Remember Beijing's Freakish Blue Sky Streak?

For the last week or more, Beijing's air and weather have been downright depressing. At times like this, it's hard to remember that just a little over a week ago, we were having some of the city's most beautiful blue skies in years. Since we complain so much about the pollution (and rightfully so), sometimes it's nice to remember the good times too. We've rounded up some photos of Beijing's beautiful blue sky days earlier this month. If you don't like what you're seeing outside your window, just revisit this blog. That's my strategy as long as this muck continues. Click through for more.

It's easier to see this if you get outside the city proper. This was at the Goose & Duck Ranch on June 7, when admittedly, the rest of the city was still swaddled in grey.

But things started looking up. Check out this gorgeous rainbow shot by the folks at Project Pengyou. We've been hoping that all the rain might scrub the pollution away and leave us with another sight like this, but no luck.

One of the best things about the recent blue sky streak was the gorgeous cloud formations. This dramatic shot was taken by Rashiq Muhamad Ali (@rashiq), who started the Instagramers Beijing group (IgersBeijing). You'll read more about them in our July issue, with more to come on the blog.

Nice to see the Temple of Heaven with a backdrop that actually looks heavenly. This photo was taken by Instagram user @beijingemily, also part of the IgersBeijing group. Heck, if you're on Instagram, take a look at all the photos tagged #igersbeijing. There's a great set of shots by people who love photography and love Beijing.

And this shot actually was the view from our office on June 14 (or at least from near the elevators just outside our office). Visibility like that must be the stuff of dreams for birdwatchers, archers and Spiderman. I guess peeping toms, too, so when the sky's that clear don't forget to close your curtains when you're coming out of the shower. (As a side note, for other tips on avoiding pervs, see here.)

Finally, a look at what is probably the lowest API reading I'll ever see living in Beijing. If you happen to own an iDevice, we suggest you download the CN Air Quality app. It shows you the US Embassy ratings alongside China's MEP rating, so you get both sides of the story. You can decide which one you trust more, which, I know, is a tough one. Once you've checked today's air quality, you'll know whether to don an air filter mask or not.

What, you don't have a mask yet? Check out our handy air filter mask guide, also in our July issue.

Did any of you store up amazing photos of Beijing's blue skies? If so, post them below.

Photos: Marilyn Mai, Project Pengyou and Instagram users beijingemily and rashiq