I am relieved that I can live peacefully and fashionably with my untannable snow-white freckled skin here in China.
Plus, the modesty factor is quite high.
We took a three day road trip to a coastal city this weekend and did the ultimate budget vacation for 7.
Read: youth hostel. Enough said.
We had quite the eclectic lodging experience although my kids would have liked to stay in the parked train car on the hillside instead of indoors.
And the bonus of meeting interesting people like the German guy who’s been biking across three continents for the past 16 months.
So, back to the beach.
Just let it be known that you will see less skin per capita at a Chinese beach than any other place in Europe, The Americas, or SE Asia.
I can’t speak to the Middle East.
The only sunbathers in sight were a couple of European women in their bikinis–everyone else (in the female category) was decked to the fingertips and toes in hats, scarves, windbreakers, long pants, high heels, and the ultimate face-kini-connected-to-jumpsuit.
Take note of the gloves.
Instead of parasols and lawn chairs, you could expect to see tents, tents and more tents.
Most people came not so much to get into the ocean as to look at it for a while–as evidenced by the high numbers of people not wearing anything remotely close to our idea of beach wear.
Although, Mr Chopstix though he spied some men skinny dipping on the far edge of the beach.
But hey, there are many ways to enjoy the ocean and everybody was having a good time!
Chopstix for Seven 