The Bidet, and other Bathroom Favorites

A couple of bathroom memories from my year in Firenze…these are all little anecdotes – feel free to add if you have a fun bathroom story

When we moved in to our apartment, our bathroom did not have a shower curtain. We asked our landlord, who upon speaking to the plumber called me to inform me that they could not put up “the tent.” (Francesco was one of the sweetest landlords I have ever had – always accommodating and willing to help). Instead he said he would put up what he referred to as “a plastic wall”. Up until the minute they finished putting it up I had absolutely no idea what he was referring too. Our “plastic wall” resembled a screen that suffered from stunted growth and covered almost the entire length of the tub away from the wall. It definitely kept our floor cleaner! No more spraying the handheld shower out of control (which by this point through a series of contraptions was mounted on the wall, also courtesy of Francesco).

One of the things that remains with me so long after my return from Italy is the infamous “bidet”. This structure adorned every private bathroom I ever saw. It originates from a French word and was originally used by prostitutes to clean themselves (I guess between one client and the next). Personally I never cared much for the little toilet like form that sat next to the washing machine in our bathroom. I wasn’t sure if any of the roommates actually did use it, and the idea of cleaning it after countless strangers who had rented our flat (well maybe not countless since we were the second tenants of the apartment) and my own roommates had used it grossed me out just a little bit. I have nothing against people who use them, I’m just very obsessive-compulsive when it comes to the toilet facilities I use.

The one things that the Italians have definitely right, at least in Florence, was the whole public hygiene issue. It is disgusting to have to touch things in public bathrooms – you have no idea who’s touched them before you and where they’ve been. The idea gives me the creeps. However they have a way around it…foot pedals. You never actually have to touch the taps in order to turn them on, you just use the foot pedal provided. Same thing for garbage. You don’t have to open the garbage disposal – the foot pedal does it for you! It’s brilliant! I think everywhere should adopt that policy. Especially after witnessing a public bathroom at Prospect Park this past July 4….ewww is all I can say!

Picture courtesy of http://www.cadetstuff.org/images/iace_1970_bidet.jpg