I was reading the news today and came across an article about toilets in Beijing.  It’s a fact that millions of people from around the world will be visiting this location for three main 2008 Olympic venues.  China has gone to great lengths to prepare for the world events with grand structures such as the $400 Million “Water Cube” aquatic park, $250 Million “Bird’s Nest” stadium, $800 Million CCTV station and the $900 Million “Eggshell” National Grand Theater.  That’s over $2.3 BILLION DOLLARS in architectural marvels.

Wanna know one of the few things these four grand structures have in common?  You SQUAT in the lavatory.  That’s right, no crappers here, no water closets, no commodes, no thrones, not even a semblance of a toilet… Just a plain old hole in the floor.

Beijing Toilet

 

Many of the current training athletes from around the world are up in arms about this happenstance.  On a brighter note, Beijing has more than 5,200 public “toilets”.  That’s more than any other city in the world.

It was added by Yao Hui, a senior manager of Olympic venues that they are going to attempt to change all of the squatters into toilets “if technical conditions permit”.  I wouldn’t hold my breath (actually I would hold my breath, but you get what I mean.)

Hmm… I wonder what these technical conditions to be met really are… I am assuming its things like INDOOR PLUMBING and such.  Who knows?

So if you go to the Olympics in Beijing this year and you need to relieve some pressure from your posterior… you won’t get squat in the ways of a modern bathroom (or more accurately Squat is all you will get).

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