Yep, that's me in the yellow t-shirt!
We walk back to the hotel and pack our gear into the car, and after check-out, relocate to the center of town, where Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II are located. The rock is located in a neo-classical structure right on the water's edge, and the water comes right into the structure. It seems to be only a fraction of the original rock. The interpretive display boards note that the rock was identified only many years later, and acknowledges the folkloric nature of the rock. We stare down at the stone which is about 6 by 4 feet when seen from above, and has 1620 carved into the top. A mother arrives with her son, whom we guess to be about five years old, and says: "look at the rock, honey". He denies seeing any rock at all, and keeps this up the whole time he is there. One of the State Park employees falls for the kid's gag, and tries in vain to point out the thing, which is as obvious as a table in an otherwise empty dining room.
We leave young Bart Simpson and his mother at the rock, and visit the Mayflower II. A combi-discount pass is obtained so that we can see the Plimoth plantation later today for less than purchasing the tickets separately. We pass an through an area with exhibits about shipping in the early 1600's before boarding the actual ship, which is an exact replica of the original Mayflower. Actors speak to you as if they were pilgrims or sailors of the time, and explain what you would like to know. They are very outgoing, and make every effort to engage you in conversation. It's hard to wrap your head around the fact that 102 passengers plus the crew lived in this kind of close quarters, with their stuff and food for the trip as well. My best guess would have been that it could house 50 people who would have to sleep in three shifts. The kitchen with the brick "stove", and simple hole in the deck above for the smoke to escape is something else. It is also supposed to house 12 people. They are cooking authentic food for the actors. A porridge of oats, wheat and some currants.
After exploring the ship for a while we walk around the town and go up Leyden street. This is the oldest street in town, but none of the original houses remain. It was named Leyden street much later, apparently it was originally called First Street. (Which may actually be more appropriate.) It still feels pretty old nevertheless. At the top of the street is the First Parish Church, the current building of the congregation started by the pilgrims before they came to North America. Behind it is Burial Hill where some of the pilgrims are buried. We skip that and go off to the Jenny Grist Mill, which is closed, but still a nice photographic subject in a pretty park. We also visit the Richard Sparrow house, built in 1640, which now houses an artist studio and trinket store. One room is set up like 1640, but the age of the house is impossible to ignore even in the little store. There is a brick fireplace about 5 feet wide, and the doors and windows in the place feels like it was designed for smaller people. The upstairs is closed off, but the stairs feel just tiny.
In general the feel of the place is that something used to be there. Very little actually remains as a direct tangible link with the community founded in 1620. And if you think what a hard life they had (half died of cold and starvation the first winter) that is not surprising.
On the way back to the car we see a building from about 1900, a four story commercial building, which is called landmark building. We resolve to get business cards with our names and "important person" below that.
We get back in the car and make our way to Plimoth Plantation. In the entrance building to the park stands the Mooflower. A model of the Mayflower with cows legs and a head sticking out. Why? Google explains all, and I later discover that it was made for a cow parade in Boston.Someone really needs to take a dust cloth to the thing, though! People have been writing in the dust on the deck.
We show our combi-pass tickets and are directed to the theatre. In a short film, which plays continuously, pilgrim actors explain that they came to this area because their life as exiles in Leiden, Holland was so hard, and native peoples explain the impact of the arrival of the white settlers through disease and conflict. Then you go out into the park. First you visit an area where native people show and discuss life at that time and today. They do not act, they simply answer the questions you ask. It is impressive to see the winter houses built from tree bark, and the summer houses done with grass mats. But there are very few people there, and the place is clearly on "after labour day" staff, although the park is open until November 29. They are not on their best game with the exception of one young man who does actively interact with the visitors.
Next is the settlers village where to my surprise all they have are houses and it seems everyone is a small time farmer. No blacksmith or such anciliary activity is visible, only large brick bread ovens. This is supposed to be 1630, ten years after landing. There is a church meeting hall which doubles as a fort, clearly set up for defensive purposes. Again only one person feels like talking to us in this section. In his house he has a four poster bed and ornately carved cupboards. (Where is this carpenter?) The windows have no glass. We briefly discuss winter, he said it is long and very dark, because of shutters on the windows. As on the Mayflower II these are actors pretending to be people from the 1630's but they are harder to engage in conversation. I wonder how they survived at all, because the village does not appear to be self sufficient.
The mystery is explained somewhat in the craft center, where a display comparing the diets of native people and the pilgrims notes that they relied on "imports". So it must have been the same for furniture, crockery etc.
The ubiquitous souvenir shop is exactly that. Skip.
I have to admit that I am spoiled with the quality of the park and the staff at Upper Canada Village. The people there engage you in conversation the moment they are reasonably sure you are within earshot, and if they are open, they are fully staffed. I find this experience somewhat underwhelming. So much more could be done with it to make it a true interactive experience as it was meant to be. When viewing photographs of this place on flickr.com, I get the very strong impression you have to go there in July or August.
We buy a panini sandwich at a Panera shortly outside of Plymouth, and continue on to the Cape. We cross the Sagamore Bridge onto the Cape, and begin the the long route 6 road. The landscape changes, there is now sand in the ground, and a lot more gnarly pine trees. We stop at the Salt pond National Park Service building, an impressive airy building. We try to find out if there are any shipwrecks uncovered at the moment, but they don't know. Apparently it is the luck of the draw what the beach will expose, usually very temporarily, after a storm. Very disappointed photographer.
We continue along Route 6A along the shore. Rows of beach cabins sit on the water's edge, and also many bigger cottages. Eventually we enter Provincetown and locate the Crowne Pointe Inn. Google maps makes something easy really difficult in this case, so we drive by it at least once. We check in and are on time for the complementary five o'clock wine and cheese social. It will be the only time we do that, all the other days we are still out at that time. During the wine and cheese (by the pool) it starts to rain, and it rains for an hour, but we are under one of the umbrellas and don't get wet. We stay and keep chatting with a couple from Connecticut who are celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary and look nowhere near old enough for it.
The pool features a floating alligator, who seems to be intent on eating the rubber ducks on the edge, especially when it looks like he is emerging from the skimmer. The ducks are oblivious. My imagination is always like this, even before the first glass of wine!
The hotel is a collection of buildings that are arranged around a central courtyard and garden. The place is beautifully maintained and planted, and has a pleasant feel of being well worn in due to the red brick used to pave the courtyards. There is a pleasant smell of sage and/or bay, but I can't figure out where it actually comes from. The spa area features a koi pond.
We have a beautiful if not overly spacious room with the biggest bathtub I have ever seen in my life. I keep stubbing my toe getting in because I still didn't lift my leg high enough. For some reason the Ghettysburg address hangs in the toilet.
We are not very hungry after the substantial Panera lunch and the wine and cheese but we also know that we will be hungry at 11:00 pm, and we are not at home with the snack cupboard, so we strike out to Commercial street to get a snack. We land at Bayside Betsy's, where we have serious martinis (huge) and shrimp and escargots. There are lots of people on the street and it feels very alive. We walk by some of the little shops and art galleries, and take our martini soaked brains back to the Inn. They have a list of DVD's you can borrow, so we decide to see The Taking of Pelham 123. I fall asleep halfway. Sorry Denzel.
I'd like to see the business cards. Your post makes me want to take a vacation.
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