NEW YORK CITY 23 April 2012 – Approach Guides, an independent publisher of digital travel guides, has just launched its first travel ebook to Myanmar (Burma): The Temples of Bagan. This travel guide, the first of its kind to Bagan, is available for $6.99 and takes travelers on a site-by-site tour, giving them a complete understanding of the art and architecture of one of the most magnificent and inspiring cultural sites in Southeast Asia.

This Approach Guide begins by providing an overview of Bagan’s architectural and artistic styles. It then offers 21 detailed profiles of its most important temples and stupas, employing over 120 high-resolution images and 20 floorplans with color highlights that make it easy to visually identify key features.

“This is a dynamic period in Myanmar’s history. After nearly 50 years of being closed to outsiders, the country is opening up, affording travelers a look into this fascinating country,” said David Raezer, co-founder and author of Approach Guides. “With our digital guidebook, travelers will gain insight into Bagan’s magnificent architectural and artistic legacy and how it evolved over time.”

Approach Guides are available exclusively as digital books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and www.approachguides.com.

Media Contact
Jennifer Raezer
Email: jennifer@approachguides.com
Tel: +1 917.213.6033

About Approach Guides
Approach Guides (www.approachguides.com) is an independent publisher and creator of digital wine and travel guide ebooks and mobile applications. Approach Guides publishes over 30 thematic guidebooks and three mobile applications that cover over 60 destinations worldwide, including sites in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. Approach Guides are available exclusively as digital books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and www.approachguides.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS

• Want to know what we say about a particular stupa, temple, or painting? We can email you the relevant pages.
• Review copies of Approach Guides “Guide Myanmar (Burma): Temples of Bagan” are available. Please email jennifer@approachguides.com and indicate your preferred reading device.

Fast Facts

Bagan

• Peak period: 850-1300 C.E.
• Stupas and Temples: 3,200+
• Map: http://g.co/maps/2r388

Tourist Arrivals at Yangon Airport
Source: http://bit.ly/xWz6Xl (PDF)

• 2009: 234,417
• 2010: 297,246
• 2011: 364,743

Approach Guide to Myanmar (Burma): Temples of Bagan

• “Pages”: 180
• Profiled Sites: 21
• High-Res Images: 120+
• Floorplans: 20

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GO: NY Times Travel Show This Weekend in NYC

Bathing in the Ganges in Varanasi, India

I felt brilliantly alive from the first moment we arrived in Varanasi. Its sights, sounds, colors, and yes, death, brought me immediately into the present, absorbing me in its endlessly fascinating spectacle of ritual activity. Over the next few days we would come to know the city in a very intimate way, learning what we could about its history and ritual. Here is some of what we learned.

Brief History of Varanasi

The city name, “Varanasi” (also known as Benares, likely a corruption of the name Varanasi), is derived from the two tributaries of the Ganges River — Varuna and Asi — between which it is situated.  Historically, the city has been known to the Hindus as Kasha, which means “brightness”, which gives the city its title as the “city of light”.

According to Hindu tradition, Varanasi is the oldest city in the world, the eternal city of Shiva. However, to put this in historical perspective, the city was likely settled by the Aryans, as they progressed eastward across the Gangetic plain in the earlier part of the 1st millenium BCE (1000-750 BCE). Although certainly still pretty old, this would make it far younger than the oldest Indian subcontinent civilization, the Harappan civilization (2300-1000 BCE) along the Indus River Valley, which existed simultaneously with the Sumerians in Mesopotamia (2900-1800 BCE) and the Old Kingdom Egyptians (2650-2134 BCE).

Sunrise on the Ganges River

Hindus have a cyclical view of life and death (death feeds life, and in turn, life feeds death, around and around again); in Varanasi in particular, this cycle is strikingly tangible and omnipresent: birth and death dominate the rituals of daily life.  The belief is reinforced by the city’s physical layout: Varanasi is entirely positioned on the west side of the Ganges, the side of the setting sun and therefore symbolic of the city’s association with death as the Hindu cremation center; at the same time,  the city faces east, the side of the rising sun, symbolic of rebirth and new life.

The east-facing direction of city creates incredible morning light; a sunrise boat ride is a highlight of any visit.  Since the city is entirely positioned on the west bank, sunrise boat rides afford the early riser unparalleled, magical, orange-hued views of ritual bathers performing puja (worship) of the rising sun and doing laundry.

Sunrise boat ride along the Ganges

The ”Burning” or Cremation Ghats in Varanasi

The stone steps (ghats) lining the Ganges — descending from the city, down the riverbank, and into to the river — emphasize the city’s focus on the sacred river. There are over 100 individual ghats in total lining the river’s edge; these steps make access to the river possible during wet (when the river runs high and only a few steps are visible) and dry (when the river runs low and many steps are visible) seasons.

As Hinduism’s most sacred city, Hindus arrange (to the extent possible) to die and be cremated in city, whereupon their ashes are left to be carried away by the sacred Ganges river.

The cremation fires at these ghats burn 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Firewood used for cremation: mango tree for common people and sandalwood for rich; apparently, double the weight of the body is required in firewood in order fuel the fire for the three hours it takes to cremate a body.  The premier cremation ghat in the city is Manikarnika Ghat, and lies about a 5-10 minutes walk north of the main ghat. No photographs are permitted, for obvious reasons.

Ceremonies at Dashaswamedh Ghat

Ganges ceremonies at sunset are held at the main (Dashaswamedh) ghat. Every day, as the sun sets, multiple Ganges ceremonies begin on the steps of the main ghat. The ceremony consists of bell-ringing (to ward off evil spirits) and offering a series of seven, elaborate gifts of light to the river.  The gifts of light get progressively brighter as the ceremony proceeds; it ends by floating candles on the water and pouring water into the Ganges. A definitely memorable experience…

Sunset ceremony along the Ganges in Varanasi

Arati Ceremony in Varanasi

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Top things to do in Tokyo: Tsukiji Market

Photo courtesy of the New York Times

This is one of our favorite shows and in addition to roaming the exhibition floor, we’re going to be paying special attention to the seminars this year. Here are a few that are on our radar:

• Travel and Technology: When It Helps and When It Doesn’t. (Saturday at 12pm).  We’re looking forward to a fun discussion on which apps and gadgets make the travel grade and which are worth leaving at home.
• Discover The New China (Saturday at 2pm). A panel of experts on China will offer up tips on traveling off the beaten path in China and exploring the unique cultural aspects the country has to offer.
• Burma (Myanmar) Renaissance (Sunday at 12:45p). After just returning home from a wonderful trip researching the temples of Bagan, we’re looking forward to this discussion on travel to Myanmar (Burma) and how recent government changes are affecting tourism.

After you’re finished at the Travel Show, why not pop over and see some of our wine friends at the NY Wine Expo next door? Two great events in the same location on the same weekend — we couldn’t be more excited!

Hope to see you this weekend!

New York Times Travel Show
Javitz Center, New York City
Saturday, March 3 from 10am – 6pm
Sunday, March 4 from 10am – 4pm
Discount Code: SOCIAL

History

The Mosque of Ibn Tulun, built from 876- 879 under the Tulunid Empire, is the oldest intact, functioning mosque in Cairo. Further, it is huge, covering approximately 6.5 acres. This is one of the best examples of the classic congregational courtyard mosque design. This is the earliest mosque design, is derived from the layout of what became the first mosque prototype, the house of the Prophet Mohammed in Medina.

The design was influenced heavily by the Great Mosque of Samarra (located in Iraq, built 848-851), where Ibn Tulun received his military training. That said, this mosque’s use of bricks as a building material (rather than marble), arcades based on rectangular piers with engaged colonnettes in the corners (rather than columns), a spiraling minaret (the most striking similarity, both inspired by the shape of the Babylonian stepped ziggurat), and detailed stucco work are clear adaptations from Samarra.

View of the minaret from the courtyard of Ibn Tulun

What to look for during your visit

• Original inscriptions run along the arcades near the ceiling. These Koranic inscriptions are done on sycamore wood and are nearly 2 kilometers in length; at this length, it is estimated that the walls contain nearly 1/15 of the entire Koran.
• Stucco decoration lining the along the arches, interestingly, was created by pressing wooden molds into wet plaster.
• This mosque was the first to use the pointed-arch as part of a vast architectural complex; as a historical point of comparison, note that the pointed arches of this mosque pre-date those of the first French Gothic (an architectural movement synonymous with the point arch, among other characteristics) by more than 250 years!

Guide to Islamic Cairo

Islamic Cairo is unique: it is the only place in the world where you can see architectural remains of nearly every great Islamic Empire. Our Guide to Islamic Cairo gives travelers a deeper look into the history and monuments of the Islamic empires that controlled Cairo throughout time.

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Wine Bar in Venice

What to order in an Italian Wine bar

Cichetti

Cichetti (chi-KEHT-tee) are the bite-sized “Italian” brethren of tapas (basically, small snacks). Some of the most popular cichetti include salumi (especially soppressata and prosciutto di San Daniele); crostini topped with baccala (salted cod) and alici (anchovies); and cheeses such as piave, a local cow’s milk cheese similar to parmigiano-reggiano.

Ombre

Ombre (OHM-bray) are small glasses of wine (ombre translates as “shadow”, apparently where the Venetians traditionally drank the wine). We suggest sticking to the local wines while in Venice, such as a sparkling white prosecco from the Valdobiadenne DOC or a smooth, medium-bodied red from the Valpolicella DOC.

Top four wine bars in Venice

Wine bars in Venice are also known as cichetteria. These are some of our favorites:

• Al Marca (Campo Cesare Battisti, near the fish market, just off the Rialto bridge in San Polo). Perhaps our favorite in the city. Good for wine, aperitifs (try the local favorite: spritz con Aperol or Campari), and mini sandwiches with wine in the evening and coffee in the morning. Stand outside in the campo with the rest of the crowd — this bar is just a hole in the wall place.
• La Cantina, 3689 Strada Nuova, Cannaregio; (39-041) 522 8258. Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Closed Sunday. Very good place, with good wines and probably the best tasty small plates of meats and seafood.
• I Rusteghi. Campiello del Tentor San Marco; 041/523 2205. Just off the Rialto bridge and right around the corner from Alle Botte in the corner of a small campo, it’s a little more upscale than Alle Botte and its less busy atmosphere allows for interactions with the family behind the bar. Drinks and small sandwiches. The frizzante rose is worth a try.
• Banco Giro, 122 Campo San Giacometto, San Polo; (39-041) 523 2061. In summer, open 10:30 a.m. to midnight. Closed Sunday night and all day Monday. Good place, very laid-back and usually not too busy. You can find this bar behind the markets on the right side immediately after you descend from the Rialto Bridge. Banco Giro also serves sit-down dinners in the quaint upstairs.

Learn more about Venice’s local specialties

Each region of Italy has local specialties and distinct culinary traditions, and Venice and the surrounding Veneto region offer some of the best. Some of our favorite regional dishes listed in this Guide to the Regional Foods of Italy, include baccala (salted cod), polenta (boiled cornmeal), salumi (especially soppressata and prosciutto di San Daniele), and risi e bisi (rice with peas).

New York City’s TriBeCa and SoHo neighborhoods in downtown Manhattan are home to the largest concentration of cast iron facades in the world. These architectural gems are the legacy of a now-defunct textile merchant industry that prospered from 1850 to 1890. Buildings employ five different styles of facades, the most exuberant of which is the Neo-Grec; and the facade of 478-482 Broadway (currently occupied by Top Shop) is a perfect example of the beauty achieved by this style.

Cast Iron Facade of 478-482 Broadway (Top Shop)

Review of 478-482 Broadway

Location : between Broome and Grand Streets (east side), SoHo.
Built : 1873-74. Complete cast iron facade.
Style : French Neo-Grec
Distinguishing Features :

• The building’s nine bays are subdivided into groups of three by double-height, freestanding, Ionic capital columns; positioned on massive round pedestals, they have partially fluted shafts and horizontal bands. In between these massive columns, in stark contrast, ultra-thin stylized Ionic capital columns frame each window.
• This thick-thin column pairing is typical of the Neo-Grec: from a functional standpoint, it serves to maximize window space and interior natural light, particularly valuable in a time before electricity; from an aesthetic standpoint, it serves to emphasize the linear quality of the facade, making it appear as if it consisted of a series of horizontal and vertical lines supporting a wall of windowed glass.
• The building employs distinctive open latticework screening — depicting vines and flowers — in between the columns at the top of the fourth floor windows. This high level of decoration is typical of the Neo-Grec style. In addition to serving as decoration, it also highlights the three-dimensionality of the facade.
• Yet another distinctive feature is the concave roof cornice that is supported by thin, elongated brackets.

SoHo Architecture Walking Tour

The best way to explore New York City is by roaming through its neighborhoods by foot. Our guide to cast iron architecture in SoHo and Tribeca gives you 11 buildings to seek out and learn how the architecture of this area evolved over time.

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Figuring out how to successfully do this conversion has been a difficult process to master.  That said, we have finally figured it out.  For all the self-publishers out there, we have some tips that we believe will come in handy as you look to do the same:

• The easiest way, by far, to do this is to build your books in Adobe’s InDesign (we originally pulled text and images directly in from strictly formatted MS Word chapter files, but now we create, edit, and format our guides exclusively using InDesign).  With InDesign, you can build a SINGLE, formatted book and export it to the required ebook format.
• More specifically, from a single InDesign “book” file, you can export directly to .epub (for  Apple, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo), .mobi (for Amazon), and .pdf.
  • Adobe comes standard with the ability to export to .epub files and continues to improve features for digital publishers.
  • Download Amazon’s free InDesign plug-in that can be used to export to .mobi files.
• Once exported, your books can be previewed so that you can be sure — prior to submitting the content to Apple, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo — of how they will look once formally published.  The formatting trial and error enabled with these preview tools is particularly valuable for “less streamlined” conversion areas such as the table of contents.
  • Download Adobe’s free Digital Editions; you can also save your exported .epub files and view them directly on your iPhone or iPad by placing them in the “Books” sub-folder in your iTunes folder, adding them to your iTunes library (“File”, “Add to Library”), and then synchronizing (make sure that you have downloaded Apple’s free iBooks reader App from the App Store).
  • Download Amazon’s free Kindle Previewer.
• Once you have created the .epub and .mobi files, we would suggest dealing directly with the Apple, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores as a self-publisher, rather than using an intermediary publisher.  The interfaces are easy and the submission processes are straightforward.
• Before you begin the submission process, you will need two other things: (a) an ISBN number (that can be bought from Bowker – this is not necessary for Amazon and Barnes & Noble); and (b) cover art.

An outstanding resource for digital publishers is Liz Castro’s blog and her book EPUB: Straight to the Point

We hope this helps.  Feel free to email if you have any other questions!

Photo by Yutaka Hirako, Tibet Heritage Fund

Beijing’s quiet hutong neighborhoods are about as close as you can come to experiencing what everyday life was like in the city more than 700 years ago.

Narrow lanes or alleys that traditionally consist of several squat buildings (homes, stores, public restrooms, etc), hutongs are built so closely together that they form a nearly continuous wall, broken only by doorways leading into a residential area or store.

Residences in the hutong are typically courtyard houses (siheyuan), which contain several buildings grouped around one or more open air courtyards. These courtyard homes, which traditionally housed several generations of a single family, functioned as a very private and personal mini “walled city”.

Walking through a hutong instantly puts a visitor inside of that community, as children play and adults chat with their neighbors. On the other hand, sometimes you can feel eerily disconnected here: the lane will be deserted, yet you hear distant sounds of activity going on behind the walls of each building.

Hutongs first became a feature of Beijing’s urban landscape during the Yuan Dynasty (a.k.a. the Mongol Dynasty, 1271-1368), when city planners set very strict requirements for a variety of streets. Over time, as the city grew and went through periods of political upheaval (during the Ming and Qing Dynasties), the codes fell into disuse and the hutongs took on the quaint yet disorderly appearance that defines these neighborhoods today.

Despite their importance to the city’s ancient history, these neighborhoods are rapidly disappearing. Since the 1950s, the government has been razing the areas to put up structures with modern facilities to help the city grow and remain competitive on the global stage.

The recent construction boom surrounding the Summer 2008 Olympics is the most telling example, but the government’s urban planning agenda has also been exacerbated by the fact that hutong houses are often occupied by several poor families with little money or incentive to care for these endangered areas. Many organizations have encouraged the preservation and conservation of these areas, but it’s an overwhelming job that requires educating the government, residents and, even, the ‘restorers’ on the importance of the lanes and the appropriate techniques to repair their ancient buildings.

For the being, at least, there’s still plenty to see. These three areas each have their own charm:

Traditional. Chaodou Hutong is located north of the Imperial City wall and contains some of Beijing’s best preserved hutong structures. This area has also maintained its original grid pattern, dating back to the Yuan dynasty.

Touristy. Zhong Luo Wan Hutong is located near the Drum and Bell towers. Here you’ll find lots of shops and restaurants, and it will be easy to locate a cycle rickshaw to take you around and explore the area.

Modern. Once an industrial area, Fangjia Hutong has recently been revived as contemporary art scene full of activity in its cafes and boutiques. You can tour both the industrial area and the surrounding hutongs in a few hours.

Traveling to Beijing?

Check out Approach Guides’ downloadable travel guide ebooks to Beijing. We explore cultural themes such as Chinese art, architecture, and religion.

Anything but Italian

On the surface, Venetians fit the Italian profile. They speak the language, eat pasta, dress impeccably and love opera.  And yet, they are different. They are less religious, have built no walls around their old city, have sacrificed cars for gondolas, and generally look outward rather than inward for artistic inspiration (the Venice Biennale is a modern-day continuation of this mindset). In some respects, Venice is quintessentially Italian, but in others, it’s a world apart and the Venetians like it that way. This island city has always kept mainland Italy at arm’s length.

Since its’ founding in 697, Venice sought independent status by cultivating strong relations with the East and the blossoming empires of Byzantium and Islam.  Given this orientation and their relatively isolated position in the lagoon, Venetians naturally became consummate maritime merchants.  By the 13^th century, Venice was the principal supplier of the Mediterranean link in the spice trade, controlling nearly 70% of the spices brokered from the Far East into Europe. The spice trade route passed through many great empires of the world including those in China, India, Turkey and Egypt and followed a trajectory to Venetian merchants who were ready to pass the goods on to Western Europe. The traders had particularly close ties to the Eastern Christian Byzantines in what is now Turkey and the Islamic Mamlukes in Egypt.  The great cities of Constantinople and Cairo were the showplaces of the world then and their defining monuments– Hagia Sophia and the ornate domes and minarets of myriad mosques – shaped the Venetian aesthetic.  After all, you are what you see.  These cities had a tremendous impact and Venice sought to emulate elements of each. As a result, the Venetian architectural style is a fusion of both Byzantine and Islamic forms overlaying a Latin Christian foundation. The city’s Eastern influences are often overlooked; you just have to look in the right places to find it.

St Mark’s – the Byzantine influence

1. 2.
1.The oldest mosaics in St Mark’s Cathedral, Venice 2. Mosaics in Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (Constantinople)

Venice’s famed St. Mark’s Cathedral was modeled after the Church of the Holy Apostles, built in the 6^th century by Emperor Justinian in Constantinople. This Byzantine church was destroyed by the Turks in 1453, so now the Venetian “copy” is the real thing.  In accordance with its’ model, it’s based on a classic, centralized Greek cross design with five domes, one over each arm and one over the central crossing all resting on pendentives, a sort of architectural ice cream cone double scoop where the dome sits atop an arched lower section.  Plus, St Mark’s famed mosaics are the quintessential Byzantine decoration.  The oldest were executed by Byzantine mosaicists from Ravenna.  From an artistic standpoint, these are the most important mosaics in the church and are certainly worth attention.  To see them, just look up before you enter the main body of the church, since those most easily visible are located in the narthex, technically the lobby of the church, just above the main entrance doorway. The mosaics are positioned in mini niches, flanked by colonnettes and consist of the Virgin Mary flanked by the apostles and four evangelists.  Even in this definitively Byzantine inspired church, there are Islamic influences, for example, the canopies over the domes have a distinct feel of those topping minarets in Mamluke Cairo.

Ca’ D’Oro – the Islamic Influence

1. 2.
1. Madrasas of Sultan Al-Malik Al-Salih Najm Ad-Din Ayyub Minaret, Cairo 2.Ca D’Oro Façade, Venice

Ca D’Oro Façade, Venice

This masterpiece of Venetian architecture clearly employs some Islamic elements.  The inflected arches of the façade’s windows give the palazzi a distinctive Islamic feel.  While the narrow profile of the windows and their arrangement is derived from Christian precedents, their inflected nature has Islamic inspiration. Plus, the shapes above the doorway entrances, although not a perfect match, clearly share the same aesthetic. Also the stone or marble “frame” around the main floor windows – used for the first time in the Gothic period to highlight the importance of these central windows – might have also been an Islamic contribution.

1. 2.
1. Domes of St Mark’s, Venice 2.Minarets of the Mosque of Emir Altunbugha Al- Maradani, Cairo

Venice’s predominance as a liaison between East and West gradually diminished at the end of the 15^th century, when Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama rounded Africa’s Cape of Good Hope and landed in India in 1498.  For the first time ever, this opened up a direct sea link with the East and Venice’s position in the Mediterranean was no longer critical.  This new route focused Europe’s trading orientation westward, the seeds of which had already been planted by Christopher Columbus’ 1492 crossing of the Atlantic to America.

Domes of St Mark’s, Venice

While the Venice of yesteryear is gone, the legacy remains. Keep in mind when touring this city, the voice that echoes is not that of Florence’s Dante Alighieri, that famous Italian pre-Renaissance poet, but rather Venice’s Marco Polo.   A walk through Venice is really a walk around the world, a city that truly bridges East and West.

The country code for Italy is 39.

Where to Sleep:

The Dorsoduro district is probably the best part of the city to find a hotel – away from the tourist throngs but still situated centrally, with much of the “must sees” very close-by. The Castello and S. Polo districts are a good second choice.

Centurion Palace Hotel:  housed in a former convent with a splendid Venetian-Gothic facade and located at the mouth of the Grand Canal, this 5 star property has a magical ambience that perfectly combines Venetian antiquity with modern Italian flair.  Each room and suite is individually decorated in contemporary style and there is a private garden, butler service and gourmet restaurant.  Dorsoduro, 173. 41-34281. www.centurionpalacevenezia.com

Hotel Castello:  gorgeous paneling, damask fabrics and refined Murano glass give guests the feeling of traveling through time.  Comfortable and convenient, this 3 star hotel is less than a minute away from St. Mark’s Square. Campo SS. Filippo e Giacomo; Castello 4365. 41-523-4545. www.hotelcastello.it

Hotel Tivoli: enjoys an excellent position in the historical center of Venice and the staff is extremely friendly. There is a fantastic courtyard for lounging mid-afternoon or evening.  Dorsoduro 3838- Crosera San Pantalon. 41-524-2460. www.hoteltivoli.it

Where to Eat:

Antiche Carampane: (the best overall) Great seafood, focused on home-style preparation with high quality ingredients. Excellent, with a solid, friendly staff and classy, casual atmosphere. Antiche Carampane is a great experience, one of our favorites in Italy.  Closed Sunday and Monday.  San Polo 1911; Rio Terra Rampani; 41-524-0165. www.antichecarampane.com

Alle Testiere: Excellent seafood restaurant but sometimes overly ambitious. Elegant, with good food, cool vibe, and the best wine list.  With just 9 tables, reservations are a must. 2 seatings: 7:30 and 9:30. Closed Sunday and Monday. Calle del Mondo Novo, 5801 (Castello); 41-522-7220.  www.osterialletestiere.it

Al Covo: Delicious, very high quality Venetian seafood. Right up there with Antiche Carampane and Alle Testiere, however, we would argue that the energy level and feel are superior at the other two. Further, prices here are at least 10-20% higher than the other restaurants. However, this is the best option for dining on a Sunday or Monday, when the other top two are closed (Al Covo is closed Tuesday and Wednesday).  Castello, 3968 (Campiello della Pescheria); 41-522-3812. www.ristorantealcovo.com

La Corte Sconta: An old-school seafood-oriented trattoria, that has a slightly simpler décor than the others listed here (tables topped with butcher paper and red napkins); the seafood quality is like Antiche Carampane and Alle Testiere, but it’s more casual and offers simpler preparations. They base their daily menu on whatever the Chioggia fish market has to offer. We do find the service rushed, a bit pushy and prices (food and wine) higher than its peers. Although still a good dining experience, the food is the weakest of the top three. Closed Sunday and Monday; also from 7 January to 7 February, and from 15 July to 15 August. Calle del Prestin, 3886 (Castello) near the Arsenale; 41-522-7024. www.veneziaristoranti.it

Venetian Cicheti e Ombre: Cicheti are the bite-sized “Italian” brethren of tapas (basically, just small sandwiches) and ombre the traditionally tiny glasses that hold a small portion of wine (ombre is translated as “shadow”, apparently where the Venetians drank the wine). Recommended cichetteria:

• Al Marca - Perhaps our favorite in the city. Good for wine, aperitifs (spritz con Aperol or Campari), and mini sandwiches in the evening and coffee in the morning. Stand outside, it’s just a hole in the wall place. Sestiere San Polo, 213/a; Campo Cesare Battisti, near the fish market, just off the Rialto bridge in San Polo; 41-924-781.

• La Cantina – Very good, with good wines and probably the best tasty small plates of meats and seafood. Strada Nuova, Cannaregio 3689; 41-522 8258. Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Closed Sunday.

• I Rusteghi – around the corner from Alle Botte but a little more upscale and less busy allowing for interaction with the family behind the bar.  Drinks and small sandwiches. The frizzante rose is worth a try. Campiello del Tentor San Marco, 5513, just off the Rialto bridge (on the other side, however) in the corner of a small campo; 41-523-2205.

• Banco Giro – Good, with a laid-back atmosphere and usually not too busy. You can find this bar after descending from the Rialto bridge behind the markets on the right side. Also serves dinner in the quaint upstairs. Campo San Giacometto, 122, San Polo; 41-523-2061; Open 10:30 a.m. to midnight in summer. Closed Sunday night and all day Monday.

Must See & Do:

St Mark’s Basilica: Be sure to visit from 11:30 AM TO 12:30 PM. The church turns on all of the interior lights for one hour, making for excellent viewing of the mosaics. If you visit at any other time of the day, the natural light is insufficient to allow for proper viewing and the church’s appearance is very dark. Calle de Canonica; 41-522-5205

Ca’ D’Oro: The best view of this magnificent façade is from the opposite bank, just beyond the Rialto Fish market.  Calle del Forno, 3854.

Church of San Sebastiano: Incredibly decorated (don’t forget the sacristy – easily missed if you don’t pay attention). This is where Veronese painted nearly every square inch of space in his high-Renaissance, severely foreshortened “di sotto in su” style. Campo dei Frari; 41-275-0642

Scuola Grande of San Rocco: Another incredible site, where the walls are lined entirely with Tintoretto’s highly-charged works, dating from 3 distinct periods: 1564-67 (Sala dell’Albergo), 1570-81 (Upper Hall), and 1582-87 (Ground Floor Hall). Highly recommended! Sestiere San Polo, 3054; 41-523-4864

Santa Maria della Salute: Constructed by Venice’s master architect Baldassare Longhena (1598-1682), the church is a triumph of the late baroque style (it was constructed to invoke Mary to save and protect Venice from the plague); probably one of the only churches in northern Italy to rival the designs of Borromini and Bernini in Rome. Fondamenta della Dogana alla Salute

Tours

• Venicescapes. Great tour operator with comprehensive, off the beaten path tours emphasizing core fundamental themes of Venice’s history. Managed by Michael Broderick, an expat who has lived in Venice for 15 years. The tours are one-on-one, well researched and well-planned. We took the 6 hour tour called “Story of a Mercantile Empire” and 4 hour tour called “Pleasures of Piety”. Telephone: +39 041/520 6361 and www.venicescapes.or

• A cool experience – a tour of a live, reinvigorated gondola building operation.  The visits of the Squero start at 10:30 on Tuesdays and Fridays and last about an hour.  The tour costs 25 euro per person. The Squero is located near (1 block away from) Fondamente Nove, the northeastern promenade of the city, which is convenient for visiting the island of Murano.  Squero Canaletto, in Cannaregio, Building # 6301 www.squero.com

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Perhaps the most incredible thing about Venetian architecture is Venice’s location itself; situated on 118 small, lagoon islands (every time you walk over a bridge, you are effectively stepping onto another island). The city’s magnificence is enhanced by the light reflecting off the water and the canals that afford visitors unobstructed views of Venice’s unique architecture.  Read more about this guidebook.

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After the Roman Empire fell, the obelisks gradually fell to the ground as well, remaining buried until the Renaissance when there began to be interest in them again. At the end of the 16th century (1585-90), in addition to building streets to connect the seven pilgrimage churches in the city, Pope Sixtus V (the severe Counter-Reformation Bishop) conceived of the idea of using the obelisks as markers for pilgrims (he did this with four) who visited Rome; it was his idea to place them in front of the major basilicas so that they might be visible from a distance, “christianizing” them by mounting a cross on the top.

Keep in mind that not all the obelisks are “original” Egyptian obelisks, meaning that they were not erected in Egypt by a Pharoah and the subsequently shipped off by the Romans when they conquered the region; the “non-originals” consist of Egyptian granite, but were mined subsequent to the Roman takeover and given hieroglyphics once they were brought back to Rome by Egyptian immigrants. A perfect example of this a “non-original” obelisk is the one standing in the the Piazza Navona.

In order of the largest to smallest obelisks in the city:

1. Piazza S.Giovanni in Laterano (also the tallest obelisk in the world)
2. Piazza S. Pietro (Vatican)
3. Piazza del Popolo
4. Piazza Monte Citorio (Quirinale hill)
5. Piazza Navona
6. Piazza dell’Esquilino (behind Santa Maria Maggiore)
7. Piazza del Quirinale (a twin of the one at Piazza dell’Equilino)
8. Trinità dei Monti (top of Spanish Steps)
9. Monte Pincio
10. Terme Obelisk (South Garden, Viale delle Terme di Diocleziano)
11. Piazza della Rotonda (Pantheon)
12. Piazza della Minerva (in Piazza dei Cinquecento)
13. Villa Celimontana (the park on Celio hill)

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