China Daily recently published my essay titled ‘Five-Star’ Rural Restrooms Answer More Than Just Nature’s Call, an appreciation of fine public facilities encountered on road trips here in China. Here’s an excerpt:
At first glance, that one-story whitewashed building nestled in the pear orchards could easily be mistaken for a charming little cottage in rural Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. The stone pathway to the building was perfumed with the ambrosial fragrance of ripe pears. Its facade featured a colorful mural of ethereal mountains and a golden pear, rendered in the style of traditional Chinese landscape paintings. Even the scenery behind it was spellbinding, with verdant mountains undulating under a blue sky punctuated by wispy swirls of clouds.
Who would have imagined that such a building displayed a sign that read “Toilet”?
The enchantment, however, doesn’t end for visitors with more practical needs in mind. The restroom is clean, odor-free and well-lit. There’s plenty of toilet paper in the containers inside each stall. Plus, you can wash your hands with liquid soap at sinks set in a black marble countertop.
My husband and I have dubbed the place a “five-star restroom”, yet the designation could apply to many remarkable rural facilities that we’ve discovered on road trips across the Zhejiang countryside.
Read the full essay at China Daily. And if you like it, share it!