A is for Air Quality

The first time I went to Beijing I fell in love with the city. I had been in China for months, but it was on that weekend escapade that it dawned on me that I was actually in China. Beijing wowed me. We had three days of blue skies and cold, crisp air. Little did I know that my photos of that visit would become sort of a collector's item!

I avoid obsessing with checking pollution levels. Breathing is unavoidable, and I've spent enough on therapy to be able to let go of most things when there is nothing I can do about them. And I hate the feeling of second-hand air that you get when using a mask.

However, upon arriving in Beijing a few weeks ago, even I could notice that pollution was off the charts. And eventually, I did check. And the index was 414! The image above shows Guangzhou rated as VERY UNHEALTHY today, at a mere 296. Well...414 is considered HAZARDOUS. Yet, what to do?

We got out of the plane, walked into a foul fog, and had to wait for our luggage in a place that smelled like an indoor parking lot where all engines have been left running. Looking out of the window during our taxi ride was pointless. It was the middle of the night and all we could see were the street lights dimmed by the smog.

I am pretty sure that Robin was unimpressed. Beijing may boast the prettiest monuments in the whole of China, but their airport is certainly not one of them. So if that and the air are to be your first impressions of this wonderful city, it will most likely do the opposite of wowing you.

And at a certain level, I regret that because "A is for Air Quality" this will also be the readers' first impression of our wonderful adventure in China.  It seems unfair that the only ancient civilization that is still standing will be appraised by the most publicly known aspects of it. Ruthless "progress". Pollution. Work conditions. Spitting.

On Saturday morning the skies cleared for us. We had four gorgeous days. I would not go as far as to state that we had blue skies, but pollution went down to the hundreds and we could feel the boost of collective energy that happens with the beginning of spring after a long winter.

Despite the low point at which we started, Beijing was probably the highlight of this tour. But for more of that, stay tuned for B. B is for Beijing.