Yesterday, on the way back from the zoo (more on this later), we stopped by a restaurant that was named an “ecological garden.” There was lush flora all around the seating area, and I think that the goal of the whole operation was to immerse you in nature.
And what better way to enjoy nature than to stuff it into your mouth?
The meal itself was very good, and I took lots of pictures. However, the most interesting aspect of the evening was not the meal itself but the amenities of the restaurant. I went to use the restroom at one point and was surprised to discover that it was toilet-free. Instead of the ceramic structure that I expected, I instead found an alternative. This device was a fen dong, which could literally be translated to “shit hole” if one wanted to be blunt.
Sparing unnecessary and gross details, I’ll describe the contraption succinctly. It is quite literally a ceramic bowl. Imagine a toilet. Now remove the water tank and sink the toilet into the ground until the seat is on the same plane as the floor. Now remove the seat. This is pretty much what the fen dong is. When using it, a person is forced to hover. (It’s like a squat exercise every time you have to potty.) This is probably another reason why Chinese people are generally more fit than Americans – the concept of a fen dong inherently promotes thighs of steel.
I’ve actually used similar contraptions before on several occasions, so my finding a fen dong was not in itself extraordinary. However, what made this encounter special was that this restaurant had installed a motion-sensing automatic flushing system. Yes, this hole-in-the-ground cleaned after itself! (More than I can say for myself, unfortunately.) I had a notion to speak to the management to inquire why they opted for the electronic flushing system as opposed to just getting toilets. No one likes flabby thighs, but I were in charge…
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