Parrots, Humming Birds, Jail birds and bagels.

Two more items to tick off the list today Alcatraz and a ride on a cable car. My boat ticket was for 9:10 A.M. and as it was about a half an hour to walk there I set off nice and early so I didn’t have to rush and had time to look around en route. First port of call was to walk down Lombard Street (have I mentioned it is claimed to be America’s ‘crookedest’ street?) Well, fortunately the pedestrian route goes straight down the sides and avoids the cars negotiating there way down. As I continued on I again heard the squawks of the ‘wild parrots of Telegraph Hill’ A population of escapee parrots much like the Ring Necked Parakeets of South West London.

San Francisco Parrots

I arrived at Pier 33 for the ferry over to Alcatraz at about 8:30 and a large queue was already in place for the boat. We boarded (the boats can hold 344 when full and they are always full!) and set off on time to make the short trip over to the island.

As we were about the first group over the place was not too crowded but the crowd management is very good so everything worked well during the trip. After the 5 minute ’ dos and don’ts’ briefing we saw a short film on the history of the island from fortress to prison to national park and bird sanctuary. Then the main cell block part of the tour with headphones and audio guide to wander round at your own pace.

Cell Block

This was very well done and gave some feeling of the prison when it was open; which wasn’t easy on a bright sunny day with tourists all around!

Alcatraz Cell

It was easy to imagine how frustrating it must have been to be able to see and hear San Francisco but with no hope of getting there; although some did try.
Once the audio tour was over the rest of the island (it is only small) can be explored at your own pace. There are some gardens which were tended by the wardens families or the prisoners themselves) which are now tended by volunteers.

Alcatraz Gardens

The protected state of the island also makes it an ideal sanctuary for sea birds to nest and raise their chicks. All these have now flown the nest but I did manage to see a couple of humming birds and several butterflies enjoying the plants.

Humming Bird

I caught the 1 P.M. boat back to the mainland and set off for a shopping centre nearby that had a good telescope store within it. I just wanted to ogle some big telescopes! I chatted to the staff and ended up buying a wide angle eyepiece for my astronomical telescope. I managed to negotiate not paying the sales tax too which was a bargain!

Then it was back on the street car to the down town for a last wander around. It was another baking hot day unlike Al Bowley I stuck the shaded side of the street as I made my way to the cable car turn around. On the way I passed a large Wells Fargo building which held a very interesting little museum on the history of the company. It was nice and cool in there too so I took my time walking round.

There are three cable car lines in the city and the one I headed for was recommended by the bus tour guide on Saturday.

Cable Car

As it starts in the financial district it is away from the main tourist routes so you do not have to queue, and so it proved. I jumped on and paid my $5 then it was off up and down California Street.

Finally, I walked back to the hotel via Polk street, now minus its Blues festival, had a cream cheese bagel with a Latte coffee then back to base to get ready for the journey home.