If I had to pay to rent a toilet facility, I would expect cable TV, a selection of current magazines, a height adjustable toilet bowl to accomodate my knees, possibly a karaoke machine, velvet toilet paper, a subservient shoe shiner and a minstrel offering different colognes and warm towels.
Beautiful downtown Catemaco offers at least 30 private rental toilet facilities. But not a single one accomodates my wishful shit list.
Although Catemaco is internationally famous for brujos (witches), its main attraction is a puppet representing a catholic religious person, La Virgen del Carmen (alleged mother of Jesus, who allegedly made an appearance in Catemaco on the day of the Saint Carmen´s birthday, July 16), and is stored within the cathedral on Catemaco´s central square, and only permitted to leave on her holi/birthday, or when someone pays enough to use her in a procession.
Tens of thousands of worshippers, ususally in rental buses, annually visit Catemaco to worship this Virgin. Most are cash strapped campesinos, carrying sandwiches and a few pesos to buy flowers to salute La Virgen. And most arrive here from hundreds of miles away.
Obviously they need some relief. And the enterprising folks of Catemaco have responded. Dozens of entrepreneurs have opened their homes or backyards to construct communal toilets, charging 3 to 5 pesos per sitting, considerably less than what local brujos charge for a spirtual cleaning.
But not a single one offers cable TV or velvet toilet paper. Competition obviously is not a factor. Price fixing is common. This is not like an airline promising more leg room, current movies, or culinary specialties. The offering is simply a ceramic shell, hopefully with a seat and a door, and single sheet paper which may or may not be an option to purchase.
Note after publication:
My partner, a non pracicing, but nevertheless devout catholic, was terribly offended by my use of the term "puppet", (statue/puppet/doll/figurine/marionette) which according to her translates into Spanish as marionette, although my intent was similar to "doll" which would translate to "muneca".
The actual statue/puppet/doll/figurine/marionette is rather small, not particularly attractive, dressed in a fancy costume, and maintained within the Catemaco Basilica, unless on exhibit inside a glass cage on a Catemaco Malecon plaza dedicated to her.
The statue/puppet/doll/figurine/marionette's other appearances around Catemaco are on holidays ordained by the local clergy, or when requested by anyone with sufficient money.
Beautiful downtown Catemaco offers at least 30 private rental toilet facilities. But not a single one accomodates my wishful shit list.
Although Catemaco is internationally famous for brujos (witches), its main attraction is a puppet representing a catholic religious person, La Virgen del Carmen (alleged mother of Jesus, who allegedly made an appearance in Catemaco on the day of the Saint Carmen´s birthday, July 16), and is stored within the cathedral on Catemaco´s central square, and only permitted to leave on her holi/birthday, or when someone pays enough to use her in a procession.
Tens of thousands of worshippers, ususally in rental buses, annually visit Catemaco to worship this Virgin. Most are cash strapped campesinos, carrying sandwiches and a few pesos to buy flowers to salute La Virgen. And most arrive here from hundreds of miles away.
Obviously they need some relief. And the enterprising folks of Catemaco have responded. Dozens of entrepreneurs have opened their homes or backyards to construct communal toilets, charging 3 to 5 pesos per sitting, considerably less than what local brujos charge for a spirtual cleaning.
But not a single one offers cable TV or velvet toilet paper. Competition obviously is not a factor. Price fixing is common. This is not like an airline promising more leg room, current movies, or culinary specialties. The offering is simply a ceramic shell, hopefully with a seat and a door, and single sheet paper which may or may not be an option to purchase.
Note after publication:
My partner, a non pracicing, but nevertheless devout catholic, was terribly offended by my use of the term "puppet", (statue/puppet/doll/figurine/marionette) which according to her translates into Spanish as marionette, although my intent was similar to "doll" which would translate to "muneca".
The actual statue/puppet/doll/figurine/marionette is rather small, not particularly attractive, dressed in a fancy costume, and maintained within the Catemaco Basilica, unless on exhibit inside a glass cage on a Catemaco Malecon plaza dedicated to her.
The statue/puppet/doll/figurine/marionette's other appearances around Catemaco are on holidays ordained by the local clergy, or when requested by anyone with sufficient money.
