I am not given to toilet humor, but this was too good not to share, so with both giggles and apologies... I'm afraid that China is going down the tubes. The city of Chongqing has opened a 30,000 square foot porcelain palace featuring an Egyptian facade, soothing music and more than 1,000 toilets, some in the open air without a roof.
"We are spreading toilet culture. People can listen to gentle music and watch TV," said Lu Xiaoqing, an official with the Yangrenjie, or "Foreigners Street," tourist area where the bathroom is located. "After they use the bathroom they will be very, very happy."
Hmmm.
Officials in the southwestern Chinese city plan to ask Guinness World Records to have the four-story public bathroom listed as the world's largest. Now that is truly a worthy aspiration. Footage aired on China Central Television showed people milling about the sprawling facility and washing their hands at trough sinks. Some urinals are shaped like open crocodile mouths, and others are topped by the bust of a woman resembling the Virgin Mary. Holy shit! Do the words "shy bladder syndrome" mean anything to you? There are also plans to build a supermarket nearby, which will sell toilet-related items. If that doesn't boost tourism, I don't know what will. As they say, build a better bathroom and the world will beat a path to your door.
