OMG! We made it to Jersey City!

We went to Plimouth Plantation in Massachusetts. It is a wonderful living museum, where you get to talk to inhabitants playing the part as if it were a 1627 English Village. Beautiful nature walk along the water, past Native peoplw wearing the traditional Wampanoag clothing. One man was keeping a fire buring inside a big log which is how they hollow them out for canoes. As the wood burns, he uses a tool fashioned from a big bone to carve. This is also how they fall the tree, by burning and carving at the base until it weakens and falls.
Another woman was making a belt by weaving the fibers, and they had pelts of fur hanging around to dry. Naturally, they were cooking over the fire in big kettles. in One woman's hut, we met Hester, who was telling us all about the herbs and vegetables growing in her garden, and said her mother had taught her which to use for illness. She said there are 4 liquid systems in the body....blood, water, white bile(gall bladder liver)and and black bile (melancholy), and each person is dominated by one. She asked me what type I thought Al was and I stated melancholy as he struggles with winter depression. She then told me to dry marigold flowers to make a tea for him, and also told me I should visiti with Mrs. Fuller in another hut. Very well educated woman and impressed us by how important natural healing is and has been for hundreds of years.
Unfortunately, we chose a day to visit here when busloads of school kids were having field day and visiting as well. They were everywhere, pushing, shrieking and running, so when we got to Mrs. Fuller, she was surrounded by children then she had to leave before we got to talk with her. She did tell us, however, that they do not have honey as there were only yellow jackets, and no honey bees. Therefore, they sparingly used their sugar imported from England. Also, never ate beef, but only wild game and fish.

WE watched as a couple men repaired a thatch roof which was really interesting, and also watched as they ground their own grains. We did not venture into the craft area, as it was swarming with children. We asked one of the chaperones if the kids were going to the

Mayflower II as well, and learned they had been there already. So, we proceded to the replica on the waterfront. Walked past the Plymouth Rock, which has been moved several times and each time cracked and people would take souveniers, so is now enclosed in a "cage". Not much to see! Boarded the Mayflower II, and was really enjoying visiting with one of the "sailors", when the ship began to fill up with the little darlings, pushing, shoving and shouting. We took a quick tour and got out!

Al and I both seem to remember when we were on field trips as a kid, we were made to WALK, talk QUIETLY, and be CONSIDERATE!!! Not so, these kids, or are we just getting OLD???

After leaving Plymouth, we stayed at an Elks in West Greenwich, Rhode Island and the next night at a Wal-Mart at Norwalk, CT. We intended to go visit Stepping Stones next morning on the way to Liberty Harbor RV Park in Jersey City. It was only about 20 miles from Norwalk. We headed off on Hwy 124 in the RV and all of a sudden there were signs of 10' overhead, so we took a different route, and turned onto a highway where there was road construction, and the workers motioned to us that we shouldn't continue, so we took next exit onto a small 2-lane road with low trees (one branch hit the top of the RV hard...lucky it wasnt the windshield), telephone poles were leaning in, and it was pretty stressful, so we decided to make our way to New Jersey and see Stepping Stones later. We took Hwy 9W, which was supposed to be good. It took us through more small roads, then through Hoboken area of Jersey City. Cars double parked on both sides of the narrow street, and it was tricky getting through. Then, following directions on our Navigation System, we got onto narrow road taking us under 3 railroad bridges, 2 of which were 12'2 (supposedly). Our antenna hit every beam, and at one point sounded like we hit We FINALLY got to the RV Park and shortly after, were greeted with a beautiful sunset We can see the Statue of Liberty in the distance (not in this photo) This morning, we went on a tour of New York. The driver picked us up in a van and took us to the ferry, where we boarded and it took us to Ellis Island to tour the museum. Gave us a lot of realization of what our ancestors went through to get here. From there, we boarded the ferry again and went to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. We took a walking tour with a ranger and he told us many things about how She was built, and why, and much of her history. Unfortunately, as of last week, the perimiter and observation level have been closed for renovation, so we had to just see from the base, but it was still a very enjoyable experience, and great views of New York! Then, back on the ferry to Jersey City again where we boarded a tour bus to New York City! It happened to be the day of the 26 mile marathon, in which 47,000 people were running, so many of the streets were blocked off. Unfortunately, the tour bus had to change its course, and we did not get to go to Central Park and several other stops. By the time we got to go to Ground Zero, the building was closing where we were supposed to be able to look down upon the whole area. But, all in all, it was a very interesting tour.
Tomorrow morning, we will leave the RV here in Jersey City and drive the car back to see Stepping Stones. We will probably head towards Philadelphia on Tuesday morning. More later!