We took a little adventure to Plymouth, MA today. Nothing says Thanksgiving like the Pilgrims and the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock. I can't take full credit for the idea of going there. My friend went here last weekend and I saw her pictures on Facebook and thought "how neat!" We live so close to this amazing part of our history. How could we not stop in for a quick tour? Just in time, too because Ella is learning about the Pilgrims and Indians and Thanksgiving in school so she was excited to go. (Unlike last weekend's fall foliage bore tour).
I'll be honest. I really had no clue that Plymouth was only an hour away or so from us. I thought it would be an all day trip. Tom looked at me like I had ten heads when I asked if this was going to take a few hours to get there. I'm a geography failure. Seriously. I even had to look up where Oklahoma was on a map when we were moving there from Germany. (C'mon, I bet you don't know where it is either!) I am hoping our children are so well-traveled in life that they do not run into these geography problems. Considering Ella was building the United States puzzle at two, and clearly pointing out Oklahoma...she's already ahead of the game.
Back to our Pilgrim adventure...It was surprising to me just how interested the girls were on the Mayflower (II). They wanted to see every nook and cranny and were asking me questions about where the people slept and where they ate their food and "why do dem people wook wike dat, mom?"--(Madeline asking why there were people dressed like real Pilgrims on the boat.) They asked if Pilgrims were still alive or if were they ghosts. I didn't hear a single complaint from anyone about being bored!
Fast forward to tonight and I asked them if they had fun today seeing the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock. Ella's response "it was awesome!" Madeline's response "How many more days until Christmas?"
Oh well. I tried.
I'll be honest. I really had no clue that Plymouth was only an hour away or so from us. I thought it would be an all day trip. Tom looked at me like I had ten heads when I asked if this was going to take a few hours to get there. I'm a geography failure. Seriously. I even had to look up where Oklahoma was on a map when we were moving there from Germany. (C'mon, I bet you don't know where it is either!) I am hoping our children are so well-traveled in life that they do not run into these geography problems. Considering Ella was building the United States puzzle at two, and clearly pointing out Oklahoma...she's already ahead of the game.
Back to our Pilgrim adventure...It was surprising to me just how interested the girls were on the Mayflower (II). They wanted to see every nook and cranny and were asking me questions about where the people slept and where they ate their food and "why do dem people wook wike dat, mom?"--(Madeline asking why there were people dressed like real Pilgrims on the boat.) They asked if Pilgrims were still alive or if were they ghosts. I didn't hear a single complaint from anyone about being bored!
Fast forward to tonight and I asked them if they had fun today seeing the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock. Ella's response "it was awesome!" Madeline's response "How many more days until Christmas?"
Oh well. I tried.
I laughed out loud when I saw that Madeline was holding this guy's hand.
Walking onto the Mayflower II
Pilgrim characters were on the boat giving history lessons:)
Ella says "That pilgrim is drinking a beer!" Hey...my girl knows her stuff.
102 people + livestock, food, cargo...I don't know how they fit. But they all made it.
This is 1/4 it's original size. (which was about 20,000 lbs) People were taking pieces for souvenirs back in the day! It's puny compared to what people expect to see. I'd say at most 4 ft across. The bottom of the rock is buried into the sand. (time to dig it up and show it's size!) 1620 was etched into the rock in 1880.
They built this structure around it and you look down to see the rock which is now located about five feet below street level.
What a beautiful place.
Afterwards, we picked up some yummy Mayflower beer brewed right there in Plymouth, and headed back to Newport to try an Italian place we have been eyeing since we moved here. It was delicious! And Sam sat in a high chair for the first time at a restaurant. My baby is getting so big!
2 comments:
What an awesome adventure!!! Love it & I laughed too when I read your caption of Maddie holding the pilgrim's hand! Hilarious!! :)
I hear that! Place looks awesome!
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