San Francisco, USA, 12.-16.6. 2011, Day 4

Our last day in San Francisco was dedicated to Alcatraz, which actually turned out to be the best part of the whole trip for me. I'm really interested in prison history but had no idea Alcatraz would be as interesting as it was! This time, we caught the regular bus to Fisherman's Wharf - a Muni ride costs $2 one way so it's definitely not too bad. For someone who's interested in how you pay for the ticket, there's a machine in the bus and you need to have the exact amount of money. I don't know if anyone else cares about these things but I know I like to be prepared :).

Okay, about Alcatraz. You NEED to book your ticket beforehand because if you don't, chances are you won't get one at all. We didn't know about this until maybe two days before we were meant to go to Alcatraz and were lucky in that there were still tickets left for one departure. PHEW! I would've been seriously pissed off if I'd missed out on Alcatraz while I was in San Francisco! I'd probably have even caused a scene, which wouldn't have been that nice on Tiina so luckily we avoided that. This is where you book your tickets: Alcatraz Cruises. Our tickets cost $26 each, which I didn't think was bad at all. Oh, and you can collect your tickets at the ticket booth where the ferries leave for Alcatraz.

Everything about Alcatraz was just so interesting! However, since I'm better at feelings than describing them, you'll have to make do with pictures. I'll try and say something about them, too, but believe me when I tell you this is something you'll have to experience yourself. The audio tour that is included in the price is excellent and very informative as well and it truly makes your experience more real.

This is where the ferries leave.

Me on my way to Alcatraz!

The Golden Gate Bridge as seen from the ferry.

Approaching Alcatraz...

We saw a sealion swimming next to the ferry <3.

San Francisco as seen from Alcatraz.

The first thing you see upon arrival.

The morgue.

This could probably called the arrival hall - this is where the prisoners changed into their prison outfits and left their personal belongings for safe-keeping till when they'd eventually get out.

The showers.

A cell.

A cell block.

The conspirators of the attempted escape in 1946.

An example of a cell where someone lived.

San Francisco - so near yet so far away.

The Golden Gate Bridge.

The city. The waves were really rough so escaping was by no means an easy thing to do.

Three guys managed to escape by making dummy heads to trick the guards into thinking they were actually asleep in their own beds. No one knows if they made it, but I hope they did :D.

Your breakfast at Alcatraz.

The dummy head guys.

Gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean from Alcatraz.

I ended up buying quite a lot of things, too, which is unlike me. I bought a copy of the front page of the newspaper on the riot where people got killed, an inmate cup that I think is so cool, postcards I still plan on framing and hanging on my walls, regulation magnets...

Once we were back in the city, we went to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner, after which it was back to packing for our flight to Honolulu, Hawaii the following morning.

Portobello Mushroom Ravioli.

Hot Fudge Sundae.