Greek plumbing has apparently declined since Minoan times, when toilets were developed in 2000 BC. C. and were used in the Palace of Knossos. There is no record of what the Minoans used in terms of bath towels, but the modern Greek plumbing system is, or is believed, incapable of handling toilet paper. Yes, you read that right. The Greek method is to do your business in the bathroom, but put the paper in the nearby bin. This sounds a lot worse than it is in practice, but it’s still puzzling to many travelers used to flushing toilet paper, um, the toilet.
If you forget it, don’t catch it, but for the sake of your hotel owner or restaurateur, try to throw it away.
Quirky Greek Toilets Toilets
The quirky bathroom doesn’t end there, I’m afraid. Sometimes it will take detective skills to figure out how to empty it. If you are traveling out of the ordinary, it can be a button, a pull chain, a button on an elevated tank, a standard dump, a pedal dump, or many other variants.
Most modern toilets, and this is the majority, have an oblong or oval double button area at the top of the tank. This is actually a green device that allows you to select a “big blush” or a “small blush” depending on the need.
And one more thing about Greek baths
Finally, some Greek toilets will not have a toilet. You may find yourself in front of a piece of porcelain placed on the floor that surrounds a hole, which consists of two raised areas to place the feet in a suitable position. These are generally being phased out, but in the village of Litochoro in June 2010, I entered a new double bathroom facility in a luxury patisserie catering to foreign visitors. Each beautiful bathroom featured designer recessed lighting, a beautiful modern bowl-style marble and stone sink with electronic sensor counters that dispensed water, a large ornate mirror in a sculpted gold metal frame, and one of those squat toilets.
Even more puzzling, the squat toilet was on the women’s side, while the men had a potty seat. Unknowingly, since the doors were wide open for each bathroom, I automatically went to the toilet seat in the identical bathroom, but two girls who came after me laughed at my mistake, apparently not appreciating the attractions of the toilet seat. toilet that had been made to me I miss the manly icon on the open door.
Watch out ladies! The toilet can be refreshed
Another quirk I’ve only seen in Greece: a toilet seat designed to stay in the ‘raised’ position. For other uses, you need to press down on the seat and sit on it in one smooth motion. When you get up, the seat automatically returns to the “up” position, with the potential for a small bump if you’re not fast. It seems that there is no question in modern Greece about the position in which the seat “should” be! Somehow, I don’t think the Minoans, with their supposedly woman-centered culture, used this “advanced” device in their plumbing system.
Who is that woman and why is she handling my toilet paper?
Finally, some toilets at archaeological sites such as Knossos and major public facilities, including bus stations, may have a toilet attendant. This person sits or stands near the bathroom entrance and hands out a helping of toilet paper. A nearby plate indicates that a tip is expected and that any coin will do. They will still give you toilet paper even if you have no money, but they may not look happy about it. Their presence at least generally ensures that the facility is reasonably clean. The attendant may also be willing to briefly look at her purse while using the bathroom, which is worth 50 cents to me when the alternative is to drag everything to the stall with me.
