USA - Canada - Mexico 2016 - Day 43

 

 

Tuesday, 18 October 2016 - San Francisco, California

 

Tourist day today, I forgot to take the Spot with us so we have no track of where we went.

 

Terrific day, clear skies, maximum temperature around 20 degrees C. We headed out about 7:30am to walk 2.5 klms to the Pier to catch the 8:45am ferry to Alcatraz. Very interesting place to look through. Well worth using the 40 minute audio tour to hear the stories and gain a very good understanding of how life was and some of the more interesting things that happened. Very good tour with the ability to pause the commentary if you want to stop to spend extra time at a particular place.

 

We were still attempting to get a better photo of the Golden Gate Bridge, named that as it spans the Golden Gate Strait, but no such luck as that fog was hanging around the edges of the harbour again.

 

Back in San Francisco again we took a ride on a cable car to China Town for a bit of exploration. When we travelled Australia a few years ago, we paid a visit to the Lovell Gallery in Kununarra WA and met up with Clint's sister, a terrific artist. During our visit to China Town, we found another Lovell's Gallery, maybe another relation. After China Town it was a short cable car ride then a steep walk up hill to take a look at a section of Lombard Street. This section has been turned into a one block single lane one way section with the road winding down through gardens. Referred to as "The Crookedest Road in the World".

 

Then it was out to the Golden Gate Bridge for a closer look and to see it without the enveloping fog. We took a walk out as far as the first tower, I didn't see the sense in walking the entire length of around 1.9 klms, 1.2 mls, each way just to see the other end when we will see it on the way out on Wednesday. While waiting for the return bus, we met Allison from Arizona, and talk about a small world, she has family in Mexico where we will be in a couple of weeks. Hi Allison, this is to see if you really read this :).

 

Tomorrow we do a bit more of the tourist thing, I'll try to remember to take the Spot this time.

 

0 klms today, total to date 16,168 klms.

 

  • The ferry to Alcatraz The ferry to Alcatraz
  • Still fogged in this morning Still fogged in this morning
  • Alcatraz Island and Prison Alcatraz Island and Prison
  • The large canon ball weighs 160kg, (352lbs) The large canon ball weighs 160kg, (352lbs)
  • Prison buildings Prison buildings
  • The water tower. Still carries signs from a big Indian protest in 1969-71. The water tower. Still carries signs from a big Indian protest in 1969-71.
  • The prisoner shower room The prisoner shower room
  • The cell block The cell block
  • The cell block The cell block
  • Isolation cell Isolation cell
  • Marks on the floor from a grenade dropped in on armed escaped prisoners Marks on the floor from a grenade dropped in on armed escaped prisoners
  • The Warden's House; destroyed by a fire in 1970 after the prison closed in 1963 The Warden's House; destroyed by a fire in 1970 after the prison closed in 1963
  • Three prisoners escaped by creating dummy heads and blanket bodies then out a hole dug through a vent in the wall Three prisoners escaped by creating dummy heads and blanket bodies then out a hole dug through a vent in the wall
  • Midday and still fogged in Midday and still fogged in
  • The recreation yard and restoration work on the building on the left. The recreation yard and restoration work on the building on the left.
  • The Warden's House and Lighthouse The Warden's House and Lighthouse
  • The last remaining Guard Tower The last remaining Guard Tower
  • San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge, 7.2 klms, 4.46 mls, long San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge, 7.2 klms, 4.46 mls, long
  • Riding the cable car Riding the cable car
  • China Town China Town
  • Lovell's Gallery Lovell's Gallery
  • Riding the cable car; the driver plays a continuous shuffle of the brake lever and the cable connection lever Riding the cable car; the driver plays a continuous shuffle of the brake lever and the cable connection lever
  • Lombard Street, "The Crookedest Street in the World" Lombard Street, "The Crookedest Street in the World"
  • Lombard Street, "The Crookedest Street in the World" Lombard Street, "The Crookedest Street in the World"
  • Steep Hills around here, especially if you walk up and down them Steep Hills around here, especially if you walk up and down them
  • Steep hills, no parallel or angle parking Steep hills, no parallel or angle parking
  • Golden Gate Bridge Tower Golden Gate Bridge Tower
  • The city and Alcatraz from the bridge The city and Alcatraz from the bridge
  • The Golden Gate Bridge The Golden Gate Bridge
  • The size of the steel cable supporting the bridge deck The size of the steel cable supporting the bridge deck
  • We was here We was here
     

 

Day 42

Return

Day 44