Hotel bathrooms, Europe

While reading Rick Steves’ article “Conquering European Bathrooms” (July ’14, pg. 59), I enjoyed reminiscing about similar not-like-in-the-USA bathroom experiences my husband and I have had in our nearly 40 years of world travel.

These include wax paper-like tissue plus a trickle of hot water in the shower when we were on a budget in the ’70s; emergency cords dangling in the shower; a basket next to the toilet for dirty paper, and, in recent years, the pleasure of using bidets.

During a bicycling holiday in Bulgaria in September 2013, we encountered something that Rick didn’t mention.

Our accommodations ranged from comfortable and charming, family-run establishments in the countryside to a 3-star hotel in Plovdiv, and in all of them, none of the showers were equipped with shower curtains. This meant that the sink and toilet were sprayed with water while we showered, and, after showering, it was necessary to wipe all fixtures dry.

In each case, there was a small drain in the center of the floor, so we knew it was expected that the bathroom would get wet. It only took one shower for us to learn to remove the roll of toilet paper before turning on the water!

We were very happy with all of the hotels in Bulgaria, and our remarking on the absence of a shower curtain is not a criticism, only a humorous observation. This is the type of experience that adds to the wonderful adventure and memories of international travel.

JULANE ANDERSON

Frederick, MD