"Radioman390" wrote in message
...
Yes, this is OT.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...nt_2307781.htm

Note that the photo shows a view from above, or else the Orientals pee
differently than the rest of us.

Actually, I can't speak for other oriental countries, as my experience in
Japan and Thailand included western style toilets (which are also becoming
more common here in Korea as time goes by), but here in Korea, the average
toilet is a small basin set into the floor, looking very much like a urinal
laying on it's back. They squat to pee or defecate. This is really a
challenge for a westerner who is used to actually being able to sit to
eliminate. They look very much like this one, found in Japan:

http://www.cromwell-intl.com/toilet/...japan-ueno.jpg

Oh, and if you're going to use a public toilet in Korea (these are mostly
squatters, but most of the roadside truck stops, similar to rest areas in
the states, but with some shopping and restaurants), be sure you bring your
own toilet paper, as they don't normally stock it. Also, be prepared to be
grumbled at if you actually flush the TP down the toilet, they discourage
this, insisting instead that you place your used TP into a receptacle next
to the toilet (our plumber has griped to us about flushing it.. and the city
taxes us extra for finding it in the septic tank, but we're not about to
have it smelling up the bathroom or even the stairwell.

As an aside, they don't have individual garbage pickup here. What happens is
you take your recyclable trash down the street to recycle bins. Any food or
non-recyclable trash must be placed into special (taxed) bags and placed
next to the recyclables. These bags are purchased at local grocery stores,
and can be purchased in different sizes from 10 liter to 100 liters.