Tonight was a fun mix of ghosts, witches, and games – mostly historical.
GHOSTS: Joseph and I have some experience with spirits. So, after finding out that our room at historical The Salem Inn was haunted by the ghost of Catherine, Joseph and I devised a plan for dealing with her. It probably helped that we were slightly toasted as we discussed getting ready for Catherine.
Here’s what we decided: Joseph and I would surround ourselves with white light before we entered our “haunted” room. Then we would reason with Catherine, appeal to her ghostly sensitivities..
Prepped and ready, Joseph and I made our way up the very steep staircase, Just before entering room#17, we put the white light around us. Then, after dropping off our bags and freshening up for the Bewitched tour, we had a brief “conversation” with Catherine. It went something like this: “Hi Catherine! We acknowledge you’re here, and honor that you’re presence. But, listen, we’ve had a long week, and a tedious drive today. We need our rest. So we appreciate that you don’t both us tonight.”
Then Joseph left his glass of wine on a table and joked about Catherine drinking it. But neither of us worried about it.
WITCHES: We traipsed down the steep staircase to make our way onto the town’s main drag, and headed for the Bewitched After Dark tour. We passed a pizza place along the way and stopped in for a slice (not a place I would mention or recommend to anyone). Then we went on to the Bewitched After Dark walking tour.
The guide, Jeff, couldn’t have been better. He didn’t do the hokey witch stuff. I’ve been to Salem before, did that tour and hated it. Instead, Jeff’s tour the historical version of the Salem Witch Trials. He described what the town looked like in the 1700’s. He described things like “you’re standing on what used to be an apple orchard” as well as how religion impacted the colony, and more. He explained how the furor over witches was really a land grab by the rich and powerful. It was eye-opening.
GAMES: Jeff, who was raised in Salem, didn’t leave out some of the more modern parts of Salem either. Jeff also pointed out the twentieth century jail (recently turned into condos), and a interesting row of houses. If you ever played Monopoly, you might recognize them (think “red”). George Parker was born in Salem and opened up his first “game” store in Salem in 1887. His two brothers eventually joined him. The Parker Brothers didn’t buy the rights and start selling their most famous game, Monopoly, until 1935. They grew the company and, until the late 1960’s, produced their games right from the plant in Salem. The manufacturing plant was sold in 2011 and turned into apartments.
The two-hour tour ended at the cemetery where there were stone seats, one for each of “witches” who lost their lives. It was fascinating!
It was a long day…and we walked home happy, tired, and hoping we’d get some sleep – without any hassle from Catherine.
#MaineDiaries, #AnnmarieKelly
