If you ask someone to describe Beijing, it’s highly likely they will mention the pollution. In fact, tales of Beijing pollution travel far and wide and, as if they didn’t have enough on their plate, it’s even been causing concerns for the Olympics.

With all of this, it’s only natural that friends and family should inquire about the pollution. Is it really all that bad?!

To answer this question, I took a photo out of my window a few days ago. The photo is taken mid-morning and is of what I would describe as a ‘two block day’. Quite literally, one can only see two blocks down the street. ‘One block’ days are not uncommon.