Monday, December 21, 2009

Just after last X-mas...

At 8.30pm on Friday 3 January 2009 I entered the Salones El Puente Restaurant on Calle Arrabal 16 in the town of San Clemente in the La Mancha region. I greeted the lady at the bar who appeared to me to be the proprietress and then in a clear voice asked her what time the restaurant was open for dinner. She replied that I must speak in Castellano. I told her I was speaking in Castellano. She put her finger to her ear and said "Well, I don't understand you."

I could see from the expression on her face and by the arrogant tone of voice that she used that she was attempting to insult me. I swore at her in English and left this restaurant.

Later that same night my family and I had a lovely dinner at a different restaurant nearby: the Restaurant Jacinto in the Plaza de la Iglesia. The food was excellent and the service was very helpful and friendly. We stayed for one night in the Hotel La Posada del Reloj and concluded that it was also good quality.

My family and I travelled for five days in the La Mancha region and we liked everything about this part of Spain very much. We will go there again I am sure, but we will certainly be avoiding the Salones El Puente Restaurant because of the rude (and probably racist) attitudes that I found there.

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