Rooting

I’m not talking about an unfortunate (not at the time, but looking back) fraternity brother tradition but ancestral roots. Over the past couple years, I’ve done a lot of genealogical research into my forbearers. It was a highly amateurish effort, assisted by Ancestry.com but I’m fairly confident about my New England ancestors as far back as their immigration from England. It turns out, as with many New Englanders, I’m descended from a couple of the Pilgrims, including John Alden. I’d never visited Plymouth before but our visiting PanaGal suggested it for a day trip today and my interest was piqued.

My Favorite Panamanian And I Across from Mayflower

Poor Caged Rock

After dodging around the seemingly perpetual traffic jam of people trying to get onto Cape Cod we drove in Plymouth and I was pleasantly surprised. I expected a swamped overly commercialized tourist trap but it wasn’t. There was ample parking and everything we saw was within easy walking distance. Plymouth Rock remains caged, I’m not sure why but it was a cool moment as I imagined what the first Pilgrims off the boat thought, standing on that spot. My traveling partners weren't that impressed as their descendants had been in America for over a hundred years in 1620.

Plymouth Harbor from the Landing Spot

Favorite Panamanian in front of Rock Enclosure

Hanging with Massasoit

His View of Harbor

We took a tour of the Mayflower and I was amazed that over 100 Pilgrims and 35 crew members spent more than 2 months confined on that small ship. Walking around the reproduction of the tiny ship was kind of sobering and spoke volumes about what they were trying to get away from. I don’t think personal space was a concept back then, some really tough people.

Gals inside the Mayflower, This is Where all 102 Pilgrims Spent the Voyage

On the Deck of the Mayflower

Ladies Debarking

Another View of Ship

The ladies didn’t want to climb the hill for the statue of Massasoit who is probably still turning in his grave for welcoming us. It was kind of cool to be at the site of the first Thanksgiving and I felt like I finally earned my right to be a bone deep New Englander by visiting this place. We stopped for lunch at the Pillory Pub with open air viewing across the street from the Mayflower and a great place to people watch. I continued that while the Panamanians accomplished some souvenir shopping. It was a very fun day and I was impressed with how low key and accessible everything was.  I’m definitely going to return, another entertaining adventure thanks to our resident PanaGal.

Our Seats in the Pillory Pub

View from our Seats, Mayflower in Distance

Pilloried PanaGal

What Trip is Complete Without Ice Cream

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Pittsburgh College Roommate– high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn