constant grey haze

santiago was quite cool today. the daytime high reached a high of only 7 C. when i got up this morning i could see my breath. something that i have had difficulties adjusting to in santiago is the continual thick grey haze that covers the city skyline. i am told there are mountains that surround the entire city, however, i can barely make out the vague shape of mountains due to the heavy haze. locals tell me that the haze takes over the city for 9 months of the year. on occassions, i was informed that the haze will lift enough to see the outlines of the mountains. but this is a rare. i hiked up two parks/mountains in santiago today. at the top of the first hike i could not make much in the city´s skyline. high rise buildings would dissappear into the haze after five or six floors. the crosses atop churhes often could barely be made out. i dont know if i could live with this haze for 9 months of the year. it makes you appreciate the wide open spaces of the prairies. during the second hike, the haze lifted enough that the outline of mountains and tall buildings could be made. the haze would drive me nuts if i lived here.