Public Urinals

A public urinal placed on the sidewalk. Yes, a public urinal. I guess that the city of Utrecht was having problems with drunk men coming out of the pubs late at night/early in the morning and just urinating all over really old buildings that just couldn’t take all that acidy goodness. So, there they are. These public urinals (see Rob’s picture). They are hilarious and Dude, people really do use them…EVEN DURING THE DAY! I saw a guy using one in The Hague last weekend and it was like a train wreck. I was thinking, “Don’t look”, but I just couldn’t help it. It was so strange and funny at the same time. The idea cracks me up on so many levels. I mean, I think about how open the Dutch seem to be about sex and body parts (woman ride bikes in mini-skirts all the time and flash their naughty bits all over town. It’s all good. No one seems to really care). I also laugh at my own kind of modesty. I think about our Puritan/Pilgrim roots in the States and realize that whether I want to admit it or not, those roots are within me, too. I mean, I’m a nudist at heart and have been to known to frequent a certain Northern California “clothing optional” hot springs from time to time, but dang, public urination no matter how sanitary is just not cool with me.