We stopped there to see Plymouth Rock. In spite of its treasured place in American mythology, the rock itself isn't particularly impressive, however one must keep in mind that it once broke in half, and only a third of the top half of the original rock is on display, with the year 1620 inscribed on it.
In the words of Alexis de Tocqueville, "Here is a stone which the feet of a few outcasts pressed for an instant; and the stone becomes famous; it is treasured by a great nation; its very dust is shared as a relic."
What Tocqueville's flowery words ignored was that those feet of a few outcasts pressed on a rock had far-reaching and disastrous consequences for the peoples already inhabiting the future United States, of whom it could be more accurately said that Plymouth Rock landed on them.
Sign at Plymouth Rock
Portico covering Plymouth Rock, with my grandmother and my mother visible in the lower right-hand corner
Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Harbor as seen from the Plymouth Rock portico
It was worth seeing, along with the Mayflower II, a replica of the original. We spent a good deal of time there and at Plimoth Plantation, a fascinating living museum that reconstructs the original settlement.
Mayflower II
Mayflower II
Statue of Massasoit of the Wampanoag overlooking the site of Plymouth Rock
Before leaving, we purchased some memorabilia from the gift shop. I remember my mother bought a reprint of a colonial-era cookbook.
I should mention my own family history in relation to Massachusetts. My maternal 9th-great-grandparents John and Wilbra Gatchell immigrated from near Taunton, England in 1635 aboard the ship Hopewell, only a decade and a half after the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth, but they settled in Marblehead, Massachusetts, some 55 miles (88 km) north of Plymouth. I discovered these facts some years after this trip, so I didn't do any research while I was there.
Later, 28 miles (45 km) north on Massachusetts Route 3, we were on the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. We encountered our first traffic roundabout. My mother drove around the first one at least three times before figuring out where to exit, while police parked in a car on the side of the road observed us. The third time around. my mother waved at them.
Our rooms were reserved at the Motel 6 in Braintree. There was also a minor league hockey team staying there, and they got a little rowdy in the evenings, so it wasn't always a quiet stay.
After dinner at the family-style restaurant next door, it was still early, so we decided to see a film. We drove to a shopping mall in Quincy, and saw Patriot Games at the multiplex cinema located in the mall, which we all found entertaining.
Total Travel Distance: 83 miles (134 km)
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