Ghost Tour: Pioneer Square, Seattle, WA

I’ve always wanted to go on a haunted tour. I'd like to see a couple of people get touched my unseen hands, accuse the person next to them of trying to talk to them and what not. When I was in Las Vegas, we had a mind to take the Haunted Vegas Tour, but decided against it as we were having paranormal experiences in our hotel room. But, when I got back, I started asking around for something similar and what I found were tours in Seattle: "The Spooked in Seattle Tour", which took place in historical Pioneer Square and the “Market Ghost Tours and Espresso”, in the Pike Place Market. When I brought this up to Eric he suggested that we bring along a few friends, too. He’d already told his co-worker Sam, who was also interested. I let a few of my friends know, but there were no other takers. So, I was just the three of us: Same, Eric and I.  We talked about each tour decided upon the Spooked in Seattle Tour.

We booked the 8:15PM tour. It started at the Ye Olde Curiosity Shop on the waterfront. But, we got there early just in case we needed to find parking or there was traffic on the the way there. Luckily, we arrived one hour early. The Ye Olde Curiosity Shop had some interesting pieces, so we passed our hour looking at the strange knickknacks all about the store. There were desiccated bodies in the back. One, that went by the name of Sylvester, was particularly creepy; I felt like he was staring at me. There were animal “oosiks”, penises, hanging right above the front entrance. There was a collection of shrunken heads, and there were double-headed baby animals that did not survive past a few days.

Shrunken head replica

Our tour guide, Jerome, was great. He was very enthusiastic, almost theatrical, and knowledgeable of Seattle history. He had with him a tablet that he used to show the crowd videos and play EVP’s, electronic voice phenomena, associated with some of the stops on the tour. We were joined by 20 others.

When we started the tour we walked south on Alaskan way to our first stop: Ivar’s. It is reported that his guitar playing and singing can be heard. As we proceeded south on Alaskan Way, our next stop was the Seattle-Bainbridge/Seattle-Bremerton ferry terminal. It is reported that the daughter of Chief Sealth, Princess Angeline, can be seen on one of the ferries coming from the Seattle side, but she is never seen on the side of the Kitsap peninsula.

Haunted religious relics

Our first in-door stop was at the Merchant Café, the oldest restaurant in Seattle. According to our guide, an episode of The Dead Files was filmed in the lower floor which used to be the first floor, and that there were some significant findings during the show. After hearing that news, we awaited to see the episode when it airs within the next few weeks.  When we were at the lower bar, I had a “déjà vu”, although I have passed by the bar, I have never gone inside, nor have I descended into the lower floor.

One of our stops was just across the street from the Pergola. As the guide told us the story of a nearby hotel, Sam and I could smell clove cigarettes. There was someone smoking nearby, but the guy was down wind, and he was smoking either menthol or light cigarettes. I happened a few more times and then it disappeared. It was the first creepy occurrence that night. But, the creepiest events happened in the “Spooked in Seattle” headquarters.

Note the chalk marks

They had been at the location for approximate two months. It is below street level and at one time an Italian restaurant evident from the “Ristorante” signs. The space laid vacant for several years after the restaurant closed. There is a section of the space that opens up to the Seattle Underground, but since it had rained that night, it wasn’t the most comfortable area to visit; water was seeping down into the area. When the guide started to tell about their headquarters. I whipped out my phone and started my EMF (Electromagnetic Field) detector app. He told us about a chair that would move over night. The last time the chair moved was a few weeks before. My app showed no spikes and read 400 mG (milligauss) which seems to be normal. But, when the guide mentioned an EVP of children in the area, the EMF app for my Android phone started to register around 500 mG! 500 mG is what my monitors at home emit. But, there were no electronics within range of where we were standing!

We looked around at the shop after the tour ended. Their headquarters had a few artifacts enclosed in tall glass cases. One of them was a small wooden box with a few religious relics. When I waved my EMF detector toward those items, once again it registered around 500 mG! Again there were not electronics nearby that I knew of. No other items had such a high reading.

All in All, It was a great tour where you learn the haunted history of Seattle, and get to tour historic Pioneer Square where the city started. In hindsight, I think that they could have divided the crowd up, say 10 people per group so that we could better hear the guide, hear EVP’s and see things he wanted to show us on his tablet.

Besides the walking tour they have ghost hunts. The latest is every third Saturday aboard the allegedly haunted USS Turner Joy in Bremerton, my home town. Eric, Sam and I might give it a try.

Summary
Website:	http://spookedinseattle.com/
E-Mail:	SpookedinSeattle@gmail.com
Phone:	(425) 954-7701
Available Activities:	Walking Tours Bus Tours Private Tours Ghost Hunts
Notes:	Book a few days in advance to maker sure get you and your group a spot.

Professional Psychic Spotlight: Toni

I met Toni when I shared a booth with her and another psychic at Northwest Women’s Show at the CenturyLink Event Center (formerly the Qwest Event Center). Ever since then, she and I have kept in contact over the past few years.

 

Toni

Ever since she was a child, Toni has been clairvoyant.  When she was young, she would receive impressions by touching someone or something that they own. For example, when she was about nine-years old, she and her parents were moving out of their apartment in Gardena, CA. At the same time, the new tenants, a husband and wife, were moving in. The man had a treasure chest that he wanted to part with, so he offered it to Toni. When Toni touched the chest as the man was giving it to her, a flurry of images entered her mind. She tried telling the man that he would be dying, but her mother was so embarrassed that she ordered Toni to be quiet and to go inside the car. Sadly her prediction came true - the man died in the apartment within the week.

 

As she grew older, she was able to pick up impressions without necessarily touching people or their belongings. Now, she receives impressions at almost any time of the day, whether she touches an item or not – For her, it is a common occurrence. She will often see people in something new, be in a new relationship, a new home, a new car or a new career.

 

Toni has been practicing for over 20 years as a professional reader. Her services include Tarot and oracle card readings, chicken bone readings, water readings, home energy readings and ritual work.

When clients call to arrange for a consultation over the phone, she can sense the energies surrounding them. Issues that they may have been repeatedly thinking about may come through which she puts together into a “movie” in her mind.  Sometimes, the spirits of friends and family come through. So, before meeting, she might already “know” certain facts about the client and what the client wants to look into. When the client arrives, she receives more information not only from the client but from Spirit. And, once again a “movie” starts to play in her mind.

But, meeting with Toni is like going to a good friend for advice. She sets the mood with her welcoming personality and keeps the conversation light-hearted and lively. If the client were feeling uneasy, upset or uncomfortable before, they would begin to feel much better and lighter as if a weight is lifted off of them. So, expect to have a pleasant time chatting regardless of the subject. Nevertheless, when it comes to more serious concerns, she is very attentive and genuinely listens. The client will come away feeling more at ease and more in control by the end of the reading. Her goal is to help. And, to make the client more comfortable, makes the process all much easier for her and the client.

During the Northwest Women’s show, I witnessed Toni’s expertise and abilities first hand. A woman and a young lady were next in line for Toni’s table. They both sat down, and as soon as the woman started to talk, Toni mentioned that she felt like it was hard to breathe as if she were drowning. Both women started to cry immediately. They were mother and daughter, and they came to make contact with one of the daughters who passed away from drowning. During their session, Toni was able to lighten up their mood and ease their pain. And, as many tears that were shed, there were as many laughs to be had, too. It was so infectious, I was laughing at the table nearby. After they were done, you could see the relief on both mother’s and daughter’s face as they left.

 

Toni is a firm believer that, for their own benefit, the client should be engaged in the process as much as possible – She’s talking about the client’s life, so they should have more of a part in it. So, after the reading, she may have something for the client to do. Sometimes they are mental exercises that need to be done daily for a few days or longer, or she will give the client a ritual to perform.

Toni's favorite heels.
(She put me up to it.)

The mental exercises vary. They may be visualization of what the client wants to see come into their lives, meditation or chanting of certain phrases, or mantras. These exercises are designed to help the client align their own energy with what they want and to be better connected to Spirit. Clients have reported that after following the exercises, they are pleasantly surprised to find a definite improvement in their lives.

Rituals are another “prescription” that Toni may give to her clients in addition to, or in lieu of, mental exercises. Rituals are set of actions that must be performed in a specific order. Sometimes they involve buying or making certain item. Sometimes they involve saying a phrase while performing an action. Rituals may be very simple as writing on a piece of paper and keeping it on an altar or sacred area of your home or bedroom for a specific period of time. Others may be more elaborate where certain steps must be carried out at a specific date or time and/or in a specific location. If the client has any questions or issues carrying out the instructions or if there is a “tool” that the client needs for the ritual, Toni is always willing to help.

Toni

Years ago when I  came to Toni for help, I was looking for a partner in my life. At the time, I was striking out. I kept finding people who were not a good fit for me. Either I wasn’t attracted to them, or when I was attracted, they just didn’t return my affections. Toni gave me a combination of mental exercises and two rituals. The exercises were easy, but some of the items for the rituals were a bit hard to find. I was determined. In the end, I persevered and found all that I needed to complete the rituals. Once I finished the exercises and performed each step of the ritual, I was able to find someone that I fell in love with that was right for me.

Another example of how Toni has helpful was with a client here in the Seattle area. A woman invited Toni to her house for a reading. Toni saw that her client would leave her current well-paying position and become involved in legal proceedings where she would later come into several million dollars. The woman was dumbfounded and at first  dismissed the idea. Six months later, the client called Toni to let her know that everything that Toni saw came true.

Lastly, Toni also provides energy readings for your home. Similar to Feng Shui, she can sense the vibrations in the client’s home.  She will then suggest where furniture should be placed, if there certain items or colors should be added to a room, or if there are items that should be removed. In lieu of visiting your home, the client can submit photos and she can assess what needs to be done from them.

So, if you decide to turn to Toni for some spiritual advice, please, let her know that “Joe” sent you.

Reader Summary and Contact Information
Name:	Toni
Experience:	20+ years
Services:	Tarot card readings Oracle card reading Chicken bone readings Water readings Mind exercises Ritual work Supplies for ritual work Home energy readings
Prices:	VARIABLE Call for more information
Payment:	Call for more information
Languages:	English
Place for Readings:	At the reader’s home At the client’s home Agreed meeting place
Parties & Gatherings:	YES At least on month’s  advanced booking
Location:	California, US
Travel:	YES Call for more information
E-Mail:	ic4u@live.com
Phone:	(425) 220-4669 Please leave your name (first ONLY) and number. Responds w/in 12 hours.
Phone Readings:	YES
Additional Notes:	N/A

My First Ghost Encounter

In the early 80s, I lived with my aunt and grandmother on a small, 5 acre berry farm in Port Orchard, Washington. I moved in with them to fulfill a promise that I had made with my late uncle. He asked if I would like to live with my aunt if something were to happen to him. Being a child of three or four I didn’t know what death was, so I agreed. One rainy day he was tending to the berries and caught cold. He died of pneumonia a few weeks later.

Living there, I always had an uneasy feeling going to the bottom floor of that split-level house. It was my uncle’s refuge, his “man cave” as they could call it now, where he spent much of his free time in his recliner watching basketball games on his large Zenith TV when he wasn’t tending to the berries. After his death, my aunt had the TV moved up to the living room on the upper floor sometime after I starting living with them.

A small jar of Vick's VapoRub

One night my aunt and I were watching sports on that TV. I remember that it was sometime in the fall because it was around 7PM and it was already dark. My grandmother had turned in for the night. I also remember that the Seattle Super Sonics were playing, my late uncle’s favorite basketball team. Sometime in the middle of the game, the intense smell of Vick’s VapoRub started to come from the stair well next to the couch my aunt and I were sitting in. The smell was so strong; it was as if someone brought a jar right up to my nose. My uncle used Vick’s to ease his congestion when he first became ill. As the scent lingered, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. My aunt had noticed the scent, too, and she started to speak to whomever it was, ”Honey, we are doing well. You can go back and rest. Go now, go back and rest.” As soon as she said those words, the scent disappeared about as soon as it had started. We went to bed shortly afterward as if nothing happened, and my aunt woke up my grandmother to tell her about what had just happened. We didn’t finish watching the game.

We never talked about it very much. I vaguely remember my aunt talking to my grandmother about it the next day. The incident rarely came up in conversations with friends or relatives. As a child, I didn’t quite understand what had happened. But after having had a few similar experiences, I have a better understanding: It was the spirit of my uncle coming to visit. Maybe he was wondering where his TV went? Maybe he was curious about the game? Maybe he wanted to root for his favorite team one last time? I don’t remember if that date had any significance to him or to my aunt. Could it have been their wedding anniversary? Was it my late uncle’s birthday? I will never know.

Spirits of the deceased sometimes linger for whatever reason. His last worry was the berry farm before he died and might have been why he remained, and quite possibly in the lower level where he spent so much time watching TV

Later on, after moving out of that house, I heard other reports of his presence, especially in the lower floor. My aunt remarried and her new husband moved into that house with her. He would find all the lights on in the lower floor when no one had gone down. A cousin, told his mom about a customer looking for berries in the house, who he described as an old, bald man, coming down the stairs to the lower floor. It was summer and berry picking season, so it gave his mother the chills. The man that my cousin described fit my late uncle’s description to a tee. My uncle had died some years before my cousin came to live in the US. In fact, my cousin was born after his death. The same cousin also saw a man in overalls and a straw hat walk into the pump house by the pond where they got water from to irrigate the berries plants. Again, matching my uncle's description. During Thanksgiving another year, a relative saw his image sit next to her in a large mirror. It vanished when she turned to tell my aunt.

I haven’t heard of any other sightings of him within the past few years. He might be at peace now that the berry bushes no longer there. Where there were once rows for berries, trees now grow. I wonder if he misses them.

Celebrity Ghost Stories [Show]

I started watching Celebrity Ghost Stories when its first season aired on the Biography Channel a few years ago. And, since then I have tried to watch each new episode because most have caught my attention in one way or another. The show is a reality-base where celebrities narrate a paranormal event that they had experienced.

Celebrities include actors, Corbin Bernsen (L.A. Law), Joan Collins (Dynasty, The Colbys) and Christopher Knight (The Brady Bunch);  musicians, Vince Neil (Motley Crue), Marilyn Manson (Marilyn Manson) and Jermaine Jackson (Jackson Five);  sports stars, Sugar Ray Leonard (Olympic Boxer); and other personalities, the late Phyllis Diller (Comedienne), Paul Shaffer (Late Night with David Letterman) and Margaret Cho (Comedienne).

In each hour-long episode, each celebrity segment lasts between 15 to 20 minutes. The only exceptions have been the “Scariest Moments” episode where they show the most frightening scenes from previous episodes and the Loretta Lynn episode showcasing the haunting of her ranch in Tennessee. As the celebrity narrates, the story is reenacted with live-action shots and stop-action-like stills. Now in the show’s fourth season, each celebrity has shared one story. Excluding any special episodes, there are few of the celebrities that have been featured more than once.

Vince Neil told the story about how his manager died and helped his band find his replacement and how he was contacted by his dead son. Karina Smirnoff (Dancing with the Stars) told about her run-in with a dybbuk (a spirit from Jewish folklore) during a visit to a Summer home in the Ukraine and how she saw her grandmother roam the halls of her home after passing away. Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips) told how she became sober from experiencing the ghost of a drunken barber and her experience with a strange apparition when her sister Wendy comes to visit. Ana Gasteyer (Saturday Night Live, 1996 – 2002) recounted how she was visited by the victims of a fire while playing the role  Elphaba in a production of Wicked: The Musical and her experience with the ghosts of a hotel.

There are so many celebrities and so many episodes that I am amazed. It reminds me that the paranormal discriminates against no one. It is hard to find just one favorite episode, but there are many hits and misses. Nevertheless, one of the more memorable episode featured Shirley Jones (Oklahoma!,The Partridge Family), Mykelti Williamson (Forrest Gump). Shirley Jones and her ex-husband Jack Cassidy rented a sea captain’s former home in rural New York state. When her husband left for Los Angeles, she experienced the ghosts of the captain’s children. When she left for California, the house mysteriously bursts into flames. Mykelti tried visiting his mother several times only for her to send him away. He finds out that his mother did not want him to visit just in case he were to run into a childhood friend. His mother said that the look of death was too strong on Mykelti’s friend. After hearing this, Mykelti’s dinner with his girlfriend is interrupted by a phone call from the same friend. The phone company has no record of the call.

Whether you believe the existence of ghosts and the paranormal or not, this is one show that shouldn’t be watched alone late at night.

Biography.com banner

Other reviews:

• Variety TV Review: Celebrity Ghost Stories
• "Celebrity Ghost Stories" Review: Joan Rivers Made Me Believe in Ghosts

Current schedule on the Biography Channel is 9/8 Central. Episodes are available online, but more are available on Hulu.

Website: http://www.biography.com/tv/celebrity-ghost-stories

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_Ghost_Stories

Kaso ti Pasahero nga Al-alia

The Iloko version of the post has been moved.
Ti bersion ti daytoy a paskil ket naiyakar.

Kaso ti Pasahero nga al-alia

Otro caso de un pasajero espectral

The Spanish version has been moved to a new blog.
La versión es español se ha movido al nuevo blog.
Caso de pasajero espectral

The Lingering Scent of Vanilla

"... The first thing to hit me was the strong scent of vanilla. I commented to Mike about the vanilla scent asking if it were a new car freshener. That's when Mike just came out with it: He had an attachment!"

In this story, a friend had a paranormal experience in his early twenties under a bridge known for suicides. Fast forward years later, he wants to experience the same "thrill" of having a paranormal encounter, but this time he makes a serious mistake and the spirit attaches to him.

Another Trip to the Bridge

Last year, I hosted a small impromptu dinner of a few friends. It was October with Halloween drawing near. Our discussions around the table centered around ideas of what costumes we were going to wear on the 31st, if we were going watch the latest Paranormal Activity movie and the retelling of ghost stories. As usual for this time of year I told the story of the uninvited passenger to my guests, and how it was the closest encounter with the paranormal I had ever had. My friend, Mike, shared a similar experience where a back seat of his car depressed on its own as if someone had sat down. (I posted his story a few days back.)

It was well past midnight when Mike's face lit up and he goaded us to take a drive to the bridge where he had his experience. 

"Do you wanna go? Do you wanna go?", he chided. 

We all figured, "Why not?" and got into his four-door sedan. We were soon headed for West Seattle. But not before we grabbed some coffee at a nearby 24-hour drive-through Starbucks, of course.

We arrived at the bridge sometime before three o'clock and parked at one end. We walked across surveying the depth of the narrow ravine that it spanned peering out into its darkness trying to figure out the road below. We all could sense an air of despair that cold Autumn night. The west sidewalk of the bridge had “hot spots” where you could feel it more strongly. Is this where the jumper in his story contemplated the last moments of their life? Once three o'clock approached closer, we filed into Mike's car and made our way to the road below.

We were surprised that there were other people who wanted to witness something (or, so we thought) and get a sighting of the ghost as we did. Since it was a weekday, there were only one or two other cars. Mike parked off to the side of the narrow street and we could see the bridge loom tall above us. Mike turned off the lights and turned the engine off as we waited for the appearance of the specter of a suicide. It was cold that Autumn night, so we stayed in the car sipping on our coffees and chatted instead of venturing outside. We were apprehensive and felt safer among our own company than that of outside. Once three arrived we quieted down and waited expecting to catch a glimpse of someone or something paranormal.

Fifteen minutes must have passed without much fanfare. Mike drove back to my house and recounted his story, how he dared the spirit to show itself. There were so many cars parked on my street that he was able only to find a spot a couple of blocks away. We got out of the car and entered my house where we talked for a few moments more. When our other friends left, I walked Mike back to his car. On our way we passed the eerie house that had not been occupied for months on my block. I jokingly warned him that he might have an attachment as a result of our foray to the bridge. Little did I know what would become of my warning.

Nice Perfume. Is it Vanilla?!

Feng Shui talisman

 

The following week, Mike came by to pick up me at work for a coffee break. He came over within a few minutes because our office buildings were mere blocks away from each other. I hopped into his car, and the first thing to hit me was the strong scent of vanilla. I commented to Mike about the vanilla scent asking if it were a new car freshener. That's when Mike just came out with it: He had an attachment! (Or, an "atachamente" as we liked to joke from a Filipino film we had recently watched.)

During coffee we talked about how it attached to him and from where. We speculated that it did not come from the bridge but from somewhere in between. He said that he had started to notice something after dropping us off at my house that night. The spirit followed him to work the next day where his coworkers noticed the strong scent, commenting on his "choice" of cologne. Later that day, when he came to the realization that it was indeed a spirit attachment, he asked that the spirit leave. It started to emit the scent of something burning, instead. He asked me what it could be, but I had no answers to give. 

The experience that I had with a strong scent from a spirit lasted less than an hour. In addition, the spirit in my car was not following me, but my friend Tina. I had no idea of what to do. The best I could do later that day was to snap a shot of and send him a Feng Shui talisman, a wall hanging that prevented wayward spirits from entering the space where it was deployed. I figured that if it helped Tina in the past, it would help Mike. He set it as his smartphone's wallpaper and printed it out. Then, he hanged the printed copy in his room. Mike reported that it worked well. The smell, or the spirit for that matter, never ventured there.

In the following days after our talk, Mike continued to smell the scent of vanilla and experienced different phenomena. Luckily, none of them were malicious or caused him any bodily harm; it was a nuisance at worst. The family dog, he mentioned, did act peculiar as animals do since they are far more sensitive to the paranormal. The dog would growl at something Mike could not see. Or, the dog would not come out of his kennel out of fear. While his parents were out running errands, he took the dog out for a walk. He returned home to a typical occurrence in many paranormal stories: All the kitchen drawers and cupboard doors in the house open!

Unattachment

Not knowing what else to expect, the week after, he contacted a pastor from his church and explained the situation. The pastor was very empathetic and advised him to beware of such things in the future. That evening, the two of them prayed to release Mike of this attached spirit. After his pastor's visit, the scent of vanilla stopped and life returned back to normal. Yet, things weren't back to how they used to be for Mike.

 Mike recognized that he had become more sensitive to the unseen world; this sensitivity was more acute. A couple of months afterward, he mentioned how he could sense something behind a tree we sat by at a local park. He is now aware that he can inadvertently attract spirits very much like my friend Tina. And, especially, he knows now that it is the most unwise to invite spirits because, as he learned, they might overstay their welcome.