Every year at this time, bloggers from all over the world weigh in on the topic of baths. The Bathroom Blogfest has been going on for six years and the topic for 2011 is "Climbing Out." Not in the sense of climbing out of the commode but in the sense of climbing out of recession.

I've been fortunate to spend a fair amount of time abroad this year and in walking around a bath trade show in Europe, one would be hard-pressed to notice that there's a global recession on. While in the US, people seem thrilled to wallow in the economic doldrums, in Europe people can't shed them fast enough.

The key word over there right now is color and I hope with everything I have that the economic optimism I've seen in Europe this year extends across the Atlantic, and soon. While economic conditions in the EU are bad, they are addressing them. Unlike here in the US where everybody seems to want to point fingers and whine about the price of groceries.

As bad as things are in the US, I'm convinced that the first Economics teacher I ever had was right, recessions are psychological. So while the US languishes in shades of gray, the EU loves color. Here are some shots I took of Cersaie, the tile and bath show I went to in Bologna a few weeks ago.

See all that color? Good to moderate times are coming. I believe that with every fiber of my being. So long as the Tea Party implodes that is. Sorry to get political. Kind of. Anyhow, here are some examples of the bright colors I've seen in the EU.

Posted By Paul Anater