Ann Hartley
I was singing to myself “I have found the way to San Jose, now just let me…get away, far away…” when I slammed on the brakes. Whoa! It is a good thing the traffic light turned red right at that moment, because I got a chance to take a picture of this from the car: A toilet right on the corner of the street. Are any of you old enough to remember Jack Parr? He was fired for saying WC on the air. Why? Because WC is an abbreviation for a term that people on the other side of the world use for “toilet” which was a word one just did not say on either side of the Atlantic. Where I grew up, the euphemism was Privy. One just did not say the word toilet. Lenny Bruce would have had a field day with this one, except that he is alleged to have died on the toilet. So maybe not. Anyway, if you look at the sign it doesn’t say “Restroom” which is what we usually put on the sign to refer to the room the toilet is in. It says, “Toilet.”
I am sure that Jack Parr is rolling over in his grave. I would be too, except that I am not dead yet. I will be MIA for a while, though. Going camping, what did you expect? Please do not forget me. I will let you know when I get back.
WC, toilet, privy all these refer to toilet. Yes, that is right. It is unethical to say in public the word toilet. Instead, in our place, we use CR for comfort room, not for a restroom.
This must be somewhat confusing for tourists.
I think it is not for there is also a sign for male and female. Therefore it is well understood.
Beautiful post and beautiful pictures
Thank you, lado, it is pretty, but I am hoping to never have to go there again. Too much traffic!
When they made the song about it Vidocka, (Do You Know the Way to San Jose?) it was just a sleepy little town, now it is urban sprawl.
Nice place but really there is too much traffic so I do not like big cities
I should have added, for our friends outside of USA Pop Culture a link to Dionne Warwick’s version of the song written by Burt Bacharach long before San Jose became the 10th largest city in the US
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnzTgUc5ycc
I know nothing about the city you are talking about but the impression that I have captured from your writing, you don’t like your visit there.
That may be an understatement, Albert.
Hmm… I understand, Ann.
It is a town that grew too fast in every direction. Nice airport, though.
Your pictures spoke well and of course your detailed journey. Surely you know now the way to San Jose.. du..du.. du.. du…
To be honest, I hope never to go there again.
Ohh sorry to hear this, why not? But of course, if you don’t like ok then.
Mostly because of the horrible traffic, mavic123456 as it can take an hour just to pass by it on the freeway.
That’s understandable. I thought you had a very bad experience while you were there.
A reminder of how I used to commute to work. Thank goodness that is over.
Yes, aren’t we blessed?!
Great photos for making me glad I don’t have to drive to the Bay area. We always hit terrible traffic on 101 just driving from Carmel Valley or Templeton to Hollister for an annual book fair we did there. When we had to go farther north, the last few miles before San Jose were always terrible — even back in 1995.
I remember it well from the 90’s