Toilet Confusion

So, Italy is a mad place for toilets. Indeed, in the public toilets between the Piazza Del Popolo and the Villa Borghese in Rome the concierge, if that is the applicable term, invited me, instead of waiting in the Gentleman's to use one of the two currently occupied cubicles when they became free, to advance into the Ladies, and use one of the ones in there.

I'm in no way ashamed to say that this is exactly what I did, and actually it wasn't the first time. It is probably of interest to many boys that the Ladies loos are generally very similar to the Gents, except for a distinct lack of cubicles (although there were none in the gents in the toilet in question), and a slightly more spacious, roomy feel. Other than that, very similar.


Another interesting toilet thing in Rome can be found on the Corseo Rinascimento. The sign, as shown above clearly indicates, in the universal language, that toilets are close. Note the Male sign, the Female sign, and the Disabled sign. Indeed, there are Male and Female toilets (the Male ones with an en suite tramp), in each partition two cubicles, one of which is for disabled persons. So, ostensibly the sign is correct. The one main problem is that the toilets are down here:


That's right, down 12 steep steps. Obviously not all disabled persons are unable to negotiate such barriers, but it does seem rather unfair.

Of course, if at the bottom of the flight of steps there was not a 90 degree turn and instead the toilets opened out straight ahead, or even if there was a luge-like curved wall, then at least the intrepid / desperate wheelchair user would be able to make it down there in case of absolute emergency. And whilst they may be trapped down there for an undetermined period of time, to my mind that's certainly the lesser of two evils.

Quite remarkable!