Banned Books Week winner and ghost tour pics

Thanks to everyone who commented on the Banned Books Week post! It's great so many supported this important event.

Now, for the giveaway.... the $10 gift card to Amazon/Barnes and Noble goes to Kitty!

Congrats, Kitty! I will email you, and I hope you enjoy reading a banned book!

Now, for some pics from last night's Ghosts of New York Walking Tour. Not so spooky, though. Unfortunately, no spirits decided to join our walking tour of the East Village in New York City. We did learn some cool history, though! Below is a very bad photo of our guide, who was wonderful, standing in front of Peter Stuyvesant's grave vault.

Much of the tour centered around Peter Stuyvesant, who helped colonize the area in the days when it was known as New Amsterdam, not New York. We began our tour at St. Mark's Church, where Stuyvesant's ghost pops in now and again. Below is the best photo of the bunch - the bell from the tower of St. Mark's, which the ghost of Peter Stuyvesant was said to have rung when the church was locked. The rectangular slabs of stone are actually graves of Peter's family.

Here's part of the courtyard leading to the church rectory, where Peter surprised the caretaker a few times.

We also visited the haunted former home of one of Peter's relatives, a bar where Houdini was said to have frequented, and the apartment where Edgar Allen Poe supposedly wrote The Raven during his brief stay.

We were unable to go inside any buildings, unfortunately, but the chilly night lent a mysterious atmosphere to the walk. And luckily, it didn't rain. :)

Another week of Halloween fun begins tomorrow! I hope you'll visit.