Umbrellas are not just a wet weather accessory in Hong Kong. You are as likely to see local people race for cover or grab their umbrellas when the sun comes out as when there is a complete downpour. I was running by Stanley Beach on a particularly hot morning recently and observed people staking out the prime beach real estate - under trees with thick branches and leaves, where no light could reach. Not having the sun pounding down definitely keeps a person cooler - and with the intense heat, cooling off is what everyone is trying to do these days. But, a trip down the sunscreen aisle at a Walgreens-like store, I realized that sheltering oneself from the sun isn't just a practical concern.
Apparently, getting a tan is not considered attractive from an Asian beauty standpoint. There were no self-tanning products or bronzers that you see in the US right along side the sunscreen. Instead, half the aisle was dedicated to skin whitening products. I thought it was interesting to see recognizable brands - L'Oreal, Garnier, Ponds, etc. - in the skin whitening market.
The price of the sunscreen almost made me take up using an umbrella - $12 USD for 4 ounces (that was a discounted price!). Still, I walked away happy with my 50 SPF - beautiful or not, I don't want to go to the beach and sit under the trees!
I just finished reading Shanghai Girls and marveled at how the characters applied a mixture on their skin of cold cream and cocoa so they would appear to be peasants and escape. Even a pink flush to the skin was considered undesirable. So different from countries where sun tans are the sign of health.
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