Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf & a whole lotta walking
San Fran is hard work when you're not feeling great, it's very hilly. I had a bad nights sleep with tummy ache but felt OK when we woke up for our Alcatraz trip. We had to walk a good 45 minutes to get there but the sun was shining and the city was buzzing.
We sat at the port and waited to be collected by the big ferry for the 15 minute trip over to the Alcatraz island. We arrived and were shown a video to explain the history of the island. Originally used by US military during the gold rush to protect San Fran harbour the island then developed into a prison for the most dangerous criminals in America. Funding for the high security prison ran out in 1969 and the island was left empty for a while.
In the 70's when the US government was refusing to give back Indian land that had been claimed as US soil the native Americans started a peaceful demonstration and many Indians moved in to Alcatraz, they argued this would be their new land. Many of them stayed on the island for 19 months before finally being removed. It did prompt change though as the Indians were given land back. Since then it has been an island for visitors and it is now a national heritage sight where a wide variety of birds nest.
We did an audio tour of the prison cells which was very well done. We saw in lots of cells and were taught about different escape plans. The theory was that Alcatraz was inescapable and in the 36 escape attempts actually only 5 prisoners were ever unaccounted for. They also explained that 8 inmates we're murdered, 5 committed suicide and 15 died of natural causes in the 29 years.
We also saw the recreational yard, the library and the isolation cells. We finished the tour in the dining hall, where they showed us how they kept track of every knife and what food they served to the inmates. The food was actually really very good, the theory was that the inmates would be easier to handle if they were happy with their food. They were even fed fresh sea bass from the harbour when it was in season. Both inmates and officers ate the same food.
They also showed us a demonstration of the cell doors opening and explained the safety features of making sure everyone was in their cells before they shut.
We then sat outside and looked back over the city. It really hit home that some of the most dangerous criminals were so close to civilisation, everyone believed that Alcatraz was inescapable so from the mainland I don't think anyone really worried about it. On the island the prisoners could see and hear San Fran city and it served as punishment for them to know what they were missing out on. Apparently on New Year's Eve the prisoners could hear the city partying if the wind was in the right direction.
Not only did the inmates live on the island, so did many of the officers and their families, children would catch the boat over to the mainland every day for school and they lived in a tight knit community with the other children of officers on the island. We heard accounts of how it was an idyllic upbringing, very quiet, peaceful and with the most stunning view of San Fran city.
Edd and I caught the boat back just before lunch and we walked a bit further along the bay to find lunch. We ate at a place known for its clam chowder, I wasn't feeling well so had a green salad and Edd had a loaf of bread filled with chowder. Apparently it was very pleasing!
We then wandered up the pier stopping in lots of the trinkety shops, we were wandering around the Christmas decoration shop (Mum wants a Christmas dec) when Edd told me to look out the window. I had a surreal moment, stood next to a Christmas tree listening to Christmas carols, there in front of me was a whole bay full of sea lions! They were everywhere.
We sat for a long while watching the sea lions in the sun, there were some really big ones and they make a constant horrible barking noise. We continued our stroll along the water and jumped into lots of shops along the way, we bought nothing!! I was exhausted and not feeling great so we decided we would take the bus home.
We were sat waiting for the bus when Edd mentioned that we were pretty close to a famous 'cool' street which is a highly recommended visit. I agreed to continue walking not knowing what I had just signed up to!! The streets are so so steep and I really struggled all the way up. When we finally got to the top 15 minutes later (which felt like a life time) the view was incredible bit I was disappointed to find out that the 'cool' street was so because it had a wiggly road.
Not sure I would have bothered if I had known that's why it was 'cool'. By then we were only another 20 minutes more to our place so we continued plodding, surely it had to be down hill as we were so high by now.
Sure enough we started going down but only a few minutes later we were back to a up hill gradient. I was really really flagging. We stopped off at the pharmacy and tried to work out with the sales assistant what the equivalent in America was for paracetamol. The pharmacist came to the rescue and I walked away with pain killers and anti heartburn stuff so I hope that will help tonight.
We got back to our hostel both shattered and have no plans to leave the room again tonight. We had cuppa soup for dinner which has been very disappointing but I don't think either of us care as we just want to curl up and sleep.
San Fran is hard work when you're not feeling great, it's very hilly. I had a bad nights sleep with tummy ache but felt OK when we woke up for our Alcatraz trip. We had to walk a good 45 minutes to get there but the sun was shining and the city was buzzing.
We sat at the port and waited to be collected by the big ferry for the 15 minute trip over to the Alcatraz island. We arrived and were shown a video to explain the history of the island. Originally used by US military during the gold rush to protect San Fran harbour the island then developed into a prison for the most dangerous criminals in America. Funding for the high security prison ran out in 1969 and the island was left empty for a while. 
In the 70's when the US government was refusing to give back Indian land that had been claimed as US soil the native Americans started a peaceful demonstration and many Indians moved in to Alcatraz, they argued this would be their new land. Many of them stayed on the island for 19 months before finally being removed. It did prompt change though as the Indians were given land back. Since then it has been an island for visitors and it is now a national heritage sight where a wide variety of birds nest.
We did an audio tour of the prison cells which was very well done. We saw in lots of cells and were taught about different escape plans. The theory was that Alcatraz was inescapable and in the 36 escape attempts actually only 5 prisoners were ever unaccounted for. They also explained that 8 inmates we're murdered, 5 committed suicide and 15 died of natural causes in the 29 years. 
We also saw the recreational yard, the library and the isolation cells. We finished the tour in the dining hall, where they showed us how they kept track of every knife and what food they served to the inmates. The food was actually really very good, the theory was that the inmates would be easier to handle if they were happy with their food. They were even fed fresh sea bass from the harbour when it was in season. Both inmates and officers ate the same food.
They also showed us a demonstration of the cell doors opening and explained the safety features of making sure everyone was in their cells before they shut.
We then sat outside and looked back over the city. It really hit home that some of the most dangerous criminals were so close to civilisation, everyone believed that Alcatraz was inescapable so from the mainland I don't think anyone really worried about it. On the island the prisoners could see and hear San Fran city and it served as punishment for them to know what they were missing out on. Apparently on New Year's Eve the prisoners could hear the city partying if the wind was in the right direction.
Not only did the inmates live on the island, so did many of the officers and their families, children would catch the boat over to the mainland every day for school and they lived in a tight knit community with the other children of officers on the island. We heard accounts of how it was an idyllic upbringing, very quiet, peaceful and with the most stunning view of San Fran city.
Edd and I caught the boat back just before lunch and we walked a bit further along the bay to find lunch. We ate at a place known for its clam chowder, I wasn't feeling well so had a green salad and Edd had a loaf of bread filled with chowder. Apparently it was very pleasing! 
We then wandered up the pier stopping in lots of the trinkety shops, we were wandering around the Christmas decoration shop (Mum wants a Christmas dec) when Edd told me to look out the window. I had a surreal moment, stood next to a Christmas tree listening to Christmas carols, there in front of me was a whole bay full of sea lions! They were everywhere.
We sat for a long while watching the sea lions in the sun, there were some really big ones and they make a constant horrible barking noise. We continued our stroll along the water and jumped into lots of shops along the way, we bought nothing!! I was exhausted and not feeling great so we decided we would take the bus home.
We were sat waiting for the bus when Edd mentioned that we were pretty close to a famous 'cool' street which is a highly recommended visit. I agreed to continue walking not knowing what I had just signed up to!! The streets are so so steep and I really struggled all the way up. When we finally got to the top 15 minutes later (which felt like a life time) the view was incredible bit I was disappointed to find out that the 'cool' street was so because it had a wiggly road. 
Not sure I would have bothered if I had known that's why it was 'cool'. By then we were only another 20 minutes more to our place so we continued plodding, surely it had to be down hill as we were so high by now. 
Sure enough we started going down but only a few minutes later we were back to a up hill gradient. I was really really flagging. We stopped off at the pharmacy and tried to work out with the sales assistant what the equivalent in America was for paracetamol. The pharmacist came to the rescue and I walked away with pain killers and anti heartburn stuff so I hope that will help tonight.
We got back to our hostel both shattered and have no plans to leave the room again tonight. We had cuppa soup for dinner which has been very disappointing but I don't think either of us care as we just want to curl up and sleep.
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