There are few public toilets in the Netherlands, but if you’re lucky enough to find one you can recognise if it's for Ladies (Dames) or Gents (Heren) by a symbol or a word on the door. When you have to go badly, it's not generally accepted to simply barge into a café or restaurant. If you do, staff will appreciate if you ask in advance if you may use the toilet. If you see a saucer by the toilets, then you're expected to donate a small amount of money for toilet maintenance; 20 or 50 cents is fine. Tip: Hema, a chain of shops which has branches in almost every town, has a paid public toilet. If you see a large, red sign with HEMA on it, then deliverance may be near!