City of Witches
Honestly, I didn't know that Salem Massachusetts had become a major tourist spot for Halloween. I was here once 25yrs ago with a woman from my college Spanish class, we had driven over from Amherst to celebrate Halloween. I only remember buying purple Manic Panic hair dye and learning about my sun sign. This time we camped on Winter Park Island. Our spot was in the busy harbor's parking lot against an abandoned bunker. The view was incredible, lighthouses, sailing ships, the inlet. It was hard to leave our spot and take the 2-mile walk into town. The Marti Gras type atmosphere was too much for the small North Shore town that seemed better suited in somber gray and black than Harry Potter, Wizard of Oz, Bewitched, Hollywood crap. This even bordered on disrespectful to the 25 people who were killed in the witch trials. What were all the people here for? Was there and cross over for how they felt about the latest policies against others different than them? Were they only here for the black and orange saltwater taffy and a Harry Potter wand? Definitely a spooky vibe and fantastic decorations in town, that was fun. The witch museum was rated the star attraction. It was a bunch of dusty wax figures telling a dated story, it was not worth going to. We listened to some of these podcasts https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06pxp2z to get a more complete history. We watched this two-part series on Youtube about the European origins of the witch trials. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB2DeAzCBi4
Next, we opted to visit the Peabody Essex Museum.
"The first-floor bedrooms have intricately carved lattice windows that look out onto two fish pools in the central courtyard. These details tell as much about the aspirations, identity, and creative expression of the Huang family as they do about the architectural heritage of the region.
The family’s well-documented genealogy and the accumulation of furnishings passed down through eight generations offer the opportunity to understand historical changes in China as they affect individuals in their daily lives and cultures on a global scale.
With the museum’s already extensive collections of Asian art and period architecture, the acquisition of Yin Yu Tang provides unrivaled opportunities to explore the artistic and cultural heritage of rural China and the multi-faceted, often surprising, connections between Asia and America.
Yin Yu Tang is available for scheduled self-guided, audio, and docent-led tours. Ask the admissions staff for times and availability. The frequency and size of tours are limited to optimize visitor experience and protect the historic structure. Tour http://yinyutang.pem.org/ Yin Yu Tang online. The Website winner of interactive design, online exhibition, and education awards uniquely illustrates the richness of the region’s artistic and cultural heritage and the story of the Huang family through original audio and video clips, photographs, and text."
Views from the campsite on the harbor on Winter Park Island.
Marblehead, MA lobster shacks