function initialize() {
      if (GBrowserIsCompatible()) { 

      // A function to create the marker and set up the event window
      // Dont try to unroll this function. It has to be here for the function closure
      // Each instance of the function preserves the contends of a different instance
      // of the "marker" and "html" variables which will be needed later when the event triggers.    
     function createMarker(point) {
        var marker = new GMarker(point);
        GEvent.addListener(marker, "click", function() {
          marker.openInfoWindowHtml(html);
        });
        return marker;
      }

	  // Display the map, with some controls and set the initial location 
      var map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map"));
      map.addControl(new GLargeMapControl());
      map.setCenter(new GLatLng(51.5182873, -0.1483201),16);
    
      // Set up a marker with info windows 
    
      var point = new GLatLng(51.5182873, -0.1483201);
      var marker = createMarker(point)
      map.addOverlay(marker);
	  
	        // Select a map type which supports obliques
      map.setMapType(G_NORMAL_MAP);
      map.setUIToDefault();

      // Enable the additional map types within
      //the map type collection
      map.enableRotation();
	  
	  
	  // Display the map, with some controls and set the initial location 
      var map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map_SanFrancisco"));
      map.addControl(new GLargeMapControl());
      map.setCenter(new GLatLng(37.655163,-122.402027),15);
    
      // Set up a marker with info windows 
    
      var point = new GLatLng(37.655163,-122.402027);
      var marker = createMarker(point)
      map.addOverlay(marker);


	  
	        // Select a map type which supports obliques
      map.setMapType(G_NORMAL_MAP);
      map.setUIToDefault();

      // Enable the additional map types within
      //the map type collection
      map.enableRotation();
	  
	  
	  
	  // Display the map, with some controls and set the initial location 
      var map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map_Costa"));
      map.addControl(new GLargeMapControl());
      map.setCenter(new GLatLng(33.69075,-117.884112),15);
    
      // Set up a marker with info windows 
    
      var point = new GLatLng(33.69075,-117.884112);
      var marker = createMarker(point)
      map.addOverlay(marker);
	  
	        // Select a map type which supports obliques
      map.setMapType(G_NORMAL_MAP);
      map.setUIToDefault();

      // Enable the additional map types within
      //the map type collection
      map.enableRotation();
	  
	  
	  // Display the map, with some controls and set the initial location 
      var map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map_Sydney"));
      map.addControl(new GLargeMapControl());
      map.setCenter(new GLatLng(-33.8818846,151.2094894),16);
    
      // Set up a marker with info windows 
    
      var point = new GLatLng(-33.8818846,151.2094894);
      var marker = createMarker(point)
      map.addOverlay(marker);


	  
	        // Select a map type which supports obliques
      map.setMapType(G_NORMAL_MAP);
      map.setUIToDefault();

      // Enable the additional map types within
      //the map type collection
      map.enableRotation();
	  
	  
	  
	  
	  // Display the map, with some controls and set the initial location 
      var map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map_Melbourne"));
      map.addControl(new GLargeMapControl());
      map.setCenter(new GLatLng(-37.847232, 144.977731),15);
    
      // Set up a marker with info windows 
    
      var point = new GLatLng(-37.847232, 144.977731);
      var marker = createMarker(point)
      map.addOverlay(marker);


	  
	        // Select a map type which supports obliques
      map.setMapType(G_NORMAL_MAP);
      map.setUIToDefault();

      // Enable the additional map types within
      //the map type collection
      map.enableRotation();
	  
	  
	  // Display the map, with some controls and set the initial location 
      var map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map_Adelaide"));
      map.addControl(new GLargeMapControl());
      map.setCenter(new GLatLng(-34.9218564, 138.5962472),15);
    
      // Set up a marker with info windows 
    
      var point = new GLatLng(-34.9218564, 138.5962472);
      var marker = createMarker(point)
      map.addOverlay(marker);


	  
	        // Select a map type which supports obliques
      map.setMapType(G_NORMAL_MAP);
      map.setUIToDefault();

      // Enable the additional map types within
      //the map type collection
      map.enableRotation();
	  
	  

    }
    
    // display a warning if the browser was not compatible
    else {
      alert("Sorry, the Interactive Maps API is not compatible with this browser");
    }


    }