Granite and Grandbaby - Sept 18, 2019

We spent the day observing the granite countertops being delivered by crane to Todd's condo on the third floor, and - of course- baby play time while the workers worked.

 We were able to find our way to the Mapparium - a fun place that was built in 1935 at the Christian Science Library.  It is 3 stories high, viewed from a 30 foot long bridge through the interior.
When you stand in the middle (halfway between the North and South Pole) your voice can be heard in surround sound. When you whisper from one end of the bridge to a person on the other end, the whisper can be heard clearly.  A fun display from 'the center of the earth'

The other item on our sightseeing 'agenda' was seeing the Boston Tea Party Museum.
When we got there, it was closed!  SO, we enjoyed a cup of coffee, found our way to the public transportation  at 3:30 and arrived at our campground (17 miles away) at 6 :30!!!!!!!
(buses, trains, and subways!)

Salem-Witches and Artists-Sept 17, 2019

Today we decided to tour locally and not battle the traffic to Boston.

We met my cousin Mitzi and toured 2 local museums.

We visited the Peabody Essex Museum - 

not in the town of Peabody, not in the town of Essex, but in Salem

It is one of the 20 largest art museums in the US.

A huge collection of Asian art, and even a 200 year old house from China.

The collections of art are varied and unusual.

Art of India - Hindu beliefs

The bull in standing on a single leg  of Truth.

The legs of austerity, cleanliness and mercy have been cut off-

but the bull holds up the goddess.

Photography using large format cameras and the portable darkroom in the challenging terrain terrain of China

The emperor's wife has a private 'chariot' 

She is carried by the servants using poles to carry the vehicle

Such an interesting glass sculpture!

This guy is used throughout China and Japan to ward off evil spirits.

We toured a house built in early 1800's .

This "Mortgage post" has an ivory plug in the top of the column.

When the mortgage was paid off it was burnt and the ashes were put into the column and topped with the ivory plug.

The interest rates in the  1800's were 25%

Here is a mortgage calculator.

This house was in China for over 200 years and housed all the family and heirs.

In 2000 the house was donated to the museum, and moved to Salem.

The stories of the Witch Trials in Salem 

A tragic period of our history.

No pictures allowed inside.