My great grandma was one of my favorite grandmothers, even though I've never met her, and she has neve met me.

She was a Mexican American, living in the mountains of New Mexico. Alcaria Moya was happily married, and mother tolots of children. The youngest of which I think was my grandfather.

From what I've heard of her she was an interesting charecter. In the last twenty or thirty years of her life she began to beleive that she was a bruja, and walked around casting spells, and enchanting things.

My grandfather, father, and uncle visited her about once a year, and the stories of her got better every year. Finaly, last year, word came from New Mexico that she had died.

She was in the car with her daughter, one of my aunts, on her way home from visiting some of my family in Kentucky, when she died. I dont know if this is true, but its the story that i heard.

My father, uncle, and grandfather drove down to New Mexico to attend her funeral, and comfort the rest of the family. I wish i could have gone, but it was during school, the month of August.

It is partly because of Grandma Alcaria that I have such an profound intrest in vampires, and the like.

And although I was never able to meet her, I will miss her forever, and continue to research, and learn about her beleifs in her honor, and memory.

(I know, cheesy, but i cant help it.)

Chiang-shih- A vicious vampire that is caused by an inferior soul staying in a body after death, an improper burial, or a voilent death. It usualy stayed in he human body, but sometimes took the shape of a wolf, or a glowing green shape. They usualy are depicted with long claw like nails, long sharpened teeth, and long shaggy white or gray hair.

Churel- a woman vampire who died a violent, or unnatural death that would come back,and lure young men away fromtheir village, and return them the next day as old men. They would also dry out the blood in the men that tormented her during her life. The Churel was marked by backwards feet.

Asasabonsam- a human looking being with iron teeth that would capture humans with its hook shaped feet that would hang over tree branches.

Brahmaparusha- a creature from the myths of India that would drink fresh blood from the victims upturned skull.

Bhuta- a person who suffered from an untimely death, and would arise from it's grave at night, and attack the local people of the town, or village where it's body was buried.

Aswang- a vampire like witch that would fly to the top of people's houses at night, cut the human's throats with their extra long tongue, and drink their blood. When fully fed it is said that they would appear s a pregnant woman.

Obayifo/Asiman- a vampire like witch that would leave its body at night, and appear in the form of a glowing orb. It would attack children, and suck out their blood.

Chedipe- a nude vampire woman usualy shown riding a tiger that would sneak into a sleeping house, and suck the blood out of men through their toe.

I have been researching vampires for as long as i can remember, but I cant figure it out. In articles they mention lots of diffrent words for vampires, they even spell the word vampire diffrent.

Are they reffering to diffrent type of vampire, like a vamp from a diffrent part of the world, or are they just using diffrent words for the same thing?

Also, i've seen a few difrent spellings of Nosferatu. I've seen it spelt as I've spelt it above, and also as Nesferatu. Which one would you usualy use, and which one is correct?

If anybody looking at my blog reads this, and knows the answer, or has any questions about vampires that i might know, please feel free to post comments.

If i cant answer your question, then I could at least refer you to a good book, or web site to research. Anything to help other enthusiasts out!

Did you know that Dracul means dragon, and devil

Did you know that Dracula means son of the devil (or dragon)

Did you know that Dracula had green eyes

Did you know that Dracula's older brother was buried alive by the Hungarian army

Did you know that Dracula's father was murdered by his villagers

Did you know that Dracula's wife killed herself

Did you know that Dracula was known as Vlad the impaler

Did you know that impalement was a common practice of execution during Dracula's reign

Did you know that Dracula was the count of Wallachia

Did you know that Dracula once impaled 10,000 people on live trees

Did you know that Dracula's father was a member of a secret society named after the dragon, and that is how he got his name

Did you know that Dracula had children

Did you know that Dracula still has living relatives today

Did you know that Dracula was seventeen when he began his rule

Did you know that Dracula was killed in battle

Did you know that Dracula died at age 34

Did you know that Dracula was a judge

Did you know that Dracula's bedroom was over his dungeon so he could hear the prisoners scream when they were tortured

Many people consider Elizabeth Bathory to be the origianl female vampire, but was she? Was she even a vampire or was she just a crazy lady afraid of growing old?

 Elizabeth Bathory was a countess of Romania during the same historical period as a number of famous dark figures (example: Vlad Dracula). She was made famous (or infamous) by her obsession with the fresh blood of virgin girls. She would hire girls on from her village as servants at her castle, and then torture them slowly to keep them alive, but still bleeding so their blood was always fresh.

 She would collect the blood in buckets, and have the other servants pour it over her while she sat in her marble tub. It is said that she believed that their blood would keep her young, and if she bathed in it enough she could become immortal.

I have resarched Elizabeth Bathory probably more than any other subject, and with all the knowlage i have gained of her, i'd say that she was just a loco serial killer with a few loose screws, if you know what i mean.

So, was Elizabeth Bathory a vampire, or just a murderer? the world may never know.