Visit Salem, Massachuetts

“The train from Boston only took half an hour, pulling into Salem's town center. I came during the height of summer, on one sunny and sweaty day, so my first impression was that the place seemed more quaint than creepy. Plenty of tourists were around, but it wasn't terribly busy on a weekday. It's a different story around Halloween when 500,000 people descend upon Salem throughout the month of October and all the hotels are booked out months in advance. As I poked around the shops in Salem, it did feel as if the town was perpetually celebrating Halloween. Aside from souvenir and costume stores, I passed kitschy tourist shops dedicated to magic, vampires, wands, and, of course, witchcraft.”

“From the moment I stepped off the train and began walking the quiet streets, I thought to myself, “I could move here and open up a little bookshop.” I made my way to the Salem Witch Trials memorial. The stones with so many names brought to life a history I only knew in passing, mostly through literature. The silence sits heavy over the former home of some of the residents of the witch trials.”