Sweet & Sour

Sweet

While in the West we spend our summers lying on the beach in the sun trying to get a tan or playing outdoors in order to achieve that "sun-kissed" look, in China, women attach umbrellas on their bicycles so as to avoid the smallest of sun rays. China's love of white skin renders Chinese beaches barren until around 5pm. While in the West we have fake tanning creams, here that notion is blatantly absurd. Skin bleaching isn't just for Michael Jackson, here practically all sunscreens and the vast majority of skin creams and products all contain a whitening agent.

Now that all the girls on the other end of the earth are cooking themselves in the sun and I can't find normal face cream, I will continue to enjoy the mornings and afternoons on the beach where I can have acres of empty sand before me until the sun goes down and all the sun-avoiding people come out to play.

Andrea Hunt, posted on www.eChinacities.com

Sour

So often at the restaurants I go to with my family, I feel the wait staff seem to be hovering too close to our table. While I understand they mean to be attentive and ensure that they do not miss any look cast their way, it would be nice to dine in a less intrusive atmosphere.

For me, these occasions are not just about eating out but also a time for the whole family together discussing, sometimes even arguing, about some topic. I know we are dining in a public space but a little more privacy seems warranted. It's somewhat disconcerting to find that even a casual look around the restaurant is being closely followed by another pair of eyes, although that may not be the intention.

Usha Sankar

(China Daily 07/06/2009 page10)