4/21 Face Masks

Found out today that the face masks (which can cover the neck and shoulders), long elbow length gloves, and thong knee high thong socks the most of the women and some of the men wear on their motorbikes are for sun not smog protection! The masks that come in every color shade and fabric are sold in all the stores and on the streets. It's still really strange to look out into a sea of people mostly covered from head to toe - kind of feels like some kind of epidemic apocalypse and creates a subtle feeling of isolation and seperation.  The obsession with white skin is similar to India - and, from what I've heard - the rest of Asia.  It's very difficult to find lotion that doesn't have bleach or "whitening" cream in it.  While I'm fair and don't mind the "whitening" cream, most of my fellow Western travelers have to search for days to find normal face cream.Don't get me wrong, still starting to love Saigon more and more just had to comment on the strange mask phenomenon.;).