Back from Vacation

Well I am back from my vacation, though I don't return to work for a few more days. I spent the last week out of the country traveling, and had a great opportunity to sample some new foods, and experience service in new places. My experience was generally that the people serving me were not as openly friendly as wait staff, but they were nonetheless helpful and patient when our language differences were a problem. What I did see that was outstanding was meticulous pre-bussing of tables when I was eating at the resort I stayed at. When on the town I saw above average pre-bussing as well, though not the level of the resort. If I put a fork down at the resort, within seconds that plate and fork were gone and replaced with something else. Outstanding! When we ate in town, my experience was that most of the places were understaffed for the volume they were doing, but the service staff was keeping a positive attitude. I thought it was a bit strange they were staffing this light, as some of the times were prime times. What I also experienced was a near reluctance to bring the check. I would have to ask for it a couple of times in more than one place before they would actually bring it. Perhaps that's a cultural thing I'm not familiar with, but it was frustrating when trying to catch a bus before they stop running for the evening, or when trying to move onto another bar or resturant.




I must also say I ate more sausage this past week than the whole previous year I think. Not because I had to, but because I had access to some of the very best sausages in my life. The one picture here is an Argentine Chorizzo that is perhaps the very best sausage I have ever tried. I had many other types as well, and all were outstanding, but this Argentine one takes first prize in my book.