One Packed Day

We arrived at Pier 33 at 10:30 for our Alcatraz excursion. The whole operation was a well-oiled machine--be there 30 minutes before your boarding time. Have you ticket out, and make sure you have Friday, June 22, 11:30 on your ticket. Make sure you have a readable bar code...blah, blah, blah. The boat took off from the dock at precisely 11:30--all the blah, blah, blah was worth it. Sailing toward the island, even though it was only a tour of an old dilapidated prison that had been closed over forty years earlier, there was a sense of isolation and hopelessness. We would be on the island for only a few hours, but it was far removed from the hustle and bustle of Fisherman's Wharf. Our sense of smell was assaulted as we stepped onto the dock. We quickly discovered that Alcatraz was not only a National Park, but also a bird sanctuary. Thousands of birds, from gulls to cormorants to black oyster-catchers were perched and nesting all over the island. Everything was stained with little white splotches of bird droppings. Every now and then a big juicy splat would make us flinch. It was a bit unnerving and sad to see a part of history being lost. Tim and I both stepped into a cell on cell block D. To think that men had to stay in these cells for a large majority of their day made us appreciate our freedom all the more.

After our trip to "The Rock," we were starving. We walked to the other end of Fisherman's Wharf and gobbled up another crab and shrimp salad sandwich--once again, delicious.

We had much to do in the afternoon. Our host at the motor inn suggested we see the "Painted Ladies," a row of Victorian houses that lined the east side of Alamo Park (see pictures).

Next, we shot over to Haight-Ashbury. This is where the "hippie" movement started. Although the culture had a reputation of free love and lots of drugs, I was intrigued by the creativity that came out of this area. Ironically, it is now home to shops and boutiques where capitalism is alive and well. Most probably the same hippies who believed in the movement of the 60s are the ones running the shops and living in the half-million to million dollar homes there.

From there we shot up to Twin Peaks, the two highest points in San Francisco. You can see the Golden Gate Bridge and the Oakland Bridge from these points. There was a viewpoint from about three-fourths of the way up one of the peaks, but Tim and I decided to walk to the top. In my mind, because of the film footage I'd seen, I pictured myself as an explorer on the top of Mt. Everest, almost being blown over by the wind gusts! The view was slightly obstructed because of two communication towers of some sort, but it was fun to climb to the top anyway.

Late in the afternoon, we drove through The Presidio, once a Spanish, American, and Mexican fort, now a mostly residential area.

Our last stop in San Francisco was seal rocks. There were no seals on the rocks, but there was one cute little guy on the beach (see picture).

We ended the day in Concord, California, just northeast of Oakland. Tomorrow we will check out the wine country (although neither of us drink it). Tim would like to see the grapes; I know Napa cuisine started here, and the food is good (imagine that). For dinner, we did indulge in a little pop culture and ate at In and Out Burger. All the "stars" go there for fast-food burgers, and it's supposed to be good. (It is, by the way.)