Ode to Toilette (Yunnan versions)

Apologies, this isn't the prettiest blog post about...


I’m obviously not the first to discuss the ‘Water Closets’ of China but I am willing to contribute to the discussion of our 'au natural' necessary habits whilst in Yunnan, China.


Doorless, dire, disgusting, drain-like, deathly, distressing, an absolute loss of sense of dignity.


Gosh, did I witness some ugly things. And the need to pay to use these ugly public things (ok, a sheer maximum of 2RMB) without toilet paper. The limited advantages :) of these toilets, to me, is that they are squat toilets *thumbs up*, negated bad smells (perhaps because we were in Yunnan, i.e. cool weather) and are extremely simple (tiled/drain-like). With those negative attributes depicted above, this means you’d deem to spend less time in a toilet; a speedy and quick dash is the ultimate necessary.




a selection of Yunnan China's WCs
(WC = about the most popular English phrase the Chinese know of)

I don't know how many of these public WCs I witnessed, but I definitely christened a fair few. It was always an interesting and prepared surprise before accessing..not knowing what to expect or what you'd feast your eyes upon. On a slight plus side, for some reason, using these very communal toilets felt safe and I felt the ladies convened a mutual respect and privacy for one another - thus appreciating how male urinals work. However, on the flip side..Are people just too selfish to flush? Lack of water? Well, you've got to do what you've got to do.

Yep. I managed to take a few photos of Yunnan China’s FEMALE public toilets. A varying bunch - some everso slightly above average, some really not so clean. Having said that, I've missed a batch of gooduns to take - purely missed because they were clearly too dirty and scrappy for me to capture.. OR the main reason, for fear of seeming like a filthy perve in those exposed communal toilets!

I apologise if you find this quite filthy, but it’s the real deal over yonder (believe me, this is nothing)...






On par with Indian toilets.. I choose nature over public toilet anytime, or not...