Salem Witch Museum
[ << previous | index | next >> ]
Breugger's Bagel Bakery - a bagel brekky begins the day!
Just had a revelation. The American habit of saying "sir/ma'am" when serving someone (in a shop/feed place/etc) must be a relic of the days of slavery. The monetary tip habit may also be connected. [I don't think I'd leap to such assured conclusions now. I was young and naive and had little experience with the American culture, and no real experience with its history.]
Time to hit the T for Salem!
North Station. Missed the 08:30 to Salem and Rockport by that much... Next Salem train is the 09:40 to Ipswich. They sure have the commuter rail station well hidden. I had to ask a flower seller when I left the T station. Should be a fun trip. The timetable says it takes 32 minutes.
Checked my Monet - it will fit nicely into the tube. Will take some repacking - like all my luggage.
It's a bright sunny day here, but quite chilly. I guess it'll warm up later, like yesterday. It got reasonably warm. North Station is built right next to Boston Garden. Apparently a place where the Bruins and Celtics play games. (Not at the same time! Bruins = ice hockey, Celtics = basketball.) There is a mural behind me showing other performers who have performed here: Sonja Henie, the Beatles. Winston Chirchill and JFK gave speeches here.
Back at Elena's, showered and fresh.
The trip to Salem isn't very long at all. Didn't really see much from the train, except a brief glimpse of the ocean. There wasn't much help for tourists at the Salem train station. I just wandered down a street until I found a red line painted on the ground (like the Boston Heritage Trail). This led past a bookstore, where I grabbed a free tourist map. Much better!
Now able to navigate, I found the visitor's centre! Looked in briefly, then crossed the mall to the Peabody Museum. Way cool, especially the touring display of the Great Days of Sail from Britain's National Maritime Museum. It had the portrait of Captain James Cook!
Salem Witch Museum |
Left there and wandered down to the Witch Museum. Pretty kitchsy, as the Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard says. But I took a photo so at least I could prove I've been to Salem. The entry price got me a half hour tape recording and diorama display fest outlining the series of events leading up to and during the Witch Trials of 1692. I learnt a fair bit, so I guess it wasn't too bad.
Outside, grabbed a pastrami sandwich for lunch from a little corner food place. Pretty yummy (although now I'm starting to get hungry again...). [I recall that this pastrami sandwich was hot and delicious, and the standard to which I have since held all other pastrami sandwiches. Unfortunately none that I have had since has come up to it.]
 Salem Witch Trials Memorial |
Walked over to the Witch Trials Memorial - a rectangular patch of grass surrounded by a low stone wall, broken at the entrance with a threshold of stones engraved with cries of innocence heard at the trials. A path leads around the inside of the wall, and jutting from the wall are "seats" with names and dates of death of the executed witch accusees. [One, as shown in the photo I took, was John Proctor.] Next to this was the Burying Place, with the grave of a real Mayflower pilgrim.
 Salem Burying Ground |
Then went to the Witch House, home of Judge Corwin, who tried many of the accused. It was pretty neat, with lots of antique stuff and showing how the early settlers lived.
Caught the commuter rail back to North Station and the T here. Called Merrill to see what's up - she has her first exam on Thursday. We can hopefully arrange something tomorrow, so I can see her before I leave here. Gosh, the time has gone quickly... I wonder if Merrill will get to show me the lizard kings this time. [The "lizard kings" are large animal sculptures. I forget exactly what they were, but some research leads me to believe it was probably the life-size bronze rhinoceros sculptures "Bessie" and "Victoria" by Katharine Lane Weems, displayed outside the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology.]
[ << previous | index | next >> ]