March 3, 2010

The Places I Went

I was told to take a lot of pictures on my trip to the Dominican Republic. So I did.

This "restroom" was not restful. It was in a separate building behind the church and there were no lights. Picture this with just the beam of a small flashlight. Three of us ventured out back to use this toilet. We made plenty of noise as we approached and Cheryl threw rocks at the building. Why? Because we didn't want "company" in there in the dark. Rats and spiders, PLEASE let the girls have a turn. The rocks and noises did their job. *whew* When someone asked if I had actually used these "facilities" I responded, "Hey, I was just glad that I would have a door!"

The next outhouse I came across was brand new. It was built at a construction site (which I have yet to tell about). Isn't it cute? Then they said we had time to use the outhouse if needed.

So, of course, I quickly took advantage of the offer AND took a picture. The door latch was a little tricky.

Here's the bathroom I used everyday. The showers were cold but surprisingly refreshing to me. The lantern was for when the power was out. (The power goes out nearly every day for hours and usually comes on again in the evening/night.) That toilet had me practicing me my patience; you had to hold that handle until it was completely done flushing in slow motion. The water bottles were for brushing teeth. You don't want to put even a minuscule amount of tap water in your mouth.

Ah! Another church bathroom. Better than the scary dark outhouse but it had its own setbacks. Notice there is no t.p. No problem. I came prepared. (The other girls called me Walmart. Not that I had packed a lot; I just packed what I remembered needing in a third world country.)

And there was no running water. This bowl was filled with bleach water for cleaning your hands. Yes, I used it. Then I used my hand sanitizer too. What? Wouldn't you?

Even the nicest bathrooms have their occasional challenges. The house was running out of water. Cheryl had ordered a water truck to fill the cistern but it hadn't arrived yet. I said, "We could just carry some water up from the other house so that we can flush the toilets here." She agreed but didn't let me do it. She had the guys on the team carry buckets. Buckets and buckets. *ahem* Sorry, guys. My fault.

I will admit that I didn't go here. Holly did. And I asked her to take a picture. That's right. I knew that Josiah would want to see a picture of the airplane's bathroom. But I totally could have gone here; I was just, well, I didn't want to get up and squeeze past the nice man sitting next to me.

So there you have it. I did miss a few places. Thank me.

My dad laughed at me for taking all these pictures. (So did Micah and Holly and Cheryl and everyone who knew) My response? "It's a lot more fun using a questionable/scary bathroom when you are collecting evidence for bragging rights!"

I hope you are sufficiently impressed. And please, please, tell me your worst bathroom experience. Okay, maybe I should clarify; please tell me about the worst bathroom you have used or the one that made you suddenly realize you didn't have to go so bad after all.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

You see. This is the kind of thing that makes your blogs so much fun to read! I'm still laughing.

Jessica said...

I AM sufficiently impressed! Going in third world facilities is definitely made better when you're doing it for bragging rights! Okay - one of the worst of mine was in Tijuana: when you flushed the toilet all the sewer contents would spray up through the open shower (it was a flush 'n run). We, too, would lose power for hours and hours in Guatemala, but that was back when the country's civil war was raging and the guerrillas would cut the power to the military facility we were staying in. Definitely felt the need to pee slip lower down the list of priorities at those times.

Carrie Ella said...

Great photos! It's always interesting to see how the other half lives.

Lisa Anne said...

You mean you wouldn't want to use the outhouse poopers instead of those nicer ones? Where's the adventure in that?

Together We Save said...

Oh wow - those are some interesting bathrooms. maybe I should be a little more thankful for what I have and complain about have to clean them. LOL

Cascia Talbert said...

Photos of bathrooms! How clever! I just can't imagine having to go to an outhouse in order to relieve myself.

Have a wonderful day!

Raine @ Mama Rants said...

wow, way to make me thankful for indoor plumbing and hot water!

I'm sheltered, so the worst bathroom I've ever been in was right up the road in North Carolina, at a run down gas station. I was feeling sick and felt like I had throw up and do the other, and it was the first one we passed on a long road without much on it. It was so nasty, and spider-filled, I couldn't stand to use it - I ended up "going" in the woods off the side of the road a couple miles down. Thank God for extra napkins & such in the car!

Marie said...

When I was 16 I traveled to South Korea for the first time. I had never been outside of the United States and NEVER used a bathroom that was not privately tucked away in the house or apartment. I was one of those really queasy germophobic people and I was completely grossed out by a perfectly fine toilet that people had to share at my aunt's apartment. It just freaked me out back then. Looking back (and looking at your pictures) it was fine. I was just young. :)