The Pilgrims, The Red Sox and The Celtics, and The Rain!!

Whew!! What a busy day! Being our last day in the Boston area, we tried to make it count. We got up and headed out of Boston about 45 miles to Plymouth. If you're in the area you should probably make some attempt to see Plymouth Rock. So, that's what we did...attempt.

We woke up late, left the hotel later than we had planned and then sat in traffic while they re-asphalted the highway. At one point we thought about turning around because we knew we'd have to leave Plymouth by about 2:00 to make it back to Boston, grab our jackets and head to Fenway Park for the baseball game. But, Scott said we'd come this far, we were seeing Plymouth Rock.

Arriving in Plymouth, which is a beautiful town, we passed all kinds of places named after the history here...Mayflower diner, Pilgrim Veterinary clinic. Scott, ever the smart mouth, kept telling the kids,"Look that's where they took their animals to the vet" and other very inaccurate stuff. Thomas kept looking at me and asking, "Really Mom?"

So, we make it to the visitor center and we park. Scott goes in to get a map and comes out LIVID!! We had our first "Griswold Moment"........ Plymouth Rock was closed for renovation. It was at this point that Scott had a minor meltdown. He kept muttering, "How do you renovate a ROCK??" (Actually it was the pavilion they have built over the rock, but none of us really cared to correct him.) Just so you know, he's writing a letter to the mayor of Plymouth, Massachusetts to let him know that renovating Plymouth Rock at the height of tourism season is not good PR. This idea is after he calmed down. At first, he was going to the mayor's house to make him give us a personal tour of Plymouth Rock since we were from Texas and were never going to be in Plymouth, Massachusetts again.

So, after Scott's meltdown he walked over to the Mayflower II. It is, to the best of our knowledge, an exact replica of the Mayflower. It was built in England in 1957 and then sailed to Plymouth, Massachusetts. The kids loved it! Since it's a replica, and not a museum they are allowed to climb and touch to their hearts content.

It was cool to see how they lived on the journey here. They had actors in period clothing here and there to answer questions!

From the Mayflower we went to Pilgrim Village. Here they have again done a replica of the settlement at Plymouth. The kids had a great time going through each individual house and were sad when we had to leave and head back to the hotel. Again, they had period actors going about their 17th century chores that would explain things and ask questions.

Grace checking out the kitchen!

Mandy chased this chicken all over the place yelling, "Here Chicken Finger, c'mere Chicken Finger!" Are my children city kids or what?? The first time Mandy sees a live chicken, she thinks of chicken fingers! I'm surprised she didn't ask where the Pilgrim drive-thru was!

Thomas was very perplexed as to why they had to sweep when the floors were dirt!
We left Plymouth and headed back to Boston. We ran up to the hotel room so we could get our jackets for the game and got subway directions. We arrived at the game about an hour early, so we had plenty of time to do some souvenir shopping, find our seats and get a bite to eat.

Then, after the National Anthem...which always gives me chills at a baseball game, it's just so American, the announcer introduces the NBA Champions...the Boston Celtics. There have been rumors all week that they would be at the Red Sox game. Just as he did this it began to POUR down rain. Hard. The kids and I went underneath the stands, but Scott stayed and got a few pictures of the Celtics as they paraded around the ballpark...

It rained for about an hour. Pretty hard. It stopped for a minute and we came back up and sat down, but then it started up again...

The kids were all really good sports about the rain and hung in there waiting for it to stop like true fans! And then, just when we thought that the game might be called...there it was.. making a perfect arc over Fenway Park...

In this Irish town, I was almost looking for the leprechaun and the pot of gold! There was a shamrock in the grass on the field...

The skies cleared and the Celtics ran out on the field and threw out the opening pitch. You can't believe the excitement from the crowd at the Celtics presence at the game. We definitely got our money's worth, in spite of the rain!

I have to say...that this was like no other baseball game I've ever been to. The stadium was packed. Then, the rain came and I expected it to thin out considerably, but it didn't....at all! These are real baseball fans up here, and Bostonians are some of the nicest people I've ever been around. We sat next to four guys about our age and they high fived the kids when the Sox scored and they sang along with all the songs...I half expected "Danny Boy" at any moment! When the rain was coming down an older gentleman behind us reached down and put his jacket over Grace's head. They screamed and yelled like crazy during the last part of the Star-Spangled Banner...it was the best baseball experience EVER! If your ever here in baseball season, do yourself a favor and come to Fenway, the "Green Monster" has to be experienced!We don't have a top five tonight, because it's late and they all crashed as soon as their heads hit the pillow! Tomorrow we are sightseeing in Cape Cod and heading to Mystic, Connecticut.

I have LOVED every minute of our time here in Boston. Great sites, great sports, great food, and great people!

Blessings,

Leslie