Witches, Psychics & Salem History

So today I took a day trip to Salem, Massachusetts since I've been in New England for over a year and I haven't been there yet. It was quite the action packed fun filled day despite the 22 degree weather and wind. So first I stopped in at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) which while it had some interesting displays seemed a to be lacking something. However the Chinese drummer and the historical tour of the Ward and Peirce-Nichols house made it worth the $12 entry fee. Oh that and I got to meet the most adorable tour guide Sue - who is quite knowledgeable on history and architecture who doesn't love that. My tour was just me and a family of 3 so sue and I are quite the pals now and she's going to email some books she thought I might like to read so we are fast friends. After the PEM I found myself at the Salem Witch Museum which in hindsight I should have skipped. It was like some kind of weird wax museum and the exhibits were pretty boring and touristy - and I even got a personal tour since I was the only person there. However I now know that dandelions can help you with gall bladder, liver and spleen problems so it wasn't a total bust. After that I wandered around downtown for a bit quite a few of the shops were closed down until spring/summer.
I found a cool place for lunch called gulu's which was this adorable place that was like 1/2 a cafe and another 1/2 beer, meat and cheese bar. Totally cool there was a live band playing with like 10 members and probably 6 customers in the place including myself. But the food was good and so was the atmosphere. If your ever in salem you should pop in.
Then I went to see the psychic not that I really believe them, but it was cheap and how many times can you say a psychic told me my fortune in salem, mass? Not many I don't figure what she said was a little vague anyhow here's a little recap of what she told me -

• I see and chart my own course (this I think is her telling me that I don't really believe a lick of what she was going to say)
• I have a cheerful soul.
• 2008 was a year for changes in my life. 2009 will be more changes and I will probably be in a "metamorphosis wandering phase" for a few years
• I apparently am "getting an addition to my family this year" (jonathan let's get ourselves another fish).
• I am moving someplace "cold" with someone close to me. (perhaps I'm going to buy a house without heat? or one with super good A/C?)
• Apparently at some point (after I get my new fish) I will meet someone who is a "soul companion" and we will only be together briefly because "he will lead me to my one true love"
• Oh I will live to be very old.

So there you have it there's my future as told by Lydia who does not wish to have her picture taken.

Let's see what else I tried to go to the Lizzie Borden Museum and the Witch House both were closed for the winter but I saw them from the outside. I hit a thiftstore where I almost bought a typerwriter for $7 however it was so old I was worried I would not be able to locate ribbon for it and I it might break in transit. I went to the waterfront where I saw the house of seven gables (it really has 8 gables) and the salem light house. Then I returned back to Boston. And because we cannot have adventures without pics here are some pics (note these are taken on my old school point and shoot as the good canon was broken on new years but not to worry I am looking into investing in a new pocket camera, although this one does okay considering it's on 5 megapixels).

Me at the house of seven gables. I'm not sure why I look so shocked I took the picture myself.

The Salem Witch Museum. It is located in this delightful little church (seems an odd place for witches though)

The PEM had this fantastic collection of maritime stuff. Including but not limited to this fantastic handcrafted wedding dress made out of seashells. I think it must have weighed 100lbs I pity the women who wore it but it was rater cool to see.

This is wallpaper in the Pierce-Nichols House - very extravagant doesn't it look like labels?

Look me again take a picture of myself in an antique chinese bureau. Look at that hand carving I imagine furniture like this is dreadful to dust.

Something interesting seen in the road. A witch and my foot! yay!

Fantastic carpet from the Pierce-Nichols House.

Look there's me again as seen in a mirror at the Pierce-Nichols house. Which by the way is one of those houses where "venture capitalism" started. Basically men got people to invest in their ships that went to india/china and brought back things people would want to buy. Sue taught me that.

Another view of the same mirror minus me.

The chinese house at the PEM

The Witch House aka the judge from the salem witch trials house. It was sadly closed.

A witch souvenir store or something.

And me again this time with a statue of roger conant founder of salem. Again I look a little bit out of sorts not sure why. Perhaps I can't figure out how to work my old camera.