We're still in New England

  We are still in Beverly which is next door to the witch city of Salem.  Salem also advertises itself as the Halloween Capital of the World and America's Most Bewitching Seaport.  Now there is lots of things to do in Salem.   It has a Witch Museum, Dracula's Castle, the Witch's Dungeon, a Spellbound Museum and it's very own city  witch, Laura Cabot.   A few weeks ago she was angry with the Salem Police and put a hex on them.  I think some of her potions has gone to her little pointed head.  http://www.lauriecabot.com/   While in Salem we attended the Salem Maritime Festival along Derby Street and the historic waterfront.  One of the first things we noticed was the new replica of the 1797  sailing vessel "Friendship".  It's a three-masted, square-rigged beauty.  The original Friendship helped Salem to become a leader in trade with the Far East in the years after the American Revolution.   Now if myths and monsters, vampires, witches,and magic potions are not your cup of tea, there's lots more to see and taste in Salem.  Stromberg's Restaurant is know for its fresh local seafood, "In A Pigs Eye" was voted best pub and everyone knows that Hobbs popcorn at  Salem Willows is the best.  I testify to all the above.   No visit to Salem would be complete without a visit to the House of Seven Gables, made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne.  Salem has what is considered one of the most significant collections of Hawthorne's original writings in the museum here.  I found out that he often got in trouble at college by gambling, his hair was often an unkempt mess and at times was so confused that he couldn't decide to spell his own name.  Today we would ask "What's he smoking?"    LOL

Now I won't bore  you with all the details of Boston.  I'm sure you will hear  all the interesting facts about it this coming week.  What you won't hear about is the high taxes and graft in Ma.   The Big Dig , a central artery project in Boston,  ( 1983)  has been called  the road to hell.  The price is now gone from 2.2 billion to 14.6 billion. and is still not finished .          I was watching some of the news about the  convention.  The security looks  like we are preparing for a war with all the gear they are wearing.  It's a sad time for us all.   While driving around here for the past few weeks I had forgotten the Massachusetts driver.  A breed  in itself.   Let me help you understand the rules of the road.    First we don't use directionals, keep them guessing is our motto.  A yellow light means that four more cars can go through and a red light, only two can proceed through.  We don't honk our horns as often as  New Yorkers, but we do give the offending drivers a one finger salute, which we wave  vigorously, while giving lip service to match.   Before I close today I must say that we haven't made it a practice of eating our way across the country, but we have made a good attempted and have come to the conclusion that New England has the best food.    That's it for now.