MASSACHUSETTS TRIP, Day 5, July 17, 2012

This morning started with a very interesting conversation between Marthe and me. She is currently teaching, at the North Shore Community College, a course on the language of color, and would like to expand her audience to an older and more mature audience. I directed her towards the Elderhostel group that might be very receptive to such a course. Color, to Marthe, has increasingly become an important part of our residential and commercial environment. We feel its influence on us every day. Learning how to use color skillfully is a powerful tool for creating ambiance, attracting attention, or balancing design elements. The Language of Color class clarifies color's vocabulary and allows students to develop a working understanding of how colors interact and influence each other. She seemed very interested in pursuing the idea of doing two to three-day seminars in local art museums and eventually branching off into a five to six-day format with Elderhostel. Interesting discussion, after which we both did a few necessary errands and chores before leaving for Salem. On our way out of town, we mailed Sarah's package. And then we were off to Salem, which was once known to traders worldwide. The house flags of its merchants flew at ports in Russia, Europe, the Mediterranean, South America and Canada, but its most extensive trade was around the Cape of Good Hope to the Far East and the Indies. From trade outposts at Ile de France in Mauritius, ships fanned out across the Indian Ocean to the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, South China Sea, and to China, Japan, and Australia. Salem's captains were at home in these distant ports, trading exotic goods. Salem's ships opened foreign ports to US trade, including Calcutta, St. Petersburg, Sumatra, Zanzibar, Bombay, Madras, Guam, Madagascar, Mombasa, Ceylon, Yemen, Thailand, and Burma. Our first venue was the now-amazing Peabody-Essex Museum, which I had visited before Charles and I had parted ways. A new wing had been opened in 2003, and the place was unrecognizable. America's first global entrepreneurs brought back extraordinary works of art and culture that formed the basis of the Museum. Today the museum's collection is among the finest of its kind, showcasing a huge spectrum of New England art, architecture, and maritime art in addition to outstanding Asian, Asian export, Oceanic, and a photography collection. After getting tickets for two houses belonging to the museum on this tour, we had about an hour before that tour started. An Ansel Adams photography show was on view, and I saw that as well as the American decorative arts galleries before joining Marthe for lunch in the Atrium--a quick vegetarian sandwich and a teriyaki chicken wrap split between the two of us held us together for the next few hours. At 2:00 we went to the first of the two houses, the Gardner-Pingree House of 1805, at 128 Essex St. It was built for John Gardner, a wealthy Salem merchant. At the time it was built, the house was one of the most expensive buildings in Salem, and it is one of Samuel McIntire's finest and best-preserved designs. After touring it, we went back to the museum to see the Yin Yu Tang House, the only late Qing Dynasty residence on exhibit in the country. It is 200 years old, and actually survived Mao's Cultural Revolution and was reconstructed completely intact in this country after its long journey here. It offers insights into Chinese art, architecture, culture, and an view into daily life in China. It was originally located in SE China, was dismantled, conserved and re-assembled here. Quite a feat! After touring, we watched a film on its re-assemblage, a fascinating account. By this time it was almost 5|00, and the museum was closing. We quickly went to the gift shop and bookstore, both of which contained some wonderfully unusual items which were very tempting. However, I did not buy anything, as it was hot outside and I really didn't cherish carting anything extra along. We walked by the Custom House and down a long pier to a lighthouse overlooking the bay, and at least the wind was somewhat palatable. Drove back in a late afternoon sun with the air conditioning roaring our way, closing our eyes in gratefulness. At home we had a vegetable, hummus, and sardine plate, along with goat cheese, snacking with pita crackers close at hand, plus big glasses of tea. Afterwards, we got back in the car and went out to Crane Beach, where we walked, watched the seagulls, waded in the surf, and watched the lightning in the distance. Hopefully, conditions will be a bit easier to cope with weather wise tomorrow! After Crane Beach, we stopped at Down River ice cream, where we both had small cups of ice cream--mine was mocha chip and marvelous. And then we drove home and quickly talked about plans for tomorrow, which I will divulge when the time comes. Meanwhile, good night! SV