# What bizarre fixtures have you encountered abroad? (e.g. scary Brazilian showerheads) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 10, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266 "2003-08-10T21:57:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/41 "2003-08-14T00:52:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > \*\*But, what always cracked me up is that in England \*there are no electrical outlets or light fixture switches in the bathrooms \* IE, you cannot blow dry your hair in the bathroom, youhave to do it in another room. > > Logic behind it: You might be stupid enough to stand barefoot in a puddle of water and blow dry your tresses. \*\* Oh yes… I forgot about the inverted British lightswitches. Observe: [A lightswitch from a B&B in Cambridge, UK](http://hyperphoto.photoloft.com/view/exportImage.asp?s=cano&i=10124898) [An ugly example of an American switch from my home](http://hyperphoto.photoloft.com/view/exportImage.asp?s=cano&i=10124957&w=640&h=480) Note that while both switches appear to be in the same position, the UK switch (for the bathroom through the door, just like **Shirley Ujest** said) is **off** , while the US switch is **on**. In other words: in the UK, down is on; in the US, up is on. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/42 "2003-08-14T01:28:21Z")
Hey, we got the showerhead flash heaters here, too! It can get brisk at night or in the moring in “winter” (Dec-Feb). Of course, we do have good grounding. Once that is ensured, it’s perfectly safe. Our new-construction housing usually comes fitted so you can choose electric tank, electric “line” heater (a flash heater further up the pipes), or solar. In our homes, gas is for cooking, if used at all (and we have to use tanks, as no new residential pipe has been laid since the 1950s.) Otherwise all our fixtures are American-style ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/43 "2003-08-14T03:34:27Z")
In the bad old days after Henry the K declared victory in Vietnam and before President Ron single handedly dismantled the Soviet Empire, 30 and 45 day field exercises were pretty much standard fare for regular forces in Europe and reserve units invited to the party. During those dog and pony shows I would volunteer to make the midnight run to corps headquarters just to use a ceramic, sit down toilet. It might be a German self examination special in a disused school house but in the middle of a Lower Bavarian winter it was better that trying to take a dump in a slit trench without fouling the hems of your poncho. Generally it was warm and dry and there was real bathroom tissue, albeit tissue with the texture and finish of butcher’s paper. Sometimes there was real hot water, too. You don’t complain about foreign bathroom facilities when the alternative is to manure the field like a freaking cow. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/44 "2003-08-14T03:53:13Z")
Question for you all: kitchen sinks from around the world – do they have a spray hose attachment, or not? Are there any cultures where it’s customary for the toilet/bidet to have a hose accoutrement, yet their kitchen sinks never have a hose attachment? I imagine if one came from such a culture, and then visited an American home (no bidet or hose by the toilet, but the kitchen sink has the spray hose), it would be amusing to say the least. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/45 "2003-08-14T13:07:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > \*\*Ahhh, the German shelf toilet. Lets you see what a pile of crap really looks like. Their toilet paper leaves much to be desired too. > But, what always cracked me up is that in England \*there are no electrical outlets or light fixture switches in the bathrooms \* IE, you cannot blow dry your hair in the bathroom, youhave to do it in another room. > > Logic behind it: You might be stupid enough to stand barefoot in a puddle of water and blow dry your tresses. \*\* Don’t forget that we are on 230 volts in the UK and that can kill you. There is one type of outlet allowed in the bathroom and that is a low current device for shavers etc. This is protected by an isolating transformer , a low value fuse and the pin layout is differnt to ordinary outlets. Regarding light switches , most bathrooms have a pull cord type hanging from the ceiling ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/46 "2003-08-14T13:24:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rayne Man \* > \*\*Don’t forget that we are on 230 volts in the UK and that can kill you. There is one type of outlet allowed in the bathroom and that is a low current device for shavers etc. This is protected by an isolating transformer , a low value fuse and the pin layout is differnt to ordinary outlets. Regarding light switches , most bathrooms have a pull cord type hanging from the ceiling \*\* Interesting. We have the same voltage here in Australia, but I haven’t seen a pull cord light switch in a house built in the last 30 years or so. I think they’re terribly cool, however. 🙂 One thing I’ll mention that some foreign visitors have found surprising here is the concept of solar hot water heaters. Which, I guess, is quite an odd idea for those coming from a less-sunny climate. ---
**Author:** ![Tygr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@Tygr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tygr)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/47 "2003-08-14T13:54:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mamm \* > \*\*Actually, if you think about it, there’s at least one pratical reason for the “shelf” to be present in German toilets: no splash! \*\* After 3 weeks spent there in '89, I decided that the risk of splash far outweighed the certain knowledge that bits of your anatomy were suspended an inch above a pile of doody. :eek: :o …and where’s that barfy-smiley when you need it…? ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/48 "2003-08-14T14:37:40Z")
"But, what always cracked me up is that in England there are no electrical outlets or light fixture switches in the bathrooms IE, you cannot blow dry your hair in the bathroom, youhave to do it in another room. Logic behind it: You might be stupid enough to stand barefoot in a puddle of water and blow dry your tresses. " Don’t they have GFI (Ground Fault Interupt) outlets in other parts of the world? They “trip” before you can be electrocuted. Required by the USBC here in the US for any electrical outlet in wihtin so many feet of a faucet or toilet. ---
**Author:** ![chm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@chm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chm)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/49 "2003-08-14T15:47:38Z")
So, I’m just off an overnight flight to Copenhagen, and operating on zero sleep. At the time I had never been to Europe. The little danish I knew has wisely decided to stay with the sleeping majority of my brain. Heck, as I’d been reading a french novel, english was having a light nap too. I need to wander to the bathroom before braving the customs lines. I go to use facilities, then pause. How on earth do I flush this thing? There’s no little handle in the front! The line outside the door seems impatient, but damned if I trust myself to ask for directions. Eventually I manage to figure out that I can pull on that decorative knob on top of the water tank, as I’m screwing it back on after trying to turn it. It lifts, but nothing happens. It’s attached to something, I pull harder, and then, success. Stupid foreigner found a way to work the toilet, and can’t believe nobody thought to mention this to her. After a week staying with the in-laws, I mention this story to the husband, (also asking if I’d correctly guessed about half-flush and whole flush) and ask why nobody told me toilet flushing involved lifting knobs there. He insists that the toiled where we were staying must be flushed by pushing the knob down. After an argument, we go demonstrate that both methods work on this toilet. Hehe, stupid foreigner can figure out sqatting and hasn’t any problem with composting toilets, holes in the ground, or whatnot, but is absolutely baffled by toilets designed to look nice. ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/50 "2003-08-14T19:55:03Z")
[hijack] Man! This really chaps my hide\*\* minor7flat5 \*\*, you and your blushing bride were less then 3 hours away from me \* and you didn’t even E-Mail \*. Sheesh! We \* could have \* had the first ever South American Dope Fest (however small) BUT \* NOOOoooooOOOOO \*! You were out sneaking around looking at other peoples \* plumbing \*. Hrump! 😉 [/byjack] ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/51 "2003-08-14T22:46:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Janx \* > \*_…You were out sneaking around looking at other peoples \* plumbing ._ Now, don’t go around spreading rumors like that! I’d like to keep my own plumbing intact :eek: if it’s all the same to you! Oh, and we were even closer than that – we had a stopover in SP. Lovely airport that was. ---
**Author:** ![Zazie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Zazie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zazie)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/52 "2003-08-15T01:56:28Z")
This is a funny thread. I am from France and the half-flush toilets are getting bigger and bigger, a lot of people have those now. I think they’re great. I always had bidets in my bathrooms (but not appartments, newer and smaller, no room for it), and always used them to wash my feet! I must have been at least 12 years old when I heard what a bidet was really for. We have no “shower” attachement on our kitchen sinks in Europe that I know off, that’s a damn shame because it is the best idea ever (can u tell I don’t have a dishwasher?). In some highway rest-stops in France, we have the “turkish toilets” (hole in the ground type)… It grosses me out badly, although of course it is more hygienic (sp?) and easy to clean. I saw the German toilets you described before in Alsace (basically Germany people will say !). I was dumbfounded! ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266/53 "2003-08-15T03:21:00Z")
A stick rather than paper or water. That’s what a certain canoe guide in north-eastern Ontario offers his clients when they have to shit in the woods. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bizarre-fixtures-have-you-encountered-abroad-e-g-scary-brazilian-showerheads/194266.md?page=2)