Etiquette question of the day...

[LizC-S]

When passing a man with his shlong out peeing, as a female does one say Bonjour or turn your head away????

 

[SYates]

Etiquette answer of the day - There was no man, you never saw any man, you don't even know what a man is. Simply give this non-existing man the same courtesy you would expect when being caught squatting down to do the female equivalent. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Tincatinker]

On the, long, walk home from the pub my dad would occasionally stop to 'look for birds' nests'. My mother would occasionally disappear off track to ' see how the blackberries were doing'. I never noticed them doing anything else. My brother and I were occasionally encouraged to 'water the trees'. No-one seemed to take any notice of that either.

 

[Icacos]

When passing a man with his shlong out peeing, as a female does one say Bonjour or turn your head away????

Such a sight appeared to me when my companion and I were trekking up a steep hill nearing Santiago. Unbeknownst to me, the Camino at that point was adjacent to a highway. Anyway, I looked up and there was a motorist standing next to his car, directly facing us and having a whizz. I immediately lowered my eyes (my companion and I were both wearing hats with brims) and I said to her, "Don't look up, don't look up."

 

[Stivandrer]

On the whole, it is a very bad thing to pee (´caus that´s what it is) along the French Way, as areas along the route are mostly privately owned.
As I was newly prostate operated, I had to plan my water stops, use the facilities at the cafe or restaurant, where I took my coffe or tea.
As you politely leave ½ a Euro if you use facilities without buying, one might as well have a proper pit stop. And what a proper hydration scheme that is!! fluids in and drainage out....the simplicity of it all...
I truly loved my small interruptions...
As for the sight itself, what about you girls/women put a little humour into the situation and just whistle.... that´ll teach them...
Imagine three women going catcalling... I myself would sink into the ground on the spot...

 

[Icacos]

....what about you girls/women put a little humour into the situation and just whistle.... that´ll teach them...
Imagine three women going catcalling....

Oh, no! Pleeeeese, let's not descend to that

 

[Ahhhs]

It happens.
Look straight ahead, say "Buen Camino", and keep walking.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Half the human race has a 'schlong,' and if you haven't noticed yet, they all pretty much look the same from 10 feet away. My advice is to avert your eyes, give the poor man some privacy, and walk on.

 

[GettingThere]

The phrase "custody of the eyes" was mentioned by @Albertagirl on a similar thread today - https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/underwear-please-no-boxers.40694/#post-411400 - seems the appropriate response here too! I would like to think we'd all extend the same courtesy to whoever might be "caught short" along the way, whatever their gender. Just don't notice them. Of course, if a cheery "buen camino!" issues forth from behind a tree or bush as you pass, there's no harm in replying in kind as you continue on your way!

 

[whariwharangi]

I found the need for privacy diminish each day. What else when there is a highway next to the camino and nothing in the way of cover to be seen for kilometers. When the highway was west of the camino I would at least face East ... and probably a bit North East so as not to cause an accident.

If you want to look feel free ... I expect to be paid for photos ... and no touch without permission.

 

[dougfitz]

I'd happily respond to 'buen camino'. You don't need to pretend I don't exist.

 

[vicky mc]

If you gotta go you've gotta go or else it's the 'funny' walk to the next rest place Buen Camino

 

[Kelownagurl]

Especially true on the Meseta where it can be 2-3 hours between towns.

Ladies - I bought a Freshette which allows me to pee standing up with very minimal clothing adjustment. I love it! There are many other brands out there but that's the one I have. It folds up fairly small and comes with a heavy plastic zip bag. Lightweight too.

 

[susanawee]

Etiquette answer of the day - There was no man, you never saw any man, you don't even know what a man is. Simply give this non-existing man the same courtesy you would expect when being caught squatting down to do the female equivalent. Buen Camino, SY

Good answer..

 

[susanawee]

Such a sight appeared to me when my companion and I were trekking up a steep hill nearing Santiago. Unbeknownst to me, the Camino at that point was adjacent to a highway. Anyway, I looked up and there was a motorist standing next to his car, directly facing us and having a whizz. I immediately lowered my eyes (my companion and I were both wearing hats with brims) and I said to her, "Don't look up, don't look up."

Oh come on.....for goodness sake...!1

 

[bunnymac]

When passing a man with his shlong out peeing, as a female does one say Bonjour or turn your head away????

I'm a fan of an enthusiastic wave and a robust hello. If nothing else he'll choose his next piddling spot with greater care.

 

[PeterD1951]

I'm a fan of an enthusiastic wave and a robust hello. If nothing else he'll choose his next piddling spot with greater care.

Or pee on his feet!

 

[PeterD1951]

Actually and very seriously, we men know what the real problem is here. It's envy!!! It's just so easy for us to find relief and it drives women crazy. The latest thing is plastic penises for women, except of course we can't call them that can we, although there was one on the market in the UK called a SheeWee. I have to admit, I'm not sure how many 'e's there were in that name, but we'll go for 4 as a good guess! There's something outdoorsy and virile about this........ it's so outdoorsy and virile, I feel a song coming on........
"I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK,
I sleep all night and I work all day.

I cut down trees, I eat my lunch
I go to the lavatry.
On Wednesdays I go shopping and have buttered scones for tea"

 

[MaryLynn]

I cut down trees, I eat my lunch
I go to the lavatry.
On Wednesdays I go shopping and have buttered scones for tea"

Thanks! That's the Canadian National Anthem, you know!?

 

[PeterD1951]

My pleasure. Having posted that, I just had to watch 'The Spanish Inquisition' sketch on Youtube!

 

[Tincatinker]

No-one expected that....

 

[Anniesantiago]

Especially true on the Meseta where it can be 2-3 hours between towns.

Ladies - I bought a Freshette which allows me to pee standing up with very minimal clothing adjustment. I love it! There are many other brands out there but that's the one I have. It folds up fairly small and comes with a heavy plastic zip bag. Lightweight too.

I tried it. Peed all down my leg. Squatting works for me. Lol.

 

[LizC-S]

Whilst researching what I may need for this trip, Sheewee and nipple protectors came up and thought I had come across a fetish website...... My original post was to have conveyed a humorous conundrum (said male was not a peregrino)

 

[LizC-S]

I tried it. Peed all down my leg. Squatting works for me. Lol.

Apparently put the tube in an empty plastic bottle....

 

[Tincatinker]

I tried it. Peed all down my leg.

That used to happen to me quite frequently for the first few years....

 

[Kelownagurl]

I tried it. Peed all down my leg. Squatting works for me. Lol.

Was it the Freshette or another brand? I didn't have any trouble even the first time I used it.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

On one merry expedition along the Portuguese, we started collecting euphemisms for seeking a pee-spot outdoors: "gotta see a man about a horse," "Pay the water bill," "contribute to the ecosystem" "allocate additional inner space," right down to "do the tube-shake," "wet the leaves," "hunker down," or "examine the facilities." My all-around favorite was "it's time to shake hands with the president."

 

[t2andreo]

Watering the grass works for me...

 

[oursonpolaire]

One of my more memorable Camino experiences was rounding a bend on the meseta and coming to a row of four young Germans singing a Bach chorale (I remembered the tune and have since identified it as Christ lag in Todesbanden), and heard a women's voice choking with laughter from behind them. They were students from Gottingen who were kindly providing a visual and aural shield for their companion.

 

[whariwharangi]

Is it true that grapes collected from next to the camino make for better tasting wine?

 

[David]

I tend to go with "offering a libation to the earth spirits"

 

[Icacos]

I tend to go with "offering a libation to the earth spirits"

Took me a second to figure out to what you were referring. Yes, I think your expression is highly appropriate.

 

[Bradypus]

(said male was not a peregrino)

I'm intrigued. You could tell just from the rather "specialised" view you had? Adds a worrying new dimension to all the debate about what makes a real pilgrim

 

[psychoticparrot]

If the man is trying to be discreet, then I would ignore him.

If he's peeing out in the open when he could have politely gone behind a tree, I would say, "D minus" as I passed by.

 

[Albertagirl]

If the man is trying to be discreet, then I would ignore him.

If he's peeing out in the open when he could have politely gone behind a tree, I would say, "D minus" as I passed by.

@psychotic parrot:
There is a good chance that he would know no English and would not have the faintest idea what you were saying. Even if he knew some English, your comment might not mean anything at all to him, in his own cultural context. It took me a while to get used to the men in Montreal simply turning their backs when they wished to urinate, but that was the local custom. As a newcomer from a somewhat different culture, it was not my business to try to correct them. I think it was rather like the old idea about an ostrich becoming invisible if it hid its head in the sand. It seemed to work, for men only. I have seen a young girl in East Africa squatting down by the path to urinate, then simply standing up and going on. She wore a skirt, and presumably no underwear. In general, I try to accept the local customs when travelling, although I regret the litter which is left on the camino by our current toilet practices.

 

[vicky mc]

I'm taking a little roll of doggie poo bags then any 'tissue' or food wrappers I can put in a bag and dispose of it at the next available bin. There's really no need to leave litter about and any waste should be covered etc. I live in Scotland which is quite remote and wouldn't dream of leaving used toilet tissue blowing about.

Also here's a true story that happened just last month. Two dogs belonging to the same owner died a horrible death through "poisoning " in a remote area right here where I live when all was investigated the only thing the vets came up with was that one dog ate human waste from someone who had been on drugs either legal or illegal the second dog began to eat the vomit from the first one. And died later. Please be considerate where you go to the loo. I know we all can get caught short but a little thought is all that's needed. Buen Camino you lovely people.

 

[tpmchugh]

On the, long, walk home from the pub my dad would occasionally stop to 'look for birds' nests'. My mother would occasionally disappear off track to ' see how the blackberries were doing'. I never noticed them doing anything else. My brother and I were occasionally encouraged to 'water the trees'. No-one seemed to take any notice of that either.

Fortunately never had the problem on the camino but pub is the operative word. On the camino I never ever drink beer or wine when I stop for second breakfast or lunch. Coffee or tea only. But like your Dad, have been there when walking home from the local

 

[Jeff Crawley]

May have told this before . . .

September 2001 a fellow pilgrim had crested the Sierra del Perdon and was dying for a pee - there's not, as I'm sure you remember, much cover on the way up.

Sheltering behind a convenient tree he let nature take its course when (in his words) a charming Frenchwoman popped up from nowhere and, looking at the flow said "M'sieur, yellow pee is God's way of telling you that you are not drinking enouth water!"

He looked down he saw he'd soaked his boots . . . .

 

[JennyH94]

On the Camino, when confronted with this sort of situation, I find it most helpful to quote Shakespeare VERY LOUDLY when passing said peeing pilgrim. "To pee, or not to pee, that is the question" is a particularly good one!