Monday, October 5, 2009

Plymouth & Boston


On Wednesday, Sept. 23rd we left NYC and started heading up towards Plymouth and Boston. Drove up the east coast and stopped at the little fishing village of Stonington, Connecticut, close to Mystic Seaport. We walked around the boats a little bit, visited with a couple locals, the kids got some energy out at a playground and we found some very fresh scallops to buy. Kept on driving and finally found a nice campsite on Cape Cod at Scusset Beach.

The next morning was Mom’s birthday. We made homemade doughnuts and scrambled eggs for her and then walked down to the beach. It was such a pretty day and the water was fairly warm for this far north. The kids really wanted to stay and play longer but we had plans to go to Plimouth Plantation and thought we shouldn't miss that experience. Promised them we'd try to get one more time to play in the Atlantic before we left it.

Had a wonderful afternoon at Plimouth Plantation which is a replica settlement of the original pilgrim village. It is so authentically done and they have actors dressed up in costume who know the historical person they are portraying in the village and stay in character as you talk with them. They do an amazing job. Elizabeth was thrilled when one pilgrim woman handed her a baby goat.

In the evening we drove into the town of Plymouth and saw the Plymouth rock -- kind of small and unimpressive, but we thought it's cool that this was right where the pilgrims landed. Celebrated Mom's birthday with dinner at nice seafood restaurant right on the water, and a few of us ordered lobster. The picture at the top tells you Luke's opinion of lobster. We've spoiled him forever. Mom and Adri weren't as impressed :). Our computer led us on a wild goose chase to find a campground for the night so we settled for a Wal-mart parking lot. Ate Mom's birthday cake at about 10pm and then we all crashed.
Friday morning dawned crisp and cool -- our first real taste of fall. We drove into Boston and were immediately impressed by how clean and quiet the city was, especially after New York. Liked all the old buildings interspersed with the new skyscrapers. The Freedom Trail was an awesome history walk. Got to see Paul Revere's house, the Old North Church, the spot where the Boston massacre occurred, Faneuil Hall, Bunker Hill, and toured "Old Ironsides" -- we still are so thrilled by the history at our fingertips. Most of us made the steep climb to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument -- 294 steps -- and those less in shape paid for it with some pretty sore leg muscles the next few days. Took at ferry boat from the Charleston side back to the Boston side -- it was like doing Paul Revere's stealthy boat trip past the British ships in reverse. The Old North Church's steeple is still very visible from the water and you could just imagine seeing those two lanterns shine for a brief moment. Mom & Dad left us this evening for New Hampshire where Dad's brother, Doug, lives, and we ended up deciding a Marriott sounded pretty good verses another Wal-mart night.

The next morning we spent visiting Lexington Green and Concord. It was such a beautiful, blue-sky day and we would have loved to have more time here. Drove by Louisa May Alcott's home in Concord but didn't have time to stop. We dropped the kids and their bikes off on the road to Concord and they biked ahead of us for a mile or so past some of the actual farm homes and buildings that Paul Revere would have galloped near as he alerted the colonists, "The Regulars are out!". We walked across the north bridge in Concord where the "shot heard 'round the world" was fired.

All in all we loved the Boston area and agreed it would be a great place to come back to at some later date to experience more fully the history here.

Plymouth rock and a fishing boat in Stonington


Our Cape Cod camp and Mom's response to her trick birthday candles :)


Fun times at Plimouth Plantation


The Boston Massacre happened in front of this building

Paul Revere's house and his monument


"Old Ironsides" is still seaworthy


The Boston skyline with the Old North Church/Bunker Hill monument

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