Halloween Night in Salem
Inside Cilantro, we watched the day turn into night and the streets of Salem fill with thousands of people. With a couple of good drinks in us, we headed out.
I think what makes this celebration of Halloween great is the people. There were no multi-million dollar companies flashing their gear, just regular people in some fantastic costumes. For the night, they were the stars of the show.
I ran into many people who made their costumes completely from scratch. Two guys really amazed me. They made their own Ghostbuster Proton Packs! These things were made from metal and had fully working lights and LEDs. They even made a working ghost trap.
Strange costumes were the norm. I heard someone honking an old bicycle horn. Then I see this killer clown riding a tricycle through the crowd covered in blood with a giant knife!
There were many people dressed as some of the all time classic horror heroes. I was lucky enough to run into Pinhead, one of my favorite horror movie characters. Others I saw were Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and the Frankenstein Monster.
Of course Halloween isn’t just about scary characters. I also saw two guys dressed up as Jay and Silent Bob. Just like most everyone else in full costume, they acted the part. Others I saw were the Family Guy, Chewbacca, Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, and a dog as Piglet.
In addition to the thousands of people dressed up, there were all sorts of vendors and booths set up. There was even one where you could get custom fangs!
I also saw many street performers. One guy in particular was really amazing. As part of his act he seemed to fly as he did a flip over five girls and somehow landed on his feet!
I saw two guys dressed up as scarecrows just standing in the middle of one of the main streets in Salem. They would stand so still for so long. Many people thought they were statues and would stop to get a closer look. Then they would scream and run after an unsuspecting victim!
Why are clowns so creepy? This guy was wondering around shooting people at random!
You really had to pay attention and look around. There were so many creepy characters hiding in random places, standing still ready to scare people passing by. I found Leatherface in a doorway.
If you have never been to Salem, Massachusetts for Halloween, you have to add this to your list of places to see. We are definitely going back!!!
Halloween Day in Salem
We got an earlier start to the day. For breakfast, we went to a place called Red’s Sandwich Shop. They have been voted the best breakfast joint in Salem for the past 19 years!!! I don’t know of any other restaurant with that kind of reputation. After ordering, our breakfast was served to us by the friendly wait staff in less than ten minutes. My coffee never wen below half a cup without being refilled. The breakfast was perfect and inexpensive. A great way to begin the day.
Following the recommendation of our waitress from last night’s dinner, we started our sight seeing tour of Salem with the House of the Seven Gables. We took a 30 minute guided tour of the historic house. It was built in 1668 and is the oldest surviving 17th century wooden mansion in the New England area. Each new room we entered was overflowing with history. It was interesting to see the little things that meant you had a lot of money like the height of the ceilings or wide wood just under 24 inches to avoid being sent to England. I couldn’t believe how they used to cook back then. The kettle alone without water could way as much as 25 pounds and hung over the fireplace!
Right across the street from the House of the Seven Gables was a little candy shop called Ye Olde Pepper Companie. It’s America’s oldest candy company dating back to 1806. They were even featured on the Food Network. They still make Salem Gibralters. They were the first commercially made candies in America. I picked up a few of these and some Black Jacks. The story goes that a woman by the name of Spencer was shipwrecked and landed in Salem. Her and her son did their best to survive. When neighbors learned that she knew how to make candy, they all got together and bought her a barrel of sugar. With this, she made the “Salem Gibraltar” which was carried around the world by sea captains and their crews. She first sold her candies on the steps of the First Church. They eventually become so popular that she purchased a horse and wagon to travel to neighboring towns. This was the inspiration for their logo. Today, the horse and wagon are on display in the Peabody Essex Museum.
We worked our way through the city, occasionally stopping in and checking out many of the local shops along the way. One of the places we went to was called Crow Haven Corner. Being Halloween, we decided to each get a reading. Jennifer got a Tarot Card reading and I went with a reading from an astrologer. My astrologer’s name was Angela. She has been practicing astrology for over 30 years. Whether any of it is true or not, the reading was very accurate. I told her only my name and birthday and was very careful not to mention anything else during the reading. She did the rest and pointed out some very specific details of my life in the coming year. Towards the end, she asked if there was anyone else I wanted to know about. I gave her my sister’s and my mother’s birthdays. Again, she was extremely accurate especially with my sister which ended with some really great news.
The Salem Witch Museum was our next tourist destination. This place has won many awards and is a must see to understand the history of the Salem Witch Trials. I really enjoyed the main presentation on the trials, but the following presentation called “Witches: An Evolving Perception” was a great way to end the tour. It really explains the different meanings of the words witch and witchcraft according to various beliefs such as Paganism, Wicca, and the classic Hollywood image.
Our next stop was the Witch House, sometimes called the Corwin House, which was built somewhere between 1642 and 1675. This was the home of Judge Jonathon Corwin. He was called upon to investigate the claims of witchcraft and served on the Court of Oyer and Terminer which ultimately sent nineteen to the gallows.
Our room at the Salem Inn was just one block away from the Witch House. So we dropped off all the gifts and souvenirs we acquired and readied ourselves for the night to come. We were walking by a placed called Cilantro when I spotted some Laphroaig and Balvenie through the window. We ended up talking to a man named JC for about half an hour. He turned out to be the owner. He started out in the computer software business and is now a successful restaurant owner with his wife acting as executive chef. There were many parallels between us. He was a motivated guy and whether he knows it or not, he really inspired us to keep reaching for our goals.
Night Before Halloween in Salem
It was late afternoon when we arrived in Salem, Massachusetts. The drive was very easy, it took us a little over three hours to get there. We decided to stay at the Salem Inn. The Inn is actually three different houses located in the heart of Salem. We stayed at the Curwen House. They even had complimentary Port Wine waiting for you! If your visiting Salem for Halloween, staying at a place downtown within walking distance is an absolute must.
After we settled into our room, we decided to walk around the town. One of the first places we explored was the Burying Point Cemetery. It is the oldest cemetery in Salem and is located in the center of the city. Some of the headstones date back to the early 1700s. The best way to experience it is at night!
After checking out a few of the vendors and shops, we were ready for some food. We decided to eat somewhere that had the word witch in the name. We found a small place called the Witch’s Brew Cafe. The choice for dinner was easy. We both decided to have the Witch’s Steak dinner.
Just like everyone else we met in Salem, our waitress was very friendly. She gave us some great advice on some places to see on Halloween day. We also asked her if there were any local bars that she would recommend. She mentioned a place called Rockafellas. It was a short walk from the restaurant. Inside, we enjoyed a couple of drinks while listening to some great covers of classic songs by a band called the Lisa Love Experience. This band really knew how to get people out on the dance floor. The majority of the people here were in costumes. They had a costume contest towards the end of their set where three people dressed up as rock, paper, and scissor won.
After talking to Lisa for a bit, we decided to head back to the Inn around midnight. We knew we would need to be well rested for tomorrow’s Halloween festivities.
Mount Greylock Ramble
We did it! We were part of the 41st annual Mount Greylock Ramble. The event occurs each year on Columbus Day. Hikers climb the Chesire Harbor trail to the summit of Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts, located in the Berkshires. Even a section of the Appalachian Trail passes through the Mount Greylock State Reservation. The first 2000 people to the top get a certificate of completion upon registering at the Bascom Lodge. Jennifer and I were hikers 145 and 146 in the log book that day.
We decided to stay in Adams, Massachusetts because in front of the Adams Free Library, buses pick people up and take them to the trail head. We ended up finding a place called the Mount Greylock Inn. It is located in the Historic District of town. Plus, it was only a five minute walk to the library. If you are going to the event, this is the Inn to stay at. It only has four rooms, so call early. The innkeepers will make you feel right at home. The homemade muffins were delicious.
We took the 9 am bus to the trail head. The trail itself is not easy, but it is definitely not the hardest. It is a bit long at 6.6 miles round trip and maintains a steady incline to the summit. The fall foliage surrounding the trail was absolutely incredible. It was at it’s peak.
I really like any event that motivates people to get outside and do a little exercise. We saw people both old and young. We saw mothers and fathers carrying their children on their backs. We saw grandparents with their grandchildren. We even saw a pregnant woman who was in her last trimester. Unbelievable! There really are no excuses for getting out and enjoying life.
Once you reach the top, be sure to register at Bascom Lodge to get your certificate. Don’t forget your t-shirts either. The first thing you see once at the summit is the huge war memorial tower. You can take a spiral staircase to the the top to enjoy an unobstructed 360 degree view of five states on a clear day. Be sure to check out the circular room at the base. A fantastic quote runs the length of the room up high: “Those immortal dead who live again in minds made better by their presence.” Who says you can’t live forever?
There were hundreds of people at the top. Not everyone hiked up, some took the Mount Greylock Scenic Byway. Many enjoyed a picnic on this wonderful Fall day. The breeze was cool, but the sun kept you warm. We stayed up there at least an hour. The views were spectacular. You could see rolling hills of red, orange, and gold as far as the eye could see.
