Berlin

[kaolinfire]

Spent a whirlwind week in Berlin with Amy and Fenris. Amy was presenting a poster at the Cog Sci conference.

Things I've learned about berlin:

• largest city I've seen that's so pro-bicycle; so many cyclists, so many bike rentals, so many bikes locked up everywhere
• omg cobblestones everywhere! not the major streets, but definitely the minor ones, and

Comments

[bondo_ba]

Bidets should be standard everywhere you go in Europe and Spanish-speaking South America. So if you didn't have one, you should be surprised...

I used to go to the Middle East a lot and was worried there wouldn't be any. But fortunately, in this regard, sanity prevails there!

[kaolinfire]

Sanity? What is this sanity you speak of!? ;)

It was my first time using one-I read a few online "how to's" before hand just to be safe. And I only used it once, because, well, ... what one is used to, I suppose.

The only place I saw one was in my hotel (which was Spanish-themed and Spanish-owned).

[bondo_ba]

What one is used to is a powerful force, I guess. One of the few things I wonder about when I travel is how a comfort-oriented society like the US can go without bidets... Generally, there are none in public restrooms anywhere, though.

I was in Berkeley in July, and hoped the off-beatness there would lead to bidets, but no such luck.

[kaolinfire]

I expect in the US the only place you'd find them (I've not found them) is in the private homes of millionaires. I don't know why I have that expectation, though. I don't know what about a bidet screams "money" in my head.