Speaking of the Opera House...

As a masterpiece of late modern architecture, the Sydney Opera House serves as a landmark to Sydney, as well as Australia as a whole. When you converse with anyone around the world about Australia, they are going to associate this kangaroo and koala infested country with the Opera House.  It is such an interesting building with an even more interesting history – but I won’t bore you with a history lesson so I’ll let you pay the $35 for the tour once you decide to hop over the Pacific and visit…

Instead, I want to talk about how nice the infrastructure is. I mean, we are talking about a building with the sole purpose to host fancy shmancy performances. From plays and musicals, to the symphony and hosting the most famous opera singers in the world, the Opera House has got swag. But, honestly, how does one classify this swanky building as being so superior from just another performing arts building? The answer: bathrooms.  Yes, you read it correctly – as a form of critiquing and comparing a fancy venue from an ordinary venue, I assess its fanciness by my personal standards, unofficially named the “Rank of the Restroom”.

Some typical observations to take notice are:

• Lighting – am I standing in front of a mirror produced by florescent lights that make me look like the girl from The Ring? Or, instead, is there a nice soft light that magically lifts the cheekbones and erases blemishes – which in turn boosts my confidence and perhaps produces the notion of wanting to take a mirror selfie…
• Mirrors – basically, is there a full-length mirror? If not, you might as well be in a McDonald’s bathroom.
• Technology – are the toilets automatic? How about the sinks? Soap dispensers? Hand dryers?
• Towels – first of all, there must be paper towels. I don’t mind hand dryers, but they cannot be my only option. Secondly, what quality of paper towel are we working with? The paper towels that feel like an actual towel are specifically made for the most prestigious bathrooms, and are only offered in Top Tier restrooms.
• Lounges – is there a sofa, or a nice lounge area in the restroom? How comfortable is said chaise lounge? I don’t really understand the point of a sitting area in a room specifically used to relieve oneself, but only the best-ranked restrooms offer this accommodation.
• Wild card – is there something about the restroom that makes it stand apart from anything you have ever been in before? Perhaps, the floor tiles, or countertops? Maybe you take special notice in the modernized faucets and sinks?

The restroom is such an interesting place to me.  Every venue has one (in accordance to the law), and yet every one is different.  Same purpose, yet a new atmosphere each time.

So I bet you are wondering now, what ranking did the Sydney Opera House get on Cary’s Rank of the Restroom scale??  Well on a standard 1-10 scale, I would give it an 8/10.  I had higher hopes for the hand towels, and honestly, the lack of comfort in the chaise lounge disappointed me slightly. But I can’t complain about the extra large full-length mirror and the amazing lighting making me look and feel like Australia's Next Top Model.

Until the next fancy shmany venue I go to in Australia, I will use the Opera House restroom as a benchmark for my Rank of the Restroom – Australia Edition.