LA TOMATINA FROM BUNOL, SPAIN!!

   La Tomatina is a festival that is held in the Valencian town of Buñol, in which participants throw tomatoes at each other. It is held the last Wednesday in August, during the week of festivities of Buñol.
History

Changes Throughout Its History

   The tomato fight has been a strong tradition in Buñol since 1944 or 1945. No one is completely certain how this event originated. Possible theories on how the Tomatina began include a local food fight among friends, a juvenile class war, a volley of tomatoes from bystanders at a carnival parade, a practical joke on a bad musician, the anarchic aftermath of an accidental lorry spillage. One of the most popular theories is that disgruntled townspeople attacked city councilmen with tomatoes during a town celebration.
   In 1950, the council allowed the party to happen. The next year however it was not approved, thanks to pressure from town residents and other participants.
When the festival was finally officially sanctioned, the launching of tomatoes became inventive. Methods such as using water canons, catapults and filling of fountains of rivals became common. Between the noise and chaos, participants typically primed

with those who were mere spectators, including local personalities. By 1957 the festival was once again banned with strict penalties, including imprisonment, threatened against those flouting the ban. In that year, the neighborhood decided to organize what they called "the funeral of the tomato", which came in a procession carrying a coffin with a great tomato, accompanied by a band playing funeral marches along the path.
   Due to local pressure, in 1959 the town finally approved the Tomatina, but imposed a rule that people could only throw tomatoes after a horn sounded and should end when it sounded a second time.
   Between 1975 and 1980 the festival was organized by the ordeal of San Luis Bertran, who supplied the tomatoes, replacing the previous arrangement of participants bringing their own. The party became popular in Spain thanks to Javier Basilio reporting the issue in the RTVE Informe Semanal in 1983.

   Since 1980 the City Council provides participants with tomatoes, each year a greater tonnage than the previous year. Visitors became attracted to the event and in 2002 it was declared a Fiesta of International Tourist Interest. In 2008 a soundtrack was created, the song of the Tomatina "Todo es del mismo color" created by the bunyolense rock band "Malsujeto".

Description

   At around 10am festivities begin with the first event of the Tomatina. It is the "palo jabón", similar to the greasy pole. The goal is to climb a greased pole with a ham on top. As this happens, the revellers work into a frenzy of singing and dancing whilst being showered in water from hoses. Once someone is able to drop the ham off the pole, the start signal for the tomato fight is given. The signal for the onset is at about 11 when a loud shot rings out, and the chaos begins.

   Several trucks throw tomatoes in abundance in the Plaza del Pueblo. The tomatoes come from Extremadura, where they are less expensive and are grown specifically for the holidays, being of inferior taste.  For the participants the use of goggles and gloves are recommended. The tomatoes must be crushed before being thrown so as to reduce the risk of injury.

After exactly one hour, the fight ends with the firing of the second shot, announcing the end. The whole town square is coloured red and rivers of tomato juice flow freely. Fire Trucks hose down the streets and participants use hoses that locals provide to remove the tomato paste from their bodies. Some participants go to the pool of “los peñones” to wash. After the cleaning, the village cobblestone streets are pristine due to the acidity of the tomato disinfecting and thoroughly cleaning the surfaces.


Trivia
   La Tomatina Buñol has inspired other similar celebrations in other parts of the world:

• Since 2004 the Colombian town of Sutamarchán holds a similar event on the 15th of June when a surplus of tomatoes is harvested.


• In Costa Rica the town of San José de Trojas (Valverde Vega Canton) celebrates a tomatine during the local Tomato Fair in February.

In the town of Dongguan in southern Guangdong province in China, a tomato fight is held on the 19th of October, during which they use up to 15 tons of tomatoes.

• The City of Reno, Nevada in the United States also has an annual hour long tomato fight that started in 2009. The event seems to take place on the last Sunday of August, and is organized by the American Cancer Society. Organizers also named the festival La Tomatina, and give full credit for the idea to the Spanish festival.


• On February 12, 2011, at the field of Esparraguera, town of Quillón, VIIIth Region, Chile, the first version of the Great Tomato War was held under the auspices of the local municipality and a private firm. Like the spanish Tomatina, it was a playful battle involving young people.

The video game company Namco included in the 6th installment of the saga Tekken fighting game, a scenario that mimics the Tomatina buñolense.

• The festival was recreated for the song Ik Junoon (Paint it red) from the 2011 Hindi film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

THE HISTORY OF PIZZA!!

   Pizza is one of my favorite foods, it's probably alot of other peoples favorites too.  Especially here in the U.S.  I thought this story of one of America's favorite foods just to break away from the stuff that happens each and every day.  It's not just a Italian favorite, but also probably one of most Americans top foods to eat.
   The history of pizza is cloudy at best, with a variety of theories and speculation. Some claim it is based on the pita bread found in the Mid-East. There is also a theory that pizza came from the unleavened bread "matzo" brought to Rome by Italian legionnaires. Others insist, pizza evolved from the famous "foccacia" served in Rome about 1,000 years ago, as a snack. Another theory is that pizza was brought to Italy by Greeks, during the first century.

    There may be as many theories about the origins of pizza as there are different types of pizza!
    There is agreement that pizza may have been developed by peasants in Naples, Italy. This early pizza consisted of flattened bread dough with olive oil, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. Tomatoes were discovered in the "New World" and were for centuries, thought to be poisonous. A peasant may have tried to add bulk to his pizza by using the devils fruit. The first "pizza joint" was Port' Alba, opened in Naples in 1830.   This restaurant served pizza baked in ovens made from lava rock.

    Pizza, as we know it, is credited to one Raffaele Esposito of Naples. In 1889, to honor a visit by King Umberto I and Queen Margherita, he created a special pizza which resembled the Italian flag. The pizza consisted of basil (greeen), mozzarella, (white), and tomatoes (red). This dish sets the standard for our modern day pizza. This patriotic pizza was an instant success with the King and Queen, as well as his other patrons. He named this pizza in honor of the Queen, the Margherita.

    The first American pizzeria was opened in New York in 1905 by Gennaro Lombardi. This restaurant, Lombardi's, is still in operation today. The pizza is baked in a coal burning oven with the same recipe Gennaro Lombardi brought from Naples in 1897.
There is no doubt that Italian immigrants brought pizza to the United States, as part of their culture from the "Old World". Pizza was generally seen as a snack, not for a meal. Many Italians looked upon pizza as "peasant food"! They would use a little left over dough and tomato sauce. If available, cheese and meat was occasionally used.

Numerous Italian bakeries offered pizza to their patrons. For many years, the only place to get pizza was in an Italian neighborhood. Here, pizza remained in the "underground" for decades. An undiscovered treasure that took a World War to make it a part of the American landscape!

    Pizza was popularized in the United States by returning W.W.II veterans. These soldiers had gotten a taste of pizza while they served in Italy. Upon returning, tales of pizza flourished, and with this word of mouth advertising, a demand for pizza grew. Pizza started to become mainstream.

LES FETES De La NOUVELLE FRANCE SAQ FROM QUEBEC, CANADA!

The SAQ New France Festival

Organized as part of Québec City’s 400th anniversary celebrations in 2008, the New France Festival was first held in 1997 at the behest of the Québec City municipal authorities who were looking to set a historic festival inspired by the lives of the first European settlers against the background of Old Québec. The event was such a success from the start that it quickly became an annual event.    The festival sought to bring to life over a dozen sites, all in the historic district of Old Québec. It is set to the background of Québec City, one of North America’s most historic cities. The event is aimed at city residents, visitors, families, and anyone with an interest in history.    The decision to hold ongoing activities on the sites and in the streets throughout the event is a key part of the New France Festival. Drawing on a number of artistic disciplines and a host of different approaches, history is brought to life for visitors in any number of ways. The event has come up with a style of its own by integrating a host of resources blending art and history, evoking and reconstructing past and present. The entire festival is associated with a series of ongoing activities that includes parades and performances of all sorts, which with the help of visitors help create a festival atmosphere that is one of a kind and perfect for celebrating history.    Historical content is key to the event. A different theme is chosen each year to allow the New France Festival to come up with original ways to present every facet of history in order to shed light on a period or important historical phenomenon, allowing visitors to discover and share in a whole new world. A broad range of cultural activities with an arts and entertainment flavor are put on, and such quality content has enabled the festival to become a major event.    Just like the enormous popular festivals of the past, the New France Festival is steeped in a fun and celebratory atmosphere. The atmosphere comes from both the planned activites and the extras who work the sites and the streets of Old Québec and quickly spreads to everyone else involved in the festival, bringing the city to life every summer. Highlights    Organized as part of Québec City’s 400th anniversary celebrations in 2008, the New France Festival was first held in 1997 at the behest of the Québec City municipal authorities who were looking to set a historic festival inspired by the lives of the first European settlers against the background of Old Québec. The event was such a success from the start that it quickly became an annual event.    The festival sought to bring to life over a dozen sites, all in the historic district of Old Québec. It is set to the background of Québec City, one of North America’s most historic cities. The event is aimed at city residents, visitors, families, and anyone with an interest in history.    The decision to hold ongoing activities on the sites and in the streets throughout the event is a key part of the New France Festival. Drawing on a number of artistic disciplines and a host of different approaches, history is brought to life for visitors in any number of ways. The event has come up with a style of its own by integrating a host of resources blending art and history, evoking and reconstructing past and present. The entire festival is associated with a series of ongoing activities that includes parades and performances of all sorts, which with the help of visitors help create a festival atmosphere that is one of a kind and perfect for celebrating history.    Historical content is key to the event. A different theme is chosen each year to allow the New France Festival to come up with original ways to present every facet of history in order to shed light on a period or important historical phenomenon, allowing visitors to discover and share in a whole new world. A broad range of cultural activities with an arts and entertainment flavor are put on, and such quality content has enabled the festival to become a major event.    Just like the enormous popular festivals of the past, the New France Festival is steeped in a fun and celebratory atmosphere. The atmosphere comes from both the planned activites and the extras who work the sites and the streets of Old Québec and quickly spreads to everyone else involved in the festival, bringing the city to life every summer. Québec’s biggest family historical and cultural festival!    One of the top ten festivals in Québec, all categories (ranked by Commerce magazine, March 2008) Over 30,000 costumed festivalgoers Over 500 performances of all kinds Over 300 artists Over 400 volunteers, including 135 volunteer performers 275,000 visitors each year A $2.3 million operating budget from four main sources: - Grants from all 3 levels of government - Private sponsorship - Public financing campaigns, notably Médaillon sales - Funds raised through the sale of products $13 million of economic, tourism, and social benefits for the Greater Québec City area in 2009. Festivalgoers’ origin : Local residents 35% Tourists 65% More than 80% said they were satisfied with their visit to the SAQ New France Festival! History of New France    New France: French colony in North America from 1534 to 1760    New France was founded during the age of the great European discoveries in the 16th century. On a voyage of exploration, Frenchman Jacques Cartier landed in North America and “discovered” the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The territory was already populated by indigenous peoples, who called the land “Canada.” In 1534 Cartier erected a cross at Gaspé and claimed Canada in the name of the king of France. The French presence in the North Atlantic grew quickly through the activities of whalers, cod fishermen, and fur traders.    In the early 17th century, the first permanent settlements in New France were established. In 1608 Samuel de Champlain, considered the founder of New France, built a habitation in what would later become Québec City, making it his base for trade and other economic ventures. French colonists began to settle in the St. Lawrence Valley and Acadia.    These early settlers played a major role in New France’s development by introducing newcomers from France to the land, climate, and the aboriginal nations who made North America their home. The writings of missionaries living among the First Nations were another source of information.    As European explorers ventured further and further afield, trade thrived and new towns and trading posts sprang up. Although they attracted colonists and their descendents, the colony’s numbers remained too small to make much headway. In the late 17th century, faced with the inability of private interests to properly administer the colony, New France’s future was placed in the hands of the king.    Louis XIV put a new administrative structure in place and the colony thrived anew as exploration, commercial undertakings, and settlement initiatives resumed.    In the growing colony, tradesmen and small farmers made up the bulk of the French population, along with merchants, soldiers, laborers, members of the middle class, several nobles and clergymen, the Filles du Roy, coureurs des bois, and a few slaves.French North America reached its peak in the 18th century. By this time, its boundaries had expanded considerably to encompass over half of the continent, extending all the way from Hudson Bay to Louisiana, and including a goodly portion of the present-day Maritime provinces, the entire St. Lawrence Valley, the Great Lakes Basin, and the Mississippi Valley. Like the other European powers of the time, France hoped to find a route across the continent to the Western Sea, and on to Asia. However, the British colonies, already a threat, became too populous and encircled New France. In 1713, France ceded Newfoundland, Acadia, and Hudson Bay to England under the Treaty of Utrecht. In the time of peace that followed, New France’s economy took off once more, allowing France to prepare for war. And it was not long before war came. New France was conquered in 1760 and handed over to England once and for all three years later under the Treaty of Paris. Only Louisiana remained in French hands, but it too was ultimately ceded to the United States in 1803. Québec Giants      The family of giants is spread over many continents. Distant cousins can be found in South America, Africa and Asia. In Europe alone, giants may be found in England, Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Portugal and the Netherlands. The Québec City giants, unique in North America, have now added a branch to the family tree.    The family of giants is spread over many continents. Distant cousins can be found in South America, Africa and Asia. In Europe alone, giants may be found in England, Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Portugal and the Netherlands. The Québec City giants, unique in North America, have now added a branch to the family tree.The characters brought to life by the giants typify the cultural, historical identity of the celebration that is the New France Festival. Since 2002, one or more giants have been added to the family each year and then presented to the public during the parades.At the moment, thirdteen giants proudly represent the festival. Champlain Grand Cru Belle Gueule Louis Ango de Maizerets Monique Purelaine Marie Victoire Le Grand Esprit des Nations Nicolas dit Noble Cœur Émeline et Louis Capitaine Vaillant Monsieur du Talion   Champlain    The Champlain Giant is the largest of the Québec giants! Standing 6m tall, it takes two people to carry him. Above all else, Champlain is a cartographer and throughout his whole life he burns with the desire to find a passage through which to cross the continent from coast to coast. His skirt draws its inspiration from one of Champlain’s many maps, with his illustrations and writing carefully reproduced like a timeline, highlighting some of the historic events witnessed by Québec City. Finally, Champlain is represented in bronze, symbolic of the numerous statues erected in his honour, underscoring the role he plays in the country’s collective memory. Grand Cru    The "Grand Cru" giant has acquired wisdom and maturity. He is a true connoisseur, having benefited from the excellent advice of the SAQ. Sensitive, competent, with a streak of humour... balance is everything when it comes to making a Grand Cru!    He has a light body, his dress made up of vegetables recalling the variety of products on offer at the SAQ. His texture is composed of natural fibres, combining flexibility and rigidity.    His is a happy marriage of spicy aromas and the scent of fruits and vegetables. His perfume evokes childhood memories, encouraging us to join the dance and follow him for the parade. His colours respect natural hues, moving from golden yellow with a hint of green, to a purple-blue shade of ruby, while conserving intensity and harmony.   Belle Gueule    The “Belle Gueule" Giant joined the event in 2006. A friendly monk, he is the latest addition to the family. He spends his days brewing beer, with his body language revealing the care he puts into his craft. Louis Ango de Maizerets    This giant was designed and created in the image of Louis Ango de Maizerets. He was supervisor at the Québec Seminary when the institution purchased part of the Notre-Dame-des-Anges seigniory in 1705. 5m tall, he played an important role in the history of the Domaine de Maizerets. Monique Purelaine    The giant from the Limoilou part of town symbolizes its history and culture: a young mother in her 30s representing the generations of working-class people who came to live in the area at start of the century.    Pregnant, this giant carries the future of a part of Québec City within her. She is represented by way of a housewife to highlight her role and importance, as well as the responsibility of so many women, married to working men, through whom everything began.    Monique Purelaine also symbolizes the cultural aspect of Limoilou through her apron, inspired by the work and the colours of the artist Pellan. This piece of clothing is made up of a mosaic of historical symbols representing different facets of this area of town that has always been rich in diversity. Marie Victoire    Marie-Victoire symbolizes all the women of New France - the grandmother, the mother, the wife, the daugther - who contributed to the demographic development of the new territory. Even though she symbolizes both past and present, the child she is holding in her arms gives us a glimpse of the future as the colony continues to evolve towards prosperity. The Great Spirit of the Nations    The Great Spirit of the Nations proudly represents Amerindian cultures, paying tribute to the First Nations, the country's first inhabitants. The character of a woman underlines the matriarchal predominance in such cultures. The Great Spirit of the Nations proudly represents Amerindian cultures, paying tribute to the First Nations, the country's first inhabitants. The character of a woman underlines the matriarchal predominance in such cultures. The clothing of the Great Spirit of the Nations refers to many symbols precious to the Amerindian cultures: circles, the four elements (water, land, air and fire), the concepts of life and death (marked at the same time by the presence of spirits and by things that have belonged to the deceased such as his weapons, tobacco, etc.) Nicolas dit Noble Cœur    The Nicolas dit Noble Cœur giant is a tribute to the soldiers of the Carignan-Sallières Regiment. It was the first regiment in New France and many of its soldiers decided to remain in the colony, becoming lords of the New World's seigniories. Symbolically, we could consider Nicolas dit Noble Cœur and Marie-Victoire to be the colony's mother and father. The Nicolas dit Noble Cœur giant is a tribute to the soldiers of the Carignan-Sallières Regiment. It was the first regiment in New France and many of its soldiers decided to remain in the colony, becoming lords of the New World's seigniories. Symbolically, we could consider Nicolas dit Noble Cœur and Marie-Victoire to be the colony's mother and father. This giant, representing a soldier of the period, wears a uniform that includes a map of France upon which the origins of the regiment's soldiers are marked. Nicolas dit Noble Cœur highlights the patronymic ties between France and New France, but also the genealogical ties, as many children born in New France were descended from the soldiers of the Carignan-Sallières regiment. Émeline et Louis    Émeline and Louis, the first giants created by the SAQ New France Festival, make a fine couple. They were created in partnership with Louisiana and inspired by the two legendary Acadian characters Évangéline and Gabriel, whose story is told so memorably in Henry Longfellow's epic poem Evangeline. Émeline and Louis, the first giants created by the SAQ New France Festival, make a fine couple. They were created in partnership with Louisiana and inspired by the two legendary Acadian characters Évangéline and Gabriel, whose story is told so memorably in Henry Longfellow's epic poem Evangeline. Separated during the Deportation of 1755, they symbolize an eternal but impossible love, a love that not even death can put an end to. Separately, each giant is a symbol in itself: Émeline, with her embroidery in her hands, symbolises the patience and fidelity of love, and the purity of the virgin. Louis resembles an oak tree, the same type of tree where, according to the legend, Évangeline finds Gabriel again. Louis typifies the strength and longevity of love, a symbol of immortality. Capitaine Vaillant    Captain Vaillant represents the father of the New France explorers and typifies the exploring spirit. His head is made of a globe on which you can see a ship; he holds a telescope. His robe is made of multiple parchments related to various subjects. They look like the notebooks of the great explorers, whose sketches and notes allowed them to transmit and store many observations about the fauna and flora of the New World. Monsieur du Talion    Monsieur du Talion is an allegory of the judicial system as applied in New France and a direct reference to the famous Law of Retaliation (Loi du Talion). He symbolizes the hangman, in front of whom, all too frequently, many criminal affairs were settled.    Monsieur du Talion is an allegory of the judicial system as applied in New France and a direct reference to the famous Law of Retaliation (Loi du Talion). He symbolizes the hangman, in front of whom, all too frequently, many criminal affairs were settled. At the time, justice still relied upon questioning and torture, considering a person guilty until they could prove their innoncence. With no shortage of people who had been found guilty to be punished, hangmen, recruited from among those sentenced to death, represented the arm of the exemplary justice. Monsieur du Talion, wearing many instruments of torture, is a tribute to those who were forced to torture prisoners. The upper part of his body is carved out of stone, indicating the unshakable nature of the task he is to carry out. What is a Giant ? Giants represent whole regions, cities, and communities.    Carried giants can be traced back to 18th century Portugal.  Originally, Giants appeared in Western Europe to add color and educational value to communal and religious processions. From the 15th century onward, these giant figures were used to illustrate scenes from the bible, tales from the Golden Legend, and epic poems. With time, the Giants changed in meaning and came to represent regions, cities, and neighborhoods. Adapted to ideas of different eras, Giants moved away from processions to become increasingly profane figures used in carnivals, village fetes, and religious festivals, too.    In Europe, where they have existed for over seven centuries, Giants took part in many popular festivals all year long, as well as parades and church celebrations. Giants were not limited to their own countries and traveled abroad, revealing their wide-ranging styles and sometimes marrying into other European cultures. They were also used to celebrate births, baptisms, and wedding anniversaries, retaining their ties to traditions, collective memory, and community identity.    Today, giants meet regularly at international festivals and parades offering innovative insights to their own culture and history. They weigh more than 45 kg (100 lbs.) and are usually carried on a person's back.    In Québec City, more than a dozen Giants have been created since 2002. The most imposing of them being Samuel de Champlain, the city’s founder; you’ll find him at the heart of the celebration! Costumes in New France Costumes in New France - LES BEAUX ATOURS (1675-1715) 1. Commoners 2. Bourgeoisie 3. Nobility 4. Lexicon Commoners    In New France, clothing for both men and women of the lower classes was generally made with rough or fine woolen fabrics (wool and cotton weaves). Men    MenHair was worn long and natural, often covered by a (usually red) toque, a type of woolen hat. Shirts were made of white cotton with collars and buttoned cuffs. Pants were made of woolen fabrics, featured button flies, and were fitted at the knee.    Men also wore waistcoats, which were buttoned at the front and featured pockets and basques*. They also wore ties of fine canvass tied at the neck, with both ends falling over the chest.    They wore tailored or knitted long wool stockings held up by garters and leather shoes that tied at the top with a metal buckle. Some also wore clogs. Women    Women covered their hair with quilted bonnets tied under the chin. These bonnets were made of quilted canvass and always worn under a head covering known as a cornette*, while other bonnets, such as single or double rowed bonnets*, were worn alone.    Women wore canvass or muslin neckerchiefs. White cotton blouses were short sleeved and open at the neck. Bodices were fitted garments with basques* and sleeves tied at the front or back. Skirts, worn over petticoats, were long and generous and made of woolen fabric. Aprons were made of heavy canvass or dark woolen fabric. Women always wore white aprons in public. Stockings were made of wool and held by garters at the knee. They were worn with shoes or clogs. Back to top Bourgeoisie    The clothing of the better off was tailored from silk, velvet, or beautiful woolen fabrics. The bourgeoisie had many more colors to choose from. Men  MenWigs were the height of fashion, along with canes and gloves. Three-cornered hats were adorned with feathers.  Shirts were white and made of fine canvass, featuring jabots* and oversleeves*.  Pants were tailored from rich cloth and ended at the knees. They boasted beautiful metal buttons that were both decorative and practical.  Men’s waistcoats, which featured embroideries and braids, were worn under ornate justaucorps*. Long, straight ties were made of muslin and wrapped around the neck with their knotted ends falling over the chest.    Stockings were made of red or pink silk. Shoes had square toes and high heels. Women Ladies wore their hair in the Fontange* style. Their white blouses were of fine canvass adorned with lace collars and engageantes*. Fitted dresses featured short, narrow sleeves. Dress coats were left open at the front to reveal ladies’ stomachers*. The bottoms of the dresses were raised and pinned at the back. Skirts were ornately decorated with pleats and appliqués. Silk stockings and shoes were covered in rich cloth. Ladies often carried fans or parasols or wore gloves. When indoors or in the garden, they would wear lace aprons.   Nobility    The ornate clothing of the nobility was made of luxurious fabrics well beyond the reach of the other classes, who had to settle for imitating the cut of their clothing. Men MenWigs, known as in folio, were so cumbersome that noblemen had to carry their hats under their arms. Their white shirts featured jabots* and cuffs*. Jabots, cuffs, and ties were adorned with the finest Point de France or Point de Venise lace. A Steinkerque-style tie was wound twice around the neck and its ends were inserted into the sixth buttonhole of the justaucorps*. Vests were embroidered with gold and silver thread. Justaucorps* worn on top were decorated with golden braids and ribbons. Men wore pants of the finest figured silk*. Stockings were made of silk, and shoes covered in figured silk*. Men carried canes and wore gloves. Women    Ladies wore their hair in the Fontange* style, and the lace they wore was decorated with butterflies or hornets made of gems. Their white shirts of fine canvass were open at the neck and adorned with frilled lace. Engageantes* were decorated with Point de France or Point de Venise lace. Dresses were tailored from the finest figured silk* and ornately decorated with gold and silver thread. Skirts were adorned with appliqués and fringes* and worn over layered petticoats. Women protected their pale skin from the sun with gloves and parasols. Their stockings were made of silk, and their shoes covered with figured silk*. Note: From the age of six, children from all social classes dressed as adults, according to social class. Lexicon Basques : Lower part of an item of clothing, flared according to the fashion of the day Cornette : A head covering whose long tails could be tied up or left free. Engageantes : Fixed, funnel-shaped lace decorations at the end of the sleeves on a woman’s garment. Figured silk : A rich silk fabric adorned with embossed designs of gold and silver thread. Fontange hairstyle : High curls above the forehead with two locks forming kiss curls on the forehead. The hair was swept up into a bun at the back, with curls falling forward onto the forehead and down onto the nape of the neck. A bonnet covered the bun, and large folds of lace were raised into a high structure atop the head. Fringes : Loose ends of cloth at the edges of a cut. Jabots : Lace (or muslin) decorations sewn around the shirt collar and spread across the chest. Justaucorps : Embroidered garment covered with braids and ribbons. It was taken in at the waist and extended to the knees. It featured basques, banded cuffs, and pockets placed high or low on the garment, depending on the fashion of the day. The bottom was split down the back and along the sides. Oversleeve : Detachable decorations adorning the cuffs of a man’s shirt. Quilted bonnet : A quilted bonnet comprising three pieces (the center and both sides). The outside was made of canvass and lined with fustian (a cotton fabric from the Orient that could be plain or feature a striped or moiré design).Cotton was inserted between these two layers, and the whole thing was pinned to keep the cotton in place. Single or double rowed bonnet : A bonnet adorned with light or dark colored bands of fabrics surrounding the face. Stomacher : An ornate or embroidered triangular garment used to cover the lacings of a corset.

TOP TEN PLACES TO FEAR HALLOWEEN NIGHT!

Halloween is one of the creepiest times of the year. The holiday was molded from ancient Celtic practices, religious rituals, and European folk traditions. Halloween is a time for celebration, candy, and ghostly superstition. The day has long been thought of a time when the dead come alive and watch over the land. These spirits will gather at haunted locations and wander the corners of Earth. The energy surrounding ghosts is said to increase tenfold on Halloween day. The ancient Celtic people would light bonfires and wear consumes to ward off the roaming spirits. In the history of modern man, certain patches of land have witnessed horrifying events of mass murder and carnage. These locations are said to house certain disturbing and ritualistic ghosts. This article will be discussing ten haunted places around the world. Places that might be stricken with an unexplained ghostly phenomenon this upcoming Halloween.

10. Camp Scott

   Camp Scott is a 410-acre (1.7 km2) compound that is located in the US state of Oklahoma. The former Girl Scout camp is situated along the Snake and Spring Creeks near State Highway 82, in Mayes County. In 1977, Camp Scott entered its 49th year as a keystone in the Girls Scouts of America program. The annual summer camp began on June 12, 1977. Around 6pm on the first day of camp, a large thunder storm struck the area. This caused the dozens of campers to huddle inside their tents for the entire evening. Inside of tent #8 in the Kiowa unit, housed three small girls named Lori Lee Farmer, 8, Doris Denise Milner, 10, and Michele Guse, 9. What happened next cannot be adequately described. The following morning, a camp counselor discovered the lifeless bodies of all three girls. They had been raped, bludgeoned, and murdered. The victim’s bodies were scattered over the surrounding forest land. The event remains one of the worst mass murders in the history of Oklahoma
   In the weeks before the murders, strange events took place around Camp Scott. Personal items began disappearing from the cabins and tents. In one incident, a counselor reported that her doughnuts had been stolen, and inside the empty doughnut box was a disturbing hand-written note. The author vowed to “murder three campers in tent 1.” Because summer camps are rife with ghost stories, the note was treated as a prank and discarded. After the murders, Oklahoma police launched one of the largest manhunts in US history. Detectives ultimately focused their attention on a man named Gene Leroy Hart, who had been free since escaping from the Mayes County Jail four years earlier. He had previously been convicted of raping two pregnant women. Hart was arrested and tried for the crimes, but was ultimately acquitted of the killings in 1979. Later that year he died of a heart attack while in prison.
   During the publicized trial, the camp underwent many accusations, stemming from the fact that the girl’s tent was 86-yard (79 m) from any counselors. Other campers reported that they witnessed a man peeking in their tents on the evening of the murders. The day following the incident, Camp Scott was closed forever. To date, the Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders remain unsolved and DNA testing has returned inconclusive results. However, something is said to remain on the grounds of Camp Scott. It has been claimed that when a heavy rain falls, the eerie sound of small girls crying can be heard.     Dark shadows are said to lurk and the sensation of someone walking around you has been reported. Only true thrill seekers will stay a night within the walls of the Camp Scott compound. In an interesting twist, the original Friday the 13th film was released in 1980, which is only three years after the violent murders. The movie franchise has helped insert an urban legend in popular culture that summer camps are creepy and dangerous. Camp Scott just might be.

 

9. Phantom Vehicles

   Many areas of the world claim to hold the mystery of a phantom vehicle. A phantom vehicle is a ghostly or haunted mode of transportation, which can take the form of a car, train, ship or plane. In some cases, the objects are said to have a visual flicker. One of the most famous phantom vehicles in the world is located in the Saskatchewan village of St. Louis. St. Louis is an eerie place with a strange past. The area houses a large archeological site, where some bizarre bones have been unearthed. Key discoveries at the site have included evidence of an ancient species of wolf and buffalo, which are approximately 25% larger than modern species. Beads have also been discovered that have indicated a style and decoration of clothing occurring approximately 1000 years prior than previously thought. In 1983, the Canadian National Railway abandoned the rail line that was located south of Prince Albert and north of St. Louis. The tracks were permanently removed, but it seems that the train has stayed.
   On a nightly basis, lights can be seen traveling along the path of the old St. Louis train tracks. The lights are flashy with bright colors. This paranormal phenomenon has been named the St. Louis Light. Thrill seekers from all over the world travel to this area of Canada to view the strange occurrence, which has been described as the carriage lights of a train traveling from the south. The intensity of this activity increases on certain days of the year and the lights bring about strong emotional reactions in people. Silverpilen is a reported subway train that haunts the metro system of Stockholm, Sweden. The phantom train has been described as a silver aluminum model C5 car. This model was manufactured in the middle of the 1960s. During this time, Silverpilen was the only train in the entire Swedish fleet that was silver. It acted as a back-up unit until 1996, but many residents of Sweden have never seen the vehicle and fail to believe in the train’s existence. According to ghost stories from this area of the world, Silverpilen only travels after 12:00 midnight and has been known to stop and invite travelers.
   Upon entering the doors of the train, a fuzzy feeling falls over your body as you encounter a compartment full of ghost life. The doomed passengers are then lost in the train forever or emerge from the vehicle days to months later. On the night of December 29, 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 crashed under strange circumstances into the Florida Everglades. In all, 101 of the 178 passengers onboard the flight were killed in the accident. After the crash, Flight 401 became known for reported paranormal activity, supposedly stemming from the salvage of the plane’s aircraft parts, which were placed on a number of different airplanes after the accident. Over the following months after the crash, employees of Eastern Air Lines began reporting sightings of the dead crew members on board a different L-1011 (N318EA). It was a serious situation and the reports caused officials to remove all equipment that originally came from the doomed Flight 401. After the action, reports of the ghosts stopped.

 

8. Clinton Road

   Clinton Road is located in West Milford, Passaic County, New Jersey. The road spans roughly 10 miles (16 km). Over the generations, Clinton Road has gained a reputation for unexplained paranormal activity. Reported visions include a roadside hitchhiking ghost, strange creatures, Satanists, the Ku Klux Klan, and fireside witch gatherings. There are only a small number of houses lining the road and much of the adjoining property is undeveloped publicly owned woodlands. Articles describing abnormal activity on Clinton Road date back to 1905. One legend tells of a ghost boy that drowned in a stream along the road. Supposedly, if you toss a coin into the water off any of the bridges on Clinton Road, the boy will throw it back at you. This area of New Jersey clearly has a long history, with an American Revolutionary War iron smelter being located just east of the road. If you drive down Clinton Road late at night, headlights of a truck may appear out of nowhere and chase you down until you exit the road. Daylight visions have been cited, with people claiming that they have seen people dressed in strange clothing loitering around in the woods.
   People who visit Clinton Road have reported a feeling of uneasiness or mounting dread as they move down the road, sometimes so great that they have to turn back. In 1905, a man named Richard Cross built a castle on the high land peering over the reservoir surrounding Clinton Road. Decades later, the structure fell into ruin when a fire destroyed it. After the incident, the castle became a popular location for teenage parties and reported Satan worshippers and their sacrifices. It is a scary place, and certain people have written to Weird NJ magazine telling of strange occurrences in or near the castle site. This includes people going into seizures and being physically injured. Within certain individuals, the castle is said to produce instant and disturbing visions. Many people have also reported seeing members of the KKK, which is interesting because prior to the US entry into World War II, a German-American Bund maintained camps in the area surrounding Clinton Road. If you are unfamiliar, a Bund member holds a favorable view of Nazi Germany.
   It has been rumored that professional killers dispose of bodies in the surrounding woods. In 1983, this claim was substantiated when a bicyclist traveling on Clinton Road noticed a group of vultures feasting at a spot in the nearby woods. This sparked the man’s interest and led him to the discovery of a dead body. An autopsy found that the deceased individual had been murdered by foul play, but something else initially puzzled police. The victim had ice crystals in his blood vessels near the heart. Pathologists concluded that someone had frozen his body after death in an attempt to mislead investigators into believing he died at a later time. Ultimately the information led to the direct arrest of Richard Kuklinski or The Iceman. Kuklinski is a prolific contract killer and mafia assassin. The six foot five inch (196 cm), 300 pound (135 kg) monster claims to have murdered over 250 men over a career that lasted from 1948 till 1986. It is unclear how many bodies he planted in the area surrounding Clinton Road or if his victims still haunt the patch of land today

7. The Weeping Woman

   La Llorona (The Weeping Woman) is a popular legend in the Spanish-speaking cultures of the southwestern part of the US and Mexico. The story tells of a beautiful woman named Maria who suffered from depression and drowned her two young children by tossing them into a flowing river. Maria became haunted by the memory of her kids and ultimately crumbled in inconsolable grief. She would not eat, and walked alone on the riverfront in her torn white gown searching for her boys. She cried endlessly, with periodic fits of screaming and wailing. After weeks of suffering, she ended her life on the banks of a riverbed. When Maria reached the gates of heaven, she was asked, “Where are your children?” and she replied, “I don’t know, my Lord.” She was not permitted to enter heaven until she found her boys, banished to an eternity of wandering the Earth’s rivers, searching in vain for her drowned offspring.
   Over the centuries, the ghost of La Llorona has become angered. In certain areas of the world she is known to hunt and kidnap wandering children or teenagers that disobey their parents, grabbing the kids by the leg and tugging them into a watery grave. After darkness falls, Maria’s restless spirit walks the banks of multiple bodies of water in the southwest portion of the Americas. In the area surrounding the Santa Fe River in New Mexico, her loud cries have become a curse of the night. The Weeping Woman is a beautiful ghost. She is tall and thin with long flowing hair. Reports have claimed that she can be seen drifting between trees along the shorelines or floating in the watery current. If you are marked by the desire of La Llorona, an untimely and mysterious drowning could be in your future. Some believe that those who can hear her cries are going to die.
   In Mexico, Central and South America, the tale of La Llorona is represented as a cultural symbol that models negative behavior, ultimately looking to prescribe an idealized version of motherhood. The ghost of La Llorona has been reported in many locations throughout North and South America, including a creek between Mora and Guadalupita, New Mexico, and as far north as the Yellowstone River. However, the majority of the reports of the Weeping Woman surround the Santa Fe River. For example, a tall wailing spirit has been repeatedly viewed in the PERA Building near the river. The PERA structure was built on land that once held an old Spanish-Indian graveyard. If you are looking for a good Halloween scare, go explore the Santa Fe PERA structure on a dark evening.

 

6. Crybaby Bridges of Ohio

   Over the years, a strange phenomenon has been recorded in the vicinity of specific rural bridges in the US state of Ohio. On certain days of the year, after the Sun goes down, the sound of a baby’s presence can be heard. Most often, a shattering cry is recorded, but in other cases a baby’s laughter or scattered speech is said to plague the area. These bridges have been given the label Crybaby Bridges. The eerie locations usually hold a violent history, with stories involving a baby or young child being brutally killed. One of the most famous Crybaby Bridges is the Rogues’ Hollow Bridge, which is located near Doylestown, Ohio. In 1840, this area of Ohio experienced a large mining boom when coal was discovered in the deep hollows southeast of the village. The area became known as Rogues’ Hollow because the miners had a strong reputation for wild goings and violence. Rogues’ Hollow was congested with saloons, houses of ill repute, disease, dust and Sunday dog fights.
The Rogues’ Hollow Bridge sits deep inside Rogues’ Hollow on an old climbing road. The bridge is located in a remote area and is approachable from only one direction. Due to bad weather, it can only be reached during certain months of the year. The bridge is adjacent to the old Chidester Mill, which is often included in articles describing haunted locations. Loud voices and celebrations are said to radiate around the Chidester Mill. If you dare venture near the Rogue Hollow Bridge on a dark evening, be sure to keep an open ear for the sound of a crying baby. The noise has been reported to come from all directions, often times floating above your head. People have also reported that as they left the bridge, the intensity and volume of the crying increased. The Screaming Bridge of Maud Hughes Road is another reportedly haunted bridge located in Liberty Township, Ohio. The bridge is reputed to have been the site of many terrible accidents and suicides.
A set of old railroad tracks sits 25 feet below the bridge, and at least 36 people are said to have been killed on or around the Maud Hughes Road Bridge. Many different people have reported seeing and hearing usual things around the structure, including ghostly figures, mists, and lights, as well as black hooded figures and a phantom train. These aspirations seem to have an evil agenda and people often report a sensation of wanting to run while crossing the Maud Hughes Bridge. Others have made claims of screaming in their ear, load moans, shrieks, and the sound of a baby crying. Near the town of Salem, Ohio, citizens have reported strange occurrences around the Egypt Road Bridge. The area surrounding this bridge is closed off to the public. The bridge is located at the end of a dead-end and can only be reached from a single direction. Strange occurrences around the bridge have been reported, including the loud cries of a baby. However, unlike other Crybaby Bridges, on Egypt Road these sounds seem to occur during the day and night.

5. Popobawa

   Popobawa is the name of an evil creature that has been terrorizing the East African coast. The spirit is a shapeshifter and has been described as taking many different forms. The being can appear as either a human or an animal, and metamorphose from one into the other. The beast has been viewed during the daytime, but doesn’t attack until the late evening. Popobawa has been reported to abuse men, women and children, but the majority of the incidents are targeted at men. People routinely report assaults and poltergeist-like phenomena surrounding the creature. However, the most feared action is a sexual attack and the sodomizing of adult men. Many people in this area of the world have contacted the police and implicating the Popobawa in rape cases. In the mainstream media, the events have been described as an incident of mass hysteria or panic that comes and goes in waves. The largest outbreaks occurred in 1995 and 2007, when the reports spread all over the East African coast. The victims of the Popobawa are ordered to tell others about the attack, or the creature will return. It seems that the villagers in this area of the world become enraged if you claim that the spirit is unreal or fake in any way.
The Popobawa has been known to attack in many areas along the East African coast. The reports of the creature originated from the area surrounding Zanzibar Archipelago, which holds several islands off the coast of East Africa in the Indian Ocean. Specifically, the area of Pemba Island is said to be watched by the Popobawa. However, during large outbreaks, the presence of the spirit has been reported in mainland Tanzania. His presence is usually announced by the sound of scraping claws on the roof and a sharp, pungent smell. It has been suggested that the wave of attacks increase during All Hallows’ Eve, when ghosts are said to patrol the night. In most reports, Popobawa primarily attacks men and only in their own beds, resulting in many guys sleeping outside in the streets or on porches after recent attacks. The beast is known to overpower his prey, holding their face to the floor and sodomizing them for up to an hour. His genital area has been described as “significant.” Many Africans believe that the creature takes human form by day, and lives among the people. If you visit this area of Africa, keep a look out for the Popobawa.

4. The Candy Man

   Dean Corll was a sadistic serial killer that savagely murdered dozens of small boys in the US state of Texas during the early 1970s. He was responsible for the death of a confirmed 27 children. At this time in history, the term serial killer had not yet been coined, and the case was simply known as the Houston Mass Murders. In the early 1960s, the Corll Candy Company was founded by Dean’s mother. The Corll family set up a production facility in their home and turned the garage into a candy store, which was located across the street from Heights Elementary School, in the Houston Heights area of northwest Houston, Texas. Dean became second in command of the candy business and lived in an apartment over the garage. During this time, Dean Corll became known as The Candy Man. He would routinely give out free candy to the local children, in particular teenage boys. The company had a handful of employees and Dean was in charge of hiring the staff, which consisted of teenage children.
   He even installed a pool table at the rear of the factory where employees and local youths would go to hang-out and do drugs. At this time, Dean Corll befriended 12-year-old David Brooks and Elmer Wayne Henley. In 1968, the Corll Candy Company closed and Dean gained work as an electrician. He killed his first known victim in 1970. Most of the children he murdered were abducted from Houston Heights. He would lure his victims into a van with an offer of a party. He used the help of two teenage boys, David Brooks and Elmer Henley, who were given $200 for every successful capture. He would overpower his victims and perform sadistic rituals. Corll would start by putting his prey on a plywood torture board. He sexually assaulted all victims and usually killed them by strangulation or shooting with a .22 caliber pistol. Upon searching his home, police found multiple wooden torture boards with handcuffs, ropes, sex toys, and plastic covering the carpeted floor. He also owned an odd wooden crate with what appeared to be air holes cut into it.
   On August 8, 1973, Henley angered Dean Corll when he brought his young girlfriend over to his house with another friend, Tim Kerley. The group drank and did drugs and each fell asleep, but when they awoke Corll had handcuffed them all. Elmer Henley reportedly convinced Corll to let him go, so that he could participate in the murders. When his back was turned, Henley took the gun and shot Dean Corll six times killing him instantly. Henley then began to tell the police about the deadly rampage and specify where the children’s bodies were buried. It was the first time that the Houston police department had investigated Dean Corll or even connected the series of rash murders to one person. In a highly publicized trial, Brooks was found guilty of one murder and sentenced to life in prison. Henley was convicted of six of the murders and sentenced to six 99-year-terms.
During the years of Dean Corll’s murder spree, he is known to have frequently changed addresses in the Houston Heights area. He lived in a trailer park, several apartment buildings and rented rooms at private residences. Specifically, these locations include a metal warehouse in the 500 block of West 22nd Street, a run-down apartment building in the 800 block of Heights Boulevard, a house on North Durham and an apartment on East 7th Street. A collection of old structures in the Houston Heights area have witnessed the worst crimes known to man. Dean Corll buried his victims in one of four separate locations, a rented boatshed in southwest Houston, a beach on the Bolivar Peninsula, in woodland near a cabin on Lake Sam Rayburn (owned by his family) or on a beach in Jefferson County. A small group of people living in Houston believe that the ghost of Dean Corll and his victims haunt the city. Reports have surfaced from his grave stone, which mysteriously reads “PFC US Army.” Why he was still given this honor after death is unknown to me.

3. Corpse Road

   In late medieval times, a steady population increase caused an expansion in the construction of churches in Great Britain. This upset the mother churches of the area, who felt that the new organizations were encroaching on their territory and taking away profits and power. For this reason, they instituted a law indicating that all burial rights were the property of the mother church. Officials had corpse roads constructed, which connected outlying locations and their main churches. This was a great hardship on the people and it meant that citizens living on the outskirts of town had to transport their dead family members a long distance in order to be buried. Sometimes the corpse roads traveled up steep mountain cliffs and over large bodies of water and rivers. Many of the pathways contained specifically placed coffin stones, which were used as a resting spot for the travelers. Evidence of the stones is still evident today and a number of the locations are said to hold a dark spirit. In many cases, humble men, women, and old citizens were given this impossible task of transporting their loved ones. This burning animosity and the continual shuffling of human corpses is said to have left a lasting impression on the hundreds of corpse roads in Europe and South America.
Many of the corpse roads have disappeared over the years, but you can still see the remains of some prominent routes, which appear in the form of small woven pathways. For generations, people have reported strange noises and lights on these ancient corpse roads. Legend tells that spirits and ghosts regularly fly along the roads in a direct straight line from one end to the next. This energy guides the people along the trail at night. It directs them around all fences, walls, buildings, and other structures. The Will-o’-the-wisp are said to patrol the corpse roads. Folklore is full of tales describing the Will-o’-the-wisp, which are ghostly lights that resemble a flickering lamp. These mischievous spirits attempt to confuse travelers. They are said to recede and fade away if approached. Ancient people believed that these paths were haunted. They followed a list of specific rules to prevent the dead from wandering the land as lost souls or animated corpses.
The number of reportedly haunted corpse roads is extensive. Phantom lights are regularly witnessed on the Scottish cemetery-island of Mun in Loch Leven. Traditionally, these lights were thought to be omens of impending death. Many eyes have reported a regular phantom funeral procession heading across Dartmoor on its way to Widecombe and the burial ground. People have also witnessed a monk dressed in all white. Places where corpse roads intersect are considered dangerous and are believed to be occupied by special spirit-guardians. A famous corpse road in England runs from Rydal to Ambleside in the Lake District. Along this route, at the foot of Blue Bell Hill, is an old coffin stone. It is a rectangular stone that measures 14.4 feet (4.4 m) long and 9 feet (2.8 m) wide. In 1836, a sack of bones was discovered under the rock and it has since been revealed that the area is one of the Medway tombs. The Corpse Rock is located on private grounds, with local residents staying far away from the area in the mist of night. However, the field is currently being planted as a vineyard, which has caused a buzz in the area, as it may be disturbing sacred ground and releasing the wrath of ancient ghosts.

2. Suicide Cliff and Banzai Cliff

The Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II was a major conflict between the armed forces of Japan and those of the United States, the British Empire, the Netherlands and France. Two of the largest battles included the Battle of Saipan and Battle of Okinawa. The 82-day-long Battle of Okinawa was one of the deadliest in all of World War II. Japan lost over 100,000 troops, and the Allies suffered more than 50,000 casualties. Simultaneously, more than 100,000 civilians were killed, wounded, or committed suicide, which was approximately one-quarter of the entire population. The one chilling factor that both of these battles have in common is the mass suicide of Japanese civilians, usually accomplished by leaping from the steep cliff faces of the islands. After the Allied forces captured Saipan, the soldiers erected a civilian prisoner encampment. They were told that over 25,000 Japanese people lived on the island, but it was soon evident that thousands were missing.
After searching the island, Allied soldiers made the grisly discovery that Japanese citizens were committing suicide by jumping from Saipan’s Suicide Cliff and Banzai Cliff. It has since been realized that Emperor Hirohito personally found the threat of the defection of Japanese civilians disturbing. During the Battle of Saipan, Hirohito sent out an imperial order encouraging the civilians of Saipan to commit suicide. The order authorized the commander of Saipan to promise civilians who died an equal spiritual status in the afterlife. Over 10,000 Japanese people committed suicide in the last days of the conflict. In Okinawa, this issue is at the center of an ongoing disagreement between the local government and Japan’s national government. In 2007, a mass rally erupted in Okinawa when the Japanese government announced that they were changing the wording in school text books regarding the suicides. Okinawa ultimately won a court battle and the books were restored, using the statement that the citizens “were forced into mass suicides by the Japanese military.” This was partially achieved by evidence that implicated the Japanese military in distributing grenades for the purpose of suicide.
The island of Saipan is said to be haunted by ghosts. Today, the land is officially the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It is littered with underground shelters and tunnels that were used during the war. In many cases, mass suicides were performed in the bunkers or massacres took place as US troops dropped explosives into them. This is said to have left a lasting impression on the Saipan underground, with the sound of artillery fire, explosions, and screams routinely spreading over the land. However, the majority of the strange activity has been reported on the cliffs surrounding the limestone covered Mount Tapochau, located at 1,560 ft (480 m). One of the drops has been given the nickname Suicide Cliff, while the other is named Banzai Cliff.
The beauty of Saipan makes it a popular tourist destination and many people have claimed supernatural experiences. At all times of day, but more prevalent at night, human figures can be seen leaning over the cliffs and jumping. Children can be heard crying and sporadic gusts of wind loom over the area. Unlike other ghostly phenomenon, these spirits appear to be determined to jump off the cliff and don’t notice human contact. People have also reported violent visions, often stemming from the scene of dead bodies on the rocks below. If you search the Internet for the ghosts of Saipan, you will find many links to a video that was recorded near Banzai Cliff. It has been claimed that the video shows a ghost jumping from the cliff. Check it out for yourself. If anything, the video gives a good perspective of what this area of Saipan looks like.

1. Edinburgh Vaults

   In the late 18th century, the city of Edinburgh was a thriving community. To help drive expansion, officials in this area of Scotland approved the construction of two bridges, the North Bridge and South Bridge. The South Bridge is a nineteen arch viaduct, which holds some unusual architectural feats. Eighteen of the arches were enclosed behind tenement buildings, which were built upon floor layering. In total there are approximately 120 vaults beneath the surface of the South Bridge, ranging in size from 6.5 feet (2 meters) to 131 feet (40 meters) squared. The South Bridge officially opened for business on March 1, 1788. For around 30 years, the Edinburgh vaults were used to house taverns, cobblers and other tradesmen. Specific sections were used for the storage of illicit material, including dead bodies. The bodies were examined by doctors and reportedly used in medical experiments. Unfortunately, construction of the South Bridge was rushed and the surface was never sealed against water damage. For this reason, the vaults began to flood and the area was abandoned.
   By the start of the 19th century, slum dwellers had taken over the vaults and the area became a renowned red light district, with countless brothels and pubs operating within the abandoned complex. Living conditions in the chambers were appalling. The rooms were cramped, dark and damp, with no sunlight, poorly circulated air, no running water, and no sanitation. Serious crimes and acts of violence were a major problem. The serial murderers Burke and Hare are thought to have chosen victims from this area. In the middle of the 19th century, the first reports of bizarre visions and ghostly phenomenon were issued. At that time, city officials made the decision to drop tons of rubble into the Edinburgh Vaults, making them inaccessible. The landmarks were not rediscovered until the 1980s, when they were excavated by Norrie Rowan and his son. During the unearthing of the vaults, strange occurrences and loud cries were often reported.
   Today, the Edinburgh Vaults house some of the most popular tourist attractions in the area, including many ghost tours. The most popular venues are the Mercat Tours, Marlin’s Wynd, and a tour known as The Caves. Specific corridors of the Edinburgh Vaults are said to house spiritual characters. Mr. Boots is a ghost that has been known to nudge tourists and follow large groups. He can often be heard using foul language and stomping on the hard stone floor. A young spirit named Jack can be seen running about the dark rooms, giggling as he passes by unsuspecting people. One of the most chilling spirits is an ailing pregnant woman that can be heard crying for attention and help. The Edinburgh Vaults are also known to contain odd cold air flows. Scientific studies and overnight sleepovers have been conducted in the vaults with some unexplained findings. In 2009, a BBC TV production team recorded a strange voice that appeared to be that of a Catholic priest reciting the Last Rites. The ghostly voice continued to be heard on the recording for some 20 minutes before abruptly ceasing after what appeared to be the sound of children yelling.