 | Since moving to Paris last year, I have neglected my Toilet Gallery blog category. |
I’ve seen a lot of adequate but unentertaining toilets in Paris. That’s not Paris’ fault, it’s just that when we were traveling around the world the toilets were a constant source of joy or perplexity. Like the one in China where the attendant asked everyone if they were going to do Number 1 or Number 2, because the plumbing could only handle Number 1. Or the toilets in Japan, with heated seats, built-in bidet, tushee blow dryer, and a fake flushing noise so you could cover up the sound of your pee-pee. Scroll through my Toilet Gallery when you get a chance...
Toilets really tell you what a society values, and how they make those values real in the most humble and mundane of situations. Think of it your toilet experience as a societal barometer.
On my recent trip to Salzburg, I encountered one of the most beautiful toilets I’ve seen. I went to the Hotel Sacher Cafe to eat Sacher Torte. This is a piece of chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam under the glossy chocolate ganache. It comes with a sizeable blob of whipped cream. I also had a melange, which is Austrian cappuccino, with another blob of whipped cream. When in Austria...
Before I left, I went to the bathroom. First you go down this shiny black and white stairwell. Then you enter the bathroom, with its gold wallpaper and spick-n-span clean accoutrements. The hand towels are embossed with the hotel’s logo. It was super posh.
Toilets really tell you what a society values, and how they make those values real in the most humble and mundane of situations. Think of it your toilet experience as a societal barometer.
On my recent trip to Salzburg, I encountered one of the most beautiful toilets I’ve seen. I went to the Hotel Sacher Cafe to eat Sacher Torte. This is a piece of chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam under the glossy chocolate ganache. It comes with a sizeable blob of whipped cream. I also had a melange, which is Austrian cappuccino, with another blob of whipped cream. When in Austria...
Before I left, I went to the bathroom. First you go down this shiny black and white stairwell. Then you enter the bathroom, with its gold wallpaper and spick-n-span clean accoutrements. The hand towels are embossed with the hotel’s logo. It was super posh.
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The mirror was spotless. There was no paper towel mess. There were no tiny pieces of toilet paper on the floor. You know what there also wasn’t? A hook on the door to hang my coat and purse on. I made do with the door handle. It took me a minute.
I love Austria. It is my favorite country in the world, and if I can swing it I’ll live there someday. Not all their toilets are as classy as this one, but it’s nice to know they’ve set the standard high.
I love Austria. It is my favorite country in the world, and if I can swing it I’ll live there someday. Not all their toilets are as classy as this one, but it’s nice to know they’ve set the standard high.
