Showers for Men Only

And because this blog is all text and so few photos, I just felt the need to share this sign I discovered on my photo walk this afternoon.

I’m a little confused. Because this is a residential area, and there aren’t homeless people hanging around like they do in the plazas of downtown Buenos Aires where I used to live. And this didn’t appear to be a church or anything. So why are they offering showers and meals? And only for men? Instead of a bed and breakfast, is this like a shower and breakfast?

The funny thing is that since I was reflecting on international perspectives, the first thing that came to my mind was that it was some kind of weird code for prostitution, like in Mexico when you’re driving down the highway and you see a little side street and clothes hanging off a tree. Sometimes, it’ll be women’s lingerie, but usually it’s just a shirt or something. But that’s how you know you can drive down that little street and there will be a house with prostitutes. Or like how in Mexico a piano bar has nothing to do with a piano (hint: see previous example of weird international codes).

So naturally (for me, at least), thought this was another one of those kind of things. Of course, anyone Argentinian who’s reading this probably knows exactly what this sign means and is laughing their head off right now.

Or maybe I just have an active imagination. And you’re ALL laughing your heads off right now.