Two ladies walk into the men’s room…..no, it isn’t the punchline for a joke, it actually happened. Sometimes you find yourself in funny situations while traveling, and that absolutely was true in Paris. We had already encountered co-ed restrooms, that were pay facilities, costing anywhere from one to two euros. It was a little strange, but their stalls are more like a private room, with walls and doors that go completely from floor to ceiling, so they are truly private. Meh, okay. It is decidedly odd to stand at a sink in a public bathroom while washing your hands next to a gentleman though.
So off we go to the ridiculously wonderful Festival de Merveilleux in the 12th arrondissement. I was very excited about this adventure, as it is only available to the general public for twelve days out of the year. It is well out of the tourist areas though so it was a bit of a trek, even in an Uber. By the time we got there and purchased tickets, a ladies room was definitely a highly desired first stop. We came into the first large space, marveling at all of the things to see, and while turning around to take in the whole room, I spotted what was obviously a restroom just behind us. So we went in. It was very clean and modern and seemed perfectly acceptable. It was a long rectangular space, and I caught just a glimpse of a row of urinals just around the corner, tucked away from the main space. Um, okay…..I’m thinking this is yet another co-ed set-up, and pretty much at that moment a gentleman came in, swept right past us without batting an eye, and disappeared around the corners where that row of urinals was. Well alrighty then, when in Paris…..I had had entirely too much water on the way over to really quibble at this point, and off in my own little room I went, while my daughter went into hers.
Business managed, we are both washing our hands at the sinks, and two more gentlemen come in, not seeming to mind us in any way. I’m feeling very progressive about this whole co-ed bathroom thing at this point, and having flashbacks to episodes of Ally McBeal, and we dry our hands and go out. As I now conduct a more leisurely tour of that first big room, I notice the ladies room is decidedly on the OTHER side of the room, and glance back quickly to the one we just came out of, which was clearly marked “Messieurs.” Alrighty then. Moral of the story, manage your water consumption in a way that allows you a little more attention to detail, but if you happen to wander into the men’s room, the French are progressive enough to really not care if you stay.
Vagabond.Belle 