Reportedly “flushed” with pride in Chongqing, officials in the southwestern Chinese city recently opened porcelain palace features an Egyptian facade (pictured above), soothing music and more than 1,000 toilets spread out over 30,000 square feet.

The four-story public bathroom listed as the world’s largest according to state-run China Central Television who presumably know these things.

“We are spreading toilet culture. People can listen to gentle music and watch TV,” said Lu Xiaoqing, an official with the Yangrenjie, or “Foreigners Street,” tourist area where the bathroom is located. “After they use the bathroom they will be very, very happy.”

Some urinals are uniquely shaped, including ones inside open crocodile mouths and several topped by the bust of a woman resembling the Virgin Mary.

Someone needs to tell this guy that unless there is no paper most guys are pretty much “very, very happy” every time they go the bathroom Egyptian statues or not.

Designed by men for men

Remember when competition between super powers was on who had the biggest navy? I miss those days. The good news is that America is not without its own good rest rooms. My favorite is the ‘waterfall’ john at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California. According to the website America’s Best Restroom:

The uniqueness continues into the Inn’s restrooms, as the men’s room urinal is a large rock waterfall, which is triggered to flow with electronic sensors when the user steps back.

The men’s room also has giant clamshell sinks, which aid in making any visitor’s restroom experience a memorable one.

Don’t ever drive up the 101 without at least stopping for a quick #1

More photos and story at Odd Culture.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 7th, 2007 at 3:52 pm by Insider and is filed under Not the conventional wisdom. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.