| American history doesn't get much older than | | | | practice of combining self-serve dining with |
| Plymouth Rock, the pilgrims, and the Mayflower. It | | | | normally expensive seafood. Wood's Seafood is |
| all starts in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Peg and I, | | | | an institution. Here's what they have to say about |
| along with long time friend Al Burrage, began our | | | | themselves: "During the prime summer months, |
| own journey from West Dennis on Cape Cod to | | | | we carry fresh bluefish and striped bass caught |
| Plymouth on a day in late September.Although the | | | | locally. Our live lobster tanks are stocked with a |
| pilgrims landed first in Provincetown further east | | | | large selection of live lobsters ranging from 1-10 |
| on Cape Cod, they quickly made their way | | | | pounds as well as live rock crabs. Live lobsters |
| further inland across Cape Cod Bay to Plymouth. | | | | are caught by local fishermen from the clear |
| Nothing appears in print about the rock until over | | | | waters off Cape Cod Bay."On September 2, |
| one hundred years later. The information was | | | | 1992, a local lobster trapper brought a huge blue |
| passed from father to son. Elder Faunce at the | | | | lobster into Wood's Seafood Restaurant and Fish |
| age of 95 pointed out the actual rock where his | | | | market. Caught off the coast of Martha's |
| father and the other pilgrims landed a hundred and | | | | Vineyard, this blue lobster raised a stir accross |
| twenty years or so earlier.Plymouth Rock has | | | | the nation as the story was covered by the APA |
| been broken in two, moved and chipped at over | | | | and United Press as well as the local media. |
| the years. The two broken pieces were reunited | | | | Thousands of people flocked to Wood's Seafood |
| in 1880. Only the top half is visible. Plymouth Rock | | | | to get a peek at this rare find in nature. The odds |
| is roughly 1/3 to 1/2 its original size. The visible | | | | of finding a blue lobster is approximately 1 in 20 |
| portion of Plymouth Rock weighs approximately 4 | | | | million. Although blue lobsters are rare, lobster |
| tons. The portion under the sand weighs | | | | cooked just right is not rare at Wood's |
| approximately 6 tons.Although Plymouth Rock is | | | | Seafood.The prices at Wood's were unbelievable. |
| placed inside a protective monument, it is still open | | | | Peg had the single boiled lobster dinner for $11.95. |
| to the weather just a few feet from the lapping | | | | I chose the twin lobsters for $19.95. I was not |
| waves of Plymouth Harbor. Even in the rainy off | | | | disappointed. Those lobsters were the best |
| season there is a constant stream of visitors. | | | | lobsters I'v ever had. I skipped the french fries |
| During the short time we stood inside the | | | | and the cole slaw (I never found any cole slaw in |
| monument, there were always another four or | | | | New England to my liking, anyway), but added a |
| five people there. Nearby rough-hewn cabin-size | | | | pound of mussels for another $4.95. Both the |
| buildings sell books and brochures about Plymouth | | | | mussels and the lobsters were truly wonderful. Al |
| Rock, the pilgrims, and the Mayflower.There was | | | | had the deep fried scallops, which he almost |
| a family visiting Plymouth at the same time we | | | | drooled over. Although both Peg and Al enjoyed |
| were. I should have asked them where they | | | | their lobster bisque, they felt it wasn't as good as |
| were from. They were dark skinned and looked | | | | it could have been. I got Peg's left over bisque to |
| Indian or Pakistani to me. Such is the draw of this | | | | which I added my half-filled container of drawn |
| solid piece of history. If they were visitors to this | | | | butter with a few little pieces of lobster. Now, |
| country, they were interested in our history. And | | | | that was tasty . . . very tasty.After lunch Al |
| if they were citizens, they were taking an active | | | | wanted us to see the first church built in |
| part in teaching their children. The little boy and girl | | | | Plymouth. He wasn't really sure where it was, but |
| strained to see the rock behind the protective | | | | knew it was close. We easily drove past it |
| barrier. Later they ate lunch at the same | | | | minutes after leaving the restaurant. There was a |
| restaurant we did. The parents had lobster. I think | | | | small driveway. We let Al out to shoot pictures. |
| the kids had fish and chips.A replica of the | | | | Peg and I stayed in the car. Actually, we didn't |
| Mayflower (Mayflower II), which brought the | | | | want to move. Al joined us after I drove around |
| pilgrims from England to America is birthed only | | | | the driveway a couple of times to accommodate |
| about a hundred yards from Plymouth Rock. Just | | | | other tourists. Al gleefully showed us his digital |
| a block away from the dock where the | | | | images of the church. I think there were about |
| Mayflower is tied up is the town pier.We never | | | | two dozen photographs . . . maybe more. "Do you |
| tire of looking at visual humor. On the pier Peg | | | | think I missed any archetectural features," he |
| stopped and stared at a skiff perched atop a | | | | asked. I said, "Yes, I think you missed a stone on |
| roof. So, of course she needed a photo of the | | | | the right side." He was not amused.The day in |
| fisherman and his skiff. Quaint names and signs | | | | Plymouth was perfect. We saw historical sites and |
| abound in New England. We always take our | | | | attractions, met interesting people, and ate great |
| humor where we can find it. The name of | | | | food.Don Doman is a published author, video |
| another business came to mind looking at the | | | | producer, and corporate trainer. He owns the |
| boat ontop of seafood restaurant, Ketch of the | | | | business training site Ideas and Training ( which he |
| Day. There's a million of them.One of the great | | | | says is the home of the no-hassle "free preview" |
| attractions of New England (for me and many | | | | for business training videos. Don and his wife Peg |
| others) is the low price of lobster. To make the | | | | also travel in the Pacific Northwest writing of their |
| price even less expensive is the New England | | | | fun and adventures. |