When is a Chinese Beach Too Crowded?

 

Never!  There's always room for more people.

I took these photos at the park/lake （南湖）near our home.  We frequently walk at this park, we ice skated on this water in the winter,  and we have had many a picnic here.  It is a happening place, but never as busy as we saw the beaches this past week. 

 

And did you notice. . .

• Hardly anyone is wearing a swimming suit?  Small children swim nude or in their undergarments and parents wade out in their casual summer clothes.  Older men tend to wear Speedos and swim at a different part of the lake.
• The tents pitched everywhere?  People want to be outdoors in the summer, but they don't want the sun on their skin.  Sun screen is not a household item in China, but summer gloves, parasols, and long-sleeve shirts are worn all through the summer.  The tents are relief and protection from the sun for a country of people who are dark-complected but wish they were pasty white.
• The water quality?  Well, it's not too clear in the photos, but you can take my word for it, this is "dirty, polluted, be careful not to get any in your mouth" water.

 We haven't pitched a tent or hopped in the water. . .yet.  If it gets hot enough, we might find ourselves mingling in this China beach crowd.