Crouching Jen, Hidden Toilet Roll - North America
What a joy it has been to visit the toilets of North America. The white porcelain, the abundance of soft toilet paper and the choise of two flush options have all combined to make it a pleasant experience. Some have even featured gimmicks to make the visit more hygenic, I've frequently seen aniseptic dispensers so that you can wipe down the seat for that just cleaned feel, or disposable paper seat covers so that you never need come into contact with anything; both options making the term 'it's much less bovver with a hover' totally redundant.
But as we all know, not all Loo's are born equal. Theres always going to be a winner and in this case the prize goes to the laidies loo at 'The edge of the world' board shop and internet cafe in Fernie B.C.
This particular delight features bubble wrapped walls, feathers and fairy lights and all sorts of fancy decoration. You might have to turn your head to the left to see the picture properly.
Here, every available surface has been utilised to its full and frantic potential. Honestly you could spend a good half an hour in there trying to work out if that is the arm of a tiny tears doll glued to the wall above the tissue dispenser...
Other good features in ski resorts include a nice big basket to put yout helmet, gloves etc in. Handy. Plus plently of paper tissues for the blowing nose routine which follows coming in somewhere warm after the well below freezing temperatures outside.
In order to provide a balanced account i do have to point out some of the not so great features too. Namely the stalls. What is it with America and the click together stall design? Ordinarily selecting a stall and closing the door ensures you are safely enclosed in a small room on your own to get on with things with privacy. But not here, the door and walls are connected using bulky spaced out hinges which ensure that there is a big gap. sometimes a very big gap. On one occasion in Seattle I was curious to see just how big the gap was and discovered i could fit a paper back book through it - plus my hand. And in the New york HI hostel the gaps on the shower cubicles are big enough for one girl to pass the shampoo bottle to the girl in the next stall, and for me to be able to witness this exchange from 3 stalls down. Hmmmn.
Aaaanyway, the prize for most curiously placed toilet roll dispenser goes without a doubt to the ladies loo in a pub (the Ship and Anchor) in Calgary.
And now a quick note about the bathrooms in private residences we have encountered. 802a 6th Avenue Fernie boasts lashings of hot water and an extremely clean bathroom at all times of the day, thanks to Shirley who cleans as good as my mum, and thats saying something. 1102 5th Avenue Fernie boasts a bathroom big enough to fit my entire house in it. And Honorable Mention goes to Claire and David McClean in Calgary, for the fluffiest thickest softest towels and of course the Aveda shampoo, thanks for the use of!
So that brings this report to a close, i'll sum up with a phrase often heard in Canada " It's all good".
Quick note for the boys - the Royal in Fernie has head rests in the urinals. Be sure to try them if you're in town, just don't fall asleep.
But as we all know, not all Loo's are born equal. Theres always going to be a winner and in this case the prize goes to the laidies loo at 'The edge of the world' board shop and internet cafe in Fernie B.C.
This particular delight features bubble wrapped walls, feathers and fairy lights and all sorts of fancy decoration. You might have to turn your head to the left to see the picture properly.
Here, every available surface has been utilised to its full and frantic potential. Honestly you could spend a good half an hour in there trying to work out if that is the arm of a tiny tears doll glued to the wall above the tissue dispenser...
Other good features in ski resorts include a nice big basket to put yout helmet, gloves etc in. Handy. Plus plently of paper tissues for the blowing nose routine which follows coming in somewhere warm after the well below freezing temperatures outside.
In order to provide a balanced account i do have to point out some of the not so great features too. Namely the stalls. What is it with America and the click together stall design? Ordinarily selecting a stall and closing the door ensures you are safely enclosed in a small room on your own to get on with things with privacy. But not here, the door and walls are connected using bulky spaced out hinges which ensure that there is a big gap. sometimes a very big gap. On one occasion in Seattle I was curious to see just how big the gap was and discovered i could fit a paper back book through it - plus my hand. And in the New york HI hostel the gaps on the shower cubicles are big enough for one girl to pass the shampoo bottle to the girl in the next stall, and for me to be able to witness this exchange from 3 stalls down. Hmmmn.
Aaaanyway, the prize for most curiously placed toilet roll dispenser goes without a doubt to the ladies loo in a pub (the Ship and Anchor) in Calgary.
And now a quick note about the bathrooms in private residences we have encountered. 802a 6th Avenue Fernie boasts lashings of hot water and an extremely clean bathroom at all times of the day, thanks to Shirley who cleans as good as my mum, and thats saying something. 1102 5th Avenue Fernie boasts a bathroom big enough to fit my entire house in it. And Honorable Mention goes to Claire and David McClean in Calgary, for the fluffiest thickest softest towels and of course the Aveda shampoo, thanks for the use of!
So that brings this report to a close, i'll sum up with a phrase often heard in Canada " It's all good".
Quick note for the boys - the Royal in Fernie has head rests in the urinals. Be sure to try them if you're in town, just don't fall asleep.
posted by Jen & Col at
12:26 am
3 Comments:
This fascination with bathrooms is becoming disturbingly close to OCD, Jen. I think you should work on the assumption that all loos - when you're travelling - are going to be of a lesser standard than at home. Confront your fear and accept that the toilet experience will be under par for the next few months. You must move on...... (Mind you, think what the heat of Hawaii will do for hygiene)
Still a good blog, chaps. Looking forward to postcard snaps of palm trees and beautiful people on white sandy beaches.
By
Tom, at 3:33 pm
Jen - most pleased to hear your trip has being flushed with success to date, I knew it would pan out for you. While I'm sure Paris is a place you are not wanting to think about right now, I must give you the name of a bar there that has clear glass raised cisterns with goldfish in them. Of course it is a ruse as the real tank is behind the wall, but you'd be surprised how many visitors fail to flush for fear of fishy fiendishness.
By
Steve Earl, at 4:19 pm
hey bros,it's mr. fernie here to tell ya that the stories of fernie are spot on and i didn't know you were so damned hilarious col!as for the dunnies of america,where are the out house stories,i mean come on outhouses and america go hand in hand bro.have a sick one and let jen have a bit more writing time.
By
Anonymous, at 6:06 am
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