San Francisco Day 2: The day in pictures

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Today was spent eating our way through Fisherman's Wharf and visiting Alcatraz. We took a cab to the wharf, and our cabbie was a native, so he took us down Lombard street, the most crooked street in the world.



After that we arrived at the wharf.


We walked around a small shopping area, stopped in at a teeny tiny Beat writer museum, and took a great photo of hubby on a bear sculpture:


We decided to eat very small meals everywhere we went to experience more seafood. Our first stop was the Blue Mermaid Chowder House. He had "award winning" crab & corn chowder in a sourdough bread bowl; I had the "chowder sampler" - crab & corn, shrimp & red bell pepper, and classic New England chowder. Absolutely delicious!

After that we walked down to Pier 39 and bought tickets to the Alcatraz tour. While we were waiting, we went to the Aquarium at the Bay (which was, honestly, pretty boring, especially after going to the Long Beach aquarium).









We finished up there quickly, and went back to the wharf and walked up and down it. We bought a big bag of salt water taffy from the Candy Baron - they had all sorts of unique flavors like cookie dough, cinnamon bun, buttered popcorn, cherry cola, mango, and apricot. We then split an order of fish & (garlic) chips from some little place. Don't remember what it was called, but it had hook-handed captain as its mascot, and that is always a good sign. Best fish & chips I had ever had.

We also hung out with these guys:


Saw a big carousel:


And, the highlight of my day, I got to beat up the UCLA Bruin:


Finally, we went to Alcatraz.

The view from the ferry:


The Golden Gate Bridge:


Goodbye freedom!


This warning sign, as you approach the island, reads: "WARNING. Persons procuring or concealing escape of prisoners are subject to prosecution and imprisonment."


Approaching the dock


This sign reads: "UNITED STATE PENITENTIARY. Alcatraz Island. Area 12 acres. 1.5 miles to transport dock. Only government boats permitted. Others must keep off 200 yards. No one allowed ashore without a pass." The graffiti above it, "Indians welcome" alludes to the 18 months in 1969-1970 when American Indians sieged the island in protest.


Tim doesn't look too concerned about the steep hill, equivalent to 13 flights of stairs.


Not quite halfway up, but he's still smiling


A neat building with a big orange spot in front of it


Almost to the prison



We're almost at the top, and I'm feeling mighty!


The bunt out shell of the warden's house





Lighthouse


The prison


control room


A standard cell


"Broadway," the main row of cells



The barber shop and its cool spiral steel stairs


Al Capone's cell, second floor


I don't like being imprisoned


Tim in the dining hall


All the kitchen knives were kept in a special case. The outlines were drawn in the case so the cooks could be sure that all knives were accounted for.


Breakfast!


The view from the dining hall


They put me in the hole


Tim doesn't seem to mind the alone time


Solitary confinement cell


The library - so sad without the books


A really cool hallway



Back on the mainland, on our way to dinner, we came across a sea lion colony at the end of the pier:



We went back onto the wharf and had "linner" at a place called the crab house. Very tasty, but overpriced for small portions with no side dishes. I had crab cakes (of course) and he had crab legs in garlic butter. The food was excellent.

A taxi ride through the financial district took us back to our hotel to rest for a bit. We researched dinner restaurants, and finally just headed out into the streets. We walked a couple blocks until we found someplace called Max's. It is a cute art-nouveau deli/bistro. I had a turkey burger with bleu cheese and mashed potatoes; he had a Reuben sandwich. On our way back from dinner, a girl asked me if I liked blues music. Tim thinks she was hitting on me. Rawk. She was kinda cute.

Forecast for tomorrow: LOTS of shopping in the high-end shops in Union Square, hopefully a trip to Ghiradelli square and/or Haight-Ashbury, and dinner with an old friend.