Just

Ok - I've been coming to this site long enough to know about the washcloth discussions, etc., and I'm not trying to ask a dumb quastion, but here goes: Is there a trick to showering in Europe without a shower curtain? I always feel so bad for the maid who comes in and sees the water devastation I've left. I've tried standing in the corner and directing the water to the corner, but it splashes out anyway. Ideas??

Ed

Hopefully the bath area has a drain in the middle of the floor so it really doesn't matter much. <BR> <BR>If you're really concerned about it, though, you can squat in the tub. Uncomfortable, at least if not accustomed, but it will minimize splashing. <BR> <BR>Rome.Switzerland.Bavaria <BR>www.twenj.com <BR>

Bob Brown

There seems to be no standard practice. In Paris last year, our hotel had a bath tub; a nice big one complete with a hand-held shower device that seemed to have a mind of its own. If there is a trick it is to keep the water flow low. <BR> <BR>In Zinal at a little hotel called Hotel du Trift, which is a neat place, we had a shower in the room complete with curtain. In Lauterbrunnen our apartment's bathroom had a shower with folding glass doors that were as effective as a good curtain, or perhaps more so. But in Paris we did more than a little mopping.

lindi

Ok, it seems I'm an authority here, since I grew up without shower curtains! Here is my advice: <BR>1. Hold the showerhead in one hand and direct it towards your body, holding it pretty close to you, while washing yourself with the other hand. <BR>2. HOLD YOUR ELBOWS CLOSE TO YOUR BODY- nearly all the water that 'gets away' runs off your elbow, out to the floor! <BR>3. When you're getting out of the shower make sure you have something non-slippery to step onto. <BR>4. when finished, get a dry washcloth (or whatever) and wipe up most of the water puddles if you want. <BR>5. You don't have to have the water running all the time. When you're scrubbing yourself you can turn it off any time. This way you'll save energy ("when in Rome do as the Romans do"-Europeans are keen on energy saving!) <BR>6. Remember: while Americans shower for more than 10 minutes, the European average is around 3 minutes. You shower not to relax and soak and get a massage etc, but to get yourself clean, and this can be done in 3 minutes. Besides long showers dry your skin in a major way. <BR> <BR>I have to add though that my mom bought a shower curtain after a couple of years <BR>(when we were living in Hungary), because it's quite useful! <BR>When we were in Hungary last summer, every hotel we went had shower curtains (mostly cheap hotels).

steve

It is so funny to see this topic! I have yet to master the art of not splashing and I completely relate to the person who mentioned the shower with a mind of its own. I have found that the presence of a shower curtain is not necessarily related to the quality of the hotel. We stayed in a great hotel in Paris with no shower curtain yet our crummy hotel in Zurich had one.

Cheryl

Take toilet paper-place in another room or as far away as you can possibly get it. Don't turn to talk to your partner while holding a hand held shower.

jean

<BR>if shower curtains are not provided then the hotel doesn't consider water on the floor a problem...so then, neither should you..my favorite hotels have the facuets & shower on the wall & drain on the floor...some of my friends complained about this set up (so unamerican ??) but i loved the fact i didn't have to worry about splashing water, or leaving a bathroom "spotless"...

anna

The hostels we stayed at had a little squeegee thing on a long handle to push all the water back down the drain.