Wednesday 19 November 2008

A SEAT IN THE SUN

Since today is, believe it or not, World Toilet Day, the Sibley blog continues its customer service of bringing you the latest loo-lowdown from around the globe, DAVID came across the following photo snapped on the streets of Athens...


Too public to be entirely convenient? I'd say so... But useful for motorcyclists...

And now check out this story from the most recent edition of The Sunday's Times discussing the perennial question Why are there so few public toilets for women? and, brace yourself for these Top 10 Toilet Horrors.

Among these Letters to The Times is one sent in 1930 that has an opening that is beyond parody: "Sir, - On September 22 I looked in about 2.30 p.m. at the Natural History Museum for a short time. While examining the locust exhibit close to the entrance on the ground floor I was conscious of a well-dressed young fellow hovering around apparently with no direct interest in the exhibits..." The locust exhibit?? Do check it out, along with some other marvelous missives on the subject of lavatories across the centuries...

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Both Kings X & Glasgow StationLadies
loos are downstairs. It's a right palaver with luggage & can you get it in the cubicle to avoid security alerts?Not likely.They should be free not 30p! Grrr!

Phil said...

Athens? Are you sure it wasn't Toulouse?

Boll Weavil said...

Interesting stuff from The Times. I bet they've been sitting on that feature for ages.

I've decided that, owing to the number of interesting but presumably random words (or potential words) appearing in the letter verification of these comment sections, I will attempt to provide you with a definition pertinent to each of your posts...
Today's word gatio: a Victorian trap designed for use in railway toilets to prevent odours arising from unexpected 'backdraft' caused by going through tunnels.

Brian Sibley said...

JEN - A lot of station loos are downstairs (also the case at Paddington and, obviously) Waterloo, and this is clearly absurd for travellers and especially the elderly and parents with prams and pushchairs. As you say 30p (when did it go up from 20p?) is outrageous!

PHIL - Ha-ha!! Bravo!

BOLL - And another nice pun! Plus a brilliant new gambit with the letter-verification definitions game! I look forward to many inspired suggestions!

Anonymous said...

Apparently, there's a restaurant in China where the seats are loos! I was told that last night at rehearsal, but I'm still waiting for the promised photo!

Brian Sibley said...

Saves time, I guess!

Boll Weavil said...

It seems pointless eating if that's the case plus all the effort afterwards !

Sutvatro : That page containing the second half of an interesting article which has become detached and is located, tantalisingly, just out of arms reach, on the toilet floor and which is required at the very moment it would be impractical to reach it.

Elliot Cowan said...

You have probably been in home furnishing style stores where they set up a bedroom and a kitchen with all the fixings.
I'm sure IKEA do it.

I have a friend who was in there with his young kids and turned around to find his son sitting on an unplumbed toilet.
He was too late...

Brian Sibley said...

Attaboy!!