What's with the toilets?

mamichula24 · May 3, 2006

What's the deal with the toilets in the DR? Because I"m still new here some of you may find this quite funny (I do), but this is a ligit question.

What I mean....do people in the DR never use toilet seat or sit down to do thier business? A few places that I went (one of them being a disco), didn't have toilet seats. Very awkward for a someone who is used to sitting to pee. The first time I saw it, I thought it was because of the "area" I was in. The second time was in the disco. There was a lady sitting there who kindly gave me some toilet paper. All was good. Picked my stall...looked down...not again...back to squatting I go. Not the easiest task to complete after many cuba libre! I also noticed that not all of them had water.

Can someone please explain this to me?

sbsuib · May 3, 2006

Same in Mexico- You just get used to it.

Celt202 · May 3, 2006

People steal them so many public places just don't put them in. :ermm:

Ken · May 3, 2006

mamichula24 said:
What I mean....do people in the DR never use toilet seat or sit down to do thier business? A few places that I went (one of them being a disco), didn't have toilet seats. Very awkward for a someone who is used to sitting to pee.

Sure, people have them on the toilet in their homes, hotels have them, etc. But places like bars, restaurants, discos, etc., don't so they don't have the expense of replacing them due to theft or breakage.

Get in the habit of carrying a little package of toilet paper with you. Often no helpful woman sitting nearby dispensing toilet paper, and usually none in the stall. Also be aware that many places don't have soap dispensers, or if they do, they will be empty. To wash your hands, will require carrying one of those liquids with you that campers and others use.

Rocky · May 3, 2006

I am not 100% sure of the following, but it seems to me that Dominican men are under the impression that a toilet seat is actually a splash guard, which they put down, when they pee, so that the rim does not get wet, for those who need to sit.
This may seem insane to you, but I have seen them lower the seat before peeing, then the ladies lifting it before stitting, so if that's not what they are thinking, then I don't know what it is.

stormer · May 3, 2006

mamichula24 said:
What's the deal with the toilets in the DR? Because I"m still new here some of you may find this quite funny (I do), but this is a ligit question.

What I mean....do people in the DR never use toilet seat or sit down to do thier business? A few places that I went (one of them being a disco), didn't have toilet seats. Very awkward for a someone who is used to sitting to pee. The first time I saw it, I thought it was because of the "area" I was in. The second time was in the disco. There was a lady sitting there who kindly gave me some toilet paper. All was good. Picked my stall...looked down...not again...back to squatting I go. Not the easiest task to complete after many cuba libre! I also noticed that not all of them had water.

Can someone please explain this to me?

Well I went to some discos, where there were no doors on the stalls, let me tell you, I hated that!!

M.A.R. · May 3, 2006

Ken said:
Sure, people have them on the toilet in their homes, hotels have them, etc. But places like bars, restaurants, discos, etc., don't so they don't have the expense of replacing them due to theft or breakage.

Get in the habit of carrying a little package of toilet paper with you. Often no helpful woman sitting nearby dispensing toilet paper, and usually none in the stall. Also be aware that many places don't have soap dispensers, or if they do, they will be empty. To wash your hands, will require carrying one of those liquids with you that campers and others use.

Yuk, imagine when you go to the clubs, hands all sweaty, guys usually don't wash their hands anyway, but going tothe bathroom there is no toilet paper no water to flush no water to wash ur hands. what if u have to do #2

Always carry paper with you.

Music · May 3, 2006

Well yes washrooms are very different in the DR lol

I've experience the whole napkin given to me by a lady not toilet paper.

I had to pee in a stall that had two toilets that freaked me out :surprised

I have had to pee in a disco where there was no door to the washroom and no stall but I had to go so bad after drinking too much Presidente. It was the fastest washroom visit I ever made :laugh: Anyone who walked by could see me.

I still laugh about the whole experience!

suarezn · May 3, 2006

Rocky said:
I am not 100% sure of the following, but it seems to me that Dominican men are under the impression that a toilet seat is actually a splash guard, which they put down, when they pee, so that the rim does not get wet, for those who need to sit.
This may seem insane to you, but I have seen them lower the seat before peeing, then the ladies lifting it before stitting, so if that's not what they are thinking, then I don't know what it is.

What do you mean? Those aren't splash guards? You must be pulling my leg...I think you guys have it backwards and think that you're supposed to sit on those. Guys shouldn't do their business sitting anyways...:laugh:

Robert · May 3, 2006

Who remembers when they were selling "Ladies Pi$$" here?
Yes, that was the name of the product

They came in a cellophane packet, a little funnel cone type devise to pee in and a napkin to clean up with. I almost died of laughter the first time I came across these in the super market. Haven't seen them for ages, I guess "Ladies Pi$$" never caught on :laugh:

Ricardo900 · May 3, 2006

I was told they don't flush the toilets and throw toilet paper in the waste basket due to the low water pressure. I don't know, but they have a habit of not flushing here in NYC:laugh:. In certain DR clubs, they will have a bathroom attendant, who supplies paper, lotion, etc..

baileyboy · May 3, 2006

Sitting in Public?!

Is it just me? B/c I NEVER sit in a public washroom, regardless of what type of business I'm doing, (a #1, or a #2) FORGET IT! It's all about the squatting!

But everyone has their bathroom experiences in the DR. From lack of seat, toliet paper, door stall, and can't forget the smell! Some are just HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!! ( The worst-the bathroom at the Foodshop, at the Esso station by the hosptial in Puerto Plata. Eeeeeewwwwwwww!)

However, with that being said, I must mention the CLEANEST bathroom I visited in the DR, was at the Isla gas station just up the road from Coral Marien, and Iberostar in Puerto Plata. The womens bathroom smell o.k (Not of pee or anything), and are clean!

daydream · May 3, 2006

baileyboy said:
( The worst-the bathroom at the Foodshop, at the Esso station by the hosptial in Puerto Plata. Eeeeeewwwwwwww!)

I completely agree with you there Lisa! That has got to be the worst smelling toilet I have even been in....I think there was more urine on the floor than in the toilet...eew...

CrazyGurl · May 3, 2006

Toilets

I am so glad that someone has brought this topic up. Recently I went to a salsa bar in what seemed like a shadier part of Santo Domingo. I had already consumed a few beers, left things until almost the last minute, and ran to the toilet expecting "normally". Well as I rushed in, there were three "pots" but no stalls, no doors, no "privacy". There was all these women doing there thing, wiping themselves, and I am sure they were shocked when I bolted in. I just stood there in astonishment. I didn't know what to do at that point but I was VERY certain that I wasn't coming a part of the peeing party! I did a 180 turn and headed out the door. My bathroom break would just have to wait....

Shelley · May 3, 2006

funny thread

I was totally shocked my first visit down there and to a club. I walked in to a tiny tiny room with about 6 girls, no stalls (wait, there were 2-3 feet concrete blocks between the toilet seats) and nobody minding at all what anyone was doing. The helpful lady at the door handed me toilet paper, and I just turned and bolted. After going to three more places to find some privacy I found a little cafe that had a single washroom with a door..and a lock!! The poor guy must have seen the desperation in my eyes as he told me to wait. He then went in to pour water into the tank to flush it (it looked like it hadn't been flushed in sometime), got some cleaner to wipe it down for me, thoughtfully grabbed the seat that was leaning against the wall and put that on and then even got me some soap and paper towel. I learned very fast to not go to the washroom unless in extreme cases. Go before you leave your hotel or the house!!!! It's much cleaner to take some paper and hand santitizer and find the nearest tree that you can hide behind.

ggparts · May 3, 2006

So I'm at the car wash in Sosua and...

I'm in line for a while then I'm informed this is the ladies line up....
I realize that we are basically outdoors anyway so I find an appropriate looking bush and proceed to pee and while doing that I feel something wet splash on the outside of my right leg (no way it from myself) I look down and there is a woman squatted down with her panties around he ankles and she just looks up and says "no problema" with a huge smile.
Another of the many reasons the DR is such a special place to visit.
Gerry

PS
just 68 Days, 3 Hours, 9 Minutes till my next flight leaves WOO HOO!!

Music · May 3, 2006

Your are correct and it's not just you. I never sit on a public washroom toilet squatting is the only way!

baileyboy said:
Is it just me? B/c I NEVER sit in a public washroom, regardless of what type of business I'm doing, (a #1, or a #2) FORGET IT! It's all about the squatting!

Berzin · May 3, 2006

I was at one of those outdoor carnivals in Cabarete where they had rides and food. While I was on the ferris wheel the girl I was with asked me if this was the biggest ride I've ever been on.

I thought it was so cute that I just laughed and kissed her because the ferris wheel went up maybe 30 feet in the air. You could literally jump off at its highest point and not get hurt when you hit the ground.

Then I noticed a funny thing-with all the food and beer being consumed, not one bathroom stall of any kind anywhere!!! Whatever you had to do you had to go and do it in the bushes-and this went for EVERYBODY. Gotta love this country!!!

gary short · May 3, 2006

Music said:
Your are correct and it's not just you. I never sit on a public washroom toilet squatting is the only way!

baileyboy said:

Is it just me? B/c I NEVER sit in a public washroom, regardless of what type of business I'm doing, (a #1, or a #2) FORGET IT! It's all about the squatting!

Click to expand...

Doesn't that hurt your knees?

MommC · May 3, 2006

One of the exercises my personal trainer has me do is squats! I keep telling him, he needs to come down to the DR.......I get lots of practise when I'm there!!

What's with the toilets?

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