A love for umbrellas

Having lived in China for a year and a half now I have picked up on some odd things that the Chinese love. I guess they are odd for me (and other foreigners) but to the Chinese these things are probably not odd. For example, a food called cho dofu (translated smelly tofu). If you wonder how it got its name, the name explains it all. Literally you walk by where they are cooking it and you are bombarded with a stench. Another thing they (mainly the girls) are mixed match patterns and glittery clothes. Anything article of clothing is almost guaranteed to have glitter on it or have been bedazzled. However, they have a deep and devoted love to umbrellas. Considering it does rain quite a bit I would expect there to be umbrellas out and about quite often, but even when it does not rain they manage to emerge and make themselves present in the street. This wouldn't be so annoying, except that dodging umbrellas has become a regular routine that I am not too keen on. Today it was cold enough to snow. I will admit that I like it better when it snows over the rain because I don't get all wet and the streets are not as muddy, but I found it very peculiar that even in the snow the Chinese have umbrellas out. I am convinced that their deep devotion to them enables them to justify using them 365 days a year. I realize that there is a justification for using the umbrella so the snow does not fall on your head, but never in my life have I been out on a snowy day with hundreds (that really is not an exaggeration, maybe only a slight one) of umbrellas all around me. Oh well, such is life. Even after a year and a half of living here I have not picked up this daily commitment of umbrella usage, but then again I enjoy the sunshine on my face and collection of snow flakes on my head and jacket.