Bathrooms - a new perspective

This may sound like an unusual title for a blog post, however, I just had to devote an entire post to the  new perspective that I have gained on bathrooms since I left the USA. Bathrooms, no big deal, right? Wrong! It all began in the airport bathrooms where I first discovered that flushing a toilet uses different techniques internationally. There were buttons, toggle switches, and levers. Some toilets had two circles to push - a small one and a larger one. From my personal deduction, I assumed the small one was for small "jobs" and the larger one for.....well, I never asked anyone if this is the case, but that is what I have been doing whenever I encounter the double circle flush. So, I find myself pausing before I flush as I figure out how things work. No, I'm not talking rocket science, just interestingly different. But it doesn't stop with the flushers.....we have experienced some interesting European outdoor bathrooms. In France, in the first small town we visited, we approached the small tourism office and on the way we passed an outdoor bathroom (sometimes called a water closet - WC) The women's stall had a door, however, when I walked a little further, approaching what was the men's bathroom, there was an open-air 8 foot long trough-like stainless steel apparatus on a wall......no door......and there was a man standing there facing the wall.....nothing between him and the wide open spaces......relieving himself. 😆 I was a little surprised, since this was a very unexpected first for me and the man apparently had no inhibitions whatsoever!! (Although he wasn't looking at me! 😉) I tried not to act surprised, however, it did crack me up!! When I got over the shock, I decided it would make a great three generational picture.......Grandpa, Jason, and Cooper, all using the urinal simultaneously. Jason didn't agree, so you will just have to use your imagination! 😄
Another experience happened on the beach in Zarautz. They have outdoor bathrooms that look like stainless steel vaults. Large, square boxes....big enough for 8 people to stand inside, however, they were only single occupancy. I went inside this nice, spacious bathroom, thankful for an easy, convenient location to use the bathroom. When it was time to leave it, though, I couldn't find a handle to open the door. There were 2 red buttons on the wall, but no door handle. So, I pushed on the door. It didn't budge. Sealed up nice and secure and tight. I continued to search for a handle but there was none to be found. Panic mode began to set in, so it was time to push the red button, thinking that would sound an alarm....like on an elevator. The only thing that did was flush the toilet which was across the room. I pushed the lower red button....same thing, the toilet flushed again. I kept pushing the button, but that just kept flushing the toilet. Now, I went into yell mode, "I can't get out!!" I called to Tiffany who was waiting for me outside the "box". She told me to push on the door after I pushed the red button and sure enough, out popped Alice from the bathroom jail, relieved....in more ways than one!!! 😉  Traveling......the best souvenir you come home with is a new perspective.