Trans World Travel

Sunday, November 21, 2021

This Bakery (the Oldest in England) is where you literally Can Eat Exactly What the Pilgrims Ate

Located only steps away from where the Mayflower had been docked, Jacka Bakery would have provided the snacks, biscuits, breads and food the Pilgrims took on board the Mayflower just before heading out to sea on their final journey more than 400 years ago.

Jacka Bakery in Plymouth, Devon, England

Jacka Bakery in Plymouth, Devon, England, looks like a typical neighborhood bakery. Brownies, croissants and baguettes fill baskets in the window display. But if you look closely and you’ll see a small plaque on the wall that quietly boasts this is Great Britain’s oldest continuously operating bakery. Since 1597, much of the time in the same family, this bakery has been producing cookies, biscuits and other treats for locals and visitors alike.

Located only a 2 minute walk from the Mayflower Steps where the Mayflower set off for the New World in 1620, Jacka Bakery had already been in business for 23 years during the time the Mayflower had been docked in Plymouth. It's even said to have provided the ship's biscuits for the Pilgrim Fathers aboard the Mayflower. This very popular bakery still exists today.

Jacka Bakery's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JackaBakery

See Video near end of article

Jacka Bakery would have provided the snacks, biscuits, breads and food the Pilgrims took on board the Mayflower just before heading out to sea on their final journey more than 400 years ago.

Hand pulled chicken, wild mushroom & tarragon pie

Every bread at Jacka Bakery is made on the premises and baked fresh each day as it always has for more than 400 years. Don't forget to try their tasty pastries, freshly baked loaf of bread and croissants. If you're ever in Plymouth, England, Jacka Bakery is a great place to eat delicious bread and cakes with your loved ones.

Pumpkin Pie

Glazed Cinnamon Apple Buns

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Plimoth Patuxet and the Mayflower II: Experience of Life in 1620 Plymouth, Massachusetts

Plimoth Plantation has changed its name to “Plimoth Patuxet,” in honor of Wampanoag name for region. A living history museum in Massachusetts focused on colonial life on the English settlement at Plymouth is planning to change its name to better reflect the Native Americans that long lived in the region.

Plimoth Patuxet and the Mayflower - A Chance to Experience Pilgrim Life in Plymouth, Massachusetts

Plimoth Patuxet and the Mayflower II ship are illuminating exhibits on a major event in early American history. Both are places to stir the imagination and entertain your knowledge cells. At the Mayflower II you’ll discover first-hand all about the voyage the pilgrims endured, and then barely a few miles away you’ll experience the early and struggling years of settlement.

Plimoth Patuxet and the Mayflower are both located in Plymouth, Massachusetts - a small city 40 miles south of Boston. Authentic yet entertaining the two attractions are links to our past and the 102 passengers that survived the journey across the stormy Atlantic seas.

The Mayflower II

The Mayflower voyage of 1620 took 66 days after leaving Plymouth, England on September 6, and anchoring in present day Provincetown harbor in Cape Cod on November 11, 1620. Only one individual did not survive the journey. Though the pilgrims had endured much hardship on the voyage the worst was yet to come.

Deciding Cape Cod was not a suitable place for a settlement, and forced north because of the weather and shoals south of Cape Cod, the pilgrims finally came ashore in late November in present day Plymouth center.

That first winter at Plimoth Patuxet decimated the settlers due to cold and disease. Of the 102 that came ashore only 52 were left in the spring.

Wampanoag Homesite

The native Wampanoag men showed the survivors how to plant corn and in October 1621 the Pilgrims celebrated their first harvest at Plymouth Patuxet and which today we mark on our calendars as Thanksgiving Day. Plymouth Patuxet is a 1627 Pilgrim authentic village just a few miles outside of the city.

The plantation itself is a loop tour with two primary sites, the 1627 Pilgrim Village and the Hobbamock’s (Wampanoag) Homesite. The village itself consists of modest timber-framed houses, and fragrant raised-bed gardens. Everything is plain and productive, and authentic - this means don’t expect neatly maintained and tended areas and settings. This is how the first permanent English Settlement in New England would have looked seven years into the venture.

Pilgrim Village

The people of the village dress, talk, and act, as best we know they would’ve on the original Plymouth Patuxet. But that doesn’t mean they are aloof or communicate in riddles or a strange tongue. Their aim is to educate and entertain but still remain true to the era. I’ve always found they are engaging and excellent in this balance.

The stroll out of the village along the Eel River walk takes you to the Native people homesite. As mentioned earlier, the Pilgrims wouldn’t have survived the first year had it not been for help from the Native Peoples. They taught them about the region and it’s agriculture and the resources of the land, and how to thrive.

This special area is a home for an extended family not another village. It honors the importance and affinity the Native People have in this region. Take time to appreciate the skills of weaving and tanning practiced at the site, and the use of fire for burning out boats. Go inside one of the houses and notice the materials and bindings used for construction. The inhabitants here do not role-play so feel free to discuss modern day subjects with them.

The Mayflower II replica is docked on State Pier on Water Street. You’ll think it a small ship, and wonder how it could’ve survived the wild and unforgiving North Atlantic. A 2,760-mile trip in a ship that leaked and creaked at an agonizing speed of 2 mph!

During your Mayflower tour you’ll meet passengers on the ship role-playing for you. You’ll get to see the passenger’s cramped quarters and the captain’s spacious cabin. But most of all you’ll be cast back in time... and if you close your eyes and listen to the gulls overhead, maybe you’ll hear the shouts of a sailor as he sights landfall and one journey’s end... and the start of another.

Enjoy your day at Plimoth Patuxet and the Mayflower II. They’re entertaining reminders of our history and a link back to a monumental place in our history. Check their website for hours www.plimoth.org

If you happen to be staying in Boston, Isango.com offers a tour (Plimoth Patuxet Living Museum Tour) of Plymouth by bus from Boston. You will be picked up from your hotel in Boston and taken in an air-conditioned coach for a sightseeing tour to the historic Plimoth Patuxet.

If you're already planning a visit to Plymouth, Massachusetts you can purchase Plimoth Patuxet Tickets here.

Plymouth Patuxet is one of my favorite three living museums in New England. The other two are Old Sturbridge Village in Central Massachusetts, and Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut. All three for different reasons are marvelous experiences of New England’s contribution to American history.

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Salem: The City of Witches and Great October Destination

A short trip by car north of Boston takes you to "The City of Witches" of Salem,Massachusetts.

Salem is a great day trip for residents of New England and an even better weekend getaway for people looking to do something different with their time. It offers a variety of activities to do and places to visit that represent early American society in the New England region. There is a wealth of history contained in the town and its tour guides, artists, musicians, and other characters bring it to life for visitors and residents alike.

Halloween is always a good time of the year to visit and see everything that Salem has to offer. During the month of October Salem plays host to over 140 events known as "Haunted Happenings". It is fun for all ages. They have everything from guided tours of historical sites in the town, a psychic fair and witchcraft expo, ghost tours, art exhibits, book readings, festivals, fairs, and concerts, to beer tastings of local ales and brews.

Salem Witch Museum

The Salem Witch Museum takes visitors back to the summer of 1692 and the infamous trial that resulted in the execution of 20 people accused of activities inspired by the devil.

Visitors who really want to study this chapter of history can use the museum as an educational starting point, then spend hours, days or weeks traveling through the region touring homes, historical markets, tombs and other sites related relics witchcraft hysteria.

To help you get in the right mood for the modern witch hunt, check out the museum's website www.salemwitchmuseum.com for more information, including suggestions for readings before arriving.

What to See:

Pickering House - The oldest continuously lived-in house (by the same family) in Salem

House of the Seven Gables - One of the oldest surviving 17th century wooden mansions in New England. Made famous by the Nathaniel Hawthorne story.

Salem Witch Museum - The museum includes a narrative on the history of the trials in 1692 and also an exhibit on witchcraft through the ages.

Witch Dungeon Museum - Has witch trial reenactments.

Where to Stay:

Salem Inn, 7 Summer Street.

On the National Register of Historic Places, the Salem Innis located in the heart of Salem, MA and is actually three historic homes going back to the early 1800's but restored with care and style
True the 40 guest rooms don't have elevators and bellboys but they have class and quality service and even some sweet finches to welcome guests, a big family favorite

If you dare, ask for a room with a ghost.

Hawthorne Hotel, 18 Washington Square West.

Located in the heart of historic Salem, Massachusetts, Hawthorne Hotel has a rich history which began in 1925 and has welcomed numerous leisure travelers as well as dignitaries and celebrities. Over the years, the Hawthorne Hotel has hosted well-known personalities including newsman Walter Cronkite, actress Bette Davis, General Colin Powell, and both President George Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush.

Episodes of iconic shows including Bewitched , What Not to Wear and Ghost Hunters have all been filmed on this historic property. In 1984, Vanessa Redgrave called the hotel home for a month while making Three Sovereigns for Sarah , a public television movie about the Salem witch trials.

This historic hotel is said to host some ghosts along with guests!

Stephen Daniels Bed and Breakfast, 1 Daniels St.

If you're looking for a historical bed & breakfast to spend your vacation days with the whole family this is one of the oldest Bed & Breakfasts in the United States.. The house was built in 1667 by Stephan Daniels, and was the private home of the Daniels family descendants for over 300 years!