Rain, Rain

Santiago, sadly, ranks among the worst cities in the Americas for air quality-- alongside such places as Los Angeles and Mexico city.  Basically, wind comes off the Pacific and the wind halts at the Andes.  All of the pollution of roughly seven million inhabitants collides with that mighty chain of mountains, and it is trapped until rainfall clears the air.

We went quite a few months without appreciable rainfall.  then, Sunday night, it happened.  I climbed Cerro San Cristobal on Tuesday.  The smog was already returning, but this is one of the photos that I captured.  Lovely days after rain!  Just before, the government had restricted physical education classes to remaining indoors and discouraged people from performing strenuous labor outdoors to avoid breathing in the cloudy air.  At least here, we have room to breathe!