City-Hop: 5 Salem
Intro
Salem really
capitalizes
on the trails and
history of the
Old Salem.
Sunrise on Essex
I got up at 5:15 am
because my body decided
that was a good time.
The sun was to rise
about 5:50 which
meant I had time to
pick a spot to take
photos with the sun rising.
At first, I was going
to do it at the cemetery and
memorial, to get a creepy vibe.
But there's a tall building that
stands in the way of the sunlight.
So I went over to Essex,
where we started our tour
the night before. I remember
Susan mentioning how you
can see all the way down
the road.
I also downloaded a few
HDR apps to test out.
Most of them looked...
strange. But there was one
I really liked.
Then, I washed clothes!
Because when you
pack light,
that tends to be the drawback.
Pedestrians
One thing I found interesting
was how cars will stop so much
for pedestrians. Even if I didn't
have the right-a-way and was
clearly waiting for the car to pass,
they'd still stop and motion for me
to cross. It was both very nice
and very weird. Salem made me
feel like I was living in
Halloweentown, from that Disney
film series, or in
Middleton from Good Witch.
From Photographer to Model
Amanda lived a drive away
(maybe an hour?)
and didn't make it there until around 1.
Maybe I should have gone out
to explore the town a bit
(I was within walking distance
of most things).
But I had already looked up
and saw that many things
cost money, most things
had been relocated, and
it was starting to feel
like a tourist trap to me.
Instead of going to the museums,
I decided to take advantage of
my beautiful AirBnB room and
the perfect lighting
and did a mini photoshoot.
Times like these,
I wish I traveled
with someone who
loves to model!
for not getting there sooner,
I really enjoyed the morning!
It would've been more fun
if she has been there,
but still.
Sometimes, it's nice to
do what feels right instead
of following a plan or an
agenda.
Red's Sandwich Shop
When Amanda did make it,
we went to eat at the local
sandwich shop. It was toasty
outside, so I got to leave the
jacket! But having left my
owl bag, I needed to pick up
a small tote (which I found
for $5, not bad).
everybody knew everyone.
We ate at the counter and
had mimosas with our lunch.
There was an older man
named Pete
who was friendly and
offered a pleasant conversation.
Detour
On our way from lunch to the
House of the Seven Gables,
we came across
Friendship of Salem
with no sail and it wasn't
open to the public.
In case you're curious,
the water was cold.
The House of the Seven Gables
The entrance fee was $17/person
We spent about an hour there
(the 35-minute tour plus
exploring the shop and
red home and grounds).
There's an app you can
download for more info. They
have a sign for it at the counter.
The tour was nice,
though it made me think
I was just touring another
rich person's home with a
strong sense of business.
Our tour guide loved answering
questions and seemed to wish
we had more to ask. She was
well informed on the house and
on the area, in general.
Coffee and Rain
At this point,
everything started closing.
It was 5 pm.
We stopped at a local coffee shop
where I got an iced coffee
and she got a smoothie.
Very yummy!
I kind of wanted to
relax there a bit
but we moved on,
grabbed our umbrellas,
and walked to the
Bewitched statue.
Bad Times
It was about this time
we both started feeling bad.
Amanda felt it first,
then it hit me.
Mine may be my issues
(previously mentioned...
don't know what's wrong and
will see a specialist after the trip).
But since we both felt it
about the same time,
we're thinking it may be
something we ate.
Ending Early
Amanda dropped me off
about 7 pm.
And I went to bed almost
immediately!
I meant to get back up and
do another evening tour,
but... I guess my body
needed to rest.
Salem Witch Trials
The fun part about sightseeing
in Salem... is that it's not the
only location of
Salem Witch Trials.
Present-day Danvers
also part of the action.
If you were curious.
Outro
Salem is a great place to visit.
It's also a bit much on the
tourist and gimmick bits.
The evening tour was worth it,
and I kind of wish I had time
to visit more museums. But
I'm also not too bent out of
shape about it.
Tags:
travel
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