I think this is short for tazas turcas, and it obviosuly some kind of toilet - exactly what kind I don't know, and now have to attend to baby for some hours.

HTH

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Note added at 2003-06-05 11:54:34 (GMT)
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Turkish toilet seems to exist - hope it checks out

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Note added at 2003-06-05 17:17:55 (GMT) Post-grading
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I thought - until I excused myself to go to the ladies room where I was amazed to see...a Turkish toilet. For those of you who have never seen or used one of these contraptions, let me explain. A Turkish toilet is very simply a hole in the floor with two raised platforms for your feet. Until 1970, Turkish toilets were what you got in almost all Parisian cafés. Fortunately, they have gradually been phased out and so your chances of stumbling upon one aren\'t all that great
http://perso.club-internet.fr/hwelty/Paris/Column.html

How to Use a Turkish Toilet

It can be disconcerting to be confronted with a Turkish (or \"hole\") toilet. You will find them still, even in Paris, and certainly in the countryside.

Difficulty Level: average Time Required: 10 minutes

Using a Turkish toilet with grace and safety.

1. Have toilet paper in hand or close as you approach the hole in the floor

2. There may be footprints or colored tiles showing where to stand. If not, remember water runs down hill

3. Squat over the hole (remember camping?)

4. Ladies if you\'re wearing slacks, remember to hold up the back of the slacks. If wearing a skirt, make sure to pull up high in the back.

5. Look around, if there\'s a wastebasket, that\'s where the toilet paper goes, if not, put it in the hole.

6. After finishing and adjusting clothing, lean over as far away as possible from the water to flush; it splashes.

7. Maintain a sense of humor

http://www.turkgenealogy.com/content/Neat Things.htm

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Note added at 2003-06-05 17:19:15 (GMT) Post-grading
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Toilets--There are two types of waste repositories in Turkey, the traditional toilet and the Turkish toilet, that dreaded porcelain contraption in the floor. Traditional toilet bowls are equipped at the rear with a tube for running water operated by a faucet located on the wall to the right of the tank, allowing for quick cleanups after every use. Many Turks and Europeans swear the Turkish toilet is hygienically superior; but having stepped in more unidentifiable liquids than I care to remember, I\'m not convinced. In any case, you\'ll be thankful for those footrests and might even master the art of avoiding backsplash. The floor-level faucet and bucket are also for quick wash-ups (probably the reason the floor is wet); in both cases, toilet paper is for drying. Flushing the toilet paper is sometimes hazardous to the life of the plumbing, but generally when this is the case, there will be a sign above the tank requesting that you dispose of it in the nearby wastebasket. My advice? Lift your skirts high, hang on to the cuffs of your pants, and always carry tissues.

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/turkey/0349020157.html

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Note added at 2062 days (2009-01-26 13:18:35 GMT) Post-grading
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Also known as:

squat pan / squat toilet / floor-level toilet / Eastern toilet / squatting closet / Asiatic closet