A few years ago when we visited the Veneto, I was very surprised to find Turkish toilets in most of the bars and trattorie we patronized. These were not in off-the-track places but in towns like Vicenza, Verona, Treviso, and Padua.
We're now coming up on our 10th visit to Italy, and I've never encountered Turkish toilets anywhere else we've gone. But this time we are entering new territory for us, and I wonder if I should be prepared for this phenomenon in the areas we'll be visiting. We will be spending some time in Piemonte, and in Puglia, as well as the Cilento region of Campania.
Please don't ask me what I want to do to be prepared ... I guess I just want to have some idea what to expect, because it came as quite a shock in the Veneto.
- Roz
[Edited to clarify subject]
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Roz,
For the uninitiated, a "turk" is a toilet without a seat, just a ceramic basin in the floor with footrests at each side and a flushing mechanism. In the above threads, Alice will show her expertise.
And yes Roz, I encountered a few in Piemonte, surprisingly enough even in a pleasant restaurant in the hills.
Yeah, Amy! The toilet-and-bidet thread is one of my all-time favourites!
Roz, the very first so-called "turk" toilet I encountered in Italy was in San Gimignano, but I've also come across these in Florence. So, you may find them almost anywhere.
(Curiously, I think I only ever saw one of these in Turkey.)
I've run across them in Japan and China but never seen them in Italy. Maybe in Italy they only put them in the ladies rooms
By the way, most of the world population uses toilets like the turk. When these people first encounter our western toilets they often climb up on the seat and squat there.
________________ When life gives you lemons, make limoncello.
Roz - There are plenty of Turkish toilets to go around all over Italy. I have not kept track, but I'm never surprised to see one; particularly in a train station or the like. I think I've encountered them in just about every region I've visited. So how DO you plan on preparing for this?
Roz, My husband calls them 'footies'. LOL...I guess you could prepare by doing some leg work....lunges...leg presses..... We've found them all over Europe. I'm usually grateful to find any toilet when necessity calls. They are a little daunting for big business.....
Posts: 171 | Location: Mountain Lakes, NJ USA | Registered: 05 August 2003
My first encounter with them was in Paris when I was a student there in the 60's...oddly enough I don't remember them in in Istanbul when we were there earlier this year...
Originally posted by Patrick, Arkansas: By the way, most of the world population uses toilets like the turk. When these people first encounter our western toilets they often climb up on the seat and squat there.
Actually, occasionally I do the squat thing even if I grew up with WC. The squatting posizion is so much more comfortabile for such things!
If you think you many encounter one of these lovely objects it is best to wear a skirt or dress.
Well, that actually is one reason I was wondering how ubiquitous they are in the regions we are going. It might affect what I choose to pack. For a woman who is not skilled in - ahem - assuming the position, it is a lot easier not to have to deal with pants.
I wouldn't be surprised to encounter them in public toilets, especially in less-touristed areas, or places like train stations throughout Italy. But it really was a surprise to find that they seemed to be the norm in restaurants (at least the trattorie where we ate) in fairly large cities of the Veneto, which is an area of Italy that seems reasonably affluent.
Wrong. Pants are much easier. Just keep in mond, you have to squat all the way. If you wear pants, just poush them at kneel level and squat all the way: they will be automatically put off your way. The skirt, instead, will easily slip into your... Range of water!
It is curious to see how fascinating the subjects of toilets is. I am on a garden forum and the subject of outhouses came up once and that discussion, now years old, never ends. Why? One of life's mysteries.
Posts: 437 | Location: Boston MA | Registered: 19 December 2006
really, they can be anywhere; I am still surprised by some of the places I see/use them. I'm with Alice, pants are easier - skinny pants/jeans are best cos they don't puddle (teehee) on the floor!
ok, personal info now...I never sit in [a] public [toilet] anyway so it's not a problem!
I guess I should add (more personal info) - I don't even sit in my own home from Nov - March either cos it's just too darn cold!
The unisex toilet at Oscari Ristorante in Monte Santa Maria Tiberina was turkish style back in '99. Last time there ('05), however, they'd "upgraded" to standard seating and separated men from women.
...they're going the way of phone booths and cigarette machines...still common in China, but not so much in ex-pat areas.
Posts: 488 | Location: New Hampshire | Registered: 12 September 2006
So since we are on the fascinating subject of toilets and how to use them have you ever seen the Italian toilets (usually public) without a seat, but with an unusually wide oversize porcelain rim? One of my most delightful bagno experiences was in the public bagno below Piazza degla Signoria in Spoleto this summer. One of the stalls had one of these, but I surmise that a previous user did not want to lower their heiney onto the porcelain so they decided to make a Turkish out of it - judging by the sneaker prints on the rim and the resulting mess all over the back of the room. I'm outta here!
My thought on looking at the picture on Kim's post was that how gleamingly clean it was - unfortunately, I have never come across one in that lovely condition!
Posts: 917 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 20 September 2006
Originally posted by Patrick, Arkansas: By the way, most of the world population uses toilets like the turk. When these people first encounter our western toilets they often climb up on the seat and squat there.
Is this ever true. On our flights to and from China several years ago the bathrooms had pictures of people squatting with their feet on the toilet seat inside a big red circle with the slash, as in "don't do this." The signs didn't do the trick and within about an hour the bathrooms were all disgusting messes. The remaining 13 hours were painful!
ellen
Posts: 2997 | Location: mahwah, new jersey, usa | Registered: 10 December 2003
And my grandson has a photo of a similar sign in a men's room at a San Francisco Chinese restaurant! It really resonated with his then 14 yr old sense of humor, once we explained why.
Posts: 1815 | Location: Berkeley, CA | Registered: 22 March 2005
Here are some prior discussons--
