European Bathrooms
 
It is always an interesting experience traveling in Europe - each country with its own plumbing and bathroom design philosophy - often their own manufacturers of fixtures, showers and tubs. It can be pleasant, surprising, terrifying, or downright amusing.
 
In our 1st Amersterdam BnB, in the attic of one of those skinny old stone houses, at the top of a staircase like the Burj Khalifa, was a very lovely, beautifully designed studio with a equally beautiful and well designed bathroom - nice fixtures, easy to understand and functional.
 
Our 2nd BnB, - OK similar staircase to the top floor, but a studio with no character whatsoever - but functional. Bathroom was small, with a 3cm foot grabber across the door jamb and another getting into the shower in case you managed not to hurt yourself on the first one. Shower was reasonably functional once over the hurdles.
 
3rd - French home of our sister-in-law. Very large bathroom, comfortable, and no surprises on fixtures. (Merci ma chere!)
 
4th - Paris - typical hotel, small room nicely decorated, have to stand at the window to put on a jacket - with one arm out the window. Smallest bathroom so far - no room to put anything down on a counter unless it was a small travel tooth brush given away by United Airlines. But the shower was an experience. Fortunately small so that you could lean a shoulder against one wall and place one foot against the DOWNHILL wall at the drain to prevent yourself from slipping down the slick marble surface to crash at the bottom of the ski slope. The inevitable accident was avoided only because Amanda had alerted me of the danger - otherwise EMT's would have had a hard time extricating my crumpled mass.
 
5th - Ambroise - No mystery - just a very long bathtub with a proper brass hand wand. Could have swum laps. Just watch your head against the sloped ceiling (another attic).
 
6th - Chatellerault
Finally a large flat side pie slice bathroom with lots of space, double sinks, shelves for towels and a very large open shower 6x8 feet. The shower fixture looked like the valve system on a Saturn rocket - without a manual.
Very rough drawing - get it? 
 
soaked. We'll need Wellies to use the toilet!

But the shower experience was actually great. They'll be mopping this morning.
 
Finally, at the Chateau des Vigiers - a very nice large tub/shower dual sinks, etc.  Very nice. 
 
OK, back to the ROAD.



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