Today was really really amazing! I think this was my favorite day here in Salem. Jason concurs. Also, before I explain why, I would like to correct one thing from one of our first blog posts... Jason and I did not wondered about the mall. My sister so lovingly pointed that out. To quote: "you 'wonder' about the mall. I can't get rid of the image in my head of you and Jason, side by side, pondering the mall. =)" Also, Jason and also corrected me because it's apparently "wandering" about the mall.... so, so so sorry. Please forgive my foolish speech.
Reasons today was awesome:
Reason #1) Slept in late. This isn't as awesome as it should have been... the man in the room above us decided that last night it was necessary to stomp as loudly as possible, going from one end of the room to the other. He did this at 5 a.m., by the way. What a Jerkface... to say it a little more nicely than Jason did... luckily, we were able to sleep in. Therefore, this is a reason today was awesome, not bad.
Reason #2) Breakfast was Subway. The reason it was subway was because we slept in late and missed breakfast. Still delicious. I have come to love the food court because we can go to the same place everyday and continually eat different things. Also, would like to note that the walk to the mall and back was very chilly, as it had rained the night before... we had missed the rain. Another point for a good day!
Reason #3) Our taxi driver into Salem was freaking awesome. I call him the "let's get it on taxi driver." This sounds a lot worse than it is meant to... the reason he is called this is because that's the type of music he was playing the entire way up there. He also spoke to us about how crazy Salem gets around Halloween. Apparently the roads surrounding Salem get blocked off. They do this to fit in the 75-100 thousand people who come!! Another point for us for coming weeks ahead. Very interesting driver... my favorite part was when said that it's best to put your drinks in McDonalds cups so no one can see you are drinking beer or liquor. Also... interesting note here from the taxi man... apparently after 11 on Halloween night, if you are seen after the fireworks in Salem they will, to quote, "throw you in the can." Apparently this helps with crime.
Reason #4) We saved walking time by being dropped off at the House of Seven Gables. This was by far our favorite thing we have seen in Salem. It was freaking awesome!!! Our tour guide, named Travis, was hilarious. He was a darked haired, curly mustached man. When I mean curly, I mean like the cartoon of the evil man who curls his mustache. Jason is laughing at me because that apparently isn't specific enough... I can't remember the guys name. Please feel free to tell us his name. Jaffar? Is that right? Jason is telling me to google it, but I chose not to. Jason just swore at me... he did it again! Gr
Reason #5) The House of the Seven Gables has secret compartments we were able to climb through!! That's right... actually had a hidden staircase! The tour guide opened up a door and told us a big lie about the room being a place to store firewood. At the end he goes "that's amazing, especially since I just made all that up." Then he told us the real reason the room is there, is the staircase. We climbed up with numerous older people in front of us. You had to turn sideways at multiple points to even fit between the stairs and the walls. The reason it was so tight of a fit was because we were climbing up the inside of a chimney ... how cool is that! We weren't allowed to take pictures of the inside, so we can't show you... sorry. It was super lovely and awesome! A lot of the wood was original to the house, as well as the brick and horse-hair plaster insulation. That sounds weird, but true. Also, the ceilings were super low in order to hold in head more efficiently... really worked. As the house was added onto by newer and richer owners (except for the third man who wasted the entire family inheritance), the ceilings were build higher up. Kinda neat... the wallpaper also became more ornate and, to be honest, just throw up ugly. Anyway...It was the coolest place we've been to.
Reason #6) Jason broke into a cabinet at the Counting House beside the house Hawthorne grew up in. I'd like to note that they moved the house there from ten blocks away... with a truck, no less! Jason broke into that cabinet for no reason, for there was nothing in it... hahahaha. He calls it urban exploring... weird. Also, we were able to go into Hawthorne's childhood home. Very cool. They brought his bed, couches, and writing desks, among other things. Very neat place. I kept saying we needed to take the writing desk with us... Jason agreed. Only problem we ran into was that the plane probably wouldn't have let us take it on board. Jerks.
Reason #7) We bought things. Jason bought a shot glass and a sealing wax kit. The kit is awesome. Picture soon to follow. I bought two candlestick holders... glass blown, from the House of Seven Gables. really cool stuff.
Reason #8) We bought a wand! That's right, a wand from Alivan's... kinda a rip of Olivander's. It came with a wand bag and a certificate of authenticity. They were in a case, so we asked to see one of them. I felt very strange afterward... she handed me a wand and I just held it. How do you test a wand? I had a moment where I thought I was suppose to flick it and wait for the harry potter moment of knowing... I chose instead to simply say "how much?" She seemed satisfied. Tonight, however, Jason has attempted to do "expelliarmus" with the wand. To all of our surprise... it didn't work.
Reason #9) Actually saw a women today, buy a spell (i.e. a bag of incense). The reason this is awesome was because the sales lady sold it to her for $30... she pulled this off because she told her it was a tried and true spell that has been used for twenty five or thirty years.... good sales lady.
Reason #10) Jason and I went back to the Old Burying Point to see if we could get a "cold chill" from the ghost of the young girl. The tour guide said many people get chills near the back, right hand corner of the cemetery. Jason and I walked there, and in fact... we did get a cold chill!!!! The wind was blowing... anyone would have. :^)
Reason 11) When we called a cab to take us back to the hotel... it was the same cab driver that took us to Salem our very first day! This is the cab driver who has trouble with his dogs. We found out today, however, it isn't just his dogs... he has animal problems in general. I say this because the cab ride back he spoke of a snake that has gotten into their basement. Poor guy. He also told us about picking a kid up who turned out to be a runaway from the Plummer House in Winter Island. Kid was trying to return to his mom. Sad story. Nice cab driver.
Reason 12) Dinner was McDonalds. Jason got a free McFlurry and I got a free Medium fry... thank you McDonalds monopoly. Awesome!
All in all... great day!
This is a picture of the House of Seven Gables. Very cool.
The picture on the bottom is from the House of Seven Gables as well... while shotting photos we believe we've got a ghost on film... this explains why the woman from the top photo has disappeared.... oh my!!! We didn't take any shots in between... they were taken one right after the other... crazy what happens in Salem!
This is the cabinet Jason broke into for nothing... wahahahahaha.
random ship wheel outside the home of Hawthorne
View from the house of the seven gables.
Jason in front of the House of Seven Gables... they like pumpkins here.
Us in the Garden of the House of Seven Gable
Random patch of grass that had this sign next to a street we passed.
This is the spot in the cemetery where the tour guide said numerous people felt cold chills... like to point out that the bay is right behind that wall... it's usually windy.
Someplace in the mall...
My new amber, glass blown candlestick holders!
Jason's shot glass :^)
Our wand from Alivan's
p.s. Something I forgot.... while in the shop where we purchased these items, Jason was made fun of quite a bit. Reason being: He and I separated at one point while looking at different things. He walked up to me and then put his hands on my back to greet me very affectionately... at least, the back he thought was mine :^) I was right next to the blonde woman he did this to and immediately heard "Oh! I'm so sorry, I thought you were my wife." I laughed a lot and then he came and hugged me. She said "At least you have a good guy." It was hilarious, especially because he did the same thing to my sister when we entered a restaurant at our graduation.
No comments:
Post a Comment