I don’t normally indulge in bathroom humour, but a couple of recent visits to public facilities left me with questions. Specifically about urinals, so if you would rather not read about such things, now is the time to stop.

In North America I am used to plain white urinals. Nothing fancy. They used to always be floor-length, but in recent years smaller versions have become more popular. What I haven’t seen until recently is something that may be uniquely German (or maybe I just lead a sheltered life): urinal art.

Not big murals, and certainly not individual pictures, but in two different communities I noticed that there was something in the urinal. The first time I thought it was a fly, then I realized it was a drawing of a fly stenciled onto the ceramic. Looked lifelike at first.

The second washroom had small soccer balls decorating its urinals.

I don’t know enough German to ask, but I have to wonder why they are there. My first thought was that they were to amuse small boys, to encourage them when they use the facilities. Or maybe to provoke a smile from the adults.

It is possible that this isn’t artwork at all, but branding. Maybe the companies that manufactured the urinals are actually named using the German words for soccer ball and fly, whatever those are.

One thing that is certain, this is the first time I have ever posted something about toilet fixtures. Here’s hoping it is the last time also.