Spent a little time behind bars recently as me and the Mrs. took a boat ride to the island of Alcatraz just off San Francisco. A worthwhile endeavor indeed not to mention all the stories behind the self guided tour.
The whole place has deteriorated very much but could still house a few prisoners. The Box was something to see as was the visitation area. An interesting sign during the tour read, “Break the rules and you go to prison, break prison rules and you go to Alcatraz”. Lots of bad people spent time there and heard some interesting facts about the Birdman of Alcatraz. He never had birds while he was at Alcatraz (it was against the rules) but had birds when he was at Leavenworth.
There ain’t nothing cheap in San Francisco. Parking at the hotel was forty bucks a night even if you stayed there. We did not rent a car, but fully used the public transportation system. The cable car was.well, I will not wait in line that long again to ride the thing. It was packed like sardines on the inside and we managed to have inside seats. But if you sat, people standing faced us or you get their rears in your face and you couldn’t see the city. No Mas.
The street cars (F Line) with overhead wires were the best mode of transportation. We got on one the first day there just to get our bearings. We rode it from one end to the other and back near our hotel. That in itself was a tour of the city and a sight to see for a buck fifty each. The ticket stub can be used again within four hours.
Night lights mean bright colorful lights along Fisherman’s Wharf. Made it to Chinatown one evening riding on the street car in San Francisco. Have not been in that hilly of an area since I went back to Georgia. Told one fellow from there that it is a wonder they don’t have one leg longer than the other with those hills.
It was cold in San Francisco most of the time and we took jackets having been forewarned. Lots of stores sell sweats and $19.99 lite weight jackets with San Francisco embroidered or something on the front. Nice jacket and one would make you smile when all you brought were pull over short sleeve shirts.
Out from the end of the building area was a swim club and folks were actually swimming in that frigid water. Air temp was good jacket weather and water temp in the high fifties. My Wranglers felt good too, so you can imagine the water. Some had on wet suits while others had simple bathing suits. You can see everything in California; I can believe that after this trip.
Took one tour bus trip across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods, the place where the large trees grow and enjoyed it a whole bunch. An interesting fact at the bridge is that it is painted every year. Six months to do one side and six the other, then they starts over again – interstate orange. Glad to be back home even with this sweltering heat.
