Witch Prickers and more...

29.12.2008

 

Salem and Harvard.

 

The hunt for a witch pricker was on. A witch pricker being a device used to prick suspected witches to see if they are one. An instrument of torture. Had no joy finding one to buy, probably for the best that I didn't find one! Day started just hunting for a bus to take me there. The instructions I had dind't work! Stupid website. Was totally speechless as the bus I first took went over the hill in the suburb of Revere. There was the beach. And my my, how lovely. If that's how the whole stretch of coast there is, no wonder the likes of the Kennedy's have the compounds that they do. Pretty impressive coast. Found a bus to take me to Salem, and was tickled pink to be there. Investigated the Salem Witch Museum. It told the story, but that's all it told. It was wow and bang and ooh and ahh, and great for kids, but severly lacking in any substance. A few other places were closed thanks to it being Monday in winter, but I'm sure they couldn't have surpassed the one that was open, seeing as it is "the best". I did however have a wonderful dmorning! A few sites around the place to check out, including the wtiches memorial, a horrible little site that was barren and eerie. It overlooked a cemetary, with little wooden benches sticking out the stone walls representing each witch. It was done to serve a purpose, to demonstrate the injustice etc, so it was ok. Also went down to the Seven Gables House, and yeah, that was for all intents and purposes the sights of Salem! It would be a nice place to spend a few days in the summer time with access to a car to see some of the surrounds as well. Took bus back towards Boston and transferred to the train halfway along to take me to the city centre to return to Harvard Square and the university itself. Now, that was definitely not a WOW moment. I was not for a moment struck by it. It was just a university. I can see that it is lovely, the buildings are lovely, and I can appreciate it's heritage. I can also picture it in summer time, and it would be nice, but I'm clearly not overwhelmed by academia, because it was JUST a university. I didn't wish to go there, or anything like that. I was also rather surprised and saddened to see that access to the library is only for those holding a Harvard ID card. Ok, fine, you don't want tourists in there, but what happens to other students or those wanting to extend their knowledge? Students perhaps can get cross institutional loans, but I don't know, it seems weird that you can't get in there without the ID card. I only hope there is the ability to make other arrangements and that information is easy to obtain for those that want to, otherwise it's seems selfish and poor spirited. Not ever having had to show ID to enter the library at universities in WA, I only assume it's standard that you don't have to. Perhaps I just think too much.