Toilet paper and lecturer’s chalk, these were two essential items, which preceded our arrival in Kiev, Ukraine, nine years ago in April 2011.
Dozens of toilet paper rolls cushioned the fragile sticks of chalk, needed for the nineteen art & music performances artist Cliff would do in the public schools of Kiev and surrounding towns. The toilet tissue and chalk were packed in Jacksonville, Florida, to sail on a freighter through the Black Sea and shipped to Kiev several weeks before our arrival.
We traveled to Ukraine at the invitation of Kathy Gould, director of a charity fund, ABCLife, which ministers to children and families. Cliff volunteered to present nineteen performances as a gesture of goodwill using a 4’ x 7’ easel, with character-building and environmental themes. From the nearly dozen themes available, the principals in Kiev and Zhitomer and other venues selected these two themes: The Earth, You, and Me, and Choices, discouraging the use of drugs and tobacco. Because music accompanied the 35-minute shows, the lyrics were projected in Russian above the drawing in progress.
This specially built, portable easel was shipped with chalk and toilet tissue. Kathy’s crew were a huge help.
Students loved the shows. Kathy had told us earlier that Ukrainians are generally very artistic: we noticed exquisite paintings on classroom walls and also on the exterior of buildings.
And, everywhere we went, the students were smartly dressed: high school girls strode confidently in patent leather high heels; the boys wore suits, black and spiffy.
Though Kathy had forewarned me, I was still surprised at the state of affairs in the bathrooms.
It’s a good idea to have practiced squats before encountering this type of toilet.
In school restrooms, soap was a rarity, and I carried sections of toilet paper in my fanny pack wherever I went and made sure Cliff had a supply in his pocket before the intensive production of set-up and performance. There was absolutely no toilet paper in any of the school restrooms we visited. Strangely, however, I observed not a whiff of foul odor in the bathrooms or among students in the assembly. We were puzzled.
Isn’t toilet tissue essential?
Toilet Tissue and Covid-19
Early in the pandemic, when I visited Target in my hometown, shoppers were leaving the store with as many packs of toilet paper as the store would allow. This didn’t surprise me, as I knew early on that rolls of toilet paper were at a premium. “But why was this happening?” I wondered. Diarrhea is not a symptom of this particular virus. So why the run on toilet paper?
When I queried a store associate, he remarked, “Yes, everyone is buying toilet paper these days; I’m not sure why. And, can you believe, it’s happening globally?”
Perhaps not in Ukraine.
How do you explain the phenomenon of the possibly universal grasping for toilet paper?
What hard-to-find item or service have you particularly wished for during the pandemic?
How do you decide what is essential in this “new normal”?
Stay safe
Be well
I’ll see you in July!
Good morning, Marian! My first observation is how stylish you look when traveling–and after a long flight! I was happy I had no problem squatting when we were in Italy–there were some facilities that were more like holes in the ground, not nearly as nice as the one you have in the photo.
I had a hard time finding yeast for a while, and daughter in Massachusetts could not get flour. We also couldn’t find wipes. We were OK with toilet paper, though supplies were limited. I’m not sure if it still is, because Doug is the masked shopper in our house.I think maybe you can still only buy one package at a time.
You stay safe, too.
Ha! You mention how stylish I look. Maybe it was the anticipation of seeing Kathy, or student enrichment, or maybe we got our second wind in Amsterdam, our stop off before Kiev.
The toilet photo I took was one of the better ones; some did look like holes in the ground.
I’m happy you have a masked shopper. You can cook & bake without a mask, sometimes a nuisance, but necessary. Thanks for starting us off at 6:14 this morning, Merril! 🙂
😀
Very well done to Cliff for volunteering to do that presentation: I bet it must have been a very rewarding experience for you both.
As for the toilet paper, I too was puzzled about how quickly it disappeared from shelves everywhere. It shall remain a mystery.
I couldn’t find flour and yeast for weeks and ended up making a pizza with self-raising flour and baking powder I already had in cupboard. All back to normal now, thank goodness!
The Covid-19 pandemic shall forever be stamped in my memory as a time when toilet tissue, cleaning supplies, and baking ingredients hopped off the shelves. The lack of flour may be understandable, since people cooped up have to do something and baking is a great option, but the toilet paper??
I’m glad you and Peter are beginning to feel some normalcy now. 🙂
I agree with Merril’s first observation. You and Cliff are looking stylish. These days people seem to fly in their PJ’s. You certainly had a lot of luggage! I’ve always been a hoarder of toilet paper so that hasn’t been an issue for us. Finding pasta has been difficult.
Yes, we had a lot of luggage. The long, blue bag was filled with special art paper. Without it, there would be no show.
In the States, a large easel, sound equipment, paper, and chalk for Cliff’s presentations fill up a conversion van. Fortunately, Ukrainian schools provided the sound system, so we didn’t need to “import” speakers.
I hope you’re back to making pasta these days! 🙂
What a wonderful opportunity–and I know the costs for toting and shipping extra baggage for such an excursion–and the red tape–was not easy. Very cool and you can see the enthusiasm of the students. I’m guessing that many of them still remember the lessons they learned that day. As for TP and European toilets: things remain a mystery. It is certainly partly the herd mentality–seeing other people grab up the TP makes one think, oh, what would we do if we didn’t have it. European toilets: how do folks with issues getting up and down cope from a squat (such as those who’ve had knee surgery)? I remember awful holes in floors too, especially in France/Paris. Thanks for the earthy topic here!
I agree with others here — I was struck by how stylish and put together you looked upon arrival. And how clean the squat loo (to adopt Susan’s Britishism, much shorter to type) was. Interesting how the run on tp was global. I buy it a case at a time anyway, so we sailed through that particular phase, but mystified at the intensity shown by those shoppers. So Susan’s summation makes sense.
Janet, you are a world traveler too, and must have encountered all sorts of contraptions for taking care of personal business, in Kazakhstan, for instance. Always great to see you here, my friend! 🙂
Melodie: Yes, we were self-supporting, paying for tickets, fuel for transportation in Ukraine, and food for the staff. Folks in our church here in the USA helped subsidize some of the expense. We even took Kathy and her staff to an opera performance, which was very appreciated. Then too, exchange rate valued the dollar much higher than the greven.
I can understand why you may question Ukrainian accommodations for the older people, or those unable to squat. We never questioned Kathy about that. Fortunately, we stayed in her apartment, which had American-style toilets.
Lovely post Marian, lovely to read of yours and Cliff’s ministry and of the school pupils. And you both look so well! Yes, those squat loos take some getting used to. A shock to a prude like me when faced with holes in the ground. Re loo paper and the amount of s**t that was happening in real life was analogous to grabbing multiple loo rolls by the population to try to deal with the s**t.
Funnily enough, yeast was difficult to come by for a while as everyone and his dog was into making bread. Now it is available. My daughter in law who is here from Cape Town and training to be a chef, sourced some locally – she will still show me how to make bread and use yeast …
I like your metaphorical reference here, Susan. Yes, lots of messiness here and around the world: the impeachment of our president in January and part of February, March began the Covid19 pandemic followed by the hideous death of George Floyd in May and violent protests reverberating around the world. I’m ready for a pause for peace, and I’m sure you and the citizens of South Africa are too.
What a talented family you have, including a daughter in law training to be a chef. I would love to have a chef in my kitchen! 🙂
Thank you for taking us along to the Ukraine, Marian! How lovely to see you and Cliff beaming (the beaming Beamans). How wonderful that Cliff could share his gift in such an extraordinary way.
The squatty potty (as we call them) reminds me of the ones we had to use in China. Also had to provide our own toilet paper. 😀
Name-brand leaning products of any kind were hard to find in the last few months–particularly Clorox. Still haven’t seen any Lysol all purpose cleaner.
L. Marie, I enjoy reading your observations, especially the squatty potty, just perfect! No explanation needed for the “performance”!
For some reason, we had a build-up of sanitation products at our house before the pandemic began: hand soap, wipes, and one can of Lysol, which I have used to spray our assortment of masks. Soon it will be time to replenish the supply. But I’ll wait because some shoppers with large families are still playing “catch up,”
I’m glad you enjoyed the virtual trip to Ukraine. 🙂
What a wonderful trip for both of you. What year was this? I´m sure the students loved Cliff´s presentation. I love the Ukrainian people, very friendly, intelligent and creative. There was no shortage of products here in our part of Spain. Lots of TP etc.
Duh! I looked at the pictures again and see the photo is from 2011! Do you keep in touch with any of the students or teachers?
Yes, I do keep in touch with some through Facebook, Kathy of course, and one of her crew, Roman, who now has a family of two sons. We also keep in touch occasionally with Olga, a research doctor, not part of the team, whom we met during our 4-day vacation after the 19 shows. One place we visited, Crimea, is now under Russian control, and no longer readily accessible to tourists.
Thanks, Darlene, for always showing up with your smiling face and comments on Wednesdays. 🙂
Wow, I’d hate to be constipated and have to use a toilet like that! Don’t know how long I could hold a squat and no handrails to help either. The paintings are very pretty. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, my goodness, Janet, I hadn’t thought about that malady. Thankfully, no one I knew about suffered from constipation. And you are right, I didn’t see handrails either.
I’m glad you enjoyed the murals and the paintings. Ukraine has beautiful architecture and fine art. 🙂
Marian — I thoroughly enjoyed the photos you shared of your visit to Ukraine. I’ve encountered squat-style toilets in my travels, and like you, I make a habit of keeping toilet paper on my person when traveling abroad (though there’ve been times I wished I’d carried in my person stateside too).
I can’t explain the connection between COVID-10 and the global grasp for toilet paper. It’s mind-boggling.
Our hard-to-find item during the height of the pandemic was fresh produce. Canned and frozen was easy to come by, but not fresh. We’re used to farm-to-table eating, and we’re immensely grateful that it’s back in the stores.
Laurie, I’m guessing you could regale us with some memorable squat-style “events” from your travels. Globe trotters have to be ready for odd mechanisms and making do. Even here, sometimes when I’ve gone to our grandson’s soccer games, I’ve wished for a small stash of toilet tissue.
I’m glad you (and I) find fresh produce available. We certainly won’t take much for granted anymore. What a wake up call! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your trip, Marian. I knew you had visited there but this really gave me a chance to see why. I enjoyed your photos! What an experience! 🙂
It was life-changing for us, a couple from the USA observing the promise of a new generation in an eastern European country. I had the privilege of teaching youngsters colors of Easter eggs, an appropriate lesson for the season. They were so eager to learn and practice their English.
I boned up on basic Russian phrases. The high school students especially smiled at my humble efforts. Thanks for commenting, Jenn! 🙂
It sounds as though that was a wonderful trip and a great opportunity to witness other corners of the world. On a trip to Peru a number of years ago, I experienced my first squat toilet. As a kid I was used to using my grandparent’s outhouse, so it wasn’t a great surprise fo me.
I have no idea why there has been such a run on toilet paper. Maybe some of us are remembering those good ole days.
Yes, I too was familiar with outhouses, but the squatting low was a new experience in Ukraine. My Pilates lessons were a great help, that’s for sure! Thanks, Joan, for joining the conversation today. 🙂
I enjoyed this.
I remember very few odd experiences going to the bathroom in the British Isles, except for where to find the button or handle to flush – ha! I suspect Sweden may be similar but have never visited there. I’d love to visit your adopted country, Fiona! 🙂
Marian, International travel is indeed life’s greatest learning experience. I enjoyed the post, especially since Ukraine and Kiev (interesting pronunciation …Keev) were much in the news during the impeachment trial You gave some insight into the place, which has had a long and rich and challenging history.
Susan, many Americans pronounce “Kiev” as two syllables, but Kathy set me straight. Yes, “Keev”!
Indeed, Ukraine does have a fascinating history. One of Kathy’s crew remarked to Cliff, “You don’t look like an American.” Cliff’s features with deep-set blue eyes bespeak his German heritage, unfortunate since German soldiers slaughtered so many Ukrainians, commemorated in a large war memorial. I think his appearance may have been a bit unsettling to some – until he started drawing and donating his murals to the school. 🙂
What an experience you had in 2011! While I can’t speak to all of the Covid-19 issues that have presented themselves, the one thing I missed the most is being able to socialize with people. An introvert by Nature, there are times I want to just talk to somebody, and it wasn’t possible. Things have eased up a bit around here, so that is nice, but I am still masked due to health issues. It will be a long time before a new normal is established.
Well, Ginger, I am glad you can “speak” and socialize here. This period in our society would be a whole lot worse without social media. Still, I understand your missing the in-person need to interact, I feel the same lack, and I’m not sure what our “new normal” will feel like. Thanks for stopping by today! 🙂
What a wonderful ministry you shared with Ukrainian students. Thank you for sharing your story!
I had no issues whatsoever with toilet paper the last time I visited Ukraine in 2009. In 1982, when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, it was an entirely different matter!
Which brings me to the topic of Ukrainian spelling. The current and correct spelling is Kyiv. Altough Russian, Ukrainian and English are all official languages in the country, use of the older spelling, Kiev, reminds Ukrainians of a time before they gained independence from Russia.
Irene, I think the correct spelling is evident in the sign we posed in front of as we arrived in the capital city: Kyiv. I believe I took my cue from Kathy, who has used the spelling of “Kiev” in her correspondence.
Thank you for mentioning the fraught history between Russia and Ukraine. After we left the country in 2011, Russia took over Crimea, a lovely region which we were able to visit during the end of our stay. Kathy tells me there is still warfare at the eastern borders of Ukraine and Russia though it seldom makes headlines on world news reports.
Thanks for reading and enlightening us with your comment here, Irene! 🙂
Fascinating post, Marian! What a great travel experience… Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed the armchair travelogue. Bette. Thanks for joining in here again today! 🙂
Thank you for taking us with you on your travels it was fascinating, Marian … The squat toilet is the same as I have in my home here… We don’t use this one however the other bathrooms have European appliances except for the requisite bum guns here…. But whenever we go on our travels I am prepared and can squat quite easily I am well practised… Haha…
I appreciate your checking in from Thailand, Carol. There is more than one “right” way to do things, as travel experiences reveal. Your mention that you can squat quite easily made me smile: You are fit and well practised. Thanks for sharing here! 🙂
I have had to be on occassions… Haha… 😀
🙂
So awesome that you and Cliff were in Ukraine in 2011. Hardy and I were there in 2012 with TourMagination and it was an amazing experience, visiting first Hardy’s birthplace in Poland and then mine in Ukraine. We just now watched a documentary by John L. Ruth called “Is there a Lesson?” about the Mennonite story in Europe. Powerful and brought back wonderful memories for us, as did your blog post.
Yes, I knew you were born in Ukraine, but didn’t know (or remember) Hardy was born in Poland, a neighbor. We found the Ukrainian people a gentle and hospitable folk. And – very artistic.
I wonder who hosted your TourMagination group. (Long ago, my Aunt Ruthie traveled to Israel with TourMagination, or so I think.} Also, I am interested in seeing the documentary by John L. Ruth, quite a scholar and historian. Thanks once again for adding your own experience to the story here, Elfrieda. 🙂
Here is the link to John L. Ruth’s documentary:
https://youtu.be/zUlVBDYXDdY
Our tour was hosted by Audrey Voth Petkau and Edgar Stoesz. In Poland we were guided by Katarzyna Czaykowska who was just excellent) In Ukraine a Ukrainian woman (I’ve forgotten her first name) married to a Toews in the US also joined us and made some good comments.
I thought I might recognize some names of tour guides, but I do not. Thanks for making the effort to post them, Elfrieda!
Also, I will follow the link to the John Ruth documentary. Thanks again!
The documentary was excellent! I enjoyed all of it. Of particular interest was the reference to the Emmental region, specifically Langnau where the Langeneggar family dairy farm still operates, at least as recently as 1997 when we visited. I also noted mention of the Neckar River, which may have reflected the origin of my family name “Longenecker.”
Lol,my hub has a fixation with stocking up on TP pre- Covid. Personally, I didn’t get it either, but I think there’s a psychological effect of hearing pandemic and life as you know it is a question mark. Isolation, for how long, and worrying it could be apocalyptic and what if we can’t go out. So I think primal instinct says grab what’s necessary. Lol, that’s my story. <3
You put into the best possible prose exactly how I would explain the Pandemic pandemonium. Grab what’s necessary, and beyond, seems to be the order of the day. That “noise” has quieted down a bit because groceries and other stores have caught up with the demand, at least in our area. Now, new “spikes” of the virus are appearing maybe because of increased testing. The year 2020 was supposed to give us better vision. I suppose, in an odd way, that is actually happening.
Thanks, Debby, it’s always good to hear your perspective! 🙂
Stay safe! 🙂
Enjoyed the look back at your trip to Ukraine, and yes, you looked so put together, Marian!
We were well-stocked on TP when the pandemic began so no need to hoard. However, I struggled to find flour for a few weeks, but finally Amazon came through with a great deal. I don’t know why the run on TP though.
Stay safe and be well!
Several have mentioned my “put together” look. I hadn’t thought much about it although I must have known Kathy would be on the other end, camera in hand. We were exhilarated about the prospect of meeting Ukrainian students and Kathy’s staff since we have supported her ministry for many years. However, by the end of the trip, I was wan and worn out, photos I didn’t post. It was exhausting to go to 1 or 2 schools every day, all new experiences.
It’s so good to hear that you are doing okay these days, Sherrey. I hadn’t heard that Amazon was delivering flour. Wow! 🙂
What a delightful story, Marian! I love the pictures. But, no toilet paper? And the toilet is a hole in the floor? That’s enough to make me cross ‘World Travel’ off my bucket list!
We haven’t run out of toilet paper or anything else, because my husband has been buying in bulk from Costco for years. We still have plenty of Lysol and hand sanitizer as well, because I was a germaphobe long before this pandemic. However, I don’t understand the mad run on toilet paper. This has been a very puzzling time, for so many reasons. I had almost forgotten about the President being impeached, until you mentioned it!
I was sitting outside with our two dogs a few minutes ago, reading this post on my tablet, when suddenly the most terrifying wind storm hit. I quickly got the dogs back inside the house before we blew away. I’m so glad our house is solid. My heart is still beating kind of fast, though! Whew! Dare I ask — what’s next?!?
You probably shouldn’t cross world travel off your bucket list just yet, Linda Lee. You have the capacity to adapt – and maybe even enjoy – challenges. By the way, my husband is a germaphobe too. Before the pandemic registered on world news, we had containers of hand soap, Lysol spray, and boxes of wipes. He has said, “If the whole world had my habits, we’d never have had a pandemic,” probably true. His habits are a little strange as he’s messy and disorganized in other ways, like most creative.
You always manage to insert a little bit of suspense in your comments here: wow! Yes, I would say, “What’s next?” Thanks for your insights here! 🙂
A messy and disorganized germaphobe? Your husband and I must be related. 😀
I have already traveled to England, Amsterdam, Canada, and Mexico. I have a long list of countries I would like to visit. But the older I get, the less I like to fly. And those floor toilets? Ooooh noooo!
🙂
I think you showed great foresight in pre-shipping your TP. I have often packed rolls when I’ve travelled internationally. But, toilet paper – really- is a luxury. We would be more uncomfortable without it, but we wouldn’t die. I felt a little disappointed in humanity when I saw that particular pattern of hoarding.
I times of crisis, we go back to the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Thanks to front-line workers in grocery stores we had what we really need: food. In North America most of us have water and shelter. Those that don’t were already suffering before the pandemic.
I had food, shelter, water, air, sleep. I was good.
How smart, relating the run on toilet paper as very low on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. I’ve heard other’s say it is a first-world problem. Someone on Facebook – ha! – mentioned that a bidet would solve the toilet paper problem. Well, yes, but bidets are hard to come by in the States and possibly in Canada too.
Like you, I am thankful for having food, shelter, water, said, and somewhere to sleep. Some lack those basics, which is why I support our city’s homeless shelters.
Thanks for add your special “Arlene” twist to the post. 🙂
To this day I’m still not sure I understand the necessity for needing so much toilet paper. It reminded me of when I was shopping for my mom in her later years and went into Costco and would buy the jumbo pack of pull-ups. People in the store would look at me funny, wondering what that was all about. I’m the type of guy who sees the humor in everything and I’d say, “I’m expecting a big night.” 🤣
Those toilets are so far down a person could tear a ligament. Can’t you just hear the doctor? “Now how did you hurt yourself again?” 😂
Pete, I definitely value your brand of humor, here specifically about toilet paper. But I also “dig” your posting an Amazon review for Mennonite Daughter. Yours was “out of the blue,” the best kind – unexpected and appreciated. I’m now at # 38, hoping for the magical #50, every author’s dream. Thanks, heaps! 😀
What a fun story. You and Cliff are such a handsome couple, and a wonderful representation of America to these Ukrainian students.
I can’t answer about the toilet paper. I’m still scratching my head (yes, my head) about that one. We humans are funny creatures. In the meantime, we all could use more squatting practice. So good for the butt and the core. 🙂
And seriously, I’m so impressed with Cliff’s projects. It’s wonderful how you have supported each other in your passions. xo
Thank you for the high compliment. We tried our best!
When I met Cliff, he was so devil-may-care acting, I didn’t recognize how talented he was until he drew a portrait of me, first as an elephant (Ah, a sense of humor!), and then a realistic pencil drawing, which made it into my book. Early in our relationship, I referred to him as the “Christian clown” I met – ha!
I believe you are into exercise too; otherwise why would you speak of the butt and core. It would be great if we could do our Pilates moves together. Here’s to more squatting and getting through this together. Yay, Pam! oxo
This is inventive and positive, Marian. It’s good medicine. Vic and I went to India 3 times, once for 5 weeks and twice for two weeks. The toilets were the same style which is sanitary, but takes practice. Yes, squatting is good for us. Supplies are needed so we had a few squashed rolls of toilet paper in our luggage. I love what Cliff offered the students.
For me, essential = green tea and vegetables. I’m fortunate to have a local organic farm making once a week deliveries to my house. That along with my small salad garden keeps me going. Disco and Willow reminded me that dog food is essential. Enjoy your break. I need one soon.
Thanks for the nod, Elaine!
I think you have the very best health habits, better than most because you eat healthily. And, of course, green tea is a mighty good antioxidant. Dog food for Disco and Willow is essential, but so are Disco and Willow for your mental and physical health. I can picture them on a romp with you through woods and meadows.
A breather is good. Mine will probably be short, but long enough so I’ll want to come back. I figure that readers like breaks too. 🙂
Hi Marian – an interesting story. It sounds like a memorable trip. Your Target experience is similar to mine, although there were no options to buy a 4-pack – the only things on the shelves were giant packs! Things have eased up a bit now.
I appreciate your tuning in with your kind words, Barbara. My husband is bringing home a pack of paper towels from Sam’s Club. It will probably be giant! 🙂
I had to buy a huge pack in March and we just got through the last roll. Fortunately there are more paper goods in the stores now. Good luck!
Hey, Barbara. I just left a reply for you regarding Ann Napolitano’s book, and here you are. There has been a lot of hype about her book.
As you can tell, I’m taking a break from the blog world for a while, but will be back probably sometime in July.
Thank you for stopping by to read/comment, always appreciated! 🙂
You’re welcome, Marian. I have been visitint blogs when I can, but I’m still adjusting to working from home and doing a lot of social media for my job. I think I’m finding a rhythm though 🙂
What a fun story that certainly is timely. I never would have thought you’d need to ship TP as part of your teaching supplies, but how smart that you did. Your photos are great and the kids look totally immersed in what they were learning. Cool beans.
Our hostess Kathy requested them for her home and office, which operate American style as far as toilets go.
Thanks for tuning in even on your summer break. I’ll join you in my own hiatus next week, Ms. Bean! 🙂
Those toilets are so strange I would have the most terrible trouble with my knees and I’m fit . Why was there no toilet rolls? . Isn’t that an essential part of using a toilet ? I find trawl ( A’s was ) makes you appreciate home .
As for having shelves empty of toilet rolls at the beginning of the pandemic, I had no idea it was global , you have opened my eyes Marian .
I suppose when we are used to having everything the thought of that being taken away makes people panic buy.
One of our lovely checkout ladies in Tescos when asked why stocks of toilet roll was so low said that people look for comfort in the simplest of things when faced with disaster.
Pasta , flour and tin roe was the items we found on short supply. Pasta was soon restored , still struggle with flour and only in the last week got tin roe .
I feel blessed that we have everything thing we need, for other people of the world they are not so lucky .
Cherryx
Cherry, you are “spot on” with your explanation about the strange buying habits during the pandemic and one from your Tesco cashier: “I suppose when we are used to having everything the thought of that being taken away makes people panic buy.” And, too: “People look for comfort in the simplest of things when faced with disaster.”
For a long time here, flour and other baking ingredients were in short supply, but things have been restored, mostly. I believe we will take the essentials less for granted than we ever have before. I’ve never looked for roe, which is something I eat only at fancy restaurants – not often either – usually a birthday or anniversary.
Yes, I do agree mightily: Travel makes you appreciate home. I was 9 years younger and fit when we made this trip. Still, you have to have good thigh muscles and a good aim for such toilets – ha! We loved the Ukrainian people, so friendly and gentle. I certainly don’t regret the trip and neither does Cliff. oxo
How cool and educational and interesting that you and Cliff were invited to Kiev for him to present these art installations. Many countries still have the “French toilets” as we call them in Belgium, especially in SE Asia, India, and China. In Africa as well. I never found out the English word for them. Squat toilets? I assume people either carry their own toilet paper – as we, backpackers, did – or they use water that is available in the toilet stalls. Definitely more hygienic.
From the moment there was a run for toilet paper, I immediately thought about the fact that most people in the world probably don’t even use toilet paper. It’s one of those western habits (luxuries) we can’t live without. Plus, why buy so much? That’s utterly selfish. Mark and I had three rolls of 1000-sheet Scott rolls left when the pandemic started and we didn’t need more until weeks later.
The world would be such a better place if people just bought what they needed. We’d all be able to live within our means and be happier for it.
What I missed most during the pandemic? Non-bleached, non-enriched flour. It’s still hard to find this!
Hey, Liesbet! The first time I used a bidet was in Paris, I think. It makes so much sense – no toilet paper necessary and you get really CLEAN!
As Cherry from Wales (above) commented, “I suppose when we are used to having everything the thought of that being taken away makes people panic buy.”
You may have noticed that I’m taking a blog break, but commented on yours today because I hold trees and “Mother Nature” generally as almost sacred. I hate to see the sacrilege going on in the name of progress. :-/
🙂
Thank you for replying here and leaving a comment on my blog, Marian. Sorry to interrupt your blogging break. I did read that above and noticed the absence of a new post in my inbox this past Wednesday. 🙂
Cherry from Wales is nice about how she phrases the “issue”. I’d say the Western world is too spoiled for its own good. Therefore, people here “suffer” more than elsewhere when disruptions occur. Too bad the wake-up call is a pandemic, but I am happy about said wake-up call and hope the positive effects of that will prevail.
Enjoy the rest of your break, my friend!
Thank you, Liesbet! ((( )))