Location: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

Here there be WITCHES! We woke up and hustled over to the commuter train, intent on getting to Salem ASAP. In the daylight Boston felt a little safer, but now I could also make out the beautiful brick architecture dotting an otherwise concrete and industrial landscape. Extremely rusty tracks led the screeching old train out of the city, and half an hour later we were exiting directly into downtown Salem. Tourists decked out in all sorts of Halloween clothes wandered the town, carrying pumpkin purses, wearing witch hats (the sheer number of witch hats!) or spider web leggings or Salem branded sweaters.

Pauline and I packed basically all black outfits thinking that would do the trick but did we miss a dress code memo or something?!

Salem proper was founded in the early 1600’s and some of the original brick buildings and churches are still standing. The narrow streets are all cobblestone or brick, lined with federal style brick houses and shops with portico entrances and shuttered windows. Even the newer builds have kept to the style that the town is so famed for.

Boutiques all boasted Halloween themes with names like Nocturne, Fang, HausWitch, Velvet & Vein, Cauldron Black, and Hive & Forge. Almost every shop was dark inside and sold something related to witchcraft, witchy decor or clothes, or metaphysical supplies. Think crystals, altar chalices, tarot cards, oils, and incense. We spent hours walking the streets and perusing the shops, making note of museums and other places we want to come back to tomorrow. We tried joining a walking tour but ended up with more questions and to-do items than answers. The to-do list grows ever longer!

Locals dressed in insane costumes peppered the corners of the roads. Creepy clowns, monsters, and ghosts all peered around corners and scared tourists silly. Me included. I thought I was walking up to a large headless butler statue which was definitely not a statue and suddenly jilted towards me and made me scream way louder than I ever care to do in public. I ALMOST CRIED! Later on an axe welding murderer literally chased me down the dark street as I panicked and started running wildly around and yelling utter nonsense at Pauline who somehow did not see the masked man chasing me around with a bloody axe.

Wow, who peed my pants?!

All of a sudden the sun was setting, which meant it was time for us to make our way down to the wharf, where we had an appointment booked at The Witchery. I’ve been excited for 6 straight months telling everyone who will listen that we get to make our very own custom witches brooms!!

The low wooden building sat right on the edge of the water along a quiet street. The floors creaked underfoot as we walked in to see drying herbs, hanging ribbons, and charms for every imaginable purpose. The back wall was lined with broom handles of all different woods and sizes, next to bunches of dyed and dried sorghum wheat used for the brush part of the brooms. There were 3 sizes of broom to choose from and for all of 7 seconds I debated making the small one. That’s the one that makes sense! That’s the one I can fit in my bag! That’s the one that costs the least!

Absolutely not. That’s not what I came here for. I am making a full-size large broom. I want it. I got it. Shipping be damned! Give me the special add on’s. Yes I would like an extra colour in my broom. I am going all out!

Well. Turns out I’ll be damned cause after I finished making it I found out shipping the large broom home was going to be three hundred US dollars.

Hahahahahahaha!

No.

The lovely and very patient UPS ladies helped me box up my broom, which I will be awkwardly carrying home with me. Seriously this box is almost as tall as me.

My sweet tooth was aching for a treat after dinner and we had gotten a recommendation for a late night cookie shop called… wait for it…

Goodnight Fatty.

The shop was dark and space themed and a life sized astronaut statue greeted us as we stepped into the unassuming brick building. The wall just said ‘FATTY!‘ among the twinkling stars and I was like well fine then let’s just try all of them if we’re going to be fat about it! To be fair they only have 3 flavours a week.

Turns out the cookies are really really fat.

They aren’t calling you fat.

I have decided that giant fat cookies as a bedtime snack is the perfect end to a great travel day.

More of this please.

Sav