Conference vaxcat::friends

    
    
    Joyce left yesterday for a four day trip to Salem, MA.
    It was a birthday present to herself. :*)  What a great
    idea.
    
    Ann left thursday for a four day trip to Wells, ME...my
    trip that I had to cancel.
    
    I'd like to go on a trip...anyone got any valium? :*)  just 
    kidding...eventually I'll actually get to taka a trip that 
    I plan....
    
    
    Terrie
    

    
    We're off for a trip to London on Monday. 
    
    Jackie

    
    
    
    I'm planning a trip to London England in February!!
    
    Chris
    :)

Well Terrie mentioned my trip to Salem MA.  I've always wanted to go there - 
so I bought myself a 4 day mini vacation for my b-day.

I arrived Saturday to absolutly beautiful weather.  I dropped my luggage off 
and then walked all over the town.  I was scoping things out and planning 
which of the museums and sites I'd see.

Between the maritime history, the fabulous 200-300 year old houses and the 
witch trials, Salem had lots of stuff that would occupy my time.

Some of the things I did or tours I took:

	The Salem Witch Trials Museum
	The House of the Seven Gables
	The Customs House
	Derby Wharf
	Salem's history at the National Parks building
	Caught Woody Allen's new movie, Bullets over Broadway
	Salem Witch House
	Ye Olde Pepper House
	The Sea Witch
	Pickering Wharf
	
I did lots of walking and had the right weather for it. 

If anyone would like any specific info I may be able to help.
	
Lata
Joyce

    
    
    I'd like to know how far Salem is from Boston (and from Springfield MA).
    May I go there also by bus or train?
    
    If it isn't too far I'd like to visit it.
    
    
    Tina

Hi Tina!

Well Salem is only about 20 minutes north of Boston.  How long will you be 
in the Boston area?  When will you be arriving?

Springfield is at the opposite side of the state from Boston, about 2 hours 
drive.  

Would you like me to send you a copy of a road map?  I have several 
versions all sizes.


JOyce

    > would you like me to send you a copy of the road map
    
    
    Yes, please!
    
    I'll go in the second week of April (95) to New England. I don't have
    detailed plans up to now but I'd like to stay 4 weeks. And I want to
    see Boston and Springfield (that's for sure)! :-9
    
    
    Tina
    
    PS: My address:
    
    	Martina Mudra @VNO
    or  Computerstr.6
        A-1100 Wien

    
    Hi JT,
    
    	Hows it going ?
    	*HUGS*
    
    Ravi.
    *8)

    
    
    Tina
    
    what did you want to see in Springfield??? I think Homer and family
    have all left for hollywood. YOu may find Grandpa there still! :)
    
    
    Doop!
    
    Chris
    :)

    
    
    Chris,
    
    I'm going to meet *his* family (thanks God not called Simpson :-))) in
    Springfield. 
    
    You know, getting to know his parents, seeing all the baby photos,
    playing with the dog ... :-)
    
    
    Tina

    
    
    Tina
    
    If you do see Bart or Homer or Lisa or Marge or Meg or 
    Santa's Little Helper ( the dog) then say hi for me! I haven't
    seen them in a long while..except over the t.v of course!! :)
    
    Chris
    :)

>    I'd like to know how far Salem is from Boston (and from Springfield MA).
>    May I go there also by bus or train?
    
  Did you say TRAIN? I could spend an hour talking about this, but the short
answer is, yes, you can go from Boston to Salem by commuter train, but you
will have to be prepared to do a lot of walking after arriving in Salem to see
the sights. And you can get from Springfield to Boston by train too, but Amtrak
goes into South Station and the train to Salem leaves from North Station and
there is no direct rail link between the stations. The state is considering
building a rail link, but the estimated cost is $2 billion and we will all be
VERY old (if not dead) by the time it's built.
  I think one or more companies run bus tours of Salem. That's probably the
best way to do it if you don't have a car.

    > but you will have to be prepared to do a lot of walking after
    > arriving in Salem to see the sights.
    
    After several experiences with "walking" Americans: what do you mean
    with "a lot of walking"? More than 4 miles? Longer than half an hour to
    go? :^)
    
    A friend wanted to describe me the way from his home to McDonald's and
    at the end he said "It's five minutes by car." And I said "And how long
    do you need to *walk* there?". The answer was "I don't know, I've *never*
    walked there"!
    
    Tina

	RE: walking

	hehehe...that's so typical over here Tina! If folks can't drive their
cars to someplace, they don't go! me? I'd rather run there (or take a canoe, if
water travel is doable). ;*)


	chico

p.s. - I had a neighbor who used to drive her car 100ft down the road to her
friends house rather than walk. talk about LAZY....:)

>    > but you will have to be prepared to do a lot of walking after
>    > arriving in Salem to see the sights.
    
>    After several experiences with "walking" Americans: what do you mean
>    with "a lot of walking"? More than 4 miles?

  I would guess 5 miles or so total, broken up into several 1-2 mile walks. 
Not a long walk for a European, but as the other reply said, Americans think 
anything more than a mile is a "long" walk.

    > I would guess 5 miles or so total,
    
    No prob for me!! :-)))))
    
    Thanks for the info, Bob!
    
    
    Tina_looking_forward_to_her_holidays

    Report about StarTrek Convention Away Mission, Stardate 9507.01
    Martina-Data, Lt. Cmdr., Enterprise NCC-1701-D
    United Federation of Planets
    
    Today Dr. Beverly Crusher (my girlfriend Donna ;) ) picked me up at
    10:30am and then we both drove down to Marlborough to the Royal Plaza
    Hotel Trade Center. When getting inside we got a stamp "Picard for
    President" on our hand..... ;))))) Unfortunately it is already fading
    now. :(  We entered the big giant hall and there it was.....
    the StarTrek Shopping Mall. ;) Everything a heart can desire was
    for sale. We bought more Bajoran Earrings and I got an Eternity
    Bracelet. We bought t-shirts, and right now I'm sitting here, always
    together with my "love of all time" (25 years now) ..... ;))))), 
    because I'm now wearing a t-shirt with *HIM* surrounded by the endless 
    infinity of stars, planets and the original Enterprise NCC-1701. Yes, I 
    got myself a Spock-T-shirt. ;)))))
    We could admire real Borgs, Neelix and Kes, Lwaxana Troi, B'Elanna
    Torres, a Ferengi, and somebody dressed up as I think it was the 
    Klingon Khaless. ;)))))
    We watched a great show with Ethan Phillips, who plays Neelix in
    the Voyager series. He looks quite different without makeup, but 
    I recognized the voice immediately. ;)
    But the most sensational attraction was..... yes, the "miracle worker"
    himself, Captain Montgomery Scott alias James Doohann. He just is
    ... one word.... adorable! He is very friendly and funny. He called
    the people who wanted to ask questions up on the stage and greeted
    each of them with a handshake. Unfortunately the acoustic was not
    too great and I had problems with understanding what he said. But
    just to watch him and feel the fascination was outstanding.
    Afterwards we went to see him closer when he was signing autographs.
    He looked very tired. And he said that he is about to undergo a
    Bypass surgery in August. 
    I wish him all the luck in the universe for that.
    We did not queue up for autographs because.... I find that silly. 
    ;) But we saw. And I recorded this experience forever in my memory files.
    
    ;)))))
    Martina

  I stopped by the convention for an hour from 1:30 to 2:30. The acoustics
there are awful; it's much better at Hynes Auditorium. Also, the people asking
questions had to really shout to be heard.
  I too saw some of the people in costumes. "Kes" was a dead ringer for the
real thing. Ethan Phillips invited "Kes" and "Neelix" up on stage.
  This was Ethan's first appearance at a S.T. convention. He was impressed at
how many people came to see him.
  Has "Scotty" lost any weight? He seemed very fat when I saw him in the Star
Trek movie (the one with most of the cast from ST:TOS in it). 
  This convention is NOT cheap ($18). I don't think I will go again unless there
is someone there I really want to see.

    I took a trip last evening.......
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    down the last 4 stairs at home!!!! - sorry no time for postcards!