covered up

Okay, so I know I've established that Japanese women are tiny and that their hair doesn't move when subjected to the extremities of the weather, but here's another thing: they have pristine, porcelain looking skin.

And here's why: they cover up. When the sun is out, they use umbrellas and wear funky, flappy hats. When they exercise, if they are actually wearing shorts, they have spandex pants underneath, and usually, even if it's one billion degrees out, they're also wearing a long sleeved top. And one of the most interesting things is that quite often, they wear gloves, of the fingerless variety. They sport short and long ones. I saw one woman shading herself under a fancy umbrella, with a little extra UV protection found in long gloves to her shoulders - only her fingers showing. But obviously it pays off. They really are a beautiful people.

And then there's me. I wake up in the morning, throw open the drapes, and if the sun is shining, do a happy dance. I find great satisfaction in donning my running tank and shorts, hitting the trail, and letting the sun do its work. And I'm seriously proud of my flip flop tan line on my feet, as the Cheney gals will attest - I kept showing them how good it was getting all week. And I realize that I have a problem (please recall), but sunshine and I just simply get along. The whole porcelain skin thing just doesn't do anything for me. I really should learn something from these gals and their UV protection skills, because the whole not eating thing won't work out (hello Japanese pastries) so I won't be achieving a comparable waist size any time soon.

But when it comes to skin, I prefer glowing, thank you very much. :)

PHOTO: In Nagoya, we visited Noritake Gardens, which houses Noritake, Co., one of the largest pottery and china producers in the world. It's also the home of one of the only remaining original red brick mills in Japan (few remain after WWII). It was a quaint and beautiful little gem we found hiding in the hustle and bustle. A woman left her gloves behind, so I grabbed a shot.