion Into Oaxaca in Search of Chocolate Resources
Tuesday, December 16, 2008

At breakfast with the freshly milled chocolate beverage, Miriam & Luis told us about various, even unusual, local expressions of Jewish life.

Research in the Morning

Luis walked us to the bus stop by their house and we rode for about twenty minutes into town. Our first stop was at the Biblioteca Fray Francisco de Burgoa which is part of the Regional Museum of Oaxaca. Using our limited Spanish we explained what we were searching for and tried to get into the library which was behind a gated door inside what was once a rather imposing church. We succeeded after having tried to explain to the guard and were finally introduced to Penelope Orozco by the English speaking woman who handles the audio tapes who led us behind the gate into the beautiful reading room.

Penelope helped Debbie use the catalog on the laptop there and also brought her a couple of books.

As Debbie did her research, Mark worked on the notes he had collected and continued his write-up of the preceding day. We then explored the museum, especially enjoying the beautiful views out the windows.





The grounds include the local botanical garden. We did not go in (there's a two-hour tour), but we did see some amazing "formations" visible from above.

Near the street we could see cacti attempting escape (seen from inside):

(seen from outside):

And young love budding.

Errands in the Afternoon

We moved on to a high quality local English language bookstore before going to the Zócalo where we enjoyed a snack which included a delicious peanut dish (botana de cacahuates) consisting of Spanish peanuts heated in oil with garlic, hot peppers, salt and a sprinkling of lime.

We stood at the corner of Independencia and García Vigil where we took our official portrait for that day.

Luis came by to pick us up to go to the airport to retrieve Mark’s suitcase. We drove past the university where Luis teaches. At the airport we met some Israelis on a tour leaving Oaxaca for Guatemala as the attendant brought Mark his suitcase. We returned home for a fabulous lunch prepared by Miriam and an afternoon nap.

Art and More Good Food in the Evening

That evening we went back into town for the opening of an art exhibit in which a friend of Miriam and Luis had some work. The art was engaging (though not something you could easily put on your own walls)

and the people we met were as interested in us as we were in them (that's a positive statement). We wandered a lovely artsy portion of the old town, found a cute restaurant called Zandunga (from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec) celebrating a “first annual festival of 10 tamales”, enjoyed a late repast of four types of tamales (apple, pineapple, salsa verde and squash/beans) and then returned home.

start || back || next