Thread: Squat Toilets

Funny, in France we grew up with that but they tend to disappear...

Kind of old hat to us that have been to the Far East or Middle East. I admit to never having used one though. Usually, I always seem to find Western arrangements not far away from these holes in the ground. When you think of it, what is worse? Going out in the woods? At least in the woods, you can find a tree to lean up against. That works pretty good. Feel like a dog doing it though. These Eastern "Johns" may be good for the colon but how about the knees? We Westerners seem to have a little more weight and strain on our knees, than these lanky asians. Ever check out the toilets in Manila? For starters, 99.9 percent chance that there will be no toilet seat. For some reason, they all seem to have the toilet seats missing. Secondly, no toilet paper. They use buckets with water to wash instead of using toilet paper. Don't know exactly the technique they use, weather they run the water from their backs or hold a cup and splash or what, but a good tip is to use a major hotel restroom nearby and they seem to be all scattered over Manila. Not even the malls or airport there you will find seats or toilet paper, and always carry a roll wherever I go in my back pack. Maybe a laughing matter to some, but not a funny matter when the calling gets tough and all you got to look at is a nasty toilet with no seats and no paper to wipe. Just how do they do it? I don't wanna know.

I live in Mexico and it is pretty much the same way. My house keeper refuses to use the toilet seat and always puts it up..go figure.

Nice thread. Squats are all over France (rural, mostly), so nothing new there, plus we got our share in Asia/Africa. The one event no one mentioned and that's taken me by surprise more than once is when the flushing mechanism powerwashes not just the bowl but the whole area; watch out for your sandals, feet, and shoes! I've learned to step many feet away before I push the button.