My husband (who insists on remaining anonymous on all social media sites) is traversing the city, alone, doing chores. He is in the downtown CBD area when he hails his next cab, telling the driver he wants to go to 'Chinatown'. The driver nods enthusiastically & (seems to) insist that there are 2 such places, he needs to know which 1. Husband understands & explains with much waving of arms that he means the closer 1, not the 1 outside of the city.
The driver sets off at great speed (this is normal reaction, as if we are all competitors in The Amazing Race reality tv show) & husband settles back. About 7 minutes later, way short of the usual 20 minute ride, the cabdriver pulls into the Sheraton Hotel driveway & screeches to a halt, turning around to look at husband, with great satisfaction & a big smile.
"Why are we here? This is not Chinatown, this is a hotel! I want to go to Chinatown directly! No stops!"
.... say "chinatown" with my husband's accent, & in a GREAT rush ...
Husband jumps out - not letting the cabdriver leave - & seeks translation skills from the Concierge in the lobby, who resolves the confusion.
The way to ask for "Chinatown" in Spanish is "barrio chino" - nothing like it!! Ugh. After much profuse apologies (much more arm waving) they soon lurch back out of the Sheraton hotel driveway & head towards barrio chino.
Upon retelling the story later, we discover that in fact there are 2 Sheraton Hotels in BA; the poor taxidriver did take husband to the nearest 1; & that the farther 1 is about 75 kms away from the downtown area.
Thank goodness the driver half-understood my husband's directions !!
*Note to self: this is why I must always carry a map of the city on me!
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