Love that way of putting it: "But Texas, the Gran Chaco and the Russian people aren’t taco stands.
They aren’t set up to serve you. ... In most cases, we aren’t even guests, but unannounced, drop-in visitors." It's like people who get cross when locals don't speak English. The rest of the world is not a customer service desk for Anglophone travellers.
I went there last week! The food was great - not just a gimmick!
Thanks for this - really interesting post! It made me want to watch Les Mis again (I know, I know...)