For nearly a year, I researched, wrote about and photographed our city in order to produce a Pittsburgh guidebook for Moon Handbooks. I thought I knew this town: I've spent more than a decade here as a high schooler, a curious college student and an inquisitive journalist. But creating the book took me to scores of places that caught me by surprise.

Pittsburgh is famously a self-conscious and defensive city. But if I learned anything during the often arduous process of digging for and discovering rare and unknown facts about this small corner of the Keystone State, it is this: Pittsburgh is perfect just the way it is.

I couldn't possibly fit everything into the book. So here are some highlights of the outtakes -- places I think might surprise fellow Pittsburghers:

You can go fishing on your lunch break

The local outdoor enthusiast club Venture Outdoors has organized many unusual activities, but their weekly "urban fishing" endeavor has got to be the most offbeat. If you work in the Golden Triangle, check out the Downtown TriAnglers.

The TriAnglers previously met at the fountain in Point State Park, although you'll now find them gathering in Riverfront Park on the North Shore. Fishing takes place every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., from May until the end of October. The seasonal per-person charge is $5.

Contemplate world-famous Croatian murals while ghost hunting

True, visiting a church is not everyone's idea of a good time. But consider this: St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church (24 Maryland Ave., Millvale, 412-821-3438), which you'll find smack-dab in the heart of Millvale, is famous for its art and its resident poltergeist. That's right -- this place is haunted. Or so they say. But first, a word or two about the murals.

There are 20 of them in all, although you shouldn't arrive expecting to spot Jesus or the Mother Mary. The paintings, created by the legendary Croatian artist Max Vanka in 1937 and 1941, are distinctly political in nature. They depict Croatian immigrants suffering from harsh conditions, for instance, or mothers weeping over their war dead. Most critics consider these to be Vanka's masterpiece works, which surely helped the church win its National Historic Landmark status.

So, what about the ghost? Some believe the frightful figure to be the apparition of a former parish priest. The alleged ghost, which is usually seen inside the chapel draped in some sort of black cloak, has been around so long that even Vanka himself claims to have had a sighting. He says it happened during the middle of the night, while he was cranking away on one of the murals. (Then again, it might have been the paint thinner.)

One other (alleged) haunted house in the Pittsburgh area is The Harmony Inn, located in the Harmony/Zelienople area (230 Mercer St., Harmony, 724-329-5512). It is said to host supernatural guests. Possibly stranger still is the fact that management is rather proud of it: You'll find newspaper accounts of the haunting legend right in the restaurant's lobby.

Borrow a free beach cruiser

Organized by Friends of the Riverfront, the corporate-sponsored Dasani Blue Bikes Program offers the use of an absolutely free bike -- a sky-blue beach cruiser -- for anyone wishing to explore the length of the city's Three Rivers Heritage Trail. The bikes are stored in a locker at the start of the trail near Terminal Way on the South Side, but it's necessary to first visit the Friends of the Riverfront office (33 Terminal Way, off E. Carson Street, 412-488-0212), where riders will be issued a swipe card after presenting a state-issued driver's license or passport. The cards are then validated for one year, and only two rules apply: Bikes must be returned before dark, and they're to be used on the Heritage Trail only.

Attain spiritual enlightenment at the mysterious fourth river

You may have already heard of the existence of Pittsburgh's fourth river, but if not, it's a perfectly convenient bit of trivia to share with out-of-town guests. Why's that? Well, it happens to be located right beneath the fountain at the tip of Point State Park, where you've probably made plans to take them already (though you'll have to wait until the park, now under renovation, reopens next year).

Contrary to popular belief, the Wisconsin Glacial Flow, as the so-called fourth river is properly known, is not technically underneath the earth and hidden from human sight. In fact, if you've ever visited the Point when the fountain was spouting, you've seen it, shooting 6,000 gallons of water per minute in the form of a 30-foot-tall plume. The Flow (as I like to call it) gets airborne only during the spring, summer and fall seasons, and only between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that many Native American tribes consider the site where the fountain sits to be sacred.

This has something to do with the fact that three separate rivers converge at that specific site. According to the ancient Maya tribe, in fact, Pittsburgh is one of only 12 locations on the planet that will soon play a major role in fulfilling a spiritual prophecy. If you've ever considered taking up Zazen meditation, in other words, the fountain at the Point might not be a bad place to start.

Pay a visit to the Holy Land, across the street from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

With a collection of more than 100 temperate and tropical plants, a small waterfall, a stream representing the River Jordan and a desert scene depicting the biblical lands from Lake Galilee to the Dead Sea, the Biblical Botanical Garden at Rodef Shalom Temple (4905 Fifth Ave., Oakland, 412-621-6566, www.biblicalgardenpittsburgh.org, Sun.-Thu. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sat. noon to 1 p.m., closed during winter) is meant to symbolize the universal love of the Bible.

Many of the plants here have biblical names (Moses in a Basket, Biblical Coat), and during each season, the garden focuses on a differing theme of Near Eastern horticulture.

The experience of wandering the garden is meant to be something akin to a stroll through the Holy Land of ancient Israel, but even nonbelievers will enjoy relaxing among the beauty of nature here. The Temple is within walking distance of both the Carnegie Mellon and Pitt campuses and sits across the street from WQED studios.

Our postcard view has a lot of competition

The Grandview Avenue strip on Mount Washington is far from being Pittsburgh's solitary locale for spotting spectacular city views -- it just happens to be the most well-known.

The next time you're tooling around town, see if you can't track down some of Pittsburgh's lesser-known Grand Views.

Fineview Hill. Given the name, it should come as no surprise to learn that certain hilltop vistas from this North Side neighborhood are simply breathtaking. Located behind Allegheny General Hospital, you can't miss the main attraction -- get up there and then look toward the Downtown skyline. The viewing platform is at Catoma and Meadville; it's essentially a smaller version of those located along Grandview.

The West End-Elliott Overlook. The various city views that can be seen from the former coal-mining communities of West End and Elliott have always been beyond spectacular. But thanks to a $2.1 million renovation to the overlook itself, which boasts an enclosed pavillion, indoor restrooms, a designated picnic area and a rooftop observation desk, it's no wonder half the city seems to show up whenever fireworks are scheduled to explode. You'll also find a busy crowd here on Light Up Night. It's appropriately on Rue Grande Vue (at Lorenz Avenue).

South Side Slopes. Although it lacks the tourist facilities of the West End Overlook, the city view atop the Slopes certainly scores high when it comes to convenience; neither a car nor public transportation are necessary to explore the area. And exploring is exactly what you'll need to do if you aim to find your own secret vista. For a head start, wander up South 18th Street and keep your eyes open for any of the city's famous steps, which is where you'll find quite a few views at their most powerful.

Get free Internet access Downtown

It happens even to the best of us: You're wandering the streets of Downtown, when suddenly an urge strikes, telling you to check your Gmail account. But what to do?

There's always the Downtown & Business branch of the Carnegie Library (612 Smithfield St., 412-281-7141, www.clpgh.org, Mon.-Thu. 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Fri. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat.-Sun. closed), where high-speed access is free to anyone with a valid library card. But the waiting list for a terminal can often be, uh, terminally long. And there's always a good chance your neighbor may be emanating a certain eau de garbage. So you can skip the stacks, and wander around the corner to the Regional Enterprise Tower (425 Sixth Ave.), where all-access Internet terminals can be found scattered about the lobby.

The terminals, along with a bank of flat-screen TVs broadcasting world news at all hours, are part of the Xplorion project (412-392-1020, www.xplorion.org), an exhibition space intended to encourage investment in the region. Technically, only the Xplorion Web site itself is meant to be accessed on the terminals, and because the site is such a wonderfully organized collection of local info, I highly recommend checking it out. But it is possible to type in the Web site address of any site (including that of your favorite Web-based e-mail provider).

Unleash your inner artist

It's no secret that the North Side's Andy Warhol Museum (117 Sandusky St., 412-237-8300, www.warhol.org) is one of Pittsburgh's most creative spaces. But even many locals who've visited countless times aren't aware of the museum's comprehensive education programs. The Weekend Factory is one of the most unusual. Participants in this hands-on studio program learn how to create any number of Warholian-like consumer creations. The projects themselves change from time to time, but currently include buttons, screen-printed T-shirts and greeting cards. The Weekend Factory is open on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.

Speaking of T-shirts and greeting cards (not to mention posters and tote bags), a North Side arts organization known as Artists Image Resource (518 Foreland St., 412-321-8664, www.artistsimageresource.org) hosts an Open Studio session in its own screen-printing factory each Tuesday evening. The roomy and well-stocked upstairs studio is open to the public 7-11 p.m., and all necessary screen-printing supplies, such as inks and rollers, can be used for a small fee -- usually $5.

Unleashing the creativity of your newborn or toddler, as we all know, is often easier with toys. But unfortunately for parents attempting to survive on a budget, children's toys are anything but affordable. And that's where the Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library comes in (5401 Centre Ave., Shadyside, 412-682-4430, www.pghtoys.com, Mon. & Thur., 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tue., Wed. & Fri. 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., closed on first Saturday of the month, remaining Saturdays 10 a.m.- noon. Closed remainder of August).

This volunteer-run organization owns more than 300 toys (and books) available for members to take home and beat the heck out of. Membership is a maximum of $75 per year, per family; anyone willing to volunteer can get that fee significantly lowered. Nonmembers can choose to pay a $5 per-child fee when visiting the indoor play space, which includes an infant play area.

For nearly an entire year, I researched, wrote about and photographed our city in order to produce a Pittsburgh guidebook for the Moon Handbooks series. I thought I knew this town: I've spent more than a decade here as a high schooler, a curious college student and an inquisitive journalist. But creating the book took me to scores of places that caught me by surprise. Pittsburgh is famously a self-conscious, self-critical and defensive city. But if I learned anything during the often arduous process of digging for and discovering rare and unknown facts about this small corner of the Keystone State, it is this: Pittsburgh is perfect just the way it is.