When we were in Beijing a couple of years back, my wife noted with some amusement while visiting some of the larger tourist spots that the older Chinese women would line up for the one available "western" style toilet rather than use the many available squat loos.
Probably reflects more on the joint and muscle difficulties that come with age more than anything though - much easier to use a seat than to squat once you get to a certain age.
Takes a while to get used to the idea that toilet paper should not be flushed, but should be placed in the very small bin next to the loo - but this is common in many countries around the world (was like this in most of South America too).
Not so sure about no toilet paper at all - I would at least like something to dry myself with after squirting with the hose ... although I guess in Kuwait, you can just wait a minute or so and the dry air would do the trick for you!
one of the worst thing about squat toilets is that the floor all around them is wet from the hose -- and you know where the water was cleaning before it ended up on the floor!
another thing is the shallowness of the bowls, which are not designed for -- how shall I put this? -- larger Western dangly bits. Need to be careful how low you squat!
And don't even get me started on trying to use a squat toilet on a moving train!!!
I'm guessing you're confused as to why I've uploaded this photo.
At the bottom of my review of the Kuwait Zoo (http://www.zoochat.com/930/kuwait-zoo-70067/) I made a statement about different cultures, and included a link to this pic by way of illustration.
Although it wasn't intended to, I'm glad the photo has generated some discussion and brought back some, err ... fond .... memories for some of our members.
I'm guessing you're confused as to why I've uploaded this photo.
At the bottom of my review of the Kuwait Zoo (http://www.zoochat.com/930/kuwait-zoo-70067/) I made a statement about different cultures, and included a link to this pic by way of illustration.
Although it wasn't intended to, I'm glad the photo has generated some discussion and brought back some, err ... fond .... memories for some of our members.
No, I was just confused as how people really use these "toilets", as I had never seen one before. But after reading all the post I now have an idea how people use them.
I love the fact that a picture of a toilet has had more viewings and more comments than 99% of the animal pictures.
Best zoo toilets:
1. Edinburgh, at the entrance to the zoo. Very nicely done 'family' loo, with space to take in your buggy and nice theming of a sea theme.
2. The one underneath the cat house at the jardin des Plantes - so much history as uses the loo!
3. In the Riviera Hall at Rotterdam - lots of great oold zoo signs on the stairway down to them.
Absolute favorite is Adelaide Zoo--open-air, surrounded by aviaries with Kookaburras and other birds--sort of weird to be watched, even weirder when the Kookaburras start calling "midstream"
