The Etiquette Bell

So today I turned 40, and I feel like I've been inducted into a club. One of the perks of that club is the permission granted to discuss bodily functions. (Well, perhaps I've jumped ahead a bit, maybe that was a "60" year club rule.) Nevertheless, it gives me great pleasure to express my wonderment and excitement for all things bathroom related: a subject that Korea takes seriously. The seriousness of which is not lost on this traveller: age 40, mother and birther of 4 (LARGE) kiddos.

The first stop after our 12 hour long plane ride was to the bathroom in Incheon airport. Doing my thing (on- phew!- a regular toilet seat) in the bathroom stall, I happened to notice the "Etiquette Button" - an intercom looking device with volume control. Being of a curious nature, naturally I pushed the button and was awarded with the tinkling sounds of running water. Running water sounds to mask the sound of what you're doing in the stall. How Brilliant Is That??? I was very impressed with this Etiquette Bell discovery - and would continue to be impressed all week with the restroom accommodations.

All hotels had bidets - and NOT! the separate fixture kind. Nope. These babies were the all-in-one variety atop the porcelain throne. Buttons of all kinds (in both English and Korean) indicating the type of function: water spray, water drizzle, warming seat, and fan blowers!!! Some of the nicer restaurants (and even some of the not so nice restaurants) had these fun fixtures. Additionally on the bathroom front, many of the women's rooms were equipped with a kiddie stall - a US handicapped sized stall with a regular toilet, and then a much smaller version toilet (and urinal!) for those moms travelling with small kids. Usually these stalls were brightly painted in colorful themes. On occasion, we would encounter the "squat toilet" - I'm not sure any of us were desperate enough to use one of these. Thankfully, the squatters were labeled outside on the stall door, so we could choose to avoid them, if possible. Finally, one bathroom (Pizza Hut, I believe) surrounded the sink counter with fake grass, creating a lovely diorama garden scene while you washed your hands. Throw in the super fast hand drying tubes and the disposable mouthwash dispensers, and you've got yourself in a heck of a country - dedicated to making the most out of the "rest" room. Other than the toilets at the Buddhist temple - an experience that earns it's own post later- most of the bathroom adventures were quite lovely.

On our last night in Korea, we went shopping at the supermart below our hotel and I found bidets for sale - I can't think of a better 40th birthday gift!