tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post3100040511733874340..comments2024-02-24T03:24:24.785-05:00Comments on writing as jo(e): Off and onjo(e)http://www.blogger.com/profile/01488562158252331555noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-55688924259802737292008-06-03T15:41:00.000-04:002008-06-03T15:41:00.000-04:00I like to stick up for my country whenever possibl...I like to stick up for my country whenever possible, but you know what? You're so right - the toilets in the uk aren't much better than italian ones. I'd have me an american bathroom any day of the week!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-15121589414374391642008-06-02T03:37:00.000-04:002008-06-02T03:37:00.000-04:00A lot of hallway and stairwell lights in Switzerla...A lot of hallway and stairwell lights in Switzerland are on motion sensors. By the time he was two my now three year old had learned to wave his arms wildly in dark room. He also waves frantically at certain doors, expecting them to be automatic. He'll be so confused if we ever move to the US!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-91917295630022509082008-06-01T22:26:00.000-04:002008-06-01T22:26:00.000-04:00Early on, when I was living in France, I had to hu...Early on, when I was living in France, I had to hurry to find a WC because I had been drinking the water, if you know what I mean. I luckily found this bizarre high-tech, automated loo on a street corner--like a concrete phone booth--and felt lucky. A fed a couple of franc coins in a slot, the thing opened up and started humming and I went in. The street had been totally deserted of pedestrians, it was heated and comfortable in there on a rainy winter day, and for some odd reason, the Beach Boys were being piped in. I was feeling a touch homesick and I love the Beach Boys, so I was in no hurry to leave. When I finally emerged, there was a line of at least ten of the angriest French women I ever encountered in Paris, <I>glaring</I> at me. Yikes!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-8210713897220366892008-06-01T16:49:00.000-04:002008-06-01T16:49:00.000-04:00I'm getting ready for a trip to country formerly d...I'm getting ready for a trip to country formerly divided by large wall. Thanks for the tips about the bathrooms.<BR/><BR/>Also, thanks for all of the lovely photos. I've been ready a lot of Donna Leon and your photos help in bringing the area to life.jodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10512572406681071671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-83090565375563700072008-05-31T17:42:00.000-04:002008-05-31T17:42:00.000-04:00Ah, yes, Italian bathrooms-always a pleasure. Wha...Ah, yes, Italian bathrooms-always a pleasure. What they lack in loos, they make up for in food, wine, and people!Yankee Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11533568911291967397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-10300744363560868592008-05-31T14:48:00.000-04:002008-05-31T14:48:00.000-04:00my old office had the lights on motion-sensors, so...my old office had the lights on motion-sensors, so they went off after several minutes of inactivity. it was not uncommon to walk past an open door and see arms flailing in an effort to alert the lights that someone was still in there.kathy a.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14479337952651746193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-72072719045371315862008-05-31T13:49:00.000-04:002008-05-31T13:49:00.000-04:00I'd like to think we have a little bit more going ...I'd like to think we have a little bit more going for us than better bathrooms! <BR/><BR/>I've never been to Europe, but hopefully I'll go one day. Right now I'm just excited about seeing more of this country.BrightBoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13002463263474418737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-70019874279283128902008-05-31T12:52:00.000-04:002008-05-31T12:52:00.000-04:00The other good thing about US restrooms is that th...The other good thing about US restrooms is that they are much more plentiful and easily located...lol! But this story made me think of a restroom in a Paris restaurant where I had to go through the kitchen and the storeroom and down down down stairs through another storeroom (all the while wondering if I was ever going to get there since I didn't speak French) to the bathroom that wasn't overly small, but was full of things that didn't fit in the other storerooms!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-25745855407549916472008-05-31T10:49:00.000-04:002008-05-31T10:49:00.000-04:00And here I thought a lot of the Boston bar restroo...And here I thought a lot of the Boston bar restrooms were tiny.Zhoenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03515663141425057088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-22749154266241099322008-05-31T09:57:00.000-04:002008-05-31T09:57:00.000-04:00when I was in Europe--mostly France and several ye...when I was in Europe--mostly France and several years ago--one of my traveling companions introduced me to the broom rating system. We only found one 5 broom bathroom but I still think fondly of that little restuarant in Dijon.ymphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09434675478509023885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-32507395168344761782008-05-31T09:53:00.000-04:002008-05-31T09:53:00.000-04:00Our apartment bulding in Israel had timers on the ...Our apartment bulding in Israel had timers on the lights so the race was on -- could I get to the top of 4.5 flights without having to hit the light switch (usually yes, but that was awhile ago).<BR/>:-)timnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01985699859449138316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-47392119602762403452008-05-31T09:49:00.000-04:002008-05-31T09:49:00.000-04:00In France, and then later in Scotland, I stayed in...In France, and then later in Scotland, I stayed in hotels where in order to have the lights on, one had to put the little credit card key thing into a slot--which, of course, prevents one from leaving the hotel room with the lights on (unless one also left without one's key.) It made a heck of a lot of sense to me. <BR/><BR/>Our scotland hotel also had a big huge soap dispenser in the shower, which makes a lot of ecological sense. Think how many teeny tiny bars of soap get used once and thrown out....and how much paper is used to wrap them. <BR/><BR/>I wonder how one gets into an Italian bathroom if one was a big person....do football players not pee in Italy?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-50612717268388474612008-05-31T09:19:00.000-04:002008-05-31T09:19:00.000-04:00Just in case, indeed!Just in case, indeed!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08235049965406944684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799907.post-68517142658549667242008-05-31T08:25:00.000-04:002008-05-31T08:25:00.000-04:00Hi Jo(e),Your post about Italian bathrooms made me...Hi Jo(e),<BR/><BR/>Your post about Italian bathrooms made me laugh aloud. I live in Barcelona and would say that Spanish washrooms are only marginally better. I also am fascinated at how small a European bathroom can be... the teensey-tininess of the loo can make it tricky to enter and close the door which, again, shows why it is so important to find the light switch first.<BR/><BR/>Then again, nobody goes to Italy for the bathrooms :-)<BR/><BR/>I have loved your posts from Venice!Monnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05090443385441316914noreply@blogger.com