With Hooters now closed here in San Fran, we had to think of something else to do. Alcatraz seemed to be the perfect destination. So we joined the 8:45 a.m. tour (the first tour of the day) to Alcatraz. Another perfect day here in San Francisco but due to some sun damage yesterday, we decided to play it a little safe:)
We had a great trip out to the island and the weather was just a little too jolly for such a depressing place. We arrived there a little after 9:00 and got the "do this, don't do this" talk, but we also got a bit of a treat as Ernest B. Langeson was there today and he was a child of one of the guards on Alcatraz. I still find it difficult to understand why you would have your children live in such an environment, but that's exactly what happened. Families of the correctional services did live on the island. It was extremely captivating as he gave his account of the 1946 attempt by 6 prisoners to escape the island and who took prisoners. One of the 9 hostages was his father, who, although was shot at (in an attempt to murder him) survived.
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| Alcatraz Island |
It was an extraordinary place with a hidden beauty on such a perfect spring day! There were giant seagulls in abundance and we even found some seagull chicks. They seemed to be nesting just about everywhere we went, and at one stage there was a male (we're assuming) getting a little upset that we had got too close (kinda reminded me of a duck experience on a golf course some years back ... for those of you who have heard the gruesome experience, for those of you who haven't, I'm happy to reiterate)! Anyway, we sort of got the message that we may have been a little too close. We did manage to get some pics which was great because we had never seen seagull chicks before.
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| Giant Seagull and Chicks |
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| Seagull Nesting in Fireplace of Ruins of Chief Warden's Residence |
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| Alcatraz Cell |
We headed back to San Fran after about 2 hours at the island and had some lunch and did some last minute shopping (we leave here tomorrow to return home .... ah, a cup of tea!)
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| View of San Francisco from Alcatraz |
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| View of Golden Gate from Alcatraz |
We have had a very enjoyable and diverse experience here in the US and Canada and it's hard to believe it's all coming to an end tomorrow (although, I think we're both looking forward to getting back to normal). It is really hard to pick the best part for both of us because everywhere we've been has a uniqueness that is kind of special. That's probably why, if I had some ruby red (or "wooby wed" slippers as one of my favourite little people used to say) slippers, I'd click them together and say "there's no place like home" ... and we'd be home immediately without a 14 hr flight ahead of us.
Love to all and see you in Aus (oi, oi, oi) xoxo
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