After Luis spread the fresh chocolate for scoring as he had done the week before and Debbie prepared the powdered chocolate…
…Mark and Luis got down to work cooking the latkes. We made three different kinds
Before we left the States, Mark asked Miriam a number of times what we could bring them. Miriam finally relented and suggested that while their Chanukkiah used oil, most of the other Jewish families in town would not be able to get candles. Mark had packed the candles in the suitcase that was delayed in arriving, so we were a bit worried. They did arrive, just late.Miriam and Luis had been in touch with Michal and learned that she was pretty seriously snowed in at home in Boston. They arranged to do candle lighting simultaneously and to use video chat to help.
Miriam and Luis had invited the Jewish people they had met in Oaxaca. Nearly everyone was able to attend and enjoyed the latkes and other goodies, including the home made ice cream Luis made from....???, perhaps most importantly the opportunity to be together with other Jews at Chanukkah.
Luis and Miriam took us to the bus station for our six hour midnight ride to Mexico City. They had been generous hosts and guides so we were reluctant to say good bye. Knowing that the longtime family connection Mark and Miriam shared would be renewed in California in a week made it easier, as did the promise that we would hope to visit again in Oaxaca and/or New York City
We slept a good part of the trip. Nonetheless, when we arrived at the TAPO/Central Bus Station and took an Authorized Taxi to our Hotel Metropol, we climbed into bed and slept a couple more hours before starting the next stage of our adventure.
