The Ultimate Toilet Blog

Marco's Way Of Rating Toilets

2008-03-05T11:54:00.000-08:00

I just thought of something interesting...After being a hard core toilet fan for so many years.how do I determine if a toilet is up to standard?

I noticed that different people have different ways of determining whether a toilet is up to standard.Some people are very concerned about cleanliness,while others care whether the toilet is old or new.

In this post,I will share with you my way of rating toilets.What type of toilets do I really fancy?Of course,there is no right or wrong.This is a very subjective matter.You may or may not agree with me.

But if you share the same sentiments,then I think we are in the same boat.

Criteria #1:Toilet Bowl

To me,this is the most important thing I look for in all toilets that I visit.If the bowl is screwed up,it affects the overall rating of the toilet.How do I rate the bowls?

The very first thing I look for is congruence.If the toilet is old,then the bowl must also be old.No point having an old toilet with a new bowl.The feeling sucks.It is like asking an old man to dress up like a teenager.

The next thing is whether the bowl is squatting or sitting.Squatting bowls tend to win more favor as compared to sitting ones.I am a great fan of squatting toilets.

Of course,if I were to rate a sitting toilet very high,then that toilet must be really good.

Next is the brand of the bowl.Is it my favorite brand?If it is,the overall rating of the toilet will also go up.

Criteria #2:Flushing System

This is another important thing that I look out for.The toilet's flushing system can affect the flushing sound of the toilet.

If the bowl is a nice brand and the flushing system is screwed up,it can spoil the flushing sound of the toilet bowl.

To me,the high cisterns are the best.They are nice to flush,and they sound the best.There is a climax,and an anti-climax.My favorite cisterns are the Shires Cisterns.In my opinion,they are the best.Nice feel and they are really powerful.

If you love toilets like me,you know what I mean.

The worst flushing systems are those small cisterns with 2 buttons on top.These are the worst.There is always not enough water to flush everything away,and the flushing sound sucks big time.Go try it out and you'll know what I mean.

I really hate these small cisterns with buttons on top.They spoil the flushing sound.No matter how good the toilet bowl is,this cistern will spoil it all.

The next screwed up ones are the sensor flushes.Although they may be cleaner,but their flushing sound sucks big time.They are slightly better than the small cisterns.

Speaking of the high cisterns,there are also 2 types.One with the straight pipe and the other with the twisted pipe.I like both actually.But let me tell you their differences.The staright pipe is more powerful that the twisted pipe,because the water flows down directly.

The reason why I like the twisted pipe is because it looks nicer and it is more uncommon.

Criteria #3:Ambience

The ambience of the toilet gives you a feeling of what type of bowls you can expect to see.Of course,in certain cases,the ambience may be good,but the bowls are all new ones.It can be very disappointing.

Those who score well in toilet bowls will usually score well in ambience.

What do I mean by ambience?Ambience refers to the type of floor tiles,wall tiles,sinks,the layout and the lighting of the toilet.

Toilets with older ambiences usually score better.I am not really a fan of newly renovated toilets.

New toilets only score well if they were built from scratch.Those which are renovated will usually get a lower score than the original old ones.

Criteria #4:Exterior

There is a saying that you can't judge a book by its cover.But let me change that a little bit.You can more or less judge a toilet by its exterior.There is a 70% chance of being right,basing on my experience.

The exterior usually gives away the first impression of the toilet.A nice,old exterior may score better than a newly renovated exterior.Unless it is originally new,then the rating is higher.

There are also cases where the exterior can be misleading.You might see an old exterior with new toilets in it.But most of the time,the exterior can give you a rough gauge of what to expect inside.

Criteria #5:Number Of Cubicles & Layout

The number of cubicles will play an important role if the toilet bowls are my favorite.A toilet will score bonus points if it has a large number of cubicles with my favorite bowls.

An example would be my beloved Jubilee Street Public Toilet in Central,Hong Kong.It has 20 cubicles of squatting Victorys,all with high cisterns.

I really hate those toilets with one cubicle only.Especially those with sucky bowls.They are bound to fail,if I come across them.

Layout is also important.I like toilets with interesting layouts.I noticed that the Public Toilets in Hong Kong have very interesting layouts.You can visit all of them and find that they are mostly different.

My favorite layout would be a row of high cisterns toilets side by side.From outside,it looks like a row of soldiers standing tall.The Shires look the best.A row of Black Beauties.

Another aspect of layout is how many different types of toilet bowls are there in the toilet.I have come across toilets with 3 different types of bowls in one single toilet.That was really impressive.Especially when all the different types of bowls are the brands I like.

In December 2002,I stumbled upon this Public Toilet at Queen's Road East,Hong Kong Island.It had 4 different types of bowl in one toilet.There was the long Squatting Victory(original),pear shaped squatting Victory,pear shaped Armitage Shanks(Singapore style) and lastly squatting American Standard.

I was pleasantly surprised when I went into that toilet.But sad to say,when I visited it again in 2004,it was demolised.The good thing is that I still have some photos of it.You can find it in my earlier posts.

Yet another aspect of layout is how you access the toilet.In a number of public toilets in Hong Kong,you need to climb up the stairs to the 2nd or 3rd floor to access the toilet.For a few rare cases,you need to climb down the stairs as the toilet is underground.

But this is not as important as the number of cubicles and number of types of toilet bowls.

Criteria #6:Cleanliness

I believe cleanliness is very important to the majority.But for me,it is one of the last criteria.It is no use for a toilet to be clean if the bowl and ambience are both screwed up.

But I would not say it is totally unimportant either.When I went to China,that was when I started to appreciate clean toilets.The toilets there are really terrible.I had to hold my breath when shooting videos.

Cleanliness only becomes important to me if I need to use the toilet.If not,I don't mind dirty toilets,as long as they meet criteria #1 to #3.

These are the 6 Criteria that I look out for when I visit a toilet.How about you?

Cha Kwo Ling Public Toilet Cum Bathhouse - Squatting Kimware With Twisted Pipe

2008-03-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

Whew,I worked really hard for this toilet.It took me more than an hour to locate this toilet.But I would say that it was really worth my effort.

Cha Kwo Ling Public Toilet cum Bathhouse is located at 90,Cha Kwo Ling Road.The easiest way to reach it is to take the MTR and alight at Yau Tong Station.But for me,I didn't take the MTR.I walked all the way there from Kwun Tong Ferry.

It took me around an hour to reach there.But to make matters worse,I lost my way.I wasted at least half an hour walking to and fro Cha Kwo Ling Road,trying to locate this toilet.

But looking at its exterior intrigued me.I knew it was going to be something good.The toilet was at the second floor.See the photo below,you need to climb up the stairs located on the left.

Once you go into the toilet itself,you are greeted by 2 rows of squatting Kimwares.There are around 7 cubicles in each row.One row is facing the window while the other row is facing the back wall.

Interestingly,those facing the windows had twisted pipes while those facing the back wall had straight pipes.

Look at the photo below,this toilet is facing the window,and it has a twisted pipe.

Next,you will look at the toilet bowl proper.As you can see in the photo below,it's another squatting Kimware.Nothing to be happy about.

To be honest,I was a little disappointed when I saw the Kimware.By looking at the wall tiles and floor tiles,Kimware is incongruent with them.You probably know that Kimware appeared only in late 2001 to the early part of 2002.

How can it be the original toilet bowl for this toilet?

If I were to deduce correctly,this toilet is at least 25 to 30 years old.The large wall tiles belong to the 1970s era.Probably the late 1970s.

By deduction,the original bowl is probably the 1st batch of long Squatting Victorys.Maybe after a while,the long squatting Victorys were replaced by the small pear-shaped Victorys(my favorite).
The next toilet that came in was probably the Square Armitage Shanks,and lastly is the Kimware you see here.

This is only my deduction.I may be right,I may also be wrong.But all I can say is that this toilet scores very well when it comes to its ambience and flushing system.

Speaking of this type of toilet,I came across a similar toilet at Fat Tsueng Street West in Sham Shui Po district.Like this toilet,that one had an old exterior,old floor and wall tiles.The only thing that is incongruent is the toilet bowl.

That toilet had a number of squatting Square Armitage Shanks.I was quite impressed with that toilet too,basing on the ambience.

Alright,it is time for video now.Listen to the nice flushing sound of this toilet.

Coming up next post...Marco's Way Of Rating Toilets.

Kei Yip Street Public Toilet,Kwun Tong,Kowloon,Hong Kong

2008-02-29T05:28:00.001-08:00

Kei Yip Street Public Toilet.I had no fate with it on the first visit.Thank God,I managed to get into it on the second visit.

I first visited this toilet in March 2005.But it was closed for renovation.I was really disappointed.But from the exterior,you can guess its brand.

Basing on my experience,my bet was that it could be the Square Armitage Shanks,the Square Twyfords or American Standard.These brands are before renovation.

If I were to guess its brand after renovation,I would bet on Kimware(all 3 models),or the Square Johnson Suisse.

So I guess it wasn't that bad after all,to miss it.After all,one look I know that there are no traces of Victorys.

Anyway,before my December trip,I was left with only 6 Public Toilets to visit in Kowloon,to complete everything.This toilet was one of them.In fact,all of the 6 toilets are located in the Kwun Tong District of Kowloon.

A little more about this toilet.It is 3 stories high.Both the ladies and gents are on the top floor.However,they have different entrances.On the photo above,it is the entrance to the ladies.The gents' entrance is located at the right side.

I didn't take a photo of the gents' entrance because there was an attendant there.As you know,toilet attendants get really jumpy when you take photos and videos of their toilets.Reason is they are afraid that you are from the environmental agency and out to catch them for dirty toilets.

I will leave you to decide what type of toilet bowl is in Kei Yip Street Public Toilet.Watch the video and you will know.

If you don't know what toilet bowl this is,it is a Squatting American Standard with cistern.This Public Toilet is quite big.There are around 18 cubicles.All of them are the same,Squatting American Standard with cistern.

The next toilet I am going to feature has scored a Star from me.I think you might like it too.Stay tuned for the next Public Toilet.

Kwun Tong Road Public Toilet - Where Twyfords & Victory Become Brothers

2008-02-26T11:48:00.000-08:00

This is a continuation of my series on Hong Kong's Public Toilets.During my visit to Hong Kong last December,I have visited a good number of public toilets.I will try my best to include each one here.

Today,you will look at the public toilet where Twyfords and Victory become brothers.If you know about these 2 brands of toilets,you might feel puzzled.How can Victory be related to Twyfords?

Well,I was puzzled too,when I visited this public toilet.

Kwun Tong Road Public Toilet is an easy find.It is located along Kwun Tong Road,behind the bus terminus.This toilet is also quite busy.Cleanliness is average.

Now,look at the photo below.That's a Twyfords.It is the first time I came across a squatting Twyfords like this.It looks quite similar to the squatting Victory,which used to be quite common in Hong Kong.

Now,look at the photo below...that's the squatting Victory.Both toilets look really similar don't they?And they are actually side by side of each other.This is the reason for the title of this post.

All these toilets are flushed by push-buttons.This is also the first time I came across a push-button Victory.The Victorys usually come with cisterns.Take a look at my collection of toilets at YouTube and you'll know what I mean.

But anyway,it is video time.Coming up first is the Twyfords in the first photo...

The flushing is quite short.As usual,push-button flushes are short.Coming up next is the Victory with push-button flush...

I personally feel that the Victory sounds better with a cistern.With the push-button,it loses it's traditional flushing sound.What is your opinion?

Ngau Tau Kok Public Toilet/Bath House - The Bi-Identity Toilet

2008-01-24T08:37:00.000-08:00

I have been waiting for this day!To be able to show you all the different public toilets that I visited in Hong Kong.This was an idea from my friend,James.

I think it is really a great idea.Seeing a video only doesn't really tell much about a toilet.It's like looking at a woman's private parts without knowing how she looks like.Well,you get the idea...

Today,I will introduce you to the Bi-identity toilet.A toilet with 2 brands.It is quite rare to see this in Hong Kong.I have only seen one of them before.It was at a market in Mei Foo,under the fly-over.I didn't have my video cam back then and I really wished to see this type of toilet again.

The law of attraction never fails.As you can see,I managed to find another one.And here you go...Presenting Ngau Tau Kok Public Toilet/Bath House.

After visiting this public toilet,I realized that squatting Victorys in disguise are also considered a lucky charm for me.If you read my post on my favorite toilet in Hong Kong,the Jubilee Street Public Toilet,you will know that the squatting Victorys are my lucky charm.If I see them,my whole day will be very smooth.

If I don't see any of them on a certain day,that day is usually not right.I kept watch on this trend since 2000.

Anyway,back to this toilet.It is a toilet cum bath house.In Hong Kong,there are still poor people with no homes.The government takes care of them by providing public bath houses for them to bathe.These bath houses usually are attached to a public toilet and are usually 3 levels high.

This bathhouse is surprisingly on the ground floor.

The ladies toilet is probably on the second level.Usually the trend in Hong Kong is that the gents are on the higher levels and the ladies are usually on the ground floor.

There are 5 cubicles in this toilet.All of them are cistern flushes.The bowls are also uniform.All 5 are squatting and all look the same.Look at the photo below and you know what I mean...

Now,the question is...Why is this called a bi-identity toilet?

Let me direct your attention to the Victory logo slightly above the hole.Do you see it?Next,look at the TWYFORD logo at the top middle of the toilet bowl.Do you see 2 brands?

Now,my question is...Is this a Victory or TWYFORD?

This is the reason for calling it a Bi-Identity toilet.It has 2 brands.Do you know what brand it is?You need to listen to the flushing sound to identify the brand.Provided you know the difference between a Victory and a TWYFORD.

I have included the video below.Listen to the flushing sound and see if you can tell which brand it is.I will reveal the answer at the end.

Now,are you able to tell whether it is Victory or TWYFORD?

The answer is Victory.Listen to the high pitched sound.TWYFORD's flushing sound is more smooth.

The TWYFORD you see is actually a cover.The squatting TWYFORD has 2 parts,a cover and the toilet bowl itself.You can separate the bowl from the cover and add a Victory to substitute the bowl.

I highly suspect that this toilet retained its old bowls and just underwent a face life.The Victory you see here is the older batch of Victorys from the 1980s.Looking at the new TWYFORD cover and the floor tiles,this toilet was probably renovated in 2002.

This toilet is located at 1,Ting Fu Street.It is near Kwun Tong Road.You can take a bus to Kwun Tong Road and walk in.Ting Fu Street is where they shot "Bug Me Not",starring Isabella Leung.

In my next post,I will introduce you to the pure breed of TWYFORDs.You will be able to tell the difference in their flushing sound with this toilet.Stay tuned.

The Armitage Shanks Family Part 4 - The Baby Of The Family,Small Pear-Shaped Squatting

2008-01-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

Whew,finally had a chance to continue with the very last part of this series on the Armitage Shanks family.I actually wanted to finish this before the end of 2007,but unfortunately my computer was down.

Thank God,it is finally up.I can start blogging on my beloved toilets again.

In this post,you will look at the last member of the flushable squatting Armitage Shanks family.This is actually the baby of the family.I call it the baby because it is the smallest among all the squatting toilets.

As you can see later,there are only 2 batches of this type of toilet,the older batch was manufactured as early as 1983,while the newer batch was manufactured somewhere in the early 1990s.

The baby of the Armitage Shanks family can be found in a few countries,namely Singapore,Malaysia and Hong Kong.Among the 3 countries,it is the most commonly found in Malaysia and the least common in Singapore.

I have included photos of each representative from each country.Coming up first is the representative from Singapore.

This toilet is found at Level 6 Car Park of Center Point Shopping Center.Center Point was built in 1983.As you can see,this toilet is 25 years old,if it is still around.

This photo was taken 3 years ago.I don't know if the toilet is still around today.Maybe I'll drop by and try to video it when I get the chance.If I'm not wrong,this is the one and only place in Singapore where you can find this type of toilet.

Next,the photo below is the representative from Hong Kong.This photo show the newer batch of this type.Notice the difference in the logo?The newer logo has a 'A' beside the words.

This toilet is located at Shatin KCR Station,New Territories,Hong Kong.This photo was also taken 3 years ago.I don't think this toilet is still around.Because when I was there,this is the only cubicle with this toilet,the rest have been changed to Kimware.

Shatin KCR Station was opened on 6th May 1982.I strongly believe before this toilet,there is another generation of toilets here.Because this toilet belongs to the 1990s era,not the 1980s era.

Last but not least,you can see the representative from Malaysia.Malaysia has the largest number of the Small Pear-Shaped Armitage Shanks.It is especially common in Penang.Walk into any coffee shop,you are almost certain to find this type of toilet.

However,this photo was not taken in Penang.It was taken in Kuala Lumpur,at Lai Foong Eating House along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock.As you can see from the mosaics in the photo,this toilet was replaced.

I was wondering what was the original toilet like.This building was built in 1953.I'm still trying to find out what are Malaysia's old toilets like.

This is also from the newer batch.The good news about this one is that I have captured it on video.I personally like the flushing sound of it.Do you share the same view as me?Find out by viewing the video...

The Armitage Shanks Family Part 3 Square Squatting - Lei Yue Mun Ling Nan Sun Cheun Public Toilet

2007-12-25T09:14:00.000-08:00

Today,you will look at the 3rd part of the Armitage Shanks Family Series.This time round,you will be looking at toilets from Hong Kong and Malaysia.The square squatting Armitage Shanks.This post is actually a 2-in-1 post.I am also featuring one public toilet I visited during my recent trip to Hong Kong.

It so happened that this public toilet has the square squatting Armitage Shanks.I will introduce the square squatting Armitage Shanks,then move on to the featured public toilet.

The square squatting Armitage Shanks has been around since the mid 1990s.It is a very common sight in Malaysia.Especially on the North South Expressway.Almost every rest area you stop over has this type of toilet.But they are mostly flushed by valve.

For the cisterns flushes,you can find them at the shopping malls.It is quite easy to find them as they are very common.

In Hong Kong,it is a little bit tougher to find them,as the toilets are renovated quite often.In the mid 1990s,they were quite common.Most of the public toilets of that era have this type of toilet.They are either flushed by stepping on a pedal,or handles on the wall,or exposed cisterns.

Nowdays,due to extensive renovation,this type of toilets are getting lesser.However,there is a new batch of them.One has the latest Armitage Shanks logo while the other uses the brand Johnson Suisse.

I will feature the Johnson Suisse ones in another post,as my current post is strictly on Armitage Shanks.However,I have included a photo of the new batch of square squatting Armitage Shanks.If you feel impatient,you can scroll down right now to the last photo of the post to look at it.

Now,I will move on to the featured public toilet.Introducing...Ling Nam Sun Cheun Public Toilet of Lei Yue Mun.As you can see from the photo below,this toilet is newly renovated.

But looking at the toilet bowl itself,you might have second thoughts.Are you thinking about the same thing as me?

Yes,you are right.This toilet underwent a facelift.The exterior and tiles were renovated,but the bowl remains the same.

As I have mentioned earlier,this toilet belongs to the mid 1990s era.Looking at the exterior and the tiles,the bowl and its surroundings are not congruent.The exterior and the tiles belong to the new millenium.

I didn't not expect to see this bowl before I went into the toilet.I expected to see a new Twyfords,or some metallic bowl.In fact,there are about 4 of such bowls and 1 sitting bowl in this toilet.The toilet is relatively clean.

Coming up next is the video of this toilet...

You would probably agree that the flushing sound is quite screwed up.I had to step on the pedal twice to get it flushing.I suspect that there is no cistern because I didn't have to exert a lot of force when I stepped on it the first time.

However,the second time,I had to step and put my foot there.If I let go of my foot,the flushing stops immediately.I suspect that instead of a cistern,the toilet is flushed by a valve.

Let me explain why I came to this conclusion...

1.Basing on experience,when there's a cistern,you have to exert more force on the pedal.

2.After exerting the force on the pedal,you can let go and the toilet will flush by itself all the way until the cistern empties itself.It will not stop flushing the moment you let go of the pedal.

3.The flushing sound doesn't sound like a cistern flush.

Anyway,I hope to be able to video a toilet of this type and model with a cistern.If I go to Hong Kong again,I'll probably go over to Ah Kung Ngam Road Public Toilet where it has this type of toilet with a cistern.

Coming up next is the new batch of square squatting Armitage Shanks on photo.It looks exactly the same as its predecessor,except the brand logo.

The new batch's brand logo is facing outwards instead of upwards.Armitage Shanks seem to be going back in time,instead of following the trend of brand logos facing upwards.

I apologise that there is no video for this one as I took this photo about a year ago and back then I didn't have my video camera.

This photo was taken at Shing Ho Road Public Toilet & Bathhouse,Sha Tin,New Terrotories,Hong Kong.It is a newly renovated toilet.

In the next part,you will be looking at the smallest Armitage Shanks squatting toilets.My main computer is down at the moment.I am using my laptop to do this post.The photos are in the main computer.I will only be able to do the next post after my computer resumes operation.Till then,stay tuned!

The Armitage Shanks Family Part 2 Long Squatting

2007-12-25T08:32:00.000-08:00

Before I welcome you to part 2 of the Armitage Shanks Family Series,Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you.

Actually didn't really planned to do an entry today,but I have a lot of new Hong Kong Public Toilets that I want to introduce in later entries.I have to finish this series before I start on the Hong Kong Public Toilets.

Anyway,in this entry,I will talk about the Long Squatting Armitage Shanks.This type of Armitage Shanks are only avaliable in Singapore.As you can see,the long shape is very typical of Singapore squatting toilets.

SP,Potex,JP,Saniton,Johore Pipe Co,Twyfords,Royal Doulton,Diamond Brand...and these brands with toilets found in Singapore all have this design.

There are 2 batches of Long Armitage Shanks.The older batch was manufactured in the mid 1970s.If you are lucky enough to find a building built between 1974 to say around 1980 and the toilet is not renovated,you might find something like this.

The brand logo of the older batch only consists of words.Armitage Shanks Viterous China on 3 lines.As you can see in the photo below.

The photo below was taken at Beauty World Plaza.This photo was taken 4 years ago.Fortunately,when I went back again sometime this year,the toilet was still around.I made use of the chance to shoot a video of it.

Let me comment on this video.Sad to say,something cocked up with the cistern.That's why it doesn't have the classical Armitage Shanks flushing sound.But I have no choice,this is the only toilet I can find in Singapore with a long squatting Armitage Shanks with a high cistern.

If you are interested,there is another place with this type of toilet,but it is a low cistern with a button on the cistern.I can tell you,the flushing sound sucks.

This other toilet is at Peace Center,Level 8 Offices Toilet.But the flushing sound sucks.If you really want to explore,go to the one at Beauty World Plaza.

Now,let's move on to the newer batch.The newer batch is manufactured between 1984 to 1986.Basing on personal experience,I find the newer batch more powerful.

So how do you tell the difference between the 2?

It's quite simple actually.The brand logo tells it all.The newer batch has an 'A' for the brand logo.There is no Viterous China and the whole thing is only 2 rows of words.

Look at the photo below and compare it with the previous photo,you will understand what I mean.

Although this is the newer batch,it is still quite difficult to track down.Nowdays,these toilets seem to have became extinct.But hey,don't worry.I have captured it on video for you.

A little background of this toilet before the video...This toilet was built in 1985.It is located at the coffee shop below my house.Initially,the flushing system was valve flushing.Recently,the owner decided to change it to a high cistern.Which I believe is good news.

Before planning to shoot this toilet,I wanted to shoot those at the Corporation Road Market.But sad to say,the whole market was demolished when I went there.But I'm grateful that I managed to get this one on video.

So here you are...enjoy the video.

In this video,you can hear the classic Armitage Shanks flushing sound.In my opinion,this video is much much better than the previous one.

In the next part,I will present to you the Armitage Shanks of Malaysia and Hong Kong.

The Armitage Shanks Family Part 1 Pear-Shaped Squatting

2007-11-17T12:54:00.000-08:00

I am doing a series on the Armitage Shanks family of toilets.Armitage Shanks seems to be very popular all over the world.Whichever country you go to,around the world,most of the time,you will see Armitage Shanks toilets.

Armitage Shanks is very significant to me,because it was the very first toilet I started looking into,at the age of 3.The photo that you see below is the exact model that I am refering to.

This model has been around since the mid to late 1970s.If you visit any building built in that era,you might still be able to find this toilet.

There are actually a few batches of this toilet.What you see in the photo above and below are the very first batch.This batch was manufactured between 1974 to 1983.As you can see,the brand logo is the earlier Armitage Shanks brand logo,with only the words.

Although the different batches may look the same,expect for the brand logo,they flushing sound is slightly different.

The later batches have a "sharper" flushing sound while this batch has a "smoother" flushing sound.

I will include 2 videos of the first batch here.Listen to them and compare with them with the later batch.

The video you just saw isn't exactly the "smooth" flushing sound because the cistern has been replaced.The next video will demonstrate the "smooth" flushing sound.

Can you tell the difference here?Next,I will be introducing the newer batch.The photo you see below is the 1985 batch.It is the newer batch.Look at the brand logo...this time,you can see the triangle-shaped logo.

In the old batch,there is no logo,only the words.The photo above was taken at the Kuala Lumpur old railway station.

The other 2 toilets were taken in Singapore,while this one was taken in Malaysia.I can't seem to find this batch,model and flushing system in Singapore.Those in Singapore are either flushed by valve or sensor.

It really affects the flushing sound.I compare cistern with cistern.It wouldn't be fair to compare a cistern flush with a sensor flush.

The pear-shaped squatting Armitage Shanks is extremely common in Singapore.During the early 1980s to the mid 1990s,visit any shopping mall or commercial building,you are highly likely to see this toilet.

However,as we moved towards the late 1990s,these toilets start to get replaced by other brands.

I have seen this type of squatting toilets in Malaysia and Hong Kong,though they are not so commonly found.It does remind me of Singapore when I see them in foreign countries.

Last but not least,I am going to include the video of the toilet in the photo above.I'm sorry to say that the video is very dark as the toilet was not well-lit.You can see the photo clearly because I used flash on my camera.

The aim in this video is not to see the toilet,but to hear the flushing sound.Enjoy.

Marco's 10 Quotes On Toilets

2007-11-17T11:47:00.001-08:00

After around 24 years of experience in toilets,I have came up with some quotes and tips regarding toilets.Hopefully you can benefit from them when you are looking for old and rare toilets.

1."You Can't Judge A Toilet By Its Exterior."

This is a time-tested principle.There were many times,I thought a toilet was renovated from its exterior.But when I went in,I was surprised to find old toilet bowls in there.I'm sure if you are a toilet fan like you,you have encountered similar cases.

2."If you can't find what you want in a public toilet,try a private toilet."

We are living in the 21st century.Most of those old toilets are either renovated or demolished.Especially public toilets.Public toilets have the highest tendency to be renovated,because of wear and tear.

What do I mean by private toilets?Private toilets are toilets that are privately owned.Examples are home toilets,toilets from shops and toilets from individual offices.

If you can't find what you want in a public toilet,tendency is the toilet is already renovated.Try going to a shop and buy something.Then ask if you can use their toilet.

You might have to get out of your comfort zone to do that.

3."The Higher You Go,The Higher Your Chances Of Finding An Old,Original Toilet."

This applies to commercial buildings,offices and shopping malls.The reason for this is simple.The ground floor toilets are used the most often.They have the highest tendency to wear and tear,resulting in renovation or replacements.

The higher you go,the less people use the toilets.As a result,less wear and tear.Therefore it is likely that the toilet is old and original.

However,this may not be the case always.Some buildings renovate all their toilets at once.No matter which floor,it is all renovated.But if it is in the process of renovating,then they usually start with the lower floors first.

4."If You Can't Find The Old,Original Toilet In The Mall Itself,Try The Car Park Toilets."

There were many times this theory worked for me.The car park toilets are usually not used.Even if they are used,they are seldom used by the public.Usually only by the car park attendant.

Since only a few people use it,the management will usually not renovate it.

5."If The Exterior Of The Building Is Old And Run Down,You Have A 50% Chance Of Finding An Old Toilet In There."

This is not to be confused with the first quote.Basing on my experience,if the exterior of the building is old and run down,it means that the management is not very keen in upgrading and renovating.

If that's the case,the toilets are usually the old,original ones.

6."Leave No Toilet Unexplored."

I'm sure you heard of "leave no stone unturned".This quote is very true.When you comb the whole area,leave no toilet unexplored.You will never know what you will find.

There were many times I was so tired after exploring the toilets,I wanted to stop for the day.But it is usually that time when I start to find those rare toilets.No matter how tired you are,persist all the way,until you finish exploring every single toilet in the area.

When it comes to buildings,explore every floor.Yes,I mean it.Every floor.The most unreliable toilet is the ground floor toilet.That one has the highest tendency to be renovated and replaced.

Sometimes the highest floor may be renovated because it happends to be a restaurant or some "high activity" place.The original toilets may be on the middle floors.You never know.So my advice is to leave no toilets unexplored.

7."The Best Rare Toilets Are Usually Found In Places Where Few People Go."

You may already know where I am referring to.This is definitely not for the faint-hearted.You really really must be daring enough.But hey,if you are a toilet fan like me,you will brave everything in order to find your rare toilet.

Am I right?

Alright,I have went off tangent.The place where I found the best old,rare toilets are the cemeteries,crematoriums and columbariums.These places are usually quite deserted and they usually house those old and rare toilets.

Question is...Are you daring enough to venture into them?

I have ventured into them a few times,at different places.And I have encountered some "things" from the other world.I admit that I was scared then.But my mission of finding the toilets are more important.

I had to proceed despite the fear.I encountered those "things" twice in Hong Kong and once in Singapore.But those trips were worth it.I found what I wanted.

8."Industrial Buildings Have A High Chance Of Having Old,Unrenovated Toilets."

Another observation I made throughout the years.Industrial buildings and warehouses are not for people to view,unlike the shopping malls and offices.So it is ok not to renovate.

If you observe carefully,most industrial buildings and warehouses don't renovate their toilets.

9."The Lift Buttons,Floor Tiles,Fonts On The Signboards Of A Building Tells The Era Of The Toilet."

After many years of experience,I have come to a stage where I can easily guess what brand of toilets a building has.(Assuming it is in Singapore).

80% of the time,I am right.The flooring,door handles,lift buttons,fonts on the signboards are all hints to what era the toilet belongs to.

If you are looking for an old toilet,you won't go into a building with all the new designs.You are going to get disappointed.

However,it is not guaranteed that if you see old flooring,old door handles,old fonts on signboards,you will find old toilets in that building.It increases your chances,but it is not 100%.

10."If You Can't Find The Toilet,Smell It Out."

I was in Hong Kong last year.I was searching for a public toilet that was on the map.However,when I went there,I was unable to see the toilet.

There seemed to be no toilets there.I knew the toilet was there somehow,because the Food & Environment Department listed it on its website.

Due to the lack of time,I panicked.After a while,I had an idea.I started to smell the toilet out.

Later on,I discovered that I was standing above the toilet all the while.The toilet was below where I was standing.I was actually standing on a hilly road.

So if you can't find it,smell it out.

That's my 10 toilet quotes.Hope you find them useful.I wish you the best of luck in finding your dream toilets.:)

Rare Squatting Toilet,Roca,Shau Kei Wan,Hong Kong Island

2007-11-02T11:44:00.001-07:00

I don't usually take photos of new toilets.If you know me,I only favour old toilets.

I had to take this photo because it is really rare to find a squatting Roca.If you are a toilet enthusiast like me,you will know what I mean.Rocas are usually sitting toilets.

So here you are,a squatting Roca.

This toilet was taken at Tung Hei Road Public Toilet,Shau Kei Wan,Hong Kong Island.When I first saw the exterior,I wasn't impressed.It looked very new.I expected some Kimwares,Johnson Suisses or Armitage Shanks...

So the moral of the story is...:Don't judge a toilet by it's exterior.

Explore every single toilet,make sure you see everything before judging it.If not,you might regret your decision.

This toilet is flushed by stepping on a pedal on the wall.I believe the cistern is hidden,because I tried a consecutive flush and it failed.

I will try to shoot this on video this coming trip.Stay tuned.

The Lost Toilets...Squatting SP 1st Batch & Squatting JP

2007-11-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

The 2 long lost toilets...finally captured on video.

Introducing...Singapore's Squatting JP and Squatting 1st Generation SP.These 2 toilets are actually side by side.They are taken from a coffee shop at Blk 212,Toa Payoh Lorong 8.

It's really great that they have not renovated the place.If not,these 2 toilets would really be lost.
First,let me talk about JP.The squatting JP you see here is actually not the original toilet.This toilet has been replaced.There are 2 things that show this.

One,look at the color of the mosaic,they are not consistent.Two,JP belongs to the mid 1980s era.This toilet belongs to the 1970s.

JP is only found in Singapore.I have not seen it in Malaysia or any other asian country.Surprisingly,JP does not have any sitting toilets,only squatting ones.

The first time I came across JP was also the same time I came across a Black Shires Cistern.That was back in 1984,at Funan Center.

I can never forget my first flush,that springy effect from the handle,the powerful flush.Sadly,Funan Center renovated its toilets twice,once after the refurbishment and the second time was recently.

The other place that also had JPs was Tekka Market,along Serangoon Road.That was the cheapest toilet in Singapore back then.Only 5 cents per entry while other toilets charged 10 cents.

Even during its era,JP was also quite rare.You can only find it in a handful of places.It is really a blessing to be able to shoot a video of this toilet at this era.

Next,it is the first generation squatting SP.Look at the brand logo,it is different from the Beauty World Center SPs.This is the very first batch of SPs.The logo looks a bit like Johore Pipe Company though.

This toilet belongs to the early to mid 1970s.They are a rare sight nowdays.From what I know,this is the only 1st generation squatting SP around.

The flushing sound is quite smooth,just like the next batch,with the new brand logo.The third batch is louder,not as smooth.But the third batch goes very well with the Black Shires Cistern.They are a match made in heaven.

I first came across this type of toilet in the late 1980s.That was at Shaw Plaza at Balestier Road.There was also a cinema there.However,the old Shaw Plaza was demolished and rebuilt.

The other place I saw this type of toilet was at a tailor's shop at Blk 7,Telok Blangah Crescent.That toilet had a Green Sky Cistern.The Green cistern was very common in the 1960s and 1970s.You can't find them now.

This is the 3rd Squatting 1st Generation SP that I came across.The photo is a little disguisting,but I had no choice,this is the clearest photo I have on hand.

Now,it's time for the videos.Coming up first,it's the squatting JP.There is something wrong with this toilet as the sound is a bit out.It doesn't sound like the olden days.

But this is the only JP I can find.If I can find another one,I will shoot it on video and you can compare their flushing sounds.Meanwhile,enjoy this first.

Next,you will look at the squatting SP 1st Batch.I have taken 2 videos because of the light factor.The first video is a little dark and difficult to see.Here it is...

Now for TAKE 2!This is brighter because I took it in Night Mode.The sad thing is this video is not as smooth as the last.But enjoy the flushing sound!

Sitting Twyfords Rampart,One Of Its Kind.

2007-10-18T11:24:00.001-07:00

Throughout my whole life,this is the one and only Twyfords Rampart that I ever come across.

It is a pity that they changed the flushing system to the push-button system,with the cistern.

But there wasn't any other choice.I had to take it or leave it.I decided to make do with the flushing system.Though it may not sound fantastic,it is still acceptable to me.

This photo was taken 3 years ago,at St Joseph's Church,143, Victoria Street.If you love old toilets like me,this is the place to visit.Both Twyfords were shot at this place.

It was only yesterday that I had a chance to shoot the video.I only bought my Nokia N80 in January this year.

Before the video,I'll touch a bit on the push-button cistern flushing system.Recently,the trend is to use the push-button cistern flushing system.Reason being that it saves more water.

As a toilet fan,I am not in favour of the push-button cistern flushing system because it spoils the flushing sound.If it is a push-button without the cistern,it's still ok.

Push-buttons without the cisterns are relatively powerful.Usually manufactured by TOTO or Rigel.These push-buttons sounds better than those with the cisterns.

Those with cisterns have limited water,as a result,the pressure is not high enough and the flush doesn't last.

The only type of cistern flushing system that I feel is the best is the high level cisterns with handles.Those are the best.Flushing sound is good.You can hear the beginning,the climax and the end of the flush.

Compare the flushing sound of this toilet and the one in the previous post.You will know what I mean.

Enjoy the video.

1920s Squatting Twyfords,St Joseph's Church,Victoria Street

2007-10-18T11:06:00.001-07:00

After learning my lesson,as you have read from my previous post,I decided to seize all opportunities FAST.

What you see below is an 80 plus year old toilet.Although the toilet may look new with the tiles,the toilet bowl is still original.

Twyfords originated from Britain.This toilet has been around since British rule.In fact,most of the older toilets in Singapore are actually from Britain.

Brands like Royal Doulton,Twyfords,Shanks,Straits,Armitage Shanks and Victory.

Currently,there are actually 2 of such toilets in Singapore.This is one of them.The other one is at Ellington Building,Selegie Road.

Ellington Building was built in 1924.Go to the Indian Eating House at the right corner of the building and you would be able to find the toilet.

I planned to shoot that one because it looks more authentic.The floor tiles are the original old ones.However,that toilet has broken down for a long time and the owners did not fix it.

I had to abandon plan and shoot this instead.But this one sounds great too.

View the video and you'll understand what I mean...

Goodbye Victory...You Will Be Missed And Always Remembered.

2007-10-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday,13th October 2007,7:30 p.m.

I was on my way to shoot the last squatting Victory that I knew in Singapore.But to my shock and surprise,it was gone.

The coffee shop at Block 87,Whampoa Drive was renovated.Completely renovated.

The squatting Victory that you see below is gone...gone forever.In it's place is a squatting Saniton.

This toilet is believed to be at least 35 to 40 years old.It shares the same unique flushing sound as it's Hong Kong counterpart.

It is a real pity that I am unable to shoot a video of this toilet flushing.But I guess life's like that,when you fail to take action fast enough,the opportunity won't wait for you.

In certain cases,the opportunity will come back.In other cases,it will be gone forever.

Though I feel sad,I'm still happy that at least I have this photo as a memory.There are other toilets which I don't even have photos of,and they are gone forever.

Back in the 1980s,it was quite easy to find this type of toilets.For memory's sake,I will list their locations out...

1.Tai Chung Emporium,Blk 40B Commonwealth Avenue.

2.Crown Restaurant,Blk 40B Commonwealth Avenue.

3.Henderson Crescent Flats.

4.Alexandra Road Market and Food Center,Across Henderson Crescent.

5.Lee Nam Kee Chicken Rice,Blk 94 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh.

6.NTUC Supermarket,Blk 192 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh.

7.Loy Sum Juan Restaurant,Blk 31 Outram Park.

8.Coffee Shop,Blk 87 Whampoa Drive.

These are the 8 locations that I know.There may be more.However,all these places are either demolished or renovated.

If you happend to know where I can find a squatting Victory like this one,please let me know.I will be very grateful to you.

Squatting Royal Doultons Of Singapore

2007-10-12T08:11:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I last updated this blog.2 Reasons.Firstly,I was really busy with work.Secondly,I didn't find any toilets worthy of shooting.

You might be disappointed because there is no video for this post.

A new friend I made recently inspired me to do this post.I didn't know that around the world,there existed someone who was like me.Who liked the same type of toilets.

In this post,you will learn about the Royal Doultons of Singapore.Royal Doulton is a British brand.I'm not sure when this brand originated.But the first 2 toilets you see below (with the elaborate logo) belong to the 1950s era.

The one you see below is taken from the Chinese Drama Center along Middle Road.I might be able to shoot a video of this as the building is still accessible.

However,the design is quite common.The SPs,Mask Brands and Potexes look like this.Flushing sound wise it is nothing impressive.But it's really rare to find nowdays.

The photo that you see below is a real discovery.It is the very first time I saw this type of toilet.I didn't know that Royal Doulton has this kind of design.It looks a little like the first batch of Victorys in Hong Kong.

This photo was taken at the old Nanyang Fine Arts Academy,Middle Road.I'm sorry that the video will not be avaliable as this building has been closed.If they reopen it,I definitely shoot a video of this toilet.

The photo below shows the brand logo.It wasn't obvious in the photo above.I had to squat down to take this photo.

All those Royal Doultons above belong to the 1950s era.The old generation of Royal Doultons.How many different models of Royal Doulton are there?I wish I knew the answer.If you know it,please tell me or share any photos.I'll be grateful.

Next,you'll look at the last batch of Royal Doultons in Singapore.This photo was taken at Centerpoint Shopping Center,Level 5A Car Park toilet.

The whole building was renovated in the mid 1990s.This is the original toilet of the building,which was built in 1983.

When I was younger,as a kid,I used to like this toilet very much.Because it was the one and only in Singapore.You can't find this anywhere else in Singapore.

In fact,that was the first time and only time I saw this model of Royal Doultons.The flushing sound is nice.

I hope that this toilet is still around.I will try my best to shoot a video of this.

This toilet resembles the latest batch of Twyfords in Hong Kong.I wonder if Twyfords took over Royal Doulton?Or are they trying to bring back the old design?

However,the flushing sound of the Twyfords can't compare with this one.

Anyway,I hope you enjoyed this post.I will try to get more videos as soon as possible.

The Best Birthday Present I Have Received Part 2

2007-09-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

This is part 2 of my best birthday present this year.

What you see here is the left cubicle of the toilet at Block 15,Dempsey Road.

Although it is the same brand as the right cubicle,it is not the same batch.The flushing sound is also different.

Look at the water hole.For this one,the bottom is not a smooth curve.It is slightly pointed.Unlike the one you saw in part 1,which is a smooth curve.

This is the mid 1980s batch of SPs.The flushing sound is louder.There is more pressure.The sound is not smooth like the early 1980s batch.

This type of toilet can be found at Beauty World Center Basement 1 toilet.

I am a fan of SP toilets.No matter which model.I grew up with these toilets,it's sad that they are going to become extinct soon.

The only good thing is that at least I have them on videos and photos.Enjoy the video...

The Best Birthday Present I Have Received!Part 1

2007-09-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

As a lover of toilets,it's natural that toilets are very important to me.A week ago,I thought this toilet was a goner.I thought I would never be able to see it again or to shoot videos of it ever.

On Sunday 26th August 2007,I paid a visit to this toilet,hoping to be able to shoot it.To my shock,it was blocked up and locked.I thought it was going to be renovated.It was really sad.

Today,since it's my birthday and feeling lucky,I decided to venture again.Hopefully this toilet will still be around.

Thank God,it's still around and it's opened when I went to see it.

This is the best birthday present I have received.I want to share them with you.There are 2 parts to this as there are 2 cubicles in this toilet.This is the right cubicle.

Both cubicles are SPs.This is the early 1980s batch.

As you can see,the bottom of the water hole is a smooth curve.When you view the video,you will hear that the flushing sound is very smooth.This type of SP can be found in any HDB flats or shophouses built from 1980 to 1982.

Before I move on to part 2,let me introduce this toilet...

This toilet is located at Block 15,Dempsey Road.I don't know how long will it be around.If you like SP toilets,do pay this toilet a visit before they renovate it.

Enjoy the video...

Malaysia's Johore Pipe Company

2007-08-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

After looking at Singapore's Johore Pipe Company toilets,it's now time to look at Malaysia's Johore Pipe Company toilets.

From what I know,Malaysia has 2 types of squatting Johore Pipe Company toilets.One of them is shown in the photos below and the other type can also be found in Singapore.

The photos above and below show Malaysia's unique Johore Pipe Company.Go to any part of Malaysia,you should be able to find this type of squatting Johore Pipe Company toilet.So far,I have never found this toilet anywhere except Malaysia.

This toilet represents Malaysia,when you see one,you know that you are in Malaysia.But to be able to find one that works,it's a tough job.Most of them that are found are usually not working.

The toilet above is taken at Kek Lok Si in Penang.I believe this toilet will be demolished soon.When I was there,I saw a new toilet being constructed outside this one.Sad to say,back then I did not have my Nokia N80 handphone.If not,I would have shot a video of this toilet.

Now it looks like I got to make a trip down to Segamat Train Station to shoot it.There's a flushable one at Segamat Train Station.If not,I got search elsewhere to find it.

I tried searching Kuala Lumpur during my recent trip,but couldn't find any there.Anyway,with my determination,I believe I will be able to shoot a video of this type of toilet soon.So stay tuned.

The toilet below is the sitting version of Johore Pipe Company.This type can also be found in Singapore,though it's difficult nowdays.This toilet is at least 30 plus years old.

It can be found it quite a lot of places about 15 years ago.Now they are starting to get extinct.

The bottom is a closer view of the toilet.This toilet is located at a cafe in Jalan Sultan,Segamat,Johore.

Suprisingly they changed the squatting toilet but kept this one.I thought it would be good to snap a photo of it,since it is going extinct soon.

I am also looking for this toilet to shoot on video.All these photos were taken last year,when I didn't have my Nokia N80 yet.But do stay tuned,I'm looking out for them.Once I get them on video,I will upload them here.

Something For You To Laugh About...

2007-08-17T06:15:00.000-07:00

After all the serious posts,here's something for you to laugh about.I had a good laugh too.

Singapore's Johore Pipe Company

2007-08-17T05:33:00.000-07:00

Johore Pipe Company is Malaysia's national brand for toilets.It is very common to find Johore Pipe Company toilets around 10-15 years ago.But due to renovations and upgradings,it's not as common as before.

Malaysia has its own versions of Johore Pipe Company toilets.I will do a post on Malaysia's versions of Johore Pipe Company toilets.In this post,I will only show the Singapore versions.

Currently,to date,there are 5 types of squatting and 2 types of sitting Johore Pipe Company toilets in Singapore.

Out of the 6 types,2 of them are shown here.I am still trying to look for the other 4.But it won't be too difficult to find 3 of them as they are relatively new.The 2 types that you see here are among the oldest batch.

The oldest Johore Pipe Company toilet dates back to 1965.If you are lucky,you might be able to find them at the Old Airport Road housing estates.

The 2 types that you see here are from the late 1970s to mid 1980s.The picture you see below is the 1980s batch.The shape of the water hole is slightly from the late 1970s batch.You can compare them below.

The photo below was taken at a coffee shop at Balestier Road.It's quite difficult to find this type of Johore Pipe Company toilet these days.It was taken 3 years ago.

The photo below shows the late 1970s batch.If I am not wrong,this batch started in 1975 or 1977.This photo was taken at the Serangoon Bus Interchange.The toilet still exists today.But only the first cubicle is Johore Pipe Company.2nd cubicle is Potex and the 3rd cubicle is Sitting Armitage Shanks.

Johore Pipe Company is still one of my favourite brands up to this day.Although I used to like it more for a different reason.It is not the flushing sound,but the good luck it brings me.

Believe me or not.Whenever I encounter this toilet,that day was always lucky.Especially the 1980s batch.This toilet became my lucky charm after that.But that was the past.I used to welcome the sight of this toilet during my younger days.

If you look closely at the photo(1980s batch),it resembles a smiling face.Especially the bottom of the water hole.It looks like a double-chin person smiling.Probably I associated that with good luck during my younger days.

I managed to shoot a video of the late 1970s batch recently.This video was shot at 126 Eating House at Sims Avenue,Geylang.It is one of the few Johore Pipe Company toilets left today.I would try to shoot the other 3 types and post them here in the future.

If you are lucky enough,I might be able to find the 1965 batch.I will try to find it.Meanwhile,enjoy the video.

My Favourite Toilet In Singapore

2007-08-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

You are probably wondering why are there 2 posts today...Well,2 reasons.Firstly,I am dying to write this post.Secondly,a friend requested that I write this post a few days ago.

What you see here is my favourite toilet in Singapore.Sad to say,this type of toilet is becoming extinct soon.

This toilet is located at Basement 1,Beauty World Center.It is one of the few squatting SPs that are around in Singapore.

SP is a local brand.It started off in the early 1970s.The brand logo was changed in the late 1970s.After the logo change,there were 4 different batches.The first batch was in the late 1970s.Second batch came in 1980 and lasted till 1981.Third batch lasted from 1982 to 1983.The last batch was between 1983 to 1984.

From 1985 onwards,Potex took over SP.The first batch of Potex looks exactly like the last batch of SP.

Later when viewing the video,you will hear the flushing sounds of each of these 3 toilets.The photo above is the cubicle on the extreme right.This is the 3rd batch of SP.The shape of the water is irregular.

This photo above shows the last(fourth) batch of SP,it is in the 2nd cubicle from the right.It looks exactly like a Potex.The difference is the flushing sound and the brand logo.

If you want to hear how a Potex sounds like,read the post on The Almost Perfect Toilet.

The photo above is the 4th cubicle from the right.You are probably wondering why I skipped the 3rd cubicle...

Reason:It's a CLAYTAN.Not SP.

Why do I condemn CLAYTANs?Well,I feel that original is always the best.I don't like toilets that are replaced.They feel so out of place.Toilets should be congruent with their eras.A late 1990s toilet bowl in a 1980s toilet is so out of place.

Anyway,the flushing sound of CLAYTAN sucks big time.

Back to my main topic.This 4th cubicle is also a 3rd batch SP.As usual,the water shape is irregular as compared to the 2nd cubicle.

One thing about Potex,the water shape is always regular.

Now,about the video...the flushing order is from left to right.The first flushing sound comes from the 4th cubicle,then the 2nd and finally the first cubicle on on the right.

The lighting is quite bad.If you need to see how the toilet look like,please scroll up.

The video was shot recently,but the photos were taken 3 years ago,in 2004.Thank God,the toilet is still the same.

I hope you enjoy the video as much as I did.

Nan Pu Tuo Temple's Sensored Flush

2007-08-03T16:41:00.000-07:00

This is quite an interesting toilet.That's why I find it worth featuring here.It's the very first sensor-flush toilet I came across in China.

This toilet is located at Nan Pu Tuo Temple.I guess that's the reason for a temple design.It is not located in the temple itself.You have to walk about 300 metres from the temple to reach it.But there's a big sign to guide you from the car park.

What you see above is the interior of the toilet.For the very first time,I see toilet door made of reflective metal.It's very rare to see a toilet with this kind of design.

The wordings on the door are "Care for public cleanliness".Which I feel is needed,especially in China.But despite the wordings,there's still a stench in the toilet.

This is the toilet itself.It looks very similar to Japan's TOTO.I believe there are also other brands with this design,just that I have yet to come across them.Taiwan and Japan have a lot of toilets which look like this.I have not been to Taiwan or Japan.But once I get a chance to visit those 2 countries,I will do a post on the different brands with this design.

The metal thing you see on the left wall is the sensor.I had a tough time shooting the video for this toilet.For it to flush,you have to stand in front of the sensor for at least 15 seconds,then move away.

After you view the video,you will understand why I had a tough time.The brand of this toilet is HCG.It is considered a new generation toilet.

So far,there are 2 models of HCG in Xiamen.This is the older model.But this looks nicer than the newer model.It sounds better too.

I will do a post on the newer model in future.Enjoy the video.

China's American Standard

2007-07-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

American Standard's squatting toilets have been very popular in Hong Kong.They can also be found in Malaysia and Thailand.

However,China has it's own style of American Standard toilets too.They are totally different from those in Hong Kong,Malaysia and Thailand.

The American Standard toilet that you will look at today is from SM Mall,Hu Li District,Xiamen.SM Mall is a relatively new shopping mall in Xiamen.The 2 places that I saw with American Standard toilets are SM Mall and the Carrefour along Xia He Road.

It seems that the malls with large department stores from overseas all use American Standard toilets in China.

This toilet is flushed by pushing down the handle on the pipe.It doesn't sound as powerful as the Hong Kong American Standards.

The shape is a little different from the Hong Kong version.The front part(i.e. the lower part,away from the water) of the toilet protrudes slightly upwards.

The other difference noted is that the brand logo is not located at the top,but facing the front.As shown in the photo above.I will do another post,showing the differences of the toilets.

Meanwhile,enjoy the video clip.

Xiamen's Public Toilet A037,Hou He Lane.

2007-07-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this photo look familiar?Yes,it was included in one of the previous posts.If you ask me,I think this toilet doesn't really qualify my standards.But the reason why it is posted here is because of the sound difference.

Let me explain...Now,look at the photo below.Did you see that the design looks like Shidanna and the other new generation toilets?In fact,Fandanna also has a model that looks like this.

But I took a video shot of this toilet because of the flushing sound.The toilet may look like a Shidanna or Fandanna.But it sounds different from those 2.

I stumbled upon this toilet by chance.While I was combing the whole Xia He Road,I saw a WC sign and decided to venture into the small lane.

To my surprise,it's another toilet.I have found Public Toilets A032,A035 and A038.I was very happy to find A037.

This is not a new generation toilet.As you can see,it's dimly lit.But there are worse cases.I personally prefer these to the new generation ones.These older toilets are more uniquely designed.

All the new generation toilets look the same,sound the same.Besides,the new generation toilets have no flushing power.

Before I forget,this toilet's brand is Yuanlin.It's flushed by pushing the button on the pipe.Take a look at the video.Next week,you will be looking at a modern toilet...China's American Standard.Stay tuned.

Xiamen's Public Toilet A025,Off Si Ming Bei Road

2007-07-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

Two visits.I made two visits to this toilet.Why?Because I was late on my first visit.That was when I learnt that Xiamen's Public Toilets close at 10:30 p.m.

This toilet is situated in a small narrow alley,off Si Ming Bei Road.It's quite easy to spot because it's visible from the main road.

The toilet attendant is a friendly guy.He was curious why I took photographs of the toilet.I told him that I was from Singapore and I'm a researcher of toilets.I managed to get plenty of toilet information from him.

Let me share some with you...

He told me that this toilet was renovated a few years ago.Before the renovation,there were no toilet bowls.Only the drainage system.

After the renovation,there was an increase in the number of cubicles.The setback is that the toilet is still dimly lit.

Then I came to realise that the toilet attendants of Xiamen have no fixed salary.The government don't pay them anything.They are expected to make money when visitors do "big business" and buy toilet paper from them.

The public toilet system of Xiamen is as follows...If you are peeing only,you don't have to pay.If you do "big business",you can pay 30 cents RMB for a few pieces of toilet roll.If you pay $1 RMB,you get a packet of facial tissue.

The blue board on the photo above shows this.It's not really visible.

These toilet attendants can only rely on selling toilet paper or packets of tissue for the daily income.Which is really tough.Most people go in and pee only.

I complimented this attendant on the cleanliness of his toilet.There was no stench when I visited it.

Now you'll learn about the brand name and the flushing system of this toilet.

The brand is "XINGWU" and it's flushed by the tap system.The design looks interesting to me.So far in Xiamen,I've only came across 2 toilets with "XINWU".One is this one.The other one is Public Toilet A024.

However,Public Toilet A024 is flushed by pushing the button on the pipe.I didn't bother shooting that one because the toilet was dimly lit.

Comparing their flushing sound,this toilet sounds better than Public Toilet A024.

Conclusion:The flushing system plays an important role in the flushing sound.2 identical toilets can sound different due to the flushing system.

Now,it's video time again...Enjoy.

Tea Leaves VS Toilets.How Are They Related?

2007-06-26T10:23:00.000-07:00

You must be wondering...how are tea leaves related to toilets?Relax.By the time you finish reading every single word on this post,you will be enlightened.

The place you see here is Tian Fu Tea Group's Headquarters at Zhan Pu,Fu Jian,China.It's actually a rest area for motorists travelling along the highway that connects Xiamen and Zhan Pu.

The founder of Tian Fu Tea Group,Mr Li Rui He came from very humble beginnings.He was born and raised in Taiwan.He started off riding his bicycle around Tai Nan selling tea leaves.Every thing went on very well until sometime in 1989...

Mr Li's friends asked him to joint venture and set up a stock brokerage.Things looked fine until 1990,suddenly the stock market crashed.He was turned from a rich man to a pauper.What made me admire this man is that he refused to run away from his debtors.

He faced every one of them and paid back every single cent he owned.Some of his friends urged him to run away and hide in the States.But Mr Li refused.He vowed to pay back everything he owed and sold his big house.

By doing that,he gained the respect of his peers and debtors.His reputation was very good.

In 1991,he decided to make a comeback.He went to China and found it a land of opportunities.Zhan Pu was his homeland.He planned to set up business there.

2 years later,Mr Li discovered a plot of land which is big enough for his dream.

The dream was to set up a Tea Facility,with Factories,a Tea Museum,a Tea University as well as a tourist hot spot.To cut a long story short,he was made the "Tea King of the World".

What you see in the photos above are just a tiny bit of the whole Tea Facility.

Now let's come to the toilet part.The reason why Mr Li wanted to build a rest area for vehicles travelling along the highway was...

Many years ago,while he was travelling along a highway in Taiwan,he had difficulty trying to find a toilet to relieve himself.

Besides providing convienence to road commuters,this rest area also became a tourist hot spot.You can stop your vehicle and go to the tea house.They will provide you with hot tea for free.

There are many snacks,tea leaves and tea sets on sale.Many tourists end up with huge shopping bags of snacks and tea leaves.

The founder,Mr Li knew that the toilets in China suffered a bad reputation.It's well-known that you don't have to ask for directions to the toilet in China.You just need to smell them out.You can smell them from a distance away.

He wanted to change this perception.The staff of Tian Fu were made to clean the toilets regularly.But before that,the founder himself would clean the toilet to set an example.He would also check the toilets regularly and clean them if no staff was around.

This explains why the toilets are so clean.Now I'll come to the interesting part...There was one night,the founder invited his friends and peers to a dinner.But he told them that the dinner will be held in the toilet.

Some of them were shocked to hear that.Who will ever have dinner in a toilet?Many of them didn't turn up.Those who turned up were pleasantly surprised that there was no stench in the toilet.

Mr Li did this to prove that there are still clean toilets in China.

I was pretty surprised to read about Mr Li holding a dinner in the toilet.I would love to be his guest.Especially since this is one of my favourite toilets.Hahaha one day I will also hold a dinner in a toilet.It's going to be fun!

OK,I'm going to talk about the technical part of this toilet.This toilet was built in 1993.The toilets of that period all have the hood in front.Like what you saw from the previous 2 posts.All their shapes look alike,but their brands are different.

The brand of this toilet is "Khong Yuan".It's also flushed by the push-button on the pipe.I like the design of this toilet,but not the flushing sound.

It doesn't sound as good as Public Toilet A013(see previous post).

I did a video on this one.Initially planned to flush every single cubicle,like the Jubilee Street Public Toilet,Hong Kong.But sadly,the 3rd cubicle was occupied and there were people coming into the toilet.

What you see on the following video is only on the 2 open cubicles you see on the 3rd photo above.Enjoy the video.More will be coming soon.

One last thing before you see the video...I'm sad to say that the squatting Globe Brand that I promised to shoot in one of the previous posts has been changed.I'm trying to search for a replacement.

Hopefully I can find one that's fully functioning.One lesson learnt...toilets don't wait for you.Shoot and video while you can.Don't wait till it's renovated or changed then you start to regret.

Xiamen's Public Toilet A013,Off Zhong Shan Road Walking Street

2007-06-16T00:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another toilet blog post.In this post,you'll be looking at Public Toilet A013.This toilet is situated in a small alley off Zhong Shan Road Walking Street.

Zhong Shan Road is divided into 2 parts.The first part is for vehicles.The second part is ONLY for pedestrians.That's why it called "Bu Xing Jie" or walking street(direct translation).

Look at the photo below and you'll know what I mean.

Public Toilet A013 is situated at the beginning of the walking street.(The end of the street is facing the sea).At the beginning of the street,you'll see the sign in the photo below.Walk along the small alley and you'll see the toilet on your right.

I would say that this is probably my second favourite toilet in Xiamen.The design is interesting and I like the flushing sound.Although it's flushed by pushing the button on the pipe,the sound is good.

I included 2 photos to show the design.As you can see from above,there's a little cap at the front part of the toilet.This design is copied from Japan's TOTO.

Many years ago,I believe it was in 1991,I came across the squatting TOTO in Genting Highlands,Malaysia.The design looks similar.But I can't recall what was the flushing sound like.It was too long ago.

Another thing I realised is that there are many brands of toilets with this design in China.What you saw in the "Xiang Jiang Shopping Mall" post is of a different brand.This toilet is manufactured by "Xin Wa".

So far I've discovered that "Xin Wa" has 2 models.One is this and the other is at Public Toilet A016.I will post it in sometime in the future.

Back to this design of toilets...I've done some research and found out that this design of toilets belong to the early 1990s.Many manufacturers seem to be using the same design,with their indiviual logos.

Now it's time for the video...enjoy.

Ever Heard Of A Toilet That Sounds THIS HORRIBLE?

2007-06-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

As a toilet lover,this is the FIRST time I'm complaining about a toilet.You probably can guess...this toilet must be really terrible to receive a complaint from me.But seriously,it really deserves a complaint.

OK,let's be fair,why don't you judge for yourself and see if it's really that horrible...

Some background of this toilet...

It's located in this eating house that sells Ginger Duck,along Lian Hua Bei Road,Xiamen.

The brand is "Fandanna",a common brand found in China.

I have came across many "Fandannas",but this one really sounds terrible.It's flushed by pushing the button on the pipe leading to the toilet bowl.

I'm not a fan of "Fandanna".The design is too common and the flushing sound is pretty normal.However,this toilet caught my attention because of it's horrible flushing sound.

PRESENTING...

The Most Horrible Sounding Toilet

My Favourite Toilet In Xiamen

2007-05-31T10:12:00.000-07:00

After staying in Xiamen for 10 days,I finally found my favourite toilet.For the past 9 days,I was quite disappointed with the toilets.All of them seemed to be similar.Each brand seems to be copying the other.

If you don't understand what I'm saying,that's ok.You probably will after reading the series on China toilets.

Now let me start...Introducing my favourite toilet of Xiamen...

This toilet is located at Xiang Jiang Shopping Arcade,as you can see the stone tablet below.This building is built in 1993.

I came to realise that the type of toilets that I like in China all seem to come from the 1990s era.Especially the early and mid 1990s.

Why do I particularly like this type of toilets?I'll say that it's due to the unique identity it gives to China's toilets.It's something you can only find in China and not other places.The new generation of toilets seem to be everywhere.You can find them in Hong Kong,and similar types in Malaysia as well.

Why do I like this particular toilet?This is pretty straightforward.Because it's flushed by pulling the string from the cistern.It's my favourite type of flushing system.When flushing this type of toilet,you can always hear 3 different phases of the flush,which are the starting,climax and the end.

Let me direct your attention to the photo below...can you see the outer part of the toilet protruding upwards?This is a unique feature of toilets in China.If I'm not wrong,Japan and Taiwan also has this type of toilet.However,their flushing system and brands are different.

To illustrate,I'll use 2 examples...1. it's like Victory in Hong Kong.You can never find that model of Victory anywhere else in the world.2.It's like Johore Pipe Co. in Malaysia.You'll never be able to find that model of Johore Pipe Co. anywhere else in the world.

I noticed something interesting about the flushing cisterns of China...You don't have to exert a lot of force.Just a gentle tug and the toilet will flush.Not only that,the pressure is very great.My feet nearly got splashed when flushing this toilet.
However,the flushing time is very short.Only 4 seconds for a full flush.Unlike those of Singapore and Hong Kong.

Based on what I've seen,there are more than one brand with this type of toilet.What you see here is "Tang Tao".There's also "Sin Wa"(Public Toilet A013) , "Tang Shan S.P."(Xiamen Ferry Terminal) and "Khong Yuan" (Tian Fu Tea Rest Area,Zhan Pu).

All of them look alike but sound different.I will feature them one by one here.If you are impatient,you can go to www.youtube.com to listen to the sound difference.

Among all of them,my personal opinion is that this one sounds the best.I've done a video shoot on this toilet.In fact,I have done 2 video shoots.One of them is an NG.I had to reshoot again.

Let me explain why...Before my first shoot,I went to test flush the toilet to see if it sounded good.I had to decide whether to change cubicle.But I made a mistake.I didn't give it enough time to recover from the previous flush.i.e. I did not give enough time for the cistern to refill itself to full tank.

I flushed it too soon.As a result,from the first video,you can hear the full flushing sound.It's only a half flush,with very little pressure.I tried to pull again,but it didn't help.

Here's the first video...it's shot at Level 5 toilet.

Not only the flushing sound is sucky,there's also a lot of background noise.Apparently the toilet was suddenly crowded when I was doing the shoot.

Now for the second video...TAKE 2!!

This is shot at Level 3's toilet.Enjoy.

You can probably hear the difference.The sound is much clearer and you can hear the full flush.This bring me to the end of today's post.Hope you have enjoyed it as much as I did.

5 Lessons Learnt When Exploring Public Toilets In China

2007-05-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

It has been quite some time since I last posted on this blog...I was in Xiamen,China for 2 weeks with my grandpa and uncle to attend a wedding.

Before I proceed to the main topic,I've something to tell you.I have been posting a lot of toilet videos on www.youtube.com. There are a number of them which are not featured here.If you are interested in viewing them,please go to youtube and search under Marcoboy9074.

You'll be able to view all the toilet videos I've posted.Some of them will be featured here soon.But the others will remain there.If you want to grab my latest updates on toilets,please view my videos at youtube.com. The stuff there is more updated than what you see here.

Of course,there are some pictures here that you can't see there.Visit both sides to get a complete picture.

Now let me proceed into today's topic...After visiting China's public toilets,I start to appreciate the public toilets of Singapore and Hong Kong.

As you can see in the photos,the public toilets are dimly lit.It's not easy to get a clear picture unless I use flash.But there are attendants and I don't wish to create any trouble with them.The very first lesson learnt is to visit the toilets in the day time.

Lesson 1:Visit Only During Day Time

Next,when shooting videos and taking photos,choose a cubicle that's well-lit.It's quite difficult to do so,but just find the best.Of course if possible,visit during the day time.I wasn't able to visit all these toilets in the day because I was with my relatives.Only during the evenings then I go toilet exploring.

Lesson 2:Choose The Best Lit Cubicle To Do Video Shoots and Taking Photos.

Searching for the public toilets is very much like treasure hunting.You really got to look hard if not you won't be able to find it.From my experience,as long as you proceed along the road the W.C. sign is pointing to,you should be able to find it.

That's true for 90% of the public toilets I've visited.Some of the public toilets are in narrow dark alleys.Not matter what,keep going straight from the sign's direction.

Lesson 3:Keep going straight from the W.C. Sign.

If you like the older toilets,like me,then you need to know what are their characteristics.It differs from country to country.For Xiamen's case,all the new or renovated toilets have names.If you see a public toilet with a name outside,it's new or renovated.

The older ones,like those shown above,all don't have names.They only have the serial numbers.Which in these cases,the first one is A037 and the other one is A023.

I'll include the toilets with names in my subsequent posts.

Lesson 4:New Toilets Have Names While Old Ones Don't.

There are a number of different flushing systems in Xiamen.The latest system is by stepping on a pedal.Next there's the push-button flush.There's a button(looks like the button on our taps) on a pipe,push it to flush.

Third we have the tap system.There's a handle on the pipe leading to the toilet bow.Turn the handle to turn on the water to flush.Turn off to stop flushing.The oldest type is the cistern.Just like the older toilets of Singapore and Hong Kong.I will definitely do a post on this one.Stay tuned.

Back to toilet hunting...one of the methods I use is to keep a lookout when travelling around.Keep looking out for signs.There are certain places where there are no signs,but the toilets are there.

A few things to lookout for...whenever you see a night market,or a marketplace,there has to be a public toilet nearby.Next thing,look out for bus terminus.There will definitely be one nearby.Tourist spots will definitely have toilets.But they are usually the new ones.Which I'm not so interested in.

Lesson 5:Look Out For Night Markets,Market Places,Bus Terminus,Dark Alleys,Tourist Spots & Parks.

To be effective in toilet hunting,you need to keep exploring places.Certain places seem unlikely to have toilets turn out to have one.Like A037 above.I stumbled upon this toilet while exploring a lane that was selling some food.

Good news is that the government is coming up with a toilet map in June.I hope to be able to get it soon.On my next visit,I can cover more toilets.

Stay tuned for my other toilet posts...Here's a preview...I'll be posting on
1.My Favourite Toilet In Xiamen,with video.
2.The Most Horrible Sounding Toilet,with video.
3.Public Toilet A013,with video.
4.Tian Fu Tea House Rest Area Toilet,with video.
5.Public Toilet A025,with video.
6.Public Toilet A037,with video.
7.China's American Standard,with video.
8.Nan Pu Tuo Temple's Sensored Flush,with video.
9.My Favourite Toilet In Singapore,with video.
10.Singapore's Johore Pipe Co.,with video.

That's a lot.Stay tuned.See you soon.

The ALMOST PERFECT Toilet (By Marco's Definition)

2007-05-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

"There are no perfect humans,but there are perfect toilets." - Marco

Yes,that's my quote.And you may be wondering...what in my opinion is a PERFECT TOILET?Let me define my perfect toilet...

It has to fulfill the following conditions:

1.Squatting SP,3rd batch (From 1982 to 1984).
2.Shires cistern with all original parts.
3.Must have a springy feel when flushing it.
4.Flushing pressure must be great,which will give a loud flushing sound.

As you can see,this is a pretty bias definition.But then this is my FAVOURITE type of toilet in the whole of Singapore.Once upon a time,there's a place in Singapore which has the PERFECT TOILET.

But sad to say,the perfect toilet is no longer perfect.The toilet bowls have changed.The cisterns have changed.Worse still,the whole toilet might be renovated.But I don't know when.

However,today's post is not on my PERFECT TOILET.But on an almost perfect toilet.It has been more than 20 years,but luckily I was still able to find one toilet that satisfied 3 out of the 4 conditions listed above.

Just one.It's probably going to be gone soon too.

I discovered this toilet by applying one of my theroies.(More on this next time).Refer to March's post on Singapore's Potex...

Let me direct your attention to "Singapore's Potex Part 1"...Look at the third photo,the one with the blue tiles and the black cistern....

This is taken from a public toilet on the 2nd floor of Block 266,Serangoon Central Drive.This toilet may have a Shires Cistern,but the parts are not original.The flushing handle is white in color.The original one is in black and is uniquely shaped.

I had to make do with this toilet because it's the best I could find.But after a while,I discovered that this toilet was renovated.I was pretty sad.Yet another toilet with Shires Cistern is gone forever.

I decided to apply two of my toilet theories..."The higher you go up a building,the higher your chance of finding an original toilet." and "If that place is locked up or seldom used,your chances of finding an original toilet is very high."

Based on the first theory,I went up to the highest floor of Block 266.There was a badminton hall there.But it was locked when I went there.It was daytime when I was there.

Probably I need to go there again in the evening.I need to find out if there's an original toilet there.

Oh yes,I have not definied what's an "original toilet".An "ORIGINAL TOILET" by my definition is a toilet that existed when the building was built.It's not renovated or replaced.Nowdays it's not easy to find "original toilets" of older buildings.Because they keep renovating.

Back to my "ALMOST PERFECT TOILET"...

I went back to the badminton court one evening just before visiting my grandparents.It was open.I was really happy.Now...I had to prepare myself...will I be disappointed?Or will I be happy?

The badminton players looked at me as if I was some monster when I went into the court.I ignored their looks.Sometimes as a toilet researcher,you need to be more thick-skinned and at the same time courageous.Why courageous?I'll touch on that another time.

I made my way to the back of the hall...the floor tiles were original...the door was original...I pushed the door and went in...blue tiles...the cisterns of the urinals were also Shires.Looks like my chances are pretty high.

NOW...the awaited moment comes...

I turned left and looked at the first cubicle.GUESS WHAT?It's an original toilet.Squatting Potex with a Shires cistern.To top it off,the cistern still had it's original parts.The flushing handle is the original black one.

I was so happy!!Hardly able to contain my excitement!!2 reasons...firstly,my theories worked.Secondly,I had finally found a toilet with the original Shires parts.

I quickly reached out and pulled the flushing handle.Oh my God,the feeling was springy and the flushing sound was wonderful.It was as if I was in a dream.Went on the the second cubicle.Yet another squatting Potex with Shires Cistern.It's a double blessing!:)

I flushed the 2 toilets and was smiling ear to ear as I left the place.

But then...I did not have a video phone camera then.So I only took photos of the cistern and the flushing handle.My Nokia 6610i phone camera was pathetic.I couldn't take the whole view of the toilet.

Few months passed.

I got my N80 phone.I decided to visit that toilet again.Hopefully I can capture it on video this time.One fine day in April,I ended up there one evening.Was pretty nervous when taking the shot.

I was afraid that someone might just come into the toilet and my shoot will be messed up.But fortunately,I was able to complete my shoot smoothly.Please enjoy this short video clip of my ALMOST PERFECT TOILET.

A TRIBUTE:Queen's Road East Public Toilet...Demolished 2004

2007-04-30T11:48:00.000-07:00

Oh yes,this is a tribute to my beloved Queen's Road East Public Toilet.Before I knew Jubilee Street Public Toilet,this was my favourite public toilet.

Even though Jubilee Street Public Toilet is my favourite now,it still can't take over the place of this toilet.

The photos you see here were taken in December 2003.When I took these photos,I didn't know it was going to be the very last time that I will ever see this toilet again.

I discovered this toilet in December 2002,on my way down from The Peak.I decided to explore the old Wan Chai Market Public Toilet and ended up here.

What you see here is the 1st model of squatting VICTORY.What was fun about this toilet is that it had a variety of brands.

The dominating brand and model is this.But you can also find Armitage Shanks(Singapore Model) and American Standards here.

There are about 10 cubicles in this toilet.The majority is squatting VICTORY 1st model.Unlike Jubilee Street Public Toilet,this toilet has variety.

It's fun to flush each and everyone of them and hear all the different flushing sounds.A symphony is being created as all of them are being flushed.

The photos are a bit on the blur side because they were taken in a rush.Back then I didn't know how to disable the flash.

There was someone in the toilet and he was kind of shocked by me taking photos.I had to quickly finish taking my photos and buzz off.

It's a pity that there's no video on this toilet.When taking these photos,I thought I would have another chance of going back.I would probably go back later when it was less crowded.But sad to say...the chance never came.:(

When I went back again in 2004,nothing was left there.I thought I was at the wrong place.BUT...my toilet was gone forever.I was pretty upset that day.:(

However...the memories will live on forever.

Squatting Victory 1st Model,Earliest Batch,Almost Extinct

2007-04-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

As promised in the previous post,you will see the first model of squatting VICTORY in this post.

The first model of squatting VICTORY dates back to the 1970s.To be exact,the mid to late 1970s.

What you see here is Diamond Hill Crematorium.It's build in 1979.When I visited it back in December 2004 and March 2005,it still had the 1st model VICTORYs.

I don't know if you are still able to find them now.

It's a pity that I didn't have a Video Phone back then.When I was there in December 2004,my camera ran out of memory so I wasn't able to take any photos.

I made another trip there in March 2005 and managed to get the pictures you see on your left.

It was pity,the lights were spolit when I went there.Luckily I used flash on my camera,if not you won't be able to see the images so clearly.

The following pictures are from Mongkok Market.Mongkok Market is one of the old markets that have yet to undergo renovation.

The photo you see on the left was taken in December 2004.As you can see,the 2nd cubicle has been changed to the 2nd model of VICTORY.

The difference is that the 1st batch is slightly elongated.You can see the water in the 1st model.For the 2nd model,it's only a hole.

The 2nd picture gives a clearly view.The brand logo of the 1st model is a lot smaller.

Right now it's really difficult to find the 1st batch.Probably a good place to look are cemeteries and crematoriums.

I've almost visited all the crematoriums in Hong Kong.The only one that I have yet to explore is the Cheung Chau Crematorium.

The only one with this model is Diamond Hill Crematorium.But when I visited it in March 2005,they seem to be renovating the whole place.I don't know if the toilet will still be around.

When I visited Hong Kong in 1993(my first visit),I was able to find this model in Mongkok Eating Houses.Especially those old shophouses.

In 1996,the Belchers' Street Public Toilet was also this brand.There were many cubicles.But sad to say,it has been renovated.The currently brand is Kimware.Back then I had no camera.If not I would have taken photos of it.Right now,the only thing left are memories of it in my mind.:(

The flushing sound of this model is similar to the 2nd model.In fact all VICTORYs have a similar flushing sound.Including the Singapore model.

I will try to get videos of this model.But it will not be an easy job.It's very tough to find this model in Hong Kong.I'll probably try Cheung Chau or some cemetery in Hong Kong.Hopefully you'll have a chance to see it on video.

Squatting Victory 3rd Model,Cheung Chau Market Public Toilet,Hong Kong

2007-04-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

Today you will be looking at the latest batch of Victory squatting toilets.

What you are about to see is something pretty rare.It's the very first time this model of Victory is seen.

This design is pretty much like those China style toilets.Recently there are a lot of them in Hong Kong.Especially those toilets renovated after 2005.

I'm still not sure which country is Victory from.Is it from China?Or some western country?I'm still trying to find out.

This latest model of Victory is found at Cheung Chau Market Public Toilet.There is only ONE cubicle with this toilet.

As you can see from the picture,the toilet doesn't fit into the floor tiles properly.This is a sign that the toilet has been renovated.

I did a check around the toilet.The original toilet is supposed to be squatting INAX.

Inax is a japanese brand.There are currently 2 models of inax in Hong Kong.The first model looks like Armtage Shanks and Johnson Suisse.It's square.I'll include the photos of this toilet in another post.

Back to this toilet...

This toilet is flushed by stepping on a pedal protruding from the wall.If you look at the upper right corner of the photo,you'll see a pedal there.This type of flushing system is actually a variation of the pulling cistern system.

In this system,there's a string attached to the pedal and the cistern.The cistern is hidden in the wall behind.By stepping on the pedal,the string will start pulling at the handle of the cistern,which will flush the toilet.

I noticed that there's a technique in flushing this type of toilet.As the flushing power is not that strong,you need to step in succession.Meaning to say that you got to keep stepping.It's ok if you don't understand it.Just view the video and you'll know what I mean.

The stepping flushing system is very common in Hong Kong.Surprisingly,all the public toilets I explored in Cheung Chau uses the stepping flushing system.The other brands of toilets on Cheung Chau include Kimware 1st batch and Armitage Shanks latest batch.

I did not take any photos of the other Public Toilets in Cheung Chau because they were pretty common.There wasn't enough time to explore all the main public toilets.I think I'm still short of 1.

There are 2 types of Public Toilets in Hong Kong,especially in the New Terrotories.The first type is the main Public Toilets.These are usually bigger,consisting of 2 or more stories.Some even include a bath house,which is usually located on the 3rd level.

The second type are the small ones.These usually belong to the rural villages.These small ones have only 3 cubicles and are very cramp.The brands are pretty standard.Usually 1 Sitting Lexa and 2 squatting American Standard.

The reason why they use American Standard is due to its compact size.I'll do a post on American Standard in the future.

I shall end this post with a video of the toilet you see in the above photo.Next post you will be looking at the very 1st model of squatting Victory.

Squatting Victory,2nd Model,Later Batch

2007-04-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

As promised,this post and the next few posts will be entirely on VICTORY.You have read in the previous post the differences of the old and new batch of the 2nd model of squatting VICTORY.

In this post,you will be able to compare them side by side.Look at the photo on the left...the 2nd cubicle from the left is the new batch.Notice that you can't see the brand logo from this view.

Now look at the 3rd cubicle from the left.This is the old batch.You can see the brand logo from here.

In order to make it clearer,I've posted 2 photos below.The one on the left is the new batch.On the right is the old batch.

Obviously the 2 photos below are from different toilets.The newer one on the left is from the Tuen Mun Pier Public Toilet.It is situated beside the Bus Terminus.I went there in December 2004.

The photo on the right is from the same toilet as above.This toilet is at Fo Tan,Sha Tin.It's at the hawker center near the Bus Terminus.Actually there are 3 public toilets.1 of them is under the Food & Enviromental Department.The other 2 are under the hawker center.

One of them has already been renovated.When I went there in 1996,it was still the good old squatting Victory.But now,it has become Johnson Suisse.Luckily,there's still one which retained it's original form.

I'll probably do another post specifically on this toilet.As the current post in on Victory,I didn't include the other photos of this toilet.

A picture is really worth a thousand words.Now you can see the difference between the 2.By the way,I visited the toilet on the right in March 2006.I don't know if it's still the same.If you are a Victory fan like me,it's worth a visit.

Take the KCR to Tai Wai Station and change to KMB bus 85.Take it all the way till Fo Tan Bus Terminus.Then walk along the hawker center till you reach the other end.You'll be able to see this toilet.

To end this post,you'll be seeing a video of the new batch of Victory.You've already seen the old batch in the previous post.So sit back and enjoy.I'll see you again in the next post.

"The Dream Toilet",Jubilee Street Public Toilet,Central,Hong Kong

2007-04-19T09:49:00.000-07:00

At last,I'm able to write this post.It was tough trying to get all the pictures in place.Anyway,what you see here is known as "The Dream Toilet" to me.Why?Read on...

This is my favourite Public Toilet in Hong Kong.Reason is because it has my favourite brand,the squatting VICTORY.Not only that,there are 20 of them in this toilet.

Why is it called "The Dream Toilet"?Because sometimes I do dream of very big and spacious toilets containing all of my favourite brands.

This toilet is the only one that comes closest to what I see in my dream.

Anyway,that was a little off tangent.Let me talk about the background of this toilet.It's probably the only public toilet that's not renovated.

Nowdays,it's almost impossible to find squatting VICTORYs in public toilets.You probably can find them in old cafes or restaurants.Those that have not been renovated yet.

I guess the reason why this toilet is not renovated is because the Hong Kong government is planning to sell this plot of land to real estate developers.

This toilet is part of the Central Market.It has been here since 1939.But I believe that this toilet is not as old as that.Squatting VICTORYs belong to the 1980s era.

But compared with the others like Kimware,American Standard and Twyfords,it's considered pretty old.

This toilet may be closed down or worse,demolished.It depends on what the goverment wants to do with this plot of land.

I have not talked much about VICTORYs.Let me share more about this brand...

This used to be Hong Kong's domineering brand in the late 1970s to late 1980s.You can find this brand almost anywhere in Hong Kong.

There are currently 3 models of squatting VICTORY.What you see here is the 2nd model.

There is another earlier model,it's slightly longer than this one and you can see the water instead of a hole.

I will post photos of the 1st model of VICTORY in the next post.

This 2nd model has 2 batches,old and new batch.The flushing sound is slightly different.The older batch sounds better.

I will post the videos so that you can compare the sounds.The old and new batch looks the same,except the brand logo is at different places.

For the older batch,when you look at it from front view,the brand logo is facing you.Look at the picture above,the 2 that are facing you directly are the older batch.

For the new batch,you can only see the brand logo from the top view.

I will do another post mainly on VICTORYs.

Now let's talk about the 3rd model...the 3rd model is the latest model.

It resembles the imported toilets from China.I don't really like those from China.They don't sound as nice and they all look similar.

But the good news is that the latest VICTORY model sounds good.

VICTORY can also be found in Singapore.In fact,it was very popular in the late 1960s in Singapore.

The VICTORY from Singapore are totally different from those from Hong Kong.Their only similarity is their flushing sound.
I have a photo of a squatting VICTORY from Singapore,but I don't know if I'm able to take a video shoot of that toilet.I'll try to do it sometime soon.Hopefully that place has not renovated their toilets.

Right now,I'm going to share with you my favourite toilet video.I took this video during my trip to Hong Kong in March.I will always visit Jubilee Street Toilet when I go to Hong Kong.I don't know when...but I know it's days are numbered.

Just hope that the toilet will stay there longer.This video was taken in memory of my favourite toilet.Just in case one day when I go there,it's no longer around...

OK,enjoy it.

Hong Kong's One & Only Underground Toilet,Weillington Street Public Toilet,Central,Hong Kong Island

2007-04-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Wellington Street Public Toilet used to be one of my favourites before 2002.It's extremely rare to find this type of toilet in Hong Kong.

But it wasn't the main reason for being one of my favourites.The main reason I used to like this toilet because it used to be squatting Victory 2nd batch.

The 2nd batch of squatting Victory is my favourite brand of toilet in Hong Kong.I'll post it once I get all the photos and videos in order.

Back to this toilet.As mentioned in my previous
post,this toilet has the Push-Button Flushing System.

In fact,the majority of Hong Kong's Public Toilet

has this configuration.i.e. Squatting Kimware 1st batch with Push-Flushing System.

Initially I didn't like this type of toilets.Because they have replaced my favourite Victory.This is one of them.Another one is Belcher Street Toilet.

The flushing sound of this configuration sucks big
time.As it is,I'm already not really fond of Kimwares.The push-button flushing system makes it worse.

There's no video for this type because I didn't bother recording them.Perhaps on my next trip to Hong Kong,I'll record it and post it here.

There's a whole lot of this type of toilets.See below for the list...

1.Star Ferry Multi-Storey Car Park Public Toilet,Central,Hong Kong Island.

2.Lok Ku Road Public Toilet,Western District,Hong Kong Island.

3.Belcher's Street Public Toilet,Western District,Hong Kong Island.

4.Spring Garden Lane Public Toilet,Wan Chai,Hong Kong Island.

5.Warren Street Public Toilet,Wan Chai,Hong Kong Island.

6.Moreton Terrace Public Toilet,Causeway Bay,Hong Kong Island.

7.Morrison Hill Road Public Toilet,Wan Chai,Hong Kong Island.

8.Southorn Center Public Toilet,Wan Chai,Hong Kong Island.

9.Kam Wa Street Public Toilet,Shau Kei Wan,Hong Kong Island.

10.Nam On Street Public Toilet,Shau Kei Wan,Hong Kong Island.

11.Hoi Ning Street Public Toilet,Sai Wan Ho,Hong Kong Island.

12.Tong Shui Road Public Toilet,North Point,Hong Kong Island.

13.Wing Hing Street Public Toilet,Fortress Hill/Tin Hau,Hong Kong Island.

14.Market Street Public Toilet,Yau Ma Tei,Kowloon.

15.Gascoigne Road Public Toilet,Yau Ma Tei,Kowloon.

16.Middle Road Multi-Storey Car Park Public Toilet,Tsim Sha Tsui,Kowloon.

17.Luen Wan Road Public Toilet,Mongkok,Kowloon.

18.Nelson Street Public Toilet,Mongkok,Kowloon.

19.Lai Chi Kok Government Offices Public Toilet,Mei Foo,Kowloon.

20.Tonkin Street Public Toilet,Sham Shui Po,Kowloon.

21.Yen Chow Street Public Toilet,Sham Shui Po,Kowloon.

22.Dyer Avenue Public Toilet,Hung Hom,Kowloon.

23.Kowloon City Road Public Toilet,Kowloon City,Kowloon.

24.San Ma Tau Street Public Toilet,Kowloon City,Kowloon.

25.Baker Street Public Toilet,Hung Hom,Kowloon.

26.New Hung Hom Ferry Pier Public Toilet,Hung Hom,Kowloon.

27.Pui Ching Road Public Toilet,Kowloon City,Kowloon.

28.Choi Hung Bus Terminus Public Toilet,Wong Tai Sin,Kowloon.

29.Shung Yan Street Public Toilet,Kwun Tong,Kowloon.

Yeah,it's a long list.But the majority of them are from Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.There are some in New Terrotories,but those are flushed by stepping.

Lung Kong Road Public Toilet,Kowloon City,Hong Kong,Squatting Kimware 1st Batch

2007-04-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

Kimware may not be my favourite toilet in Hong
Kong.Because there are only 2 photos for this particular toilet and 1 video,I decided to post it first.

Some background of Kimware.Kimware started appearing in Hong Kong in 2002.The first batch lasted till 2003.What you see now is the first batch.

There are a few different types of flushing system.What you see here is the cistern with the pulling handle.

The most common type of Kimware flushing system in Hong Kong is by pushing a button.This will be shown in the next post.Of course,the cistern flushing system sounds the best.

Kimware is very common in Hong Kong.It can be found in 80% of the public toilets.If you are looking for the type shown here(flushing with cistern),you can find it in the few locations below...

1.Chai Wan MTR Station,Ning Foo Street Public Toilet,Hong Kong Island.

2.Ice House Street Public Toilet,Central,Hong Kong Island.

3.Sai Yee Street Public Toilet,Mongkok,Kowloon.

4.Portland StreetPublicToilet,Mongkok,Kowloon.

5.Gilles Avenue South Public Toilet,Hung Hom,Kowloon.

6.Lai Yip Street Public Toilet,Kwun Tong,Kowloon.

7.Yan Oi Court Public Toilet,Kwun Tong,Kowloon.

8.Robinson Road Public Toilet,Mid-Levels,Hong Kong Island.

9.Kennedy Road Public Toilet,Mid-Levels,Hong Kong Island.

10.Mui Fong Street Public Toilet,Western District,Hong Kong Island.

11.Cross Lane Public Toilet,Wan Chai,Hong Kong Island.

12.Oil Street Public Toilet,North Point,Hong Kong Island.

All those listed above are those that I've personally visited.There may be others which I have yet to visit.Sad to say,some of these toilets were once my favourite VICTORY before renovation.

They are mostly renovated in 2002.In the next post,you will see the push-button flushing system.But before that,you'll see the video of this toilet.I took it during my March trip to Hong Kong this year.

Singapore's Potex Part 2

2007-03-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

The Potex you see on the left is another extinct toilet.It's the Bukit Batok Bus Interchange toilet before renovation.You won't see it again.I post it here to relive the old days.

It used to have a cistern until they changed it to automatic flush.The automatic flushing sound sucks big time.

Nothing beats the cistern.This was one of my favourites until they changed the cistern to auto flush.But the worst thing was they renovated it.

The rectangular shaped one on the right is the later batch of Potexs.They belong to the 1990s era.This one was taken at International Plaza.It was not the original toilet because International Plaza was built in 1976 and this is a 1990s toilet.In fact to be very exact,it's era is between 1991 to 1993.

You can find this at Plaza Singapura before it was renovated(the 2nd time).This can also be found at Chinatown Point and Kovan Center.There may be other places which I have omitted.

Anyway,I'm not really that fond of this model.I still prefer the first batch of Potexs.

There a few models which came out in after 1998.I will try to take the photos and post them here.Meanwhile,just enjoy these few.Coming up next...we'll take a look at the SPs.Singapore's dominating brand of toilets during the 1970s to 1980s.(By the way,those are my favourite)
Till then...

Singapore's Potex Part 1

2007-03-30T10:27:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce the first brand...POTEX.

Potex is pretty common in Singapore.It's the next generation of SPs.I wonder why SP ceased production.Potex appeared around 1985 and lasted till the early 1990s for the first model.You can see them in the following pictures...

The Potex you see above was taken at a shophouse at Hougang Avenue 8.It was very difficult to find an original toilet there because all the coffee shops have renovated their toilets.I went to buy a collector's card from this shop and asked the shopkeeper for permission to use the toilet.I paid $5 bucks to take this photo.

The one you see at the left is taken at a Public Toilet at Block 266 Serangoon Central.You won't be able to find this toilet anymore because it has been renovated.

What's really great about this toilet is that it has a Shires Cistern.The Shires Cistern is one of the best ones I've ever flushed.Or in fact it's the best.Just need a little force and the flushing pressure is really great.

Plus the fact that the feel is good.There's a springy effect when you pull the handle.

The photo you see on the right is the full view of

the toilet.The Shires Cistern is black in color.

It's not easy to be able to find this type of Cistern in Singapore.If you are lucky,there's still one more at Beauty World Center,Level 3 toilet.

Shires Cistern belongs to the mid-1980s era.You can find it at Funan Center,The Adelphi and Beauty World Center back then.It's still my favourite.Of course it has to match with an SP toilet,then it'll be perfect.

Welcome To The Ultimate Toilet Blog!!

2007-03-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome!If you are reading this post now,then you probably are a toilet fan like me.Or you are simply curious...but whatever the reason,do enjoy your stay.

Just a little background about this blog...

As you can see,I am a fan of toilets.If you are one of the rare individuals like me,I would love to meet you.Please post a reply so that I can get to know you better.

This project has been in my mind for very long,till today,I decided to make it happend.I believe it's the one and only place throughout the whole internet that you'll see videos and pictures like this.

It has been my dream to have a site or blog with all my beloved toilets around the world.I have yet to travel the world.The pictures and videos that you see are mainly from Hong Kong,Singapore,Thailand and Malaysia.

Some of these toilets are actually extinct.You won't be able to find them again.Either that or they are pretty rare.There are some new ones as well.

Don't puke if you see any dirty ones.I tried my best to take the clean ones.But for certain cases,I wasn't able to find a clean one of that particular make and model.

With all that,I hope you enjoy these toilets as much as I do.

Yours Truly,
Marco