Today was extremely eventful. We awoke and ate breakfast at dunkin donuts again... amazing pumpkin donuts, by the way. We then called a taxi to go into Salem. This taxi driver was very interested in the news. We talked mostly about people dying and sad things you hear on the news. Once he dropped off at the Old Town Hall, we headed to a witch shop Jason and had seen to buy trinkets to take home. We wondered around for quite a while until we realized we would miss our trolley ride if we didn't head back. We soon found the trolley people on Essex St. We bought tickets and waited in line for the trolley. We ended up having to wait for the second trolley, as everyone pushed us out of the way for the first one... jerks. Once on the trolley, we rode through Salem as he pointed out famous spots and landmarks. Soon we stopped and traded tour guides. The knew driver was called "Father Time" as he had a dumbledoorish beard and an old face about him. The actual tour guide reminded us quite a bit of Dr. Goble. He was a very nice man and rather funny... and almost certain he had a sweater vest on. We rode around through Salem, Chestnut St, Derby Sq, the Commons, Winter Island, and other important landmarks. He showed us the parker brothers factory by the bay... very cool location. He also showed us the House of the Seven Gables, the giant boat that we think is called the Friendship of Salem Ship or something... At this point we can't remember everything we saw. But lots of historical places were seen, among other things like the museums. It was very fun.
After the trolley ride, we got off and ate at Ben & Jerry's. Believe it or not... I have never eaten Ben & Jerry's ice cream, at least that I can recall. Jason had Pumpkin cheesecake and I had chocolate peanut butter swirl... very very good. Afterward we walked back to the cemetery and took more pictures and looked at the house next to it... it's the oldest house in Salem, build in the early 1600s. We thought we could go inside, but it turns out it belongs to the museum. It is the archeological department is located. Jason and I peeked into the windows to see what was in there. We saw a lot of old books and shelves. Jason was a little too excited and banged his had against the windows. At that moment I realized there was a guy sitting at a desk reading... we both quickly moved and acted like it wasn't us.
After this, we then went to the museum near Ben &Jerry's to see a ten minute play and get the crap scared out of me. After the play about Elizabeth Proctor, the tour guide took us down to the dungeon area to see sculptures of people during that time period. It was extremely dark and creepy, but was filled with fake scenes from the witch trials and executions. Right before the scene where the hangings happened... Jason and I looked in a window with a girl sculpture. To our surprise she started moving... it scared the S*@% out of me and I took off walking quickly, dragging Jason behind me.
We then went looking at other stores around and came upon one that was selling tickets to a ghost tour. Jason really wanted to go so we bought tickets. We then went to the Salem Beer Works for dinner. It was sooooo good. Jason had a burger and I had a salad... we both were so full and happy after dinner. Once we left the restaurant, we both realized we had to pee really badly. Of course... at this point in Salem the whole town closes. After about 5 or 6 everyone just completely leaves Salem and most of the stores close. Because of this, finding a bathroom was hard to do. Finally we found one in the mall... it was gross. That was the nastiest bathroom I have ever stepped foot in. Jason said their bathroom didn't have water to rinse off his hands. He and i wondered around trying to find water or at least a napkin to get the soap off his hands. Finally we stopped at this chocolate shop in the mall, and bought two things of chocolate covered cherries just in the hopes of getting a napkin. We didn't get a napkin so I asked for one... score! No more soapy hands.
We hung around for about an hour looking in the only remaining store left open, waiting on the ghost tour to start. Since the tour is a ghost tour, it had to happen at night. After splitting into groups we met our amazing tour guide. She was a funky woman in a long blue robe and top hat. With our tour guide was a man with a lantern and a shovel who helped us cross streets and lead the way... he looked super creepy, yet pretty cool. First place we visited was the first Episcopal church in Salem. It was lovely and located on Brown Street! We took a picture of our street :^) Apparently this church is haunted... according to our tour guide. Next to the church was a prison... the earliest and oldest prison built in Salem. Of course... this place was haunted as well! A family now lives there and apparently pays $3,000 a month to stay there. She said they didn't have to state on the lease how it's haunted. Therefore, these people probably don't even know that people have claimed to have seem ghosts. Behind the prison is a cemetery... the same one where Giles Corey was pressed to death with stones in the hopes they could get a confession from him. He was accused of witchcraft. He died three days after laying in the field with tons of rocks on top of him. He was 81. His ghost has apparently been seen roaming around that spot... so they say.
We also went to that cemetery Jason and I kept going to the day before, where John Hathorne was burried. Apparently that house that Jason and I peeked into is also haunted. They say a girl caught scarlet fever and died on the third floor, after being quarantined there for days. The family moved out and apparently a new family moved in right afterward. The man who moved in apparently saw the girl on the third floor and spoke with her. She told him to kill his wife... he must of thought that a good idea cause he did. He killed her and their kid. It is now said you can see his ghost also. The tour lady told us that this building belongs to the museum but she has never ever seen anyone actually in there... she's lived there for 7 years. I saw that guy earlier that day... I think she's lying to try to spook people out. She was pretty good, but I doubt the ghost thing.
After seeing a few more spots and hearing about the pirate captain Fly (who killed numerous people) we headed back. We stopped at one more mansion before returning... they call it "Clue Mansion." the reason they call it Clue Mansion is because it's the mansion that the game clue was based off of... remember how Parker Brothers factory was here. Well, there was a real murder that happened at that mansion that actually involved a captain, a candlestick, and a rope. Mrs. Peacock came from Peabody and a few other names came from other places and real people. Also, there was a strip of famous, expensive houses in Salem that started the game "Monopoly." Who knew! Kinda cool.
After our walking tour we called a taxi and headed to the hotel. I left my phone in the taxi and had to call them to see if it was there. It was and the guy was kind enough to bring it back to me. Oh joy! It's now time for me to go to sleep. Goodnight all.
Nathaniel Hawthorne Statue . . . very cool. Also found out during our ghost tour that Charles Dickens visited Nathaniel here in Salem. While he was here, Nathaniel told him about a dream he had about three ghosts coming to him in the night to redeem his past mistakes (like his families wrong doings... such as the judge Hathorne who condemned accused witches). According to our tour guide, he used Hawthorne's dream in his Christmas Carol. So neat.
A bench outside the Old Town Hall we sat at, next to a lady eating a sandwich... or apparently a bagel (Jason corrected me).
This is the creepy house that is apparently haunted at the Old Burying Point. This is the one I saw the guy in that was not a ghost.
This is the sign at the entry of the Old Burying Point, specifying locations of notable people.
This is Jason about to enjoy one of the best hamburgers ever at the Marriott Hotel.
This is one of Salem's trolleys.
This was, I think, the trolley we rode in.
This is the Friendship ship...
This was pretty so I took a picture. Around this location, two members of Latter-day saints stopped us to redeem our souls. The only non witch people in town... they picked us. It is at this point I feel the need to recall something Jason said.... "do you ever wonder if someone is going to jump out and hold us up at wand-point?" We laughed a lot. :^)
First taste of Ben & Jerry's :^)
Jason.
This is a living statue that we saw in Derby square... she isn't that tall... so was standing on a box. Pretty cool though. I thought about stealing her broom, but couldn't figure a way to get it on the plane.
Derby Sq.
Jason swears there is a ghost in the left side of this picture... he's crazy I tell you! (he doesn't really... it was a joke, so he says).
Us.
P.S. during our tour the guide asked us "How many witches were burned in Salem?" Many shouted out numbers and then Jason said "none." She got extremely excited and threw him a gift. She said because he got the question right he has "the dirt on salem." She really meant dirt. She gave him a bottle of dirt from the cemetery in Salem.
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