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The World's Worst Bathrooms: A Photo Gallery
When I saw this link I'm about to show you, I got really excited because I have a strange obsession with toilets. I love the good ones and loath the bad ones, but it's always something that's on my mind as I travel. Even the bad ones give me a sort of masochistic delight knowing that yes, I can handle anything you can throw at me, world. Give me your best or worst. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, right?But Las Vegas -- the mecca of beautiful toilets -- is like my own personal bathroom heaven. Nowhere can you go on the Strip and find a less-than-decent toilet, and chances are it will be staffed by a gentleman who does fancy things you typically only see in the movies, like hand you a towel when you're done. With so many extraordinary casino-hotels in the Las Vegas vicinity -- all open to everyone, even the non-staying public -- I walk in a bubble of shear delight just knowing that somewhere, tucked in the maze of the nearest casino, is a pristine toilet. Anyway, where was I?
The link! Yes, the link. This is the complete opposite of the aforementioned Las Vegas toilets -- this photo gallery, in fact, claims to have pictures of the worst. It's just like that scene in Trainspotting when Ewan Mcgregor goes to the bathroom to...well, if you haven't seen it, I'm not going to explain it. Too gross. Go rent the movie if you're curious.
This gallery reminds of a few public toilets I had the displeasure of using in India. Beautiful country, for sure, but horrible, horrible public toilets. I hesitate to even call them toilets. One run-in with the bathroom in the New Delhi airport still gives me nightmares.
Before you click the link, I want to remind you: these are pictures of disgusting toilets. If you don't like that sort of thing -- or you're eating breakfast or something -- don't click it!
But for those of you who are ready, here you go!
And I know many of you have some good stories about bad bathrooms, so let's hear them!
[via the lovely growabrain]
Filed under: Photos, Asia, North America, India, United States
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Willy Jan 31st 2007 11:13AM
During my 3 years in Zambia, I used a pit latrine on a daily basis. Consequently, some of those pit latrine images didn't disturb me that much. I think pit latrines, frankly, are often disgusting from a cultural standpoint, as opposed to a true hygiene standpoint. That said, some of the pit latrines in this gallery were horrendous!
The grossest toilet I've ever come acroos was half-way between Chipata, Zambia and Lusaka, Zambia. Open-aired, the concrete-molded pit latrines were probably very nice when they were new. Over time, though, they had overflowed and the maggots had moved in. It was far better to go behind the official restrooms to do your business rather than going inside -- especially for those of us who wore flip flops (known locally as "pata-pata"'s, due to the sound they made) routinely.
Gah!
Marilyn Terrell Jan 31st 2007 1:41PM
Justin, for a revolting and hilarious description of using a squat toilet in China (first step: "exhaust all other possibilities"), check out Brian Sack on Banterist: http://www.banterist.com/archivefiles/000348.html
Cindy Guerra Feb 3rd 2007 12:04AM
Justin,
Those people had some major gastrointestinal distress!! Thank God it wasn't in smell-a-vision.
I appreciate you keeping us informed!!
Kathy S. Glow Feb 3rd 2007 11:30AM
This is when I would find the nearest drug store and buy a bag of Depends. Going in my own diaper would have to be better than these toilets. I'm not sure where I would change my Depend but it wouldn't be in these bathrooms.