question about Holland (a strange one)

**71-hour Ahmed** · 09-25-2005, 23:46

Just came back from a holiday in the strangely flat land of the Netherlands, and I have a question. It may seem a little strange but its reall really bugging me... if you are aware of the answer tell me before I go maaad.

The Question: Why do so many toilets in the Netherlands have A SHELF IN THEM..??? The friend's flat I stayed in had one, as well as half the restaurants and museum. Neither my friend nor I have never seen or heard of this type of toilet design outside of Holland, so why do the dutch want to see (and smell) their, ahem,"business" so badly? The amount of Ajax that flat toilet had stuck down it this week...

Seriously, this was a major source of curiousity in my little mind. I've spent more time thinking about this than I spent in the Maraithuis and Rijksmuseum combined...

**Sjakihata** · 09-26-2005, 00:59

I know that they have them in germany. when i was visitnig my grandparents there (now deseased) they had a shelf in the toilet as well. And seen it dozens of times in germany.

They said it to inspect the excrements - and so to detect anything which isnt normal, so it can get fixed. Just a healthy check up on the bodily functions.

That's what they say in germany, I'd assume it's true for NL as well.

**Mouzafphaerre** · 09-26-2005, 02:08

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What kind of a shelf are we talking about here?

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**kiwitt** · 09-26-2005, 02:16

I lived in Holland. And yes it is quite disconcerting.

However, it does have a couple of advantages

1) You can see the stool for any problems
2) The water doesn't splash up when the stool drops in our deeper toilets

**rasoforos** · 09-26-2005, 06:49

Originally Posted by Mouzafphaerre

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What kind of a shelf are we talking about here?

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A very cra$py one I think...

**Papewaio** · 09-26-2005, 06:55

Surely the water is clear enough that you could see any differences...

**Del Arroyo** · 09-26-2005, 07:10

LOL, that's an interesting idea.

Definitely better than having the toilet line-out connected to the shower line-out, then have a partial clog somewhere farther down, so that you get to inspect your terds every time you take a shower....

DA