Shameless (Spanish/English)
So pleased with myself at learning 'directions', I used my new found expertise to guide the lady taxi driver to our drop-off point. After negotiating several a la derecha, todo recto etc., I gave my last guidance, to let us off at the temporary barrier in the road. A la barrio I said, only to witness a startled expression of our driver in the rear view mirror. Para aquà secured our goal but suspecting that my a la barrio request had caused the startled reaction, I placed my hand on the barrier repeating barrio. She instantly dropped her face on to the steering wheel; I knew to hide her amusement at my attempt at Spanish. Consulting my dictionary the moment I got home, I found that I had asked to be dropped off at the "red light district" and not the barrier. I bet she couldn't wait to tell her fellow drivers when she got back to the taxi rank. Taxi parada if you don't mind.
Sent by: John
Comments
In Barcelona, and in other places in Spain, Barrio Chino (literally Chinese Area/Section/Quarter) means red light district. And it is not LA barrio but EL barrio.
In some countries "Barrio" can mean neighborhood, but in some others, like Venezuela, "Barrio" means red light district
Many terms, including this one, are tied to the context in which they are used. At the very least, she assumed you were speaking about a different area.
"Barrio" doesn't mean "red light district" but neighborhood.
In Venezuela, "barrio" doesn't mean 'red light district' (that is to say, it isn't related to sex-oriented businesses or prostitution), it means 'shantytown', 'slum', 'favela'!
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