SHERBROOKE, QC ‑ Last year we took a weekend road trip to Cape Ann, and went on an outstanding whale watching tour – thereafter, we headed up one road and down another and ended up unknowingly in the bewitching seaport of Salem. After touring the town and visiting the witch museum – we agreed that the following Halloween would be spent in the town of the famous witch trials of 1692.
Early on Halloween morning we packed up the car and headed down to Vermont and made our way towards Massachusetts to take part in the haunted happenings that Salem had to offer us.
We found a parking garage operated by the city of Salem located just across from the visitor's center – which made it quite easy to walk around the town and participate in the many ghoulish activities.
Activities vary from walking tours, museums, cemeteries, trolley tours, family activities, adult activities, street merchants, face painting, psychic fairs and mystical events, and even a which trial trail; there is even a store operated by the worlds most famous witch, Laurie Cabot.
Every quaint boutique seems to offer their own spell bottles, spell kits, herbs, candles, potions, and voodoo dolls, just to mention a few items.
After spending the entire day (and night) out and about amongst the 100,000 plus crowd our feet decided it was time to take a break and sit down and enjoy the evening's fireworks. Soon after it was time to call it a day.
Upon our awakening to a very cold and crisp morning, we made our way to a local gas station and fuelled up the car and decided to spend the day in the Boston area since we were so close by. Let me just say that Boston drivers are not forgiving, the instant the traffic light has changed to green you better be on the gas, if not be prepared to hear horns aplenty.
Not having any set plan of our day – we took a sight seeing tour of our own up and down the streets of Boston, and finally found the New England Aquarium. After checking the admission fees and the parking rates, we decided to pass up the aquarium and moved along our unknown journey in Beantown.
I definitely wanted to see Fenway Park, being a sports enthusiast there is nothing better than being handed the opportunity to visit baseballs oldest field. Up and down the streets, being able to see the famous Citgo sign yet not being able to crisscross detours and road construction to get to the park. Frustration set in, and then a roadblock because a truck was trying to back into a construction site; however there was a police officer directing traffic. Bingo, this was a lucky break, well… so it seemed. The officer gave us directions, which took us up and down the same streets we were just on… but, wait, we were lucky again, another police officer, one of Boston's finest, and all we had to say was Fenway, and he said, "Why do you want to go there, what's there," with a smirk on his face. He then gave us better directions, and then alas, Yawkee Way. We had made it, and guess what, there was an open parking space on Brookline Avenue, and it was free for 2 hours, what a deal! We purchased tickets for the tour and headed back to the famous Red Sox team store and waited for our knowledgeable tour guide. The tour was awesome, and cold chills came across me once we were inside the ballpark – we were on home turf of the 2007 World Series Champs, what a feeling to be in that ballpark and to sit in the Green Monster and also in the original seats of Fenway. Souvenirs were a bit costly, so pictures and memories it was.
From there we went on a slight tour of the other part of the city of Boston, and stopped by a park that was once a battle ground and the cannons are still visible atop the fort. Looking across the bay, there is Logan International Airport. We took some pictures of some of the airplanes taking off, and since the wind was a bit cool, we headed back to the warmth of the car. The city was now awakening, and so was traffic – it was time to head out of the city and back up toward the coast.
For some unknown reason, and unplanned itinerary for the return trip, we took an exit that leads us to Portsmouth, NH. From there we followed the roadway signs to Maine and up the coast. Old Orchard is a great place to visit during the off-season, no crowds and no mosquitoes, but the good ole seagulls are still around and in force. Having found sand dollars on the shoreline it was time to walk back to the car and head up the coast a bit more and stop by the famous LL Bean stores in Freeport.
We also made a quick stop at DeLorme, the map people, in Yarmouth, and the home of Eartha. For those who have never heard of Eartha, DeLorme has fabricated the world's largest rotating and revolving globe. Completed in 1998 by the DeLorme staff, Eartha is the largest printed image of the earth ever created. Eartha weights approximately 5600 lbs, and has a surface area of 5300 square feet.
A few minutes up the road, we made it to Freeport and LL Bean. Walking up and down the main street, visiting the outlets and boutiques, Starbucks was calling out to us. Snacks and drinks in hand, we hit the road again, with stops in Brunswick, to watch the US Navy turbo props practice their touch and go's, then up the coast a bit more to Bailey's Island, an old family stomping ground with my parents and our camping friends from Derby Line, VT.
After some fabulous photographic opportunities we were back on the road and headed to Bath and the Iron Works yard where there was many a large ship being attended to. In Bath, we also spotted the funniest Chinese restaurant sign and had to snap a shot, then came Augusta and the long ride back home to unpack, upload, and rest for what the week ahead will bring us. We are already planning next year's magical bewitching event in America's premiere Halloween Festival in wonderful seaport Salem, Massachusetts.
Photos of this journey and others are available on the site under Chad's albums.
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