I may have succumbed to eating at McDonalds, which I have, a couple of times. But one thing I knew that I would not succumb to was using squat toilets in China. Not if I can help it. In fact, it’s my challenge for the entire trip not to use one. It helps that I have the bladder of a camel.
Squat toilets are the norm in China and they’re in public places EVERYWHERE. It’s quite the crap shoot (pun!) when seeking out a “western” toilet. I’ve learned to seek out them out at airports, large department stores that have handicapped facilities and Starbucks. (guaranteed to have one!) Sometimes at large tourist spots or rest stops, you might find one western toilet amidst 20-30 squat toilets. Thank goodness the 5 star international hotels we’re staying at all have western toilets. (they would have to!)
Also a new habit for me on this trip is carrying a buttload (pun!) of tissues. My purse is chock-a-block full of tissues from our hotel room and the restaurants we’re taken to. Seriously, more valuable than gold, as most washrooms do not provide toilet paper or paper towers. you’re lucky if there’s liquid soap. Which is also why I carry hand sanitizer with me.
Another unusual observation is that washing up stations never share space with the toilet stalls. Rather, the unisex sinks are placed just outside the entrance to the men’s and women’s bathrooms.
So what’s with the bathroom opener?
Well, when we flew from Xi’an to Shanghai this morning and got picked up by bus to go to Wuxi, the tour guide brought us to a park that had not squat toilets, but trough toilets! They’re exactly as you imagine it – DOOR-LESS stalls with a long trough which you squat over. The water running down the trough then carries your business away. And yes, they are as hideous as it sounds.
But there were the only types of toilets at Xihui park and the ladies in our tour group had no choice but to use them. I did not. (such a princess!)
The park was pretty and scenic. Actually the whole of Wuxi is, as it’s located along the picturesque Taihu Lake. And our tour guide, Jimmy, was super friendly and very talkative, giving us a lot of insight on Wuxi and its residents. It’s no wonder the city’s motto is “Wuxi is full of warmth and wonder.”
We learnt:
* It’s good to be a female in Wuxi. The husband is the one who has to learn to cook in order to woo a potential wife. Also, husbands passes their paycheques to their wives. For ladies, “what’s yours is mine, what’s mine is mine.”
* The pork, shrimp, fish and beer in Wuxi are sweeter-tasting than other areas in China, due to their “mother lake.” That’s also why they say people of Wuxi are also sweet.
* Birth control policy in china is 4-2-1 policy: 4 grandparents, 2 parents and 1 child.
* Couples are now happier to give birth to girls, as it’s a cheaper situation. Boys must work hard to buy their own home and cars. If he doesn’t have these things by the time he’s married, the wife and her family must help to pay for home and car. Therefore, if guys don’t already have these things, girls are unlikely to date them, as it will cost them down the line.
* To buy a 4m square condo in Wuxi, it’d cost 30000 RMB (about $5,000 CDN!) Young people can not afford this and often will need help from their parents. Are you kidding me? Only $5000 for a condo!? Take my money!
* Fathers would plant a camphor tree in the yard, whenever a daughter is born. When the daughter is married off, the father will chop down the tree to make camphor suitcases. The mothers, on the other hand, would give their daughters pearls on a horse string as a gift.
* It’s rare to see public displays of affection in Wuxi, as people are rather conservative. Not a lot of handholding or kissing.
* It’s common to see old men walking ahead of his wife. Only when crossing a street, will he hold her hand. As soon as they’ve crossed, he’ll release her hand and walk ahead again.
And what’s a tour day if not including some opportunity to us to “shop”? This time at a pearl centre and a tea pot factory, as one of Wuxi’s specialties are clay tea pots. It’s getting to feel very ‘we’re taking you to these sights, so won’t you reciprocate by spending money at these specific outlets’? I’m sounding like a jaded traveller but it just doesn’t feel sincere, especially with the aggressive sales people and or the absolutely crestfallen look on their faces when they do their presentation and no one bites, which is then promptly followed by discount incentives.
It wasn’t all a total loss, though. At the tea factory I learned that the character for ‘tea’ is comprised of characters for ‘tea leaves’, the number 8, 10 and another 8. Therefore, if one drinks plentiful tea everyday, one can hope to live to 88 years of age. It’s in the word itself.
After dinner, we ended the night with a walk around Taihu Xiandao and saw the star of Lake Tai, a lit up ferris wheel on the shoreline of the lake.
Save for the pushy sales tactics, everything was just pleasant about Wuxi. It’s tidy, clean and blessed with a charming and natural beauty. It’d be a great getaway from the chaos of a big city.
View more photos of my trip on my Flickr album.
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