Hake To The Sailor's Blouse

A few weeks’ ago, I wrote about my brother in Spain contemplating the patriotic nature of his vegetables. Of course, it is easy to take a cheap shot at some restaurant owner who is doing his best to accommodate the tourist trade. After all, in many places, it is difficult to find something that’s in your own language so perhaps we should appreciate the effort.

The thing is, I disagree with the “Well it’s the thought that counts” brigade. I can understand and appreciate that a menu in Belgium would not be available in Swahili or Maltese; it’s why I’ve bothered to learn (some) of the local language and in cases when my French failed me, I ordered something at random hoping that while my French may be Pidgin, perhaps the food won’t.

But that’s just me.

Of course, if you are going to go to the effort of printing out menus in another language, using a native speaker can improve your image considerably. At a pinch, even Google Translate is reasonably good these days for simple text so your menus could appear professionally done instead of hacked together by someone who’s just started learning the language.

So when the Unexpected Brother sent me another menu shot from Spain, the last thing I was expecting to see was mention of a mariner’s wardrobe on it:

The Brave Potatoes live in the Garrison of Egg.

Since Spain is in a dire economic situation, diners only get one crouton per soup serving.

Related Unexpected Traveller Posts:

• Gare Du Midi: Lost By Translation
• Legally Blonde
• The Water Is A little Funny
• Expat Life – Immersing Yourself
• The Future Is Now

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~ by unexpectedtraveller on April 9, 2012.