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Eastern European Toilets
I've been to the former Soviet Union a number of times —
after a few weeks
in Russia, the toilets of
the Baltic nations are like the promised land.
Actually, after a few weeks in Russia, pretty much everything about
the Baltic nations is like the promised land.
Also see the
discussion of the Teutonic/Soviet "inspection shelf".
I've also been to Greece a number of times.
They may have invented western civilization a couple of millennia back,
but if their modern plumbing is any gauge, they've been slipping downhill
ever since.
For one thing, their curious aversion to installing seats on commodes
far exceeds that of the Russians.
If a commode has a seat and lid, they rip it right off.
But usually their porcelain commodes have never been sullied by seats.
Now, there is a reasonable argument against seats.
The seat is made of relatively soft plastic or painted wood.
The bowl itself, however, is vitreous (that is, glass-like).
It is much easier to clean, and you can get porcelain
much cleaner than plastic or painted wood.
Just be careful that you don't fall down into the bowl when using it.
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Ward hallway, Hospital #122 in the Name of Sokolov,
Sankt Peterburg, Russia.
Note open plumbing chase, used by patients to dispose of empty vodka
bottles, newspapers, and cigarette butts.
Many plumbing chases in the hospital have experienced minor flue fires.
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Dorm room in postgraduate nursing school, Hospital #122 in the
Name of Sokolov,
Sankt Peterburg, Russia.
Note roll of Russian toilet paper at left, less rare these days.
Immediately post-breakup, one of only two toilet paper factories in the
entire USSR had been in Latvia, and thus gone in the first wave.
Russian TP quality has greatly improved.
But, on a recent work trip I needed sandpaper to finish some plaster repair,
and a Russian seriously asked if the local TP would suffice.
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Public toilet,
Moscow, Russia.
Note the standard Russian lack of seat, just a refreshingly cool porcelain bowl.
Especially bracing during those chilly Russian winters.
Plus the prison-style door.
Far scarier in person, as there's no lighting, and one experiences
the fear of the unknown.
Bring a flashlight!
Or a camera with a flash....
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Staff toilet, Hospital #122 in the Name of Sokolov,
Sankt Peterburg, Russia.
Note, once again, the standard Russian lack of seat, and the complete
lack of lighting outside flash photography.
Also note the non-perpendicular door frame.
Soviet craftsmanship....
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Korinthos train station, Peloponnese, Greece.
An example of the relatively rare mainland European squatter.
Well, relatively rare in western Europe anyway, outside French bars.
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Akti Hotel, Korinthos, Greece.
Seatless.
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At Olympia, Peloponnese, Greece, site of the original Olympic Games
and the Temple of Olympia Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
This one is no wonder, however.
Seatless.
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Two toilets in the Ionian Domatia in
Vathy town, on the island of Samos.
Intense avacado models with forcibly removed seats and lids.
Seatless, and seatless.
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Along the path following the ridgeline from the main town of Fira to Oiua,
on the Greek island of Santorini.
Technically known as an Aegean mountaintop dual squatter.
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The main public toilet, just off the central square, on the
ever-so-elegant island of Santorini.
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In the Rodos Hostel, in the old city of Rodos,
on the island of Rhodes.
Seatless.
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A Sani-Flush blue border indicates a toilet that I've used.
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If you're not bored yet, you might be interested
in (or at least tolerate):
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