Maybe 99% of public restrooms in China look like this, a little nightmare-ish, a leg work out when you really don't need one, and initially at least an inhibitor of those functions you're there to relieve yourself of. but it's something everyone faces here. i still get the willies a little every time i use one but i just be careful to avoid them, and to keep a small amount of t.p. on me ALWAYS!
Private homes all have toilets, as do a select few western clientèle orientated businesses. even the maconalds and kfc's have squatters, but they always include t.p. They aren't always the cleanest or best smelling, but i definitely understand why they're more sanitary. and public bathrooms like this exist all over, so it's not really super weird.
showers on the other hand are some crazy shit! the chinese just kinda shower in the middle of their bathroom with the shower head pointing to whatever the open space in your bathroom is, wetting almost everything else in the room. simply put they don't really have a tub, and that's harder to wrap my head around. here i need to squeegee the floor after a shower to get all the water out, it ends up going through a drain somewhere on the floor. i don't really see the logic in that placement...i guess it's a space saver but it's not my favorite thing about china by a long shot.
ON A NICER NOTE...
you can still find lots of beautiful things all over beijing, this video is the view from one of the balconies at my new place on the 10th floor. ross and i face ginza mall, the first building on the corner, then the tree lined street marks the beginning of a several block stretch which is one of beijing's premiere restaurant districts, lucky me. one block east i have a mcdonalds,and half a block west i have a 7 11. sometimes i feel like every single thing in my life has changed except for like 15 really random things.
This is the view from my balcony by day
and this is the kind of hidden treasure you'll find quite unexpectedly between the big buildings, crappy and crazy traffic, and light polltuion-y haze you see cast over the city
4 comments:
this post is like 4-in-1...covering a lot of ground! the video from your balcony is sweet...like i want to sit and have a beer with you there, while we smoke cigarrettes, and each have an ashtray! little dreams.
in regards to squatting, that would be ok, though physiologically something to get used to...the drawing is so VERY ariel of you and i love IT!
what's going on with work? are you looking yet? maybe this is a stupid question, but would you be teaching engrish? or perhaps espanol?
tonight's the opening night for most mia galleries of repoir; it's the first since the summer is over. the TM sisters are on the cover of ARTNEWS and they're performing at the moore. a bunch of other stuff is going on, i will update you as events unfold...
love you dearly,
i--
this is the post i've been waiting for: pics, drawings, video, detail account on why the chinese will never take over the world (first they got to build 1.3 billion shitters) good job!!! talking about jobs, when are you getting one?? i start tomorrow so we'll be in touch.
take care,
armando
Wow, a squatter! Now I REALLY want to visit China! BTW, great idea to take tp with you on the go. I love this post!
Love,
Oyalda
The squatters are not that odd in my opinion. Traversing Europe for 4 months I ran into these alot. Like you said, awkward at the start but you get used to it.
Post a Comment