[Steve Mangan]

In Turkish there is ayakyol -- the foot rut, which I think comes from the days when basically it was a hole in the floor (the porcelain bases for which have 'ruts' for placement of feet). There is also yüz numara Number 100, said to be derived from the French sans numero -- numberless, which sounds the same as cent numero.

In Britain if there is a trash can it is for trash. In Turkey it is for the toilet paper, as the plumbing isn't up to it and it will cause blockages. (Toilets incorporate a douche, so it is wash, dry with the toilet paper and throw it in the trash can.)

Re: ayakyol - ayak means foot, yol can be translated as road, route, track, path, angle, approach, avenue, channel, cutting, expedient, gateway, handle, itinerary, journey, meatus, tack, outlet, thoroughfare, trail, via, walk, way, wise - so instead of translating it foot rut, it could be the foot "walk".

[Ann Drysdale]

Which way do the feet point? Are the facilities gender-specific?

[John Whitworth]

I stayed in an Italian hotel in Ravenna where the toilet was just like that. Thirty years ago, mind you.