I wasn't sure (you read all sorts of things on this topic!)

SO sad. Thanks for posting..

if you go outside the center of beijing, you will find some good places in nice air condition

Late reply: I live in Shanghai where, as of late, the pollution has been truly unbelievable - almost like a dream. The AQI is 500 - you can't see anything. I have never seen it this bad (no pun). It gets like this in Beijing more often than it does in Shanghai--this is the first time Shanghai has been like this but Beijing has already experienced a few instances of it this fall/winter. All that said--I am healthy and fit and have been having respiratory problems. I would not recommend visiting Beijing in the late fall or winter (also it's quite cold). If possible, spring, summer (though it's hot), or early fall are best.

I have been receiving emails daily from my colleagues in Shanghai asking about job prospects here in Bangkok....People want out and they are willing to do what ever it takes....

On the subject:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/23/wo...kies.html?_r=0

More:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/su...c-country.html

It's awful to think of all the consequences these people -- and others down-wind -- will face. Truly appalling.

I was in Beijing for work in mid-January, and the smog was dreadful, except for one day when a cold Mongololian wind swept through (luckily, the day I visited the Wall, which meant that I could see it clearly, even in the distance). I wear contacts and my eyes got quite irritated. Air quality indices were ranging from 220-300 during my time there. We traveled to Xi'an and it was just as bad there. The gray haze makes it very hard to appreciate colors or scenery, and all I could think about was the health of individuals exposed to this on a regular basis, and the potential impact on the terra cotta warriors. Also traveled to Yunnan province (Lijiang/Tacheng/Shangri-la) where the fresh air was lovely and where people identify themselves as environmental refugees. I wonder how long those conditions will last with increasing touristic pressure. It is a very sad situation, and I would not choose to return to China for tourism.

China is soon to become and environmental and economic wasteland. The top elite seem to be leaving the country by the millions and are quite willing to make China an industrial machine, devoid of any environmental ethics or laws, so they can feed their foreign bank accounts and lifestyles. I am bittersweet with our departing China as we really enjoyed our time there and my colleagues are leaving the country in droves and there really seems nothing worth returning to, at least in the short term. So sad.

@ cokesmith -- I hope your next/new home is much to your liking and that you carry with you myriad endearing memories of China. The circumstances are, indeed, extraordinarily sad.

Thanks Kja. We have so many fond memories of China. (Not sure if you have seen our blog or not: http://cokesmithphototravel.com/our-...adventure.html) But yes we are now living in Thailand it is dramatically better for us. Of course Thailand is no environmental utopia, but one cannot compare this country to China in that area.

@cokesmith - so sorry you had to leave. But, much as I enjoyed my trips to China, I have doubts now about returning, other than to the far west and Tibet. (And by far west I don't mean Xinjiang, which sounds to have been thoroughly Hanified since I was there in 2001.)

Cokesmith - good luck with your new job and home in Thailand. I'm sure it is a comfort to be back with family. Perhaps we will return one day to Thailand and meet up again.

Cokesmith - It was your wonderful blog that reinforced our desire to see the snub-nosed monkeys in Tacheng, thank you for that! We went to that magical park twice, and on one day, we were the only visitors. Granted it was January, but it was a lovely sunny day. I have many fond memories of China from our brief trip, and am terribly saddened by the pollution.