Mis-Guides: Guidebooks of the Future?

by Willy Volk on

What happens when a group of artists produce a guide book? You get something that looks a lot like a Mis-Guide. Rather than telling you where to go and what to see, a Mis-Guide gives you the tools to see a city or environment in a whole new way.

Each Mis-Guide suggests a series of walks and points of observation and contemplation. Unlike an ordinary guide book, it is guided by “the practice of mytho-geography, which places the fictional, fanciful, fragile and personal on equal terms with ‘factual’, municipal history.” Huh?

If you’re thinking a bit literally right now, some of the tips found in the books include:

  • Start at your door and take pictures of 26 objects, one for each letter of the alphabet.
  • Borrow a dog from a friend and let it take you for a walk.
  • Walk along a river with a friend but do it from opposite sides, while maintaining contact (through sight, sound, flares, etc.) the entire time.
  • Still confused? Check out some sample pages from either the Courtauld or the Exeter Mis-Guide.

Okay, so it’s all a bit esoteric, but the point is that there are numerous ways to shake a person out of the same-old hum-drum way of seeing a city. You don’t HAVE to hit all the sites or sample all the recommended dishes. You can have a very meaningful experience exploring quiet streets in a new and exciting way.

Are these the guidebooks of the future? I hope so.

Not so PC: Guidebooks About Your Own City

by Iva Skoch on

Sometimes you got to wonder how guidebooks get away with it: in a world so PC you can barely make a generalization about anything at all, the essence of guidebooks these days is, in a nutshell, all about making bold statements based largely on generalization and cultural stereotyping. That is, after all, how they make them fun to read.

It’s actually quite funny to read a guidebook about your own city or country. In the TimeOut guide on Prague, I liked how the author summarized the Czech culture: “Czechs continue to drive like lunatics, drink beer for breakfast and insist that grey pate made from mutilated chicken organs really does taste good.”

Or this one: “Czechs are famous for inviting near strangers into their houses, their liquor cabinets and even their beds.”

There you have it. Although that is probably not how most Czechs would like to be described to the rest of the world, it is hard to disagree with the message. Plus, who cares about what the locals think, they are not the ones reading it. Although, arguably, they should.

City Surf’s Audio Walking Tours for the “Un-Tourist”

by Willy Volk on

According to City Surf, “Guidebooks show you which neighborhoods are cool to visit, we show what’s cool IN those neighborhoods.” Indeed, City Surf has created audible walking tours of some hip Toronto hang-outs, including Kensington Market, St. Lawrence Market, Yorkville, and The Annex.

To use the tours, you download one of the 30-40 minute tours, load it into your iPod, and hit the streets. Rather than having your nose buried in a guidebook, you slip on your earbuds and listen to what makes the area unique. Spaced out, listening to your iPod, you’ll look just like a local.

The only downside is that the tours run $9.99 CAD (about $9 US) per download. A little steep? Maybe. But the music-filled sample tracks City Surf has posted sound like they’re brimming with great insider tips that’ll let you experience the city the way the locals do. I’ve never gone on an audible walking tour of a neighborhood. I imagine I’d have to do it twice: once to learn the tips; and a second time to feel like I’ve really immersed myself in the place.

Not heading to Toronto? Montreal and Vancouver tours are in the works.

[Thanks, Ali!]

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of September 17

by Adrienne Wilson on

Hear ye, Hear ye it is time again for another weekly glance at some spectacular plugs you may have missed. Just make sure you don’t miss them this time. Or else!

5. Cool Subways:
Long ago I mentioned the cool underground transportation scene seen in Tehran, Iran, but in this piece Erik points us to some so-called “Cool” subways in destinations like Moscow, Munich and Stockholm. If you’re not in rush to get to your final stop; check them out. That goes for the real thing and his blurb here on the web.

4. Puerto Rico Island Hopping:
Ah, Puerto Rico! With a light hurricane season and considering hurricane season is almost officially out of here who wouldn’t want to go island hopping in Puerto Rico? Thanks to Iva we’re one step closer in making the dream come alive or deciding which method or hopper plane works best for you.

3. Red Corner: The Horrors of Flying in Russia:
I’ve never been to Russia or flown on one its friendly planes, but I’m hearing more and more stories like the one Neil points us to in this scary piece. If you’re making St. Petersburg or Moscow a must-see destination sometime soon check this article out to shake yourself up a little.

2. Medieval Trials in Modern Day India:
Culture pieces are my favorite and this one is pretty interesting. Learn how to find a thief in India by reading this hot topic. After knowing how trials in modern day India work you’d think no one would steal, but it sadly looks as if that’s not the case.

1. Gadling Podcast: Joshua Berman:
Podcast time and with this one Erik delves into the world of guidebook writing with Joshua Berman who writes for Moon Guides, but recently published Living Abroad in Nicaragua released by Avalon Publishing. If you’re curious to know what it takes or Joshua’s take on the world of mattress flipping, sniffing and reporting (a.k.a. travel writing), tune in, plug in, and give it a listen.