Beijing or not Beijing: That is the question

"I also love the narrow hutong downtown, even if there are few left," she says, adding that she likes the simple way native Beijingers live in those alleys.

For her an afternoon in a downtown cafe watching life go by is an afternoon well spent.

She regards herself as a foodie and thinks there is no other place like Beijing for choice of dining.

As for the dirty air and the crowds, she once joked: "I'd prefer to die of a disease caused by pollution than drop dead with boredom in some small town."

In many respects, she and I are of one mind. Even with its ills - the kinds of problems any big city faces - there is a lot to be said for Beijing.

Personally, I cannot imagine living on a beautiful island or in the mountains, even with fresh air and a superb environment 365 days of the year. Take me there on a holiday? Yes. But get me to stay there seeing nothing but blue skies and green grass day in and day out? No, thank you.

Perhaps I am still young at heart, craving the excitement of cities, including visiting museums and parks during the day and going to concerts in the evening. Walking through the hustle and bustle of a city, bathed in its neon lights - even if they are filtered through haze - does wonders for my spirits.

Another thing is that Beijing has a certain charm that other big cities lack. For me it is barely describable, but comes down to a sense of belonging that only those who live here can feel.

Others can do what they want; I will endure any smog that the weather and other conditions can conjure up, but I will use a good air filter at home and protect myself with a mask and any other necessary clothing.

Of course we need to stop things from getting worse, including reducing the numbers of cars on the road, reducing coal burning, taking fewer showers, reducing the use of air conditioning and turning off lights to save electricity.