Alcatraz et al

July 26


Awake early, still on UK time even though we managed to stay up until 9pm local time! Great breakfast from the Cityscape restaurant on floor 46 of the Hilton Hotel - the views are amazing - panoramic, and we looked directly into the bay with the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz as our main focal point. We're going to have dinner there tonight (July 27) to see the city all lit up!

Alcatraz is a real must see when you visit. Although very run down now, the sense of despair one must have felt on landing is quite palpable, very stark and austere. The wardens and their families must have felt almost as incarcerated as the inmates, and the wind! Take the audio guide inside the prison it's excellent - to hear the voices of past governors and inmates is eerie but incredibly effective. Would be no good if you were claustrophobic - the cells are a mere 5ft x 9ft x 7ft obviously no windows and the draught inside is almost as much as outside!

The walk is quite steep up to the prison and the smell from the gull droppings is vile, but hey you're only there for a short time!

Once done on the island it's a short walk back from the ferry landing site to Pier 39 and that is great fun! All boardwalk, fab shops, entertainment etc. Plenty of places to eat and then on to my favourite store, the San Francisco Music Box Company! All types of boxes - large, small, snow globes, something for everyone! Go see the sealions too! Enormously entertaining but watch for the crowds, mid afternoon is very busy!