Travel around Miami

‘Living legend’ is one of the most overused cliches in music writing. But with Ray Charles, it merits dusting off and recycling. What else can one say about the man who virtually single-handedly invented soul music having taught himself to play the piano after being struck blind by glaucoma? There isn’t space here to do justice to the variety and breadth of his back catalogue, but if we get even a small sniff of it here, we’ll come away happy.

The Asian Art Museum presents an exhibition of paintings from the most dynamic periods of upheaval and anguish in modern China. ‘Between the Thunder and The Rain: Chinese Paintings from the Opium War Through the Cultural Revolution, 1840-1979′, features 121 paintings, handscrolls, hanging scrolls and fans that shed light on one of the least understood periods of modern history. Included are works by some 90 artists, including Wang Zhen, Ren Yi and Wu Changshi. This exhibition is one of the first major efforts to document Chinese painting during this period.

Situated a short walk from Venice’s train station and nearby to the famous Restaurants in Venice, Palazzo Labia is a gothic masterpiece now owned by RAI, the Italian state broadcasters. It also happens to be one of the city’s best-kept secrets. Open only three hours a week – telephone reservations obligatory – it is strict enough to throw all but the most keen sightseers off the scent. Step inside, however, and you will see Tiepolo frescoes like you will never see again – surely the finest work that one of Venice’s most favourite sons ever produced.

This thoughtful survey of Guston’s work well represents the Canadian-born painter’s two contrasting mature styles – his Abstract Expressionist phase in the 1940s and 1950s and his brave, then misunderstood, break with abstraction at the end of the 1960s. His move from New York to Woodstock saw a radical change in the return to a figurative style. The deliberately crude, comic-strip-influenced style becomes a form of understated shorthand, whether for political fears seen in Ku Klux Klan heads or for his daily life in canvases filled with dismembered hands, smoking cigarettes and outsize boots.

After years of restoration and ongoing excavations, the necropolis hidden below St Peter’s Basilica reopens to the public. Built on the site of Nero’s circus, finding a resting place in the cemetery next to St Peter was a very big deal. Visitors can now see these new-found, ancient graves at close quarters and admire the incredible series of early Christian frescoes. Applications for visits must be made in writing at least 20 days before the proposed visit, stating the number of people in the group and the day and language preferred.

It’s hard to describe this performance from the City Contemporary Dance Company since Pun Siu-fai, who conceived and wrote the piece, has difficulty defining it himself. It appears there will be a mix of theatre, dance and music – ranging from European folk songs to Cantonese Opera – with events unfolding in three areas simultaneously. Confused? You will be, but with Pun’s track record for innovation this explorer’s adventure could be a night to remember.

Located in a charmless corner of Pudong, the closest Ali Baba’s gets to Turkey is the hackneyed name. Its uninspiring interior is unfortunately matched by average food. Seeing as they decided to focus solely on the doner kebab and all its various incarnations, one expects better. The tzaiziki is at least authentically liquid, but what was described as pita bread, simply wasn’t. For a cheap and earthy snack whilst wandering the glass towers of Pudong, though, it fills a hole.

Just on the edge of Piazzale Roma, the city bus station, the Italian Postal System has erected a handy full-service post office. It is an ideal place to exchange money as you head into town from the airport, or to drop off that last postcard on your way out. They also offer registered mail, international priority mail, telegrams and faxes. For those interested in stamp collecting pick up a few commemorative ‘francobolli’. Unfortunately, they do not post packages from this location, but the staff are unbelievably helpful with all their other services.