A Picture Perfect Blue Sky

I couldn’t believe my eyes as I woke up this morning. On the nicest day of my two months in Beijing, I witnessed a miracle -- bright sunshine with a clear, blue sky. I made use of the bright direct sunlight, and escaped the volleyball venue for the Olympic Green as quickly as possible. I witnessed a vibrant sunset light the Bird’s Nest, followed by a clear view of the moon a few hours later. Olympic tourists were taking advantage of the brilliant light as well, posing for portraits in the golden sun on the Green.

This wasn’t my first sunny day in Beijing, but it was probably the clearest. Visibility was unrestricted, with a clear view of the mountains surrounding the city. Today’s weather definitely had a positive effect on locals and tourists alike -- everyone seemed to enjoy the sunlight, and the Olympic Green was more packed than ever. Throughout the day, I overheard visitors crediting yesterday’s rain for the clear sky today, but past rains have not yielded such incredible results. I have less than a week left in China, but I’m hopeful that we’ll have another day as incredible as today before next weekend hits.