Alcatraz - by night

30 or so years ago Mum missed out on a tour of Alcatraz. I was fortunate enough to take a tour on my last visit. So on this visit, we did a night tour of Alcatraz.

The boat approached the island which mysteriously became visible through the fog, as we circled the island to view it from all sides.


After arriving on the island we have a brief tour up to the cellhouse with a guided tour about the history of the island. Once we arrive at the top of the island we take the guided audio tour, the same that is available during the day. However certain parts of the island are open at night, which are not accessible during the day. Including the prison hospital.

This is one of the recovery cells. Originally all hospital beds were in one ward, but these were divided up into seperate cells, with a couple of beds in each to help seperate the prisoners.

And this is one of the operating rooms in the Alcatraz hospital! The only thing I can think of that would be worse than being in Alcatraz is being cut open on that table!!!

Foggy city sights of San Francisco

It seems like a lifetime ago that I was last in San Francisco - but believe it or not it was only in December of last year, just 10 months ago.

Only this time I was with Mum - and despite her being quite sick - we saw a fair bit of the city. We had a bus ticket that allowed us to go on three different tours of the city. So we got to see some great sights.

Union Square - The figurine at the top of the monument, "Victory", was modeled from the likeness of a local heiress, Alma de Bretteville Spreckels. And it is Alma we can thank for the term "Sugar Daddy". After modelling for this, the Sugar magnate Adolph Spreckles just had to meet her, and eventually married her, despite being twice her age. She referred to him as her "Sugar Daddy".


The Seven Painted Ladies - recognise these? Yes, Full House! (Cut it out!) Third house from right.


The typical view of the Golden Gate Bridge - covered in fog!




It was SO cold driving across the bridge, the fog was so thick it felt like rain stinging my face!

Ay mateys!

I Left My Heart in San Francisco

Well... not quite (that belongs to Murray of course!)... but I really did like San Francisco, especially after Evelyn took me around on my final day there to show me some sights that I never would have seen on foot.

On Sunday I caugh the ferry over to Sausalito - the ferry ride itself was well worth doing. (But before I caught the ferry I bought the yummiest dried cranberries from the Farmers Market at the Ferry Terminal!)






Sausalito... a Nucular Free city.... I should hope so!!!

Evelyn too me to some amazing vantage points to view the Golden Gate Bridge. From every angle it just stands out and looks amazing.

This is looking south across the 'heads' of SF Bay.

And looking North...

For one final memory we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset... a little hard to capture the moment by camera... but it was beautiful.

After a final Starbucks I said goodbye (for now) to San Francisco and headed off to the airport. It was a great trip - but even better to be heading home. The flight home couldn't have been easier - with three whole seats to myself! Upon arriving in Sydney I knew I was home as I heard glass bottles smashing, followed by "awwwe shit", followed by the strong smell of Bundy Rum - there goes someones duty free bottles.

Escape from Alcatraz!

Alcatraz Island Tour

This was one of the activities that I was most looking forward to doing in SF. Looking at the photos again now I can see that I was blessed with yet another picture perfect day, especially in comparison to the snow in Chicago.

And just to make it more fun - I met two great Canadian guys while lining up - so it was really nice not to have to exerience it all by myself.

The tour leaves from Fishermans Wharf, where you board a boat to head over to the Island. Even the boat trip was fantastic!

Upon arrival at the Island there was a "Hollywood’s Rock" tour starting where they compared the "Hollywood" stories of Alcatraz to what actually happened. This would have been more interesting had I have ever seen a single movie about Alcatraz! (I'm sure I was the only one in the group who had never seen an Alcatraz movie).

I never knew this, but Alcatraz doesn't only have a history as a federal penitentiary - but it was also a site of the Native American protest movement, and later a hippy commune.

Once you get inside the prison you can take a self guided Audio Tour. This was fantastic, as the narration was done by actual prisoners and officers. It really made the prison come alive.

The view from the exercise yard - this must have been torturous... to be able to see all the beauty of San Francisco bay... and to only be able to look and not touch.

First American lighthouse on the West Coast is also on Alcatraz.

This was definetly one of the highlights of my trip. Unfortunately I parted way with my Canadian friends after the trip - but it was great not to be in 'solitary confinement' on Alcatraz.

I also got a great souviner for Mum - I thought this was so funny, i just had to get it... The Alcatraz Women's Club CookBook!

San Fancisco - Palace of Fine Arts

One thing I found fasinating in San Francisco was the Palace of Fine Arts. While I was on the walking tour, it just stood out in the SF skyline - so different from the 'Painted Ladies' of the city streets.

It was originally built in 1915 as a temporary building as part of the Panama Pacific Exposition held in SF to 'rebirth' the city. The building was preserved, and here it is today.

San Francisco - 1906: Presidio & The Earthquake

After flying back from Chicago, we eventually got back to SanFrancisco where I was free to explore and unwind for a few days before heading back to Sydney.

One thing I had really wanted to do while I was in SF was to learn more about the 1906 Earthquake and Fires. I took a Walking Tour of the Presidio. It was more about the Army's role in the area, and less about the actual 'quake and fires - but very interesting none the less.

The tour takes you around a picture perfect suburb - its so hard to imagine that hundreds of thousands people lived there as refugees.

These are the original Army Officer's houses - which have now been refurbished and people are living in them again.

On the tour I was very surprised to see a fountain that looked like.... Yoda? Upon closer inspection it sure was Yoda! Not included in the tour, but we took some time out for it, was Lucas Films.

I also got my first glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge while exploring the Presidio.

This was the hospital to the area.

And these were the Earthquake and Fire Refugee Cottages.

The Mayor of the day ordered all police officers to KILL any person found looting or commiting an other crime.

It also happened to be Pearl Harbour Day while I was there.