Years ago my brother pitched the idea of a bathroom book to me. He wanted to take pictures of various bathrooms across America. At the time I’d never been out of the country and found his idea to be, well, gross. Who wants a picture of a nasty roadside latrine in an overworked and understaffed QT? Over time I have visited many countries and each visit relights his fiery thoughts. Bathrooms are strange experiences. The toilets in the USA are very different from those in Italy which in turn are very different from those in Japan. I keep going to these different places and needing to use the ‘loo’ and discovering that the experience truly shapes an impression of the culture. Maybe it should not. It does.
In retrospect, he should have taken the pictures. I should have done the words. Maybe it is too late in our lives now to make it happen, but it is something that ought be noted by someone at sometime. The Bathroom Book (Poop Talk) is a wonderful idea for travelers and an actually silly but fun idea to keep in your own bathroom space. Beside photos of luxurious or high tech facilities there would be the average American flare of slightly below nasty. Words could include discussions on how to know if the space (especially in hotels) is really clean or merely surface clean. Call it a Zaggats guide for your tushie.
Some Thoughts:
- It is, amazingly, in moments like these that I realize that I still have an ounce of creativity in me and a few stories left to tell. I do want to write the bathroom book or at least delve into a story where the character is writing that book. What an unconventional tale that would be!
- In case you are wondering, Japanese bathrooms are on a different level. The technology here is very cool and distinct. Some even provide warmed seats. I have stayed in three different locations in Japan over two visits. This bathroom is the worst of the bunch. Clean? On the surface at least…