Off to Plymouth and our first stop, Plimoth Plantation. What a great learning environment for everyone. The plantation is a recreation of the original Pilgrim colony with period livestock and everything built with 16th and 17th century tools and techniques. There were re-enactors playing the parts of pilgrims and we were able to hear them act and speak as they would have in 1620. 
There were craftsman and women in the craft center creating pottery, bow and arrows and woodworking and basket weaving. We were able to speak to a Native American woman in a recreation of a native homesite who after being bitten by one too many insects stopped here beadworking to show Branden and Bailey how to use some indigenous plants for insect repellent and treatment of bites and poison ivy.
We then went to lunch at the Cabby Shack (Delicious Clam Chowdah by the way) then visited the Mayflower II which is modeled as closely as possible to the original Mayflower given that there were no plans available. It was amazing that in such a small ship that 102 persons could even fit, much less voyage with limited supplies for about 2 months all in the hopes that they could worship God the way they wanted without the King’s interference. The Pilgrims didn’t establish Plimoth for freedom of religion as we interpret it (Freedom for all religion and to worship as we please) but for their own specific religious freedom.
And of course we saw The Rock (Plymouth Rock) which has been moved into a protected area after being reduced by about 2 thirds of it’s original size by souveneir hunters chipping off pieces and natural erosion. We also did some gift shopping along the tourist shopping area.
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