Alcatraz.....and the wobbly street- Nathalie's first international relations 'incident'

Smooth journey to the pier area in downtown SF, after something we, as travellers in the way we do travel, is not used to....a big tasty safe predictable breakfast at  J&D's B and B....

Thankfully we booked the tickets in advance, as there was a rather large line for the 'speculation' tickets.  

Fifteen minutes into the voyage it stopped and everyone had to get off....we arrived at Alcatraz island.  Now for those who don't know the place it is about a mile long, half wide, and a very short distance from the SF shore line.  The beautiful weather I am told I must add to the blog....sunny, but otherwise exactly the same temp as Melbourne....anyway back to the story..... The water comes from the Artic and the currents rip though the area, so if the cold don't get you the current will.

Great big ferry and brought about three hundred passengers every half hour or so.....

Alcatraz has been a prison since 1861 during the civil war, then a military prison, until it became a Federal prison in 1933, and closed in March 1963.   If today, being a sunny and not cold day, is any indication, Alcatraz is a cold, windy, horrid spot, from which San Fransisco is very visable.

From the dock.

This is now owned and operated by the US parks service, so it was fitting that Ranger John met us at the landing, and told us a general outline of the rules and dont's and don'ts of Alcatraz. He also suggested to make the visit really interesting get an audio tour in a language one didn't know...

The admission price includes and audio tour, which I think is one of the best paced, enunciated, (even if it is in American !) and directed tour of this nature I have done....however...always a however....when we were virtually 'promised ' a guide in any language, Andrew was disappointed when they couldn't produce an Australian language tour upon reuquest......

The tour was of the main cell block, administration wing, showers, dining wirng, and the punishment wing....... 

The sleeping inmate dummy in the 1962 escape showing the tiny hole through which the prisoners escaped.....dug out with spoons.  Still haven't found two of the escapees.

The bar spreader used to mount the great escape attempt and murder in 1946.  

Unlike Australia, seagulls here are revered and protected. ( the seagulls are more what we would refer to as Pacific Gulls).

The journey back on the ferry was about the same distance.

Had lunch again on pier 39, once back on dry land.   

Yeah.....the owner comes out with a meat cleaver and chops off your fingers.

Hey...."they" do have a sense of humor (sic for sp)

We had fully anticipated a visit to the Academy of science, but alas over here the day is only 24 hrs, and there was not enough time so we went through the Golden Gate park and wandered through the Japanese Tea Garden.  Then driven by J&D's taxi service to downtown where Nathalie just had to go to Macy's.  Just like Myers except it's just like Myers.

HOP ON HOP OFF BUS CAUTION

Do not use the hop on hop off titled San Francisco Deluxe bus.... An 'evening' tour to see the night lights of SF starts at 5:30 and only runs for one hour.  Doesn't get dark until at least 7;30... There was a heated discussion, demand for refund / refusal, and blatant lies.  Should have checked trip advisor first.  This company gets slated.  Oh well.

  Anyway in spite of this we caught a bus and walked up a very steep street to the crookedest street in the world: Lombard st.  

Lombard street from Leavenworth street looking up

Hanging on the cable car back to the BART 

THEN TRAGEDY STRUCK... Dropped the bloody iPad mini didn't he😁

Jumping off the cable car  at Union Square, the iPad was not in its usual spot, and slipped onto the ground smashing the screen

Photo taken after I dropped the iPad.

So tomorrow, a rest day, will be getting a sim for abc NON IPhone and getting his screen fixed.    Been a great and exciting day with J&D not withstanding the TRAGEDY of the iPad.