SUNDAY - Public Toilets

SUNDAY - Admit it. You're dying to know about the public restrooms in Moscow. You've heard the horror stories about toilets in Europe and especially eastern Europe.

So Moscow? There are occassionally the port-o-potties Americans are familiar with on the street with an attendant taking admission, but how are most Moscow public toilet facilities? Disappointingly, boringly American.


In fact, (though I'm no connoisseur) I've seen some of the nicest public facilities here, including one with this ornate sink at one of the restaurants.











But, not one to disappoint, I did find a public restroom in a park near Novodevichy and for the pleasure of my readers was sure to snap some pictures. A curved stairwell led underground to a dark alcove (which was honestly a little scary) and a heavy iron door which opened into the mensroom.
















It smelled like a mensroom and the urinals were pretty unremarkable, but there behind the stall doors... the dreaded 'hole in the ground' Americans speak of with hushed tones.

I must admit, if I'd have had to execute number two on this morning, it would have elicited a gasp to see this upon opening the stall door, but this is the only one of these I've seen on the trip. And I've certainly smelled worse in the US.