In reality, it's just another rock on the shore of the Atlantic. There is not even enough historical proof that this rock was THE ROCK that saw the beginning of the colonization of America by Europeans. It seems that it was simply pointed by a man nearing his death - supposedly some kind of psychic medium capable of communicating with the first men and women who had stepped off the "Mayflower". The neo-classical structure framing it seems to be the only thing that draws attention to it, but it is hardly worthy of the immense symbolic importance of this rock.
Plymouth Rock is supposedly the rock where the families first stepped on the land of the Americas after making the incredibly brave journey across the Atlantic. It was definitely not the most popular destination for today as we were amongst the dozen odd people who hung around this monumental piece of history braving a cold breeze from the ocean, chucking coins into the well where the rock is housed. An inscription which says 1620 (But actually engraved in 1820) doesn't add an iota of authencity to the rock, and the beer bottle disposed right next to it doesn't speak well of it's upkeep too. Come to think of it, the modern world is practically defined by what happened in the USA and what the USA did for/to the rest of the world. This was where modern history started penning down its climax - for good or for bad. For the local resident leading his grandson through the monument or the ladies walking their exotic dogs all around it, it was just another evening stroll on the waterfront. To me, it was another touchstone for a human being's insatiable curiosity, the never ending search for some place bigger and brighter. May this search never end...
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