Bathrooms around the world...
If there isn't already a book that documents the bathroom styles of the world, there should be. How is it possible that there are so many different styles of toilet and other accessories? Today, I was amazed to see the bright orange of the loo in the CDG airport. It was such a surprising color I was forced to take a photo. The palace in Baghdad has many interesting bathrooms. All of them have currently non-working bidets that have been reduced to toilet paper holders.While I stayed overnight at Sully compound (at Baghdad International Airport, aka BIAP), I was also reminded of the fact that bathrooms can be improvised. A sign on the door in my "dry CHU" (aka no bathroom attached containerized housing unit) reminded us that we were not allowed to urinate in bottles (this should go without saying, shouldn't it?) and any person found relieving themselves in the dry CHU would never be allowed to stay on the compound again. It makes one wonder how many people urinating in bottles it took for the Sully staff to resort to posting this sign?
BIAPs container ab units (where the toilets are located) were broken down, and so I had the chance to use a port-o-potty there. Though port-o-potty ambiance is not usually classified as pleasant, these particular toilets had been "artistically decorated" inside with many graphic images showing the differences in "anatomical configurations" of the various branches of the military. I wonder who had the time and dedication to do this work that provided a graphic distraction from the other unpleasing aspects of the port-o-potties.
Recently a friend from my Japan days posted a comment on Facebook that Japan has some new toilets with all kinds of new features that released "pleasing smells" on demand. The Japanese really know hw to do toilets, and more of the "big" flush and "small" flush models are showing up in other parts of the world. It is a great way to save water, after all.
If there is an "international toilet book" that anyone has ever seen, I think it would be a hoot to have a copy. If not, perhaps that will have to be the first book I dedicate myself to writing. After all, many people believe the world is just going to crap :)
posted by MinnesotaMel @ 11:06 PM
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