In Olomouc, Czech Republic, 1998, on the main square of the town — a well preserved renaissance town hall at the centre, surrounded by handsome baroque houses, shops and restaurants.  The town’s poshest restaurant is on the main square, just next to the opera house. In the summer months there is an outside terrace, with a maître d’ and table service. I was enjoying a late afternoon drink there when an American couple in their mid-60s wearing anoraks and baseball caps walk up and look at the menu on display. The menu is also in English, but the couple still look confused after studying it for several minutes. Finally, the maître d’ asked them, in stumbling English (good guess!) if they would like a table. Unsure of what to do next, they stare back at him, the maître d’ continues to gesture to an empty table saying ‘please, welcome, sit’. Finally, the woman breaks her silence: “do you have yoghurt?’. “Yoghurt?”, the maître d’ wonders (who goes to a restaurant for yoghurt?), “yes, we have yoghurt”. He really can’t believe his ears, but continues to gesture to an empty table. The American couple don’t budge. The woman looks at him again and asks him her final question: “in a cup, or on a cone?”

Shared By: R.R., Canterbury, UK