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Hire a Toilet Guide in China
If you happen to be in China, and unable to find one of those bizarre outdoor urinals we talked about last week, don't fret. The city of Wuhan, China now employs "specialist toilet guides" to help you find your way in a time of need.The service isn't free, however. A dedicated toilet-boy will set you back ¥3 CNY (about $0.38 USD) per finding. But how do you even find one of these guys when you need them? Apparently they are "distinguishable by their red armbands." I couldn't find any photos, so I took the liberty of photoshopping my own interpretation which you can see above.
Don't mind the can of Busch our toilet guide is holding.
Filed under: China
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Melissa Mar 30th 2007 2:44PM
Thanks great. I'm going to Japan in a couple of months - hope they have them there too. I've actually been quite concerned about the use of public "squatter style" toilets.
Amanda Mar 30th 2007 5:25PM
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200411/r35723_89157.jpg
this is a pic of one of the toilet guides....versus your photo shopped one ;)
Michelle Mar 30th 2007 3:14PM
Public toilets in China are DIS*GUST*ING, guide or no guide. I wanted to bathe in disinfectant everytime I used one. And the smell...not for anyone with a weak stomach. I threw my shoes away in the airport in Shanghai once I was sure I had used my last public restroom in China.
joe t Mar 30th 2007 3:46PM
I have been to China. The toilets are just holes in the floor unless you are at one of the finer hotels. I stayed at the Mingyan Xindu Hotel in Nanning. It was awesome. But, when I visited friends there, I had to use the 'hole'! The 'hole' is not much fun when you have to go number 2! Haha.
gus Mar 30th 2007 4:48PM
oh my and special fried rice to go with the service.
Amy Mar 30th 2007 5:06PM
The Japanese toilets are great. It's much easier than trying to squat over an American-style toilet. And they're almost always cleaner than my kitchen.
John Mar 30th 2007 4:11PM
What do you expect from China clean toliets? The passengers on trains often resort to Adult diapers. The country cant flush they poluted alll there drinking water. But relax they are tauted as the future so soon in America we can head toward being a third world country as well! Heck dont beleive me , who do we compete with? what are we competing for? We feed there poverty companies refuse to pay there people what do you think will happen . look at the U.S.A we are fallling people aqre losing there houses and cant afford cars. Gov. agencies that clean water and school our kids are broke because income taxes no longer support our inferstructure. Companies dont have to they can always move to China where it is not a problem.
SONJA GEORGE Mar 30th 2007 4:33PM
WHY DID THE WRITER OF CHINESE TOILETS USE THE JAPANESE YEN SIGN? ALSO IF ONE GOES TO JAPAN YOU NEED TO KNOW A FEW WORDS, FOR TOILETS, HOW MUCH IS IT, AND PROPER MANNERS.. IF YOU ARE RUDE.. WELL, TAKE IT AS IT COMES.... FOR TOILETS--- BENJO-WA,DOKO DESKA,DOZO? HOW MUCH IS IT? I KURA DESKA, DOZO?
AND KO NI ICHI-WA FOLKS (I IS PRONOUNCED EE
lloyd Mar 30th 2007 4:37PM
John,
Please learn to spell or use a dictionary before you try to give your opinions on worldly subjects.People may actually think you know what your talking about.
Justin Glow Mar 30th 2007 4:35PM
According to Wikipedia, the CNY uses the same symbol as the Yen:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNY
Justin Glow Mar 30th 2007 4:36PM
Further:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C2%A5
sonja Mar 30th 2007 4:38PM
LOL I HAD TO RETAKE ALL MY SHOTS OVER AGAIN AFTER FALLING INTO A DARN CANAL IN YOKOHAMA, JAPAN IN THE OLD DAYS WHEN FARMERS CAME INTO TOWN AND CLEANED OUT "POOP HOUSES" AND TAKE IT TO THE RICE FIELDS.. THE ONES LIVING ALONG THE CANALS HAD DECKS BEHIND THE HOUSE AND A HOLE IN THE CORNER OVER THE WATER AND THAT WAS THE HOUSEHOLD POTTY... HONEY BUCKETS-- THE JOY OF OLD JAPAN... ( I LOVED LIVING THERE FOR 3 YEARS)
SONJA GEORGE Mar 30th 2007 4:44PM
THANKS JUSTIN..
Justin Glow Mar 30th 2007 4:41PM
Not a problem, Sonja.
Anne Mar 30th 2007 4:58PM
Just returned from a trip to China,not only are western style toilets hard to find but you also have to put the soiled toilet paper in a bucket as you cannot flush the paper.I tried it once and blocked up the toilet in the hotel,most toilets do not have toilet paper so take your own or sani-wipes.
Anne Mar 30th 2007 5:13PM
Just returned from a trip to China,not only are western style toilets hard to find but you cannot flush soiled toilet paper,you have to put it in a bucket.Most toilets do not have toilet paper so take your own or use sani-wipes.When I tried to flush the toilet paper in my hotel restroom I blocked the toilet!!
webguy Mar 30th 2007 8:58PM
The photo shows a man holding a beer can!?!
Jim Catron Mar 30th 2007 5:28PM
My wife and I were in China in 2005. We had no problems with the toilets. We took the time to identify the appropriate references and used the "Western style" toilets. I have to agree with the Chinese---our toilets tend to be less sanitary the Chinese. It just takes getting used to squating; actually develops muscles most of us ignore. Now, the handicapped Japanese toilets are something else: heated toilet seats and "Western style" raised toilets.
Shelley Mar 30th 2007 5:50PM
I have never been to China but I have read before (as in the comment above) that we westerners would be physically much better off if we had to squat over our toilets. Being a fitness instructor for a million years I know that much to be true :)
Dianna Mar 30th 2007 6:05PM
John, the US has been doing great economically. More people have been able to buy cars and houses than ever before. Big ticket items are bought all of the time, by both rich and poor. Our graduation rate is over 70%, which is much higher than it used to be, and higher than many (if not most) other countries.