marco

BabyLegs Marco Leg Warmers
$12.00
BabyLegs are the greatest idea! They are exactly what we needed. I actually got these when my son was past his crawling phase as a way to keep his legs warm under his pants or just around the house while running around in a onesie. They are absolutely perfect for both occasions and would have been a lifesaver while he was crawling. His legs got so irritated when he was crawling and I wish I would have ordered these sooner. The fit seems comfortable yet snug enough to keep them in place. The best part is they work for boys without feeling like they look too girly.

Marco
$24.99
A harmless film that will surely entertain. Most of the film is forgettable and some scenes in the film, though fantastical come across a bit heavy handed and forced. It looks and feels like a film made for an older crowd.
It may not be appropriate for young children.

Marco Antonio
$13.98
This album is similar to "En Pleno Vuelo" in sound and style, mostly balads with other types of music here and there. "Tu Par" is a lively, capypso-style number. In "La Venia Bendita" Solis meshes well with Mariachi. Solis surprises the listener with "Casas de Carton," a song that he didn't write and which is not listed but is acknowledged in a personal note by Solis. He also has a video single out of this song, and I wonder if a portion of the proceeds are going to the needy people who live in casas de carton (paper shacks). There's still a Los Bukis sound to this album, but it's clear that Solis is on the road to establishing himself as a solo artist which he does in "Trozos de mi alma," his very best album. Typical of Solis' releases, the lyrics are included (as well as a bunch of pictures of himself).

Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu (Vintage)
$16.95
Upon initally sitting down to review Marco Polos Travels I originally thought it should rate a three stars - because apart from the inspiring nature of his achievements the tome was pretty darn dry. But prior to reviewing it I read this book. And it showed me how much I'd missed in Polos original.

The author - Laurence Bergreen - takes the reader back to a different time while also discussing how many of the reasons and motivations for the actions of various characters can change depending on what time the reader is in. By extensively quoting and dissection of Polos account he brings out the meaning of many phrases that may pass the layman reader by. As such this book immeasurably increased my appreciation of what on earth was going on in the original work and was worth the purchase price for that reason alone.

While some may find the book somewhat tedious in it's constant quoting from the original the fact that Bergreen has moved in a chronological fashion through the journeys of Polo eases things somewhat and if nothing else the style at least gives evidence as to the amount of research that went into this book.

If you are planning on reading the original for some sort of educational assignment I'd say this volume is invaluable and it's also good for armchair travellers such as yours truly. And if you like this also try Khubilai Khans Lost Fleet by James Delgado as it will offer even more insight into the (rough) time and space Polo was journeying through.