Birthplace of Jazz, home to the world famous Mardi Gras, champion of voo-doo and vampires, purveyors of its own distinctive Creole and Cajun cuisines, New Orleans, once owned by France, then Spain, then France again, has a rich history that blends the unconventional with the orthodox to create a cultural collision unlike that found in ny other city. This insiders' guide to New Orleans is shaped by portraits of the less obvious, hidden treasures rarely seen by the 10 million tourists who visit "The Big Easy" each year. From architecture that housed early jazz musicians and powerful madams; to bars that offer shot-and-a-haircut specials; to emblematic local eateries like Hansen's Sno Bliz and Killer Po'boys; to the best places to buy a chartreuse-colored beehive wig, Civil War cavalry saber, or some swamp-grass gris gris, 111 Places in New Orleans will ensure that you experience the musical, spiritual, historical, edible, and quite often sinful side of America's Most Interesting City. As noted musician and NOLA native Allen Toussaint once said, "To get to New Orleans, you don't pass through anywhere else."

Now the political and cultural mecca controlling the pulse of India, the vibrant metropolis of New Delhi has been ruled by many powerful empires and seduced many powerful rulers over the centuries. With a history that stretches back to ancient times, there are stories and memories embedded in every crevice and corner of the city. This unusual guidebook invites readers on an adventure beyond the well-mapped and best-known landmarks to explore New Delhi's most hidden pleasures and unravel its most shrouded mysteries. Walk the byzantine lanes of Old Delhi, offer alcohol to a god, savor a biryani made by the emperors' cooks, meet the sitar maker to the Beatles, visit India's oldest toy shop, and gaze upon the abandoned statue of a legendary queen. From tales of perfumers, emperors, and quaint local characters to bustling streets, legend-filled ruins, and ever-changing landscapes, discover the true essence of one of the most fascinating and evolving cities on the planet.

The ultimate insider's guide to Los Angeles Features interesting and unusual places not found in traditional travel guides "In Los Angeles, everyone is a star." — Denzel Washington For more than a century, seekers of sun and celebrity from around the world have flocked to this sprawling metropolis on the Pacific, which Dorothy Parker once described as "72 suburbs in search of a city." But beyond the red-carpet reputation and Tinseltown trappings is a west coast wonderland teeming with unexpected cultural experiences, iconic architecture, gorgeous open spaces, quirky museums, hidden vistas, unconventional art, and obscure stories about the starlets, moguls, personalities, and players who have made Los Angeles their playground. This unusual guidebook explores 111 of the city's most interesting and unknown places and experiences: wander a serpentine path in a spiritual quest of your own making; channel your inner cowboy at a tried and true honky tonk bar; pay homage to the Dude at the bungalow where the big Lebowski lived; turn your car tires into musical instruments on the country's only "musical" road; sleep with the ghosts of Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin; view a constellation of stars more vivid than anything Hollywood Boulevard has to offer. From the San Gabriel Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, Angelenos and vistors will fall in love with the real Los Angeles. Adventures beckon. Surprises await. Just imagine how much more scintillating your dinner-party storytelling will be... »In Los Angeles, everyone is a star.« – Denzel Washington Seit mehr als einem Jahrhundert strömen Menschen auf der Suche nach Sonne und Prominenz in die riesige Metropole am Pazifik. Doch findet sich hinter dem ganzen Glamour ein unerwartetes Wunderland, in dem es von beeindruckender Architektur, hinreißenden Parks, schrulligen Museen, versteckten Aussichtspunkten, unkonventioneller Kunst und unbekannten Geschichten über Starlets, Filmmogule und Playboys nur so wimmelt.

Miami and the Keys are the cultural and geographical gateways to the United States; where Latin American culture gracefully blends into North America, and land embraces the sea. This unusual guide leads you along the fulcrum that is Miami and the Keys, laden with world-class architecture, sandy beaches, pristine waters, nightclubs, and trendy hotels. Beneath the well polished surface lies a history and culture that strays far from the conventional, bubbling up through unexpected places like a coral fortress built for a spurned lover, a divey laundromat that serves the sweetest café con leche you've ever had, or an enclave of houses built on stilts in the midst of the ocean. Lose yourself in a glass rainforest. Glide over the mysterious waters of the Everglades. Visit your own desert island. Drink the sweet nectar of the Cuban coffee gods. Venture into the "other" Miami, beyond the glitz and glamour, steeped in natural beauty and deep-seeded tradition. See why Ernest Hemingway called the Keys his home. Though teeming with tourists, there are still plenty of hidden gems to be unearthed, you just have to know where to look...

The ultimate insider's guide to Hong Kong Features interesting and unusual places not found in traditional travel guides . From zero to hundred in 175 years – no other metropolis has as compressed and chequered a history as Hong Kong, with its striking and seamless blend of eastern and western cultures. Famous for its cosmopolitan nightlife, cutting-edge fashion, culinary sophistication, and entertainment, Hong Kong also conceals a trove of lesser-known and unpredictable experiences. More than 260 islands and country parks as far as the eye can see ... who would expect such breathtaking natural beauty in one of the most densely populated cities on Earth? Step off the beaten path to explore Hong Kong's hidden heart. Discover what compels locals to stand in a line that snakes around the corner every morning at 4:30am, and from which "Great Wall of China" you will find a wonderful view over the South China Sea. Learn what gas lanterns have to do with the bubonic plague, and visit a place where 1,000,000 HK$ for a golf cart seems like a bargain. From secluded beaches to wishing trees, prepare to be surprised, delighted, and amazed. Entdecken Sie versteckte Orte und Geschichten abseits der bekannten Pfade, die den wahren Charakter Hongkongs enthüllen. Von null auf hundert in 175 Jahren – keine andere Metropole hat eine so komprimierte und bewegte Geschichte, in keiner anderen Metropole vereinen sich östliche und westliche Kultur so eindrucksvoll und harmonisch wie in Hongkong. Berühmt für das Nachtleben, die innovative Mode, die kulinarische Raffinesse und das Entertainment, hält Hongkong auch weitere weniger bekannte und unvorhersehbare Erlebnisse bereit. Erkunden Sie Hongkongs verstecktes Herz abseits der touristischen Pfade. Finden Sie heraus, was die Anwohner dazu bringt, sich in einer Schlange anzustellen, die jeden Morgen schon um 4.30 Uhr um ganze Häuserecken reicht.

The ultimate insider's guide to Edinburgh features interesting and unusual places not found in traditional travel guides. Edinburgh is rightly celebrated for its famous historical and cultural attractions. But for the discerning visitor it has much more to offer away from the well-worn tourist trail. This book takes you to hidden corners and secret sights in this city of contrasts, exploring fascinating locations unknown even to most residents, and revealing unexpected aspects of some familiar local landmarks. Marvel at a unique underground temple hewn out of the living rock; learn how a world-famous illusionist came to be buried here – with his dog; find out why the city council once commissioned an enormous electric blanket; look out for the ordinary Edinburgh post box with an explosive history. Discover the human stories behind a wide range of places, both exceptional and commonplace, bringing to life the greatly varied cityscape where people have been leaving their mark for at least 5,000 years. Entdecken Sie versteckte Orte und Geschichten abseits der bekannten Pfade, die den wahren Charakter Edinburghs enthüllen. Edinburgh ist berühmt für seine historischen und kulturellen Sehenswürdigkeiten. Aber es hat abseits der ausgetretenen Touristenpfade noch viel mehr zu bieten. Dieses Buch führt Sie zu versteckten und geheimen Plätzen in dieser Stadt der Gegensätze, es zeigt faszinierende Orte, die selbst den meisten Edinburghern unbekannt sind, und enthüllt unerwartete Aspekte bekannter Wahrzeichen. Bestaunen Sie einen einzigartigen unterirdischen Tempel, der aus einem Felsen gehauen wurde. Erfahren Sie, wie ein weltberühmter Zauberer hier gemeinsam mit seinem Hund beerdigt wurde. Finden Sie heraus, warum der Stadtrat einst eine riesige Heizdecke in Auftrag gegeben hat. Oder halten Sie Ausschau nach einem gewöhnlichen Edinburgher Briefkasten, hinter dem eine explosive Geschichte steckt.

What sort of curious place would give its shortest street the longest name? Or build a dazzling gold-lined dome – and hide it from view? The same mixed-up metropolis that was once the capital of England – and also birthplace of its most infamous terrorist... Even if you were the world's most imaginative storyteller, you couldn't make York up. The city is stranger than any fiction. But to find its oddities and secrets you'll need to step off the beaten tourist path and explore its footstreets and alleys, known locally as snickelways. Be warned, the journey might throw up a few dark moments, from the Bitchdaughter Tower to the spikes upon which traitors' heads were impaled. Yet you'll also encounter the traces of many local colourful characters, from an Oscar-winning actor to a dastardly plotter, from assorted stone cats to a rather rude ghost. You can browse the shops in the street that inspired Harry Potter's Diagon Alley and tour remarkable retailers like Duttons For Buttons and the Banana Warehouse, which sells pretty much everything – except bananas; or celebrate in the city that hosted Britain's first Christmas and is home to Ulph's Drinking Horn. With 2,000 years of history to discover, there is a surprise around every corner – if you know where to look... Welcher kuriose Ort gab der kürzesten Straße den längsten Namen? Wo feierte man das erste Weihnachtsfest Englands? Und wieso kann man im Banana Warehouse (fast) alles kaufen – nur keine Bananen? York ist seltsamer als jede Geschichte, die man sich ausdenken kann. Wenn Sie seine Kuriositäten und Geheimnisse entdecken wollen, müssen Sie sich abseits der Touristenpfade bewegen. Aber Achtung: Die Reise könnte ein wenig schaurig werden! Besuchen Sie den Bitchdaughter Turm. Oder die fähle, auf die die Köpfe von Verrätern gespießt wurden. Finden Sie die Spuren der vielen lokalen und schrägen Charaktere – vom Oscar-Preisträger über eine Reihe von Steinkatzen bis hin zu einem ziemlich ruppigen Gespenst.