The 10-plus days I’ve been here, we’ve had two types of weather.

Rain. And smog-choked gloom.

Ten consecutive days of one or the other. In both meteorogical conditions, the sun was basically a rumor. At best, making a short appearance before going behind the clounds (or gunk) again.

Imagine my surprise when I walked outside at 4 p.m. … and the sky was as bright and clear as Pasadena on New Year’s Day.

It might have been one of those double-take moments. Like, I walked outside … looked at the sun and sky … took a few more steps and then stopped … and looked at the sun and sky again.

So that is what it looks like here in China. When it’s not raining and the pollution has been blown out. For the moment anyway.

I saw lots of handsome scenery on the bus ride over to the cycling venue in Laoshan, in the southwest of the city.

Lots of green hills, marching off into the distance. All lit up by a sun that wasn’t trying to power through Beijing’s nearly perpetual photochemical haze.

I tried to think of what the scene reminded me of … and came up with Oahu. Honest.

No, the vegetation isn’t tropical. But the overall look reminded me of the interior of Oahu. Hills, but craggy ones, not rounded and soft. Peaking about 1,000 feet above the valley floor. Entirely covered in dark green.

A pleasure to look at, with the sun smiling down on our faces.

This actually could be scenic place. If it returned to nature.