Mando and I had plans in Boston to attend a conference, so we
decided to make a mini-trip out of it. We flew in a day early in order to have
more time to explore.
We decided to start our adventure off in Salem, the town where
the infamous witch
trials were held during the 17th century. This place has been on
my bucket list since I can remember, and I was so excited to finally check it
out.
Stickwork exhibit outside our hotel
We reserved a room for the night at the allegedly haunted,
historic Hawthorne Hotel. It was a beautiful hotel, with lots of character, and
the elevators were padded in a dark fabric, reminiscent of a coffin. We were
even placed on the 6th floor, right down the hall from one of the "haunted
rooms". As I lay in bed that night, in the pitch black darkness, I took a
few photos with flash to see if I could catch any orbs. Unfortunately, the
pictures were crystal clear...Maybe next time.
Mando in the coffin elevator
We started with lunch at the Olde Main Street Pub. Again, the
place had lots of character and I could easily imagine myself holed up there on
a cool, fall day enjoying a crisp cider. I ordered a roasted vegetable
sandwich, which was served on a gluten-free savory waffle....yah, that waffle
was NOT good. However, Mando ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and a cider
that she really enjoyed.
Awesome cider at the Olde Main Street Pub
After lunch we walked down Essex street, stopping to check out
the many witch and magic shops. We found a vintage photo shop that took our
pictures dressed up as witches (similar to the old time saloon photos you can
get in many tourist locations). That was probably more fun than it should have
been for a couple of grown adult women...
We had a hard time keeping straight faces
We continued onto the Witch House, which is supposedly the only
building left in Salem with ties to the witch trials. It was the house of Judge
Jonathan Corwin, who was a judge presiding over the trials.
Love that the address is 310 1/2!
Our next stop was the Old Burying Point Cemetery, the oldest
cemetery in Salem, where witch trial judges Jonathan Corwin and John Hawthorne
are buried. Adjacent to the cemetery is the Witch Trials Memorial, dedicated to
the 20 executed victims.
Witch Trials Memorial
Words of the victims before hanging
Next to the cemetery is Murphy's Restaurant and Pub. What's
really cool about this place is that it is directly next to the cemetery, but
on lower ground (which was once underwater), so one of the building's walls is a stone
wall with bodies from the cemetery directly on the other side. Supposedly a
casket broke through the wall at one point...how would you like to see that
while eating your lunch?
On we went to the harbor, where we stopped at Magika, another
witchcraft store, and each got our tarot cards read. I normally wouldn't
partake in this sort of activity, but when in Salem...
After dinner at the harbor, we went back to the main street of
town to meet up for a
Bewitched After Dark tour. It was essentially a 2-hour
historical walking tour around the city, stopping at the different places
significant to the witch trials. This tour was very well done, the guide was
extremely knowledgeable and entertaining, and I learned a lot more about the
witch trials that I didn't know before.
Hawthorne Hotel
Trying to catch orbs, just got bugs
Cute Bewitched statue in town
The next morning we stopped at Red's Sandwich Shop for
breakfast, prior to our departure for Boston. This place was recommended to us
by several people, so we had to check it out. The food was bomb.com and the portions were HUGE. Mando got the lobster eggs
benedict, while I opted for the French toast. I couldn't decide between the
three different types of French toast they offered, so the waitress kindly
brought me a slice of each!
Homemade cinnamon, blueberry, and sourdough
Damage done
More to come on our time in Boston!
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