Yeah you are in spanish11/16/2023 ![]() ![]() At times I would take a photo of the menu, then go back to my albergue where I had wifi and use Google to translate the menu, then return to the restaurant to order. Of course my situation was complicated by the fact that I was walking without a data plan, so I couldn't always use Google Translate when reading the menus. But if I knew then what I know now I would have spent some time learning all the relevant words for Spanish food and drink, as that would have made things much easier for me, and I wouldn't have had to resort to simply pointing at things under the glass when I went into a bar. So do you need to speak Spanish to walk a camino? No of course not. I did see one sign translated into English - the one asking for donations. Heck even in the big cathedrals of Burgos and Leon, all the signage is in Spanish only. I've worked in travel and tourism my whole life, and honestly can't recall another place I've been where there was such a complete lack of English. The lack of English in bars and restaurants isn't a big deal, it's just something that I find odd/interesting. Why, when 90% of your customers are speaking English (English being the default language when a group of koreans, germans, french, etc are gathered) would you, as a business owner, not translate your menu? It just seems like such an obvious thing to do from a business perspective. ![]() But translating a menu costs nothing and takes a few minutes. I was surprised that when I'd go to a bar in some small village, that caters almost exclusively to pilgrims, and those pilgrims are predominantly non-Spanish speaking, there would very seldom be an English version of the menu.Īgain, before people start jumping down my throat, I'm not suggesting that the business owners/workers should be obliged to learn to speak English. I've experienced this in many countries - pretty much any business that has had one or two foreigners stop by in the past will have some sort of paper with some English on it for future customers. Not proper English mind you, but enough to get a sense of what the food is. I've travelled fairly extensively in my life, and when traveling I could find myself at some remote village in Laos, and chances are they will have some version of an English menu at the local restaurant. Or more precisely, how seldom there is English signage, menus, etc., as compared to other countries.Īnd before some of you start haughtily replying that it's the visitors' obligation to learn Spanish, not the locals' obligation to cater to non-Spanish speakers, let me articulate my point a bit more. Perhaps the one thing that surprised me more than anything else when I started walking the CF in May is how little English is spoken in Northern Spain. ![]()
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