photography – Page 9 – Travels With Ackbar

My Ghost Story – Encounter in Key West

Francisco Marrero, a cigar maker from Cuba, built a beautiful home at 410 Fleming Street, Key West. He hoped that it would to lure his love, the beautiful Enriquetta to join him on the island. They lived happily married for many years having 8 children together. Unfortunately, Francisco had already been married in his home country. After his death, his first wife found out about the second marriage and the mansion in Key West. Six months later, she arrived on the island with her lawyers and Enriquetta was evicted from the mansion with her children. Standing on the street as she was thrown out she cried “Esta es mi casa para siempre y nunca me voy a ir” “I will always remain in spirit.” The first wife, Maria Ignacia Garcia de Marrero sold off the house and all its contents and returned to her home in Cuba. Within a few years of being tossed out on the street, Enriquetta and all 8 children died of Tuberculosis or diphtheria.

I stayed at the Guest House with a small group of friends, we had asked specifically for haunted rooms. I was in Room 18, Enriquetta’s old room and my friends were in the front room that had been the children’s nursery. A doorway between the two rooms had been plastered over and a large Armoire stood on my side of the wall. When I first entered the room, I noticed a strong smell of a very flowery perfume. The basket of potpourri on the dresser was old and had no scent left. I took this as a sign that I was welcome in her home.

My friends decided to hit the pool upon checking in and went to my room for a nap. It’s a long drive from Orlando to the Keys. The bed was comfortable and I fell asleep with no problem. When I awoke a short time later, the armoire at the end of the bed was standing wide open. It had been locked shut when I entered the room. Upon further inspection, I was locked in my room. The privacy lock wouldn’t open and the host was unable to unlock it from the outside. He ended up crawling across the small roof form the next room and climbing through the window. After forcing the door open I was able to join my friends downstairs on the porch.

We met the housekeeper who informed us that we had just missed a television crew. They had been filming a haunted travel documentary and Enriquetta was not happy about it. She told us that when Enriquetta is upset, she likes to walk through her. This feels like a freezing cold spasm through her body that only lasts a moment. The housekeeper had a special relationship with Enriquetta and was very careful to try and keep her happy at all costs.

On my last night in the room, after hearing the sound of empty bottles being dumped from a nearby bar, I drowsily looked up to see a figure standing in the window. I can only imagine that it was Enriquetta. The clattering bottles pouring into the dumpster had disturbed her and from the scowl on her face, she was pissed. I was still too sleepy to comprehend what I was seeing, but it didn’t strike me as odd at the time, that the woman in the room was only visible from the waist up. Even more so, when she dissolved into the early morning, I simply rolled over and went back to sleep.

Enriquetta’s spirit can be gentle and playful. Sometimes, playing pranks on her guests or softly brushing up against them. The sound of her children crying was also reported during our stay. I can safely say that, Marrero’s is HAUNTED. Check out these links for reservations and more of Enriquetta’s story.

http://marreros.com/

https://southernmostghosts.com/most-haunted-places-in-key-west-5-marreros-guest-mansion/

Marrero’s Guest Mansion

October 27, 2020October 27, 2020 by janoseagle

The Bloody Tower

In the 1070s, William the Conqueror, chose to build a massive stone fortress in London. Taking about 20 years to build, the Tower of London serves to defend and proclaim William’s royal power. The mighty castle keep dominated the London skyline, but also served a reminder to the defeated Londoners.

Later Henry III and Edward I added the surrounding walls and smaller towers along it’s length. In 1533 King Henry VII modernized the castle in anticipation of his marriage to the young Anne Boleyn. Only three years later, she found herself back at the Tower charged with adultery and waiting for her death.

Anne was escorted to the Green where she lost her head. The site is memorialized with a glass pillow. Many claim to have seen the apparition of Anne walking the grounds with her head tucked underneath her arm.

Two young princes are said to haunt The Bloody Tower. Richard and Edward met their tragic fate within the walls. Sent to the Tower by their unscrupulous and power hungry uncle, the Duke of Gloucester and kept under lock and key. In 1483, the buys mysteriously disappeared. The gossip was that Richard, Duke of Gloucester had them murdered to become Richard III. Many decades later, the skeletons of two young boys were found entombed under a staircase. The two princes were given a proper royal burial but their spirits are still restless.

Tragedy haunted The Tower in the early centuries of it’s existence. Lady Jane Grey, also known as “The Nine Day Queen” was kept prisoner within it’s confines. Only sixteen years old, on February, 12 1554, she sobbed as she watched her husband, Guildford Dudley, being led to his execution. That same day, the young girl who was forced towards the throne by an ambitious father-in-law, bravely walked to her own death. From that day forward, on the anniversary of her execution, a white shimmering mist floats from the mists of the river and strolls sadly around the Tower Green.

Look closely at this enlarged area from the other photo. Do you see the ghosts of Lady Jane Grey looking down?

For more about The Tower of London, check out these links…

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/488/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London

October 22, 2020October 25, 2020 by janoseagle

Spectral Cats and Dogs

Near The Tower of London, All Hallow’s Church shared in the bloody history of it’s neighbors. Legend states that the beheaded victims of Tower executions were sent there for temporary burial. Among it’s happier memories are the baptism of William Penn and the marriage of John Quincy Adams. Being so close to The Tower of London, one may expect All Hallow’s to have it’s share of headless spirits. This is a different kind of ghost story.

In 1920, the choir noticed a grey haired old lady in old fashioned dress watching them as they practiced Christmas Carols. The choirmaster was surprised to see the woman as he had locked the church’s door. Once they choir rehearsal had ended, the mysterious woman had vanished. The boys heard a strange sound “as if a cat was in the building and was trying to get out.” One of the boys shouted to the choirmaster, ‘There it is sir! I saw a cat rush out of the room and go down towards the south aisle!’ The group searched the aisles for the cat and found nothing, even noting that the front doors were still locked. Several years later, an old man approached the choirmaster. He explained that he thought he knew who the mysterious woman was. As a choirboy at that very church almost 60 years prior, there was an eccentric lady organist with a strong passion for cats. He told him that cats would follow the woman everywhere and she would pay him to help feed the cats.

The Atheneum Club, The Traveler’s Club and The Reform Club are located off of Pall Mall. On our last night in London, we took part in a ghost tour. As we stood in front of these old men only clubs once frequented by the likes of Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Alfred, Lord Tennyson, we listened to the story of a phantom dog that caused car accidents. It has been reported that several accidents were caused when a dog ran out in front of one of the drivers. No sooner than the end of this tale, two cars next to us got into a fender bender. The first driver said she saw something jump in front of her car.

Tucked away in this square lies the grave of a German Shepherd named Giro. Giro was the companion of the German Ambassador who resided in the area. It is considered the only Nazi memorial in the UK and in recent years there has been discussion of removing it. Could Giro be running around the Mall after dark just trying to be a real dog?

You can read more about Giro and his master here…

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/london-s-hidden-memorial-to-a-nazi-dog

For more information on pets in the afterlife check out my friend Rob’s books…

http://ghostsandspiritsinsights.blogspot.com/

October 19, 2020October 25, 2020 by janoseagle

Spirits of Louisville

Louisville may be one of the most haunted cities in the South. The spirits of an overcrowded graveyard, A theater patron from long ago and winged monster all hang around the city.

The Louisville Palace Theater first opened in 1928. The spirit of a young woman, known as The Gray Lady is often seen walking down the auditorium aisle looking for a seat. The sounds of children playing can be heard near the upstairs bar and the ghost of a projectionist named Bernard often walks in front of the spotlight. The story goes that he had a heart attack and fell down the projection booth stairs.

In Old Louisville, you can find “The Pink Palace”. A spirit named Avery haunts 1473 St. James Court. Local author, David Domine, has written several books on Haunted Louisville that we highly recommend. If you happen to run into him at the Louisville Welcome Center be sure to ask him about the time that saved a woman’s life by scaring her out of the bathtub. You can also visit these haunts and others on one of his Ghost Walks.

The Church of Christ The Scientist on S. Third St. is where you might see the “Lady on the Stairs”. After deciding to elope with her boyfriend, a soldier stationed at Fort Taylor, she waited and waited for him on the steps. He never showed up, as she waited for several nights, she grew despondent. The year was 1918 and her soldier boy was one of many inflicted with the Spanish Flu. He died several days later, she also became infected and passed away. Some say she still paces the stairs every night waiting for her intended.

Venture past the parish graveyard for the Fourth Street Methodist Episcopal Church and you may catch a glimpse of shadowy figures in the chapel or the apparition of a woman that tends to the graves of infants. In 1858, the company that owned the cemetery began to resell burial plots by removing headstones and labelling the plots as “old graves” on their records. It wasn’t until the late 1980’s that rumors began to spread that coffins were buried so poorly buried that they stuck out of the ground. The graveyard owners were taken to prison and experts began to investigate the burials. They estimate that 7 or more bodies were interred in each burial plot.

Walnut Street Baptist Church is home to a different type of haunting. In the late 1800’s, Two men saw a man flying above them in a strange contraption. The Courier-Journal reported “He worked his feet as though he was running a treadle, and his arms seemed to be swinging to and fro above his head, though the latter movement sometimes appeared to be executed with wings or fans”. By the early 1900s, the neighbors began spotting something lurking atop the building. Witnesses described the creature as human with bat like wings. This gargoyle was dubbed the Demon Leaper.

For more information on David Domine and his Haunted Ghost Tours check out…

https://louisvillehistorictours.com/virtual-louisville-tours-on-facebook-live/

October 18, 2020October 25, 2020 by janoseagle

Louisville: A Spirited City

When you hear the name, Louisville, you think about bourbon, the Kentucky Derby, Muhammad Ali and the Louisville Slugger. The largest city in Kentucky, Louisville is home to over one and a quarter million people. Known as the “Gateway to the South” and “The Derby City”, Louisville has something for everyone.

Some of the most unique architecture can be found in Louisville. Old Louisville is home to some fascinating mansions.

Downtown has art galleries and public sculpture on every corner.

And don’t forget the racehorses…

When you walk around Louisville, be sure to checkout the wonderful painted horses. Each one is unique and has it’s own story. Begun as a civic pride initiative in 2004. More horses were added in 2005 and 2015.

October 16, 2020October 25, 2020 by janoseagle

The Ghosts Of St. Paul’s

Halloween is the perfect time of the year to experience a ghost tour. The city of London has a vast array of these tours, you can choose The Theater District, Jack The Ripper or any of a number of cool locations.

The Cathedral of St. Paul may be known the spot where Mary Poppins and the children meet the bird woman. But by night, the location takes on an eerie appearance.

The Whistler is St. Paul’s most well-known haunting. Many have seen the visage of an elderly clergyman accompanied by a tuneless whistle. Your best chance of meeting the clergyman is to visit the Cathedral’s west end. On the ground floor of the northwest tower. When the tower was rededicated after WWI, a previously hidden door was uncovered. This is the exact spot where the whistling cleric appears to fade into the wall.

There are 2 other ghost stories captured by Irish writer and Ghost Hunter, Elliott O’Donnell. In one story an American couple experience a “great black cloud” that rose out of the floor and climbed 20 feet into the air before disappearing. They described the cloud as “alive'”.

O’Donnell’s second story involves a woman who was resting in the cathedral one afternoon. This woman spotted another woman in a pew in front of her. She seemed to be frantically looking for something. The first woman got up to help the woman, but on her way down the aisle she felt a tap on her shoulder. She spun around to find no one behind and when she resumed her walk, the other woman had vanished.

Several days later, at the same time of day, the woman saw the figure of the woman once again. She rose to offer assistance but was once again stopped by a tap on her shoulder. Just as before, there was no one behind her and in front of her the woman was gone.

LINKS:

Walking Tours of London

St. Paul’s Cathedral

October 21, 2017October 25, 2020 by janoseagle

Hey, Hey, We’re The Monks

No trip to Tallin, Estonia is complete without a visit to the Danish King’s Garden. Watching over the medieval walled garden are statues of faceless monks, Ambrosius, Bartholomeus and Claudius. The legend goes, that during a losing battle, the monks prayed for divine intervention on behalf of the Danish King. Out of the sky fell a large flag, which became the national flag of Denmark.

Estonia is also considered one of the most haunted places in Europe. The King’s Garden is said to be haunted by a monk, perhaps a former executioner having a change of heart.

LINKS

Visit Estonia

October 9, 2017October 21, 2017 by janoseagle

There are more things in heaven and earth

Legend has it that Shakespeare wrote his masterpiece Hamlet, with Kronborg Castle as it’s setting. The mystery remains as to whether or not he actually visited Denmark. In 1816, on the 200th anniversary of his death, the soldiers garrisoned at Kronborg performed his play for the first time.

When you arrive at the castle, make a point of checking out the days schedule as in the Summer months, Hamlet is performed live on the castle grounds. CPH1_-279 I arrived just in time to head to the King’s Chamber for Ophelia’s mad scene.

“We know what we are, but know not what we may be.”

Elsinore1_-2 “Good-night, ladies, good-night, sweet ladies, good-night, good-night.” CPH1_-136 In between scenes, Queen Gertrude works on her crewel in her chamber. CPH1_-137

“One woe doth tread upon another’s heel,
So fast they follow. Your sister’s drown’d, Laertes.”“But to know a man well were to know himself.”“The Queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet.”“No, no! the drink, the drink! O my dear Hamlet!
The drink, the drink! I am poison’d.”“It is here, Hamlet. Hamlet, thou art slain”

Good Night Sweet Prince

LINKS

Shakespeares-Danish-links

BBC Elsinore A Castle Fit For A Prince

Hamlet Live 2017 Facebook

September 23, 2017October 21, 2017 by janoseagle

Kronborg Slot

Standing guard high on a promontory in Helsingor, Kronborg Slot (Kronborg Castle) was the home of Denmark rulers until the 1600’s.

In 1785, the castle was being fitted for use as army barracks. The chapel was outfitted as a gym and fencing hall. The chapel was later refurnished with the original furniture and reinaugurated in 1843

Detail of the main entrance to the chapel. The chapel features the original pews dating back to King Frederik II.The casements deep beneath the castle are a unique experience. Dimly lit and at times a bit treacherous, the casements are fun to explore but watch your step.This subterranean labyrinth is where you can meet Holger. According to the myth of King Arthur, a Danish king known as Holger the Dane, was kidnapped by the sorceress, Morgan le Fay and taken to Avalon. He escaped to rescue France from danger and then traveled to Kronborg castle. Today he sleeps until he is needed to save his homeland.

LINKS

Visit Denmark

Kronborg Wiki

September 21, 2017October 21, 2017 by janoseagle

Public houses, merriment and generous women

In 1671, King Christian began work on a new harbor for Copenhagen. Nyhavn has been the home of Danish artists such as Hans Christian Andersen and countless writers, ballerina and musicians. The brightly colored buildings are home to restaurants, shops and clubs. Once a notorious red light district, activities today range from getting a new tattoo to cruising along the canals on a flat boat.At one time the area was frequented by sailors who came for the seedy taverns and loose women. Today, the area is a vibrant neighborhood where you can enjoy one of the bars and restaurants or purchase a bottle of wine and sit on the wall overlooking the canal. This stretch is referred to as the longest bar in Scandanavia. In the old days, the neighborhood was split into the Sunny Side and The Shady Side. Today both sides are family friendly.

One of the unique restaurants is called KOMPASSET (The Compass) – the building used to house several manufacturers of compasses. KOMPASSET features a menu of smørrebrød/open sandwiches and craft beers from local breweries.As you walk along the waterfront, don’t forget to look up. This building features a diving helmet as a monument to Em. Z. Svitzer Bjergnings Enterprise, a marine salvage company.

In the mood for a burger, try Hereford House, but don’t be surprised at the price. A burger and beer can set you back more than $20 USD.
For the adventurous drinker, the ideal place to order a shot of Fisk “Fisherman’s Friend” vodka, Ga-Jol liquorice vodka, Akvavit or Gammel Dansk is the Fisken Pub. Located in the basement of the Skipperkroen Restaurant, the abundance of nautical decor gives you the feeling of what it may have been like to visit here 350 years ago.Hyttefadet is a good little restaurant for a quick Danish lunch of an open faced salmon sandwich and a beer. Sit back and watch the world go by. Nyhavn 17 is a more elegant dining choice. Heering is a cozy restaurant, known for traditional Danish entrees as well as European Bistro specialties. The inside is very small and don’t be surprised if your dinner is interrupted by servers poking you to move out their way as you eat.Hong Kong is one of the old school strip clubs and bars in Copenhagen. If you’re looking for a local dive bar with a rough clientele, this may be the spot for you.If you visit Copenhagen, a trip to Nyhavn is well worth a few hours of your time.