Random Thoughts On Friday

http://www.wickedlocal.com/salem/blogs/x680960776#axzz1VJxgNOFn

If you have read my blog for some time (again, thanks mom!) you know that I love the town of Salem. I love the strange history, the charm, and the people. It is simply a near perfect town. Modern beauty and preserved history are right there. I have made several trips there, and I am itching to get back soon.

I love historic tourist attractions. I think it is very exciting taking a tour of a historic home, and just indulging in a place's history.

Call me smug, but I also like knowing that I have supported a place by buying a ticket, or by spending some money in a gift shop. In fact, we will not think twice about dropping a few extra bucks on an item in a historic gift shop. There is something extra special about flipping the pages of a book about Gettysburg purchased in the PA town. There is something more authentic about sending a postcard from Mammoth Cave when the postcard was actually bought at Mammoth Cave.

If you visit an area frequently, you may not have time to take a tour for the nth time, but you still might want to support a place by stopping by their gift shop to drop some coin. I think management at most tourist attractions appreciate people stopping by their gift shops to make a purchase. In fact, I can only think of one that doesn't.

I mentioned before that we had a very negative experience the last time we stopped by the House of the Seven Gables in Salem. I found this write up above from someone who also had a bad experience there. Looks like some in the Salem community felt that the House of the Seven Gables needed to work on how they handle things too.

Obviously, the owners of the property can do whatever they want to with their place, and that's fine.

Tourists and locals can choose to visit some of the many other great tourist attractions in town, and support their gift shops.