MENA WCs

[Meriem_DZ 37]

Hachemi's family had a nice big bathroom with a very large tub, and hand held shower head. It had an American style toilet in a seperate little room. It had a faucet next to the toilet to get water for cleaning. They only had running water from about 7am to around 1pm. So water was stored in a big blue container. After the water was shut off you would have to fill a bucket to pour in the toilet to flush it. No TP, but I sent Hachemi to the store to buy some just for me. His grandfathers house had the Turkish style toilet.

Meriem

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Toilets were the most intriguing part of my adventure. I found western toilets in western restaurants like KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut and would stop in there. They always had TP. In the flat in Cairo there was a Western style toilet with that little metal fountain thing to the side in the bowl. I don't know what good that did but I learned you could turn a knob and it worked. The idea of using it though grossed me out because obviously your waste fell on it. I brought my own TP and thankfully had enough for the entire trip. The toilets at the 6th of October theme park were like the ones in the flat. They were western style but you had to use the metal fountain. Lucky I brought my TP.

The toilets on the train were a seat with an open hole in the bottom of the train. I was so grossed out! People are peeing and crapping all over the tracks all across Egypt! There was pee all over the bathroom on the floor on the seat on the walls and it was the smell of putrid urine. As soon as I stepped in and examined the facility I stepped out refusing to go and rather hold it like a camel. That was a ten hour train ride. So u can imagine.

The toilet at his Grandma's house in Luxor was an even greater surprise. It was indoors at least and you go into the shower area and there at the bottom is this porcelain squat area with a hole to the ground. It had a red hose to the right of it that turned on just like a garden hose. I took one look at it and refused to use this toilet as well. We went into Luxor thankfully and I used a western toilet there. Later that night though it was maybe 3 am and I had to go so bad I finally gave in and used the squat toilet. I brought my TP with me and tried with all my might to be comfortable. It was a very humbling experience to say the least. When I saw they had the same toilet upstairs I stood in wonder on how that must work with no flushing. Why on earth have one on the second, third, and fourth floors. Waleed and his doctor friends told me that these squat toilets were very good for your lower abdomen and they've even done studies on them.

Luckily the toilets in Hurghada were like the western style with a metal shower head and metal cord looking thing to the right hand side on the wall. I again had my own TP. We got into a discussion about it and Waleed said he didn't feel that you could ever get fully clean with just TP. I said at least I'm not getting my hands dirty with wiping with nothing and using only water. He said he washes his hands but I said you still touch #######.

The last night before I left we went to the large theater in Cairo and the water wasn't working in the bathroom. The toilets were western style again so I got some TP from the lady attendent in the bathroom and a bottled water from the concessions and I went to the bathroom even though I couldn't flush. Then I washed my hands with their soap and my bottled water. What was left of the bottled water I gave to Waleed to use.

Oh and in the hotel we stayed the last night at it was western style toilet as well but I can't remember if there was a hose or TP.

[caybee 21]

Toilets were the most intriguing part of my adventure. I found western toilets in western restaurants like KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut and would stop in there. They always had TP. In the flat in Cairo there was a Western style toilet with that little metal fountain thing to the side in the bowl. I don't know what good that did but I learned you could turn a knob and it worked. The idea of using it though grossed me out because obviously your waste fell on it. I brought my own TP and thankfully had enough for the entire trip. The toilets at the 6th of October theme park were like the ones in the flat. They were western style but you had to use the metal fountain. Lucky I brought my TP.

The toilets on the train were a seat with an open hole in the bottom of the train. I was so grossed out! People are peeing and crapping all over the tracks all across Egypt! There was pee all over the bathroom on the floor on the seat on the walls and it was the smell of putrid urine. As soon as I stepped in and examined the facility I stepped out refusing to go and rather hold it like a camel. That was a ten hour train ride. So u can imagine.

The toilet at his Grandma's house in Luxor was an even greater surprise. It was indoors at least and you go into the shower area and there at the bottom is this porcelain squat area with a hole to the ground. It had a red hose to the right of it that turned on just like a garden hose. I took one look at it and refused to use this toilet as well. We went into Luxor thankfully and I used a western toilet there. Later that night though it was maybe 3 am and I had to go so bad I finally gave in and used the squat toilet. I brought my TP with me and tried with all my might to be comfortable. It was a very humbling experience to say the least. When I saw they had the same toilet upstairs I stood in wonder on how that must work with no flushing. Why on earth have one on the second, third, and fourth floors. Waleed and his doctor friends told me that these squat toilets were very good for your lower abdomen and they've even done studies on them.

Luckily the toilets in Hurghada were like the western style with a metal shower head and metal cord looking thing to the right hand side on the wall. I again had my own TP. We got into a discussion about it and Waleed said he didn't feel that you could ever get fully clean with just TP. I said at least I'm not getting my hands dirty with wiping with nothing and using only water. He said he washes his hands but I said you still touch #######.

The last night before I left we went to the large theater in Cairo and the water wasn't working in the bathroom. The toilets were western style again so I got some TP from the lady attendent in the bathroom and a bottled water from the concessions and I went to the bathroom even though I couldn't flush. Then I washed my hands with their soap and my bottled water. What was left of the bottled water I gave to Waleed to use.

Oh and in the hotel we stayed the last night at it was western style toilet as well but I can't remember if there was a hose or TP.

I've heard the same thing about the squat toilets being healthier, something about being a more natural position for the intestines but I won't go into more detail than that. Hubby also feels like the TP alone doesn't always get things clean enough, and I tend to agree. We have a handheld shower, and we both shower at least a couple times a day, but I've been thinking about getting one of those sprayers, just wonder if water would end up going everywhere.

[Jenn! 918]

I wonder how elderly people deal with the squat toilets.

I swear I got such a great gluts workout while I was over there.

[caybee 21]

I wonder how elderly people deal with the squat toilets.

I swear I got such a great gluts workout while I was over there.

I've wondered the same thing about the elderly or infirm. I'm overweight, so it wasn't terribly easy for me, but I could feel what a good workout it was. Not sure we could market that here though.

[Jenn! 918]

I wonder how elderly people deal with the squat toilets.

I swear I got such a great gluts workout while I was over there.

I've wondered the same thing about the elderly or infirm. I'm overweight, so it wasn't terribly easy for me, but I could feel what a good workout it was. Not sure we could market that here though.

Ok, maybe TMI, but when I was in Morocco I had some digestive issues. There were times when I just said, "fukc it" and i just sat myself right down on the hole. Of course, I made sure to wash myself accordingly. Maybe that's what the elderly and handicapped do.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I wonder how elderly people deal with the squat toilets.

I swear I got such a great gluts workout while I was over there.

I've wondered the same thing about the elderly or infirm. I'm overweight, so it wasn't terribly easy for me, but I could feel what a good workout it was. Not sure we could market that here though.

Ok, maybe TMI, but when I was in Morocco I had some digestive issues. There were times when I just said, "fukc it" and i just sat myself right down on the hole. Of course, I made sure to wash myself accordingly. Maybe that's what the elderly and handicapped do.

Well I know Waleed's Grandma had to have been in her 70's or 80's and she was as strong as an ox and prefered sitting on the floor to the couchs. I imagine she is much healthier then the 70-80 yr olds here and being squatting all her life it wasn't much more of an effort.

[caybee 21]

I wonder how elderly people deal with the squat toilets.

I swear I got such a great gluts workout while I was over there.

I've wondered the same thing about the elderly or infirm. I'm overweight, so it wasn't terribly easy for me, but I could feel what a good workout it was. Not sure we could market that here though.

Ok, maybe TMI, but when I was in Morocco I had some digestive issues. There were times when I just said, "fukc it" and i just sat myself right down on the hole. Of course, I made sure to wash myself accordingly. Maybe that's what the elderly and handicapped do.

Oh, yeah, been there too!

[Ban Hammer 13,283]

People are peeing and crapping all over the tracks all across Egypt!

i bet workers who repair those tracks have the crappiest job in egypt!

[SaadBell 0]

Cleanest place I have ever lived, Germany, dirtiest Egypt, hands down. I have had the pleasure of using toilets all over the world, I know, please no hatters. Traveling on a train during the night in the Pyrenees Mountains was the first time I too experience the whole in the floor and tracks speeding by at an alarming rate. Now the difference between the Egyptian train and the Spanish trains is the charming people, the Spanish love to drink and party, so you can imagine that adds a nice touch to the horrific bathroom. In the rural parts of Egypt, omg, the poor people are so damn dirty, their clothes are washed in the dirty water, where the animals element their wastes, it was like stepping back in a different times, all I could think was, omg I hope I don’t get some kind of parasite.

[caybee 21]

Wasn't there a news story a couple months back about a woman who didn't realize she was in labor giving birth in a train's WC (that was in India, I believe) and the baby falling through the hole onto the tracks? They found the baby alive but injured. I've wondered what the outcome was.

[Ban Hammer 13,283]

Cleanest place I have ever lived, Germany, dirtiest Egypt, hands down. I have had the pleasure of using toilets all over the world, I know, please no hatters. Traveling on a train during the night in the Pyrenees Mountains was the first time I too experience the whole in the floor and tracks speeding by at an alarming rate. Now the difference between the Egyptian train and the Spanish trains is the charming people, the Spanish love to drink and party, so you can imagine that adds a nice touch to the horrific bathroom. In the rural parts of Egypt, omg, the poor people are so damn dirty, their clothes are washed in the dirty water, where the animals element their wastes, it was like stepping back in a different times, all I could think was, omg I hope I don’t get some kind of parasite.

been there lately? when i first went there in 1984, it was really nice. then in the 90's there was graffiti everywhere, trash everywhere. and watch out for the lunatics hanging around the hauptbahnhof.

eta: left there in 2002.

Edited June 14, 2008 by charlesandnessa

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

People are peeing and crapping all over the tracks all across Egypt!

i bet workers who repair those tracks have the crappiest job in egypt!

Yep.

[Bassi and Zainab 1]

Wasn't there a news story a couple months back about a woman who didn't realize she was in labor giving birth in a train's WC (that was in India, I believe) and the baby falling through the hole onto the tracks? They found the baby alive but injured. I've wondered what the outcome was.

Baby and mom are fine. They both spent a day in the hospital and then were released.

[nu7015 0]

I wonder how elderly people deal with the squat toilets.

I swear I got such a great gluts workout while I was over there.

I've wondered the same thing about the elderly or infirm. I'm overweight, so it wasn't terribly easy for me, but I could feel what a good workout it was. Not sure we could market that here though.

Ok, maybe TMI, but when I was in Morocco I had some digestive issues. There were times when I just said, "fukc it" and i just sat myself right down on the hole. Of course, I made sure to wash myself accordingly. Maybe that's what the elderly and handicapped do.

Oh, yeah, been there too!

And me too! Uggggggggg

Here's ONE of the many WC stories I have: The first trip to Morocco I got the nastiest cold. I asked my husband if there was some cold medicine we could get. We stopped at a pharmacy and the all-knowing pharmacist gives me these huge amoxicillin horse pills. I was so miserable I proceeded to take them against better judgement. Fast forward about 8 hours later as we are coming home to my husband's friend's house. I am DYING to use a bathroom after a 2 hour car trip. My husband says go ahead with his friend to get into the house so I can go quickly while he gets the bags from the car.

As humbly and calmly as I can be I patiently wait for him to show me the WC. As soon as the door closes, I scope out the situation. Porcelain square with hole (and the ever so convenient foot placement rectangles with the slanted raised lines to prevent slippage-whatever), water bucket under faucet. Turn on faucet to mask any embarassing 'sounds'. Assume the position and I think my husband was able to hear me by the car let alone his friend who was standing on the other side of the 1/4" door with big cracks all around it. Add to that the acoustically sound design of the WC. The running water in the bucket did nothing for me sound wise.

Did I mention I was in high heels, still had on my long winter coat (where to hang it in the WC?)? After fishing out of my pockets what I had left of a packet of kleenexes, I was left wondering what to do. Do I walk out and pretend that nothing happened? Or do I walk out and say Please excuse me, I'm so sorry? Or more to my liking, run screaming as far from his friend as I could? And what to tell my husband? What will his friend say to him (such as I think you should think twice about marrying this one?)?

I decided to walk out as if nothing happened while thinking to myself he should be thankful that I made it to the bathroom.

Thanks to the horse pills, I spent the next 2 weeks of my trip with constant bathroom escapades just like the one above, an 8 hour plane ride on my way home, and several trips to the doctor for my digestive extremes who thought I must have contracted some kind of god-awful parasite or disease from going to such a country as Morocco.

It turned out that I was given too strong an antibiotic and hadn't contracted any exotic diseases. Thanks God.