Toilet Story

Yes, you didn't read it wrong....I am going to tell a story about toilet~

toilet, is something you cannot miss out in your daily life. You can build a house without a room, or living room, or kitchen or balcony....but can you imagine it without a toilet?

In China, I see some toilet simply means....3 walls. Maybe the owner would be kind enough to dig a hold on the ground....so you know where "to do" it. But worst case is.....you see where the pioneers did their share, and you do it at the same "spot", along with long-time accumulated smell and millions of fly around you.
Of course, many cities of China are a lot more moderlized now. They have clean toilets. But they don't really take the door lock matter seriously. I see many public toilet are luxury enough to use Toto appliances, but the door locks are broken. (Even in every sense, you feel the toilet is just newly built) It just shows how much they do NOT care if the toilet door can be lock up or not...

During my Europe trip last month, i have experienced a different kind of toilet culture.
"User pays". It is very deeply rooted in Europeans' mind. Even with toilet.
1. If you want to use the toilet in the gas station, you must purchase something first, so you can borrow the key from the cashier. (This is normal....a lot of them in NA too.)
2. In Swiss, many toilets are equipped with door lock, which can only be opened with a 0.50 Swiss franc coin. (about 15 NT). The first time I tried to go to such toilet in a small train station, I had to go get the change first. Later found out the machine is broken. So I had to find the service person (a man) to come open the door....in all took me 10 mins.
The next time was even worse......I didn't have any swiss franc with me. I had to purchase with Euro bill, got euro change, then change them into swiss franc coins. (by machine) then found out half of the toilet door locks were broken....overall took me about 12 mins.

3. In Germany, I still have to pay to use the toilet. But it's easier. It's like a gate door....you pay 0.5 Euro (about 21NT), then you can enter. After you enter, it's just as a normal washroom.....but a man walking around in the women's side. (he is doing the cleaning job....but he really TAKES his time.) The special part is....you get a voucher of the 0.5 Euro, and can be used on your purchse in this building. I think that's nice....

So.....I prefere the clean toilet in Europe, even I have to pay. But if I can choose, the clean and FREE toilet in Japan and Taiwan are more attractive to me....hahaha