Public Restroom Facilities in the Mediterranean

[freanesi]

This is what I do:

Never pass by a toilet - you don't know where the next one will be.

Limit the coffee/tea/water/orange juice or liquid drink you have in the morning before you leave the ship.

Always carry tissues/wet wipes or whatever with you

Have small change to pay any attendant that may be there

When the queues are very long for the ladies, take advantage of the disabled toilet if there are no disabled people waiting. (On a few occasions I have even used the men's when no men around and the queue for the ladies has been extra long)

And as others have said use the cafes/restaurants/hotels.

 

After many years of travelling through many different countries, I have experienced all sorts! When I know I am going on a day trip I really limit my liquid intake. I have been caught short a few times and found myself in some embarrassing situations. I now make sure that will not happen again. Happy travels.

[jakkojakko]

................(On a few occasions I have even used the men's when no men around and the queue for the ladies has been extra long)

..................

 

If the womens lines are long, I always direct/take my wife to the mens toilet , men being there or not. She does not mind and neither do the men in all cases. There is nothing to see or be seen in the mens room ladies.

[Lady Arwen]

OP here.....I did not expect this thread to be so informative and so darn funny at the same time! I suppose that if you all survived the ordeal, I'll just have to do the same. Just thinking about holes in the ground makes me a bit queasy, though.

 

Thank you all for making my question so much fun!

[OlsSalt]

When on tour, another timing hint is to wait until closer to the end of a tour stop to use the bathroom. The biggest lines tend to be right after the bus unloads at the first stop. (When that extra cup of coffee or juice hits - agree, limit intake)

 

When you are on a tour that includes a meal, break away between courses and use the bathroom then. (Why am I telling you my own secrets?:roll eyes:)

[Lady Arwen]

When on tour, another timing hint is to wait until closer to the end of a tour stop to use the bathroom. The biggest lines tend to be right after the bus unloads at the first stop. (When that extra cup of coffee or juice hits - agree, limit intake)

 

When you are on a tour that includes a meal, break away between courses and use the bathroom then. (Why am I telling you my own secrets?:roll eyes:)

 

Good advice! I won't tell anyone your secrets, no worries...just between you and me!

[Wehwalt]

I learned how important bathroom breaks were to HAL cruisers when there was a stop each way on the hour and a half bus ride for the people taking the transfer from Cadiz to Seville.

[RuthC]

When on tour, another timing hint is to wait until closer to the end of a tour stop to use the bathroom.

Wait? :confused: WAIT!!! :eek: Surely you jest.

 

One other suggestion: consider delaying taking certain medications until you have returned to the ship (unless it's a half-day tour in the afternoon). ;)

They don't seem to work as well that way, but sure do reduce the number of emergencies.

[Copper10-8]

You haven't lived until you've gone on a shorex to the Great Wall of China and go to a "comfort stop"/road side gas station/store along the side of the highway

:cool:

[RuthC]

You haven't lived until you've gone on a shorex to the Great Wall of China and go to a "comfort stop"/road side gas station/store along the side of the highway

:cool:

In that case, I've lived. :rolleyes:

[sapper1]

In Cuba the attendants sell toilet paper by the square----even in the airport.

[Cruising-along]

You haven't lived until you've gone on a shorex to the Great Wall of China and go to a "comfort stop"/road side gas station/store along the side of the highway

:cool:

 

:eek::eek::eek:

[Lady Arwen]

:eek::eek::eek:

 

I'm afraid to ask!

[Cruising-along]

I'm afraid to ask!

 

I can imagine :eek::D

 

The worst I've seen was somewhere in Provence...just on the side of the road in the middle of town. The outer door was a half-door so only from the knees up to the shoulders was concealed. But that wasn't as bad as the filth. Needless to say we passed on that one.

 

Somewhere in the Eastern Med I had one of the holes in the ground. And in Croatia I accidentally walked in on a man, the doors weren't marked and he hadn't locked it.

 

I imagine Copper's "comfort stop" story may be even worse. :D

[slidergirl]

Some of this "comfort" depends on how one grew up, I imagine. Back in the teens through my 30s, I did quite a bit of camping and backpacking. I found no facilities 10 miles out on the trail :eek: I learned to do with what I found (above the treeline was tricky - think about it!!!). I have used the "Urinelle" disposables - try at home first ;) They work OK, but you still must be careful. I'd even consider using them in some spots where there IS a Western toilet but I'd not want my bum to be any where near it...

 

As for the idea of paying to use ANY toilet - maybe it's just something that was instilled in me. Even in the US, if I go into a McD, Starbucks, Wendy's, or a local establishment, I always purchase something if I am going to use they facilities. They have to pay someone to clean the toilets and they are not operating a charity. Just good etiquette.

 

If you get to Paris - try one of those free-standing toilets you see on the streets - very interesting how they "wash" down after each use!!

[OlsSalt]

Wait? :confused: WAIT!!! :eek: Surely you jest.

.......

 

 

Otherwise known as the Cross-Legged Shuffle. :D

[OlsSalt]

In Cuba the attendants sell toilet paper by the square----even in the airport.

 

Hmmmmmm.... does that mean they are also willing to buy it ...by the square. Note to self: bring a roll to Cuba and pay for a Neptune Suite.

[Despegue]

I specifically do not eat nor drink before a flight just to avoid the "toilets" at Jeddah airport ( where I work from most of the time). Now I know why they perform Ramadan😉.

 

The worst experience in my life though was on a Thai overnight train with severe stomach and bowel upsets 😳😱 that one I will remember for the rest of my life, as will my wife 😬😳 tip: do wash your hands thoroughly after feeding an elephant...😏

[kazu]

Some of this "comfort" depends on how one grew up, I imagine. Back in the teens through my 30s, I did quite a bit of camping and backpacking. I found no facilities 10 miles out on the trail :eek: I learned to do with what I found (above the treeline was tricky - think about it!!!). I have used the "Urinelle" disposables - try at home first ;) They work OK, but you still must be careful. I'd even consider using them in some spots where there IS a Western toilet but I'd not want my bum to be any where near it...

 

As for the idea of paying to use ANY toilet - maybe it's just something that was instilled in me. Even in the US, if I go into a McD, Starbucks, Wendy's, or a local establishment, I always purchase something if I am going to use they facilities. They have to pay someone to clean the toilets and they are not operating a charity. Just good etiquette.

 

If you get to Paris - try one of those free-standing toilets you see on the streets - very interesting how they "wash" down after each use!!

 

Oh oh. We are going to be in Paris for 6 days after our cruise next year. I'm used to most stuff in Europe, but this sounds interesting :p;). I try to use restaurants whenever I can.;). A great excuse to stop for a bite, cafe or glass of wine ;)

Edited August 5, 2016 by kazu

[Copper10-8]

.........................................

 

The worst experience in my life though was on a Thai overnight train with severe stomach and bowel upsets 😳😱 that one I will remember for the rest of my life, as will my wife 😬😳 tip: do wash your hands thoroughly after feeding an elephant...😏

 

Sri Lanka; another interesting place ;)

[OlsSalt]

Can anyone beat the old Trans-Siberian Train on its eastern route. One toilet per car - long days and nights with heavy drinking Russians.

Only short-wall open pits in some the towns as the "public toilet", if you did not bring hip boots to keep using the train toilets.

 

Then there were the outdoor toilets at the Ice Festival in Harbin China - minus 10 degrees outside that were surrounded by ice block walls open to the sky with a raised carpeted platform with two holes requiring the necessary disrobing of sorts ladies are required to do, in this bitter outdoor temperature to squat over some creepy piece of soaked carpet? No thanks. I guess this is where the phrase "freezing one's *ss off" comes from. (Groan)

 

DH was faced with two buckets placed on a square of black plastic surrounded by frozen yellow ice. Which was the only way we could figure out the mens room from the ladies room because we could not read the Chinese characters. We waited. And did find lovely facilities in the over-head tram station going across the frozen river in Harbin to the Snow Sculpture exhibit.

Edited August 5, 2016 by OlsSalt

[Despegue]

Right when lining-up the aircraft on one if the runways in Mumbai, you pass an area where literally hundreds of people squat down in a row, in open air, to do their morning business... Excellent views from the flightdeck.

[sapper1]

When I lived in Germany for two years in the fifties, the public restrooms, such as they were then, all had a roll of wax paper provided in each stall. If you were really lucky you encountered one with a sort of corrugated heavy paper.

[sail7seas]

When we were in Muiich I avoided public restrooms in even the best resftaurants. Finally, after spendingg lots of tgime shopping zzfter a big lunch, I gav e in and desperation brrought me to restroom door in Gucci. :) They had lovely mini bars of hand soap on the sinks. The atttendant encouraged the ladies to help themselves to a few. Who was I to refuse? :D She got some nice tips.

 

We are a ery fortunate gvroup of people.

 

When you read justt this tthread and see the places we have visited, it is outtsanding. Howmany folks ffom all corners of the world have such good fortune?

Edited August 5, 2016 by sail7seas

[Lady Arwen]

When we were in Muiich I avoided public restrooms in even the best resftaurants. Finally, after spendingg lots of tgime shopping zzfter a big lunch, I gav e in and desperation brrought me to restroom door in Gucci. :) They had lovely mini bars of hand soap on the sinks. The atttendant encouraged the ladies to help themselves to a few. Who was I to refuse? :D She got some nice tips.

 

We are a ery fortunate gvroup of people.

 

When you read justt this tthread and see the places we have visited, it is outtsanding. Howmany folks ffom all corners of the world have such good fortune?

 

I was thinking the same.......wow, these fellow cruisers have been around the world and seen so much, the good and the not so good. How wonderful to come home and be able to tell these toilet stories! Everyone of you has certainly maintained a great sense of humour. Thanks for sharing your stories! It's been a hoot!!

[Vict0riann]

You haven't lived until you've gone on a shorex to the Great Wall of China and go to a "comfort stop"/road side gas station/store along the side of the highway

:cool:

Or in Nepal, where you're taken down to the river bank to "hide" behind a clump of water reeds!:eek: