Paranormal Activity

Last night I was looking up hotel reviews for my very first hotel out on my own. The Emily Morgan. As if I wasn't worried enough about traveling solo and finding my way around, the handy Google search feature auto-filled my search entry to "Emily Morgan Haunted'. Grrrreat. After trying to brush it aside, my curiosity got the best of me and I just had to click the link. It was too late now. I might as well see what I signed up for, right?

Now, I've never considered myself afraid of ghosts. I've walked through some allegedly haunted homes on tours during ther day and been to some graveyards at night. But after reading these reviews, I have to admit, even with my college degree and basic understanding of death and chemistry, part of me worries that I may have a visitor with me during my trip.

Before I start talking about the ghosts, here's my King Plaza Suite at the 4 diamond hotel. Impressive, right? Who would want to give this up? Especially for the really cheap price I got.

"510 sq ft. Simply perfect accommodations for a romantic escape in San Antonio, Emily's most luxurious suite provides you with an oversized Jacuzzi bathtub for two, waffle cotton robes, feather-top king bed, and gorgeous views of downtown San Antonio and the Alamo. The separate sitting area features a sofa bed and a second television."

Though, check out the outside. In the middle of historic San Antonio, the Gothic architecture is commanding and daunting to say the least. It certainly looks like a place that could be haunted.

Here's what Google tells me:

"The Emily Morgan is indeed haunted. The first weekend I stayed there I really had no expectations. I thought the hotel was fantastic when I arrived. My friend and I checked in and hopped on the elevator to get to our room so we could unpack. When we got on the elevator and hit the third floor. The elevator kept going and opened on an entirely different floor. We giggled nervously but didn't think too much about it. After a little shopping and entertainment we settled in for the night. At some point in the night I was woken up by an incredible chill and humming. I woke up to find a little girl sitting on the end of my bed. She was swinging her feet off the end of the bed and humming. When she saw I was awake she giggled and said, "Do you want to sing? Do you want to play with me?". I immediately froze and then started to cry. I was terrified. I actually couldn't even talk about it for weeks after it happened. I pulled the covers up over my head and never made it back to sleep. The following night I decided I would try to stay up later and maybe have a glass or two of wine before trying to go to bed. I again found myself waking up to a cold chill. This time I laid very still with my eyes closed and could feel someone lying next to me..almost leaning against me. I slowly opened my eyes to make sure I was awake. I could still feel someone against me and again I cried. As soon as I started to cry, the feeling left but you could still feel the cold.

"The 7th and 12th floors seem to be the most active. The 12th floor was where the operations took place when the building was a medical center. Reports of noises, smells of alcohol, and being touched are common on this floor. On the 7th floor witnesses claim to have seen human shapes walking around and then walking through walls or doors. One family staying on the 7th floor reported having everything blast on in their room at 2:30 a.m. Then they saw a shape move through the room and through the wall.

The basement had been used as a morgue and crematory. Voices, footsteps, and orbs are often seen in this area.

The front desk has reported receiving calls that could be traced to the phones in an empty elevator. The elevator has been known to keep going between the sixth and seventh floors with no one in it."

Fabulous. Little girl ghosts. I can see myself crying already. Part of me says, bring it on Emily. It would make for an interesting blog, right? The other part is trying to figure out a way to find a new hotel, fast. My contract says that if I get to a hotel that I don't feel safe at, I can buy a new hotel and still get reimbursed. However, how do I justify a haunting?! I considered leaving on my webcam the first night to see if anything pops up, but then again, I saw "Paranormal Activity." That doesn't end well! And what if I did see something?! I'd be sleeping the second night in my rental car on the streets of Texas.

From what I've heard, on TV for the most part, you have to be nice to the inhabitants. Recognize their existence and ask them to be nice if you agree to be respectful. The ghosties and I are going to have a big long chat. That's for sure.

Rest in Peace.
-J