25 November 2017
This morning was a visit to The Rock (aka Alcatraz Island) — for the first time for Nicole and Katelyn and a return after just under 25 years for me. I must admit very little, if anything, has changed there in the last 25 years, however it’s still a great place to visit. I’m a huge fan of the Escape From Alcatraz movie starring Clint Eastwood, and a visit to Alcatraz just breathes extra life into the story.
They have multiple, full ferries heading over to Alcatraz every day, so must be making some serious coin from the venture. All power to them I guess.
After returning to Pier 33 we had to walk 800 metres or so to the pickup point for the afternoon session of our Bay In A Day tour. We happened to walk past Hard Rock Cafe, and so entered for a fantastic nachos!
Then it was in to a mini-van for our afternoon tour. We had a great trip around various places including the Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Bridge, Lands End and Golden Gate Park — where the hippy revolution was in full swing around 50 years ago. I didn’t have any yellow flowers to wear in my hair, but if I had I’m sure I would have been embraced warmly and handed a joint or two.
Smoking joints is technically illegal, however seems to be readily accepted behaviour around many areas of San Francisco, particularly in the Haight-Ashbury area adjacent to Golden Gate Park. While walking along an alleyway in the (almost) dark to observe some murals, as suggested by the tour guide (who didn’t join us which felt a bit weird), we’re pretty sure Katelyn had her first experience with recreational drugs — albeit passively. No harm done though.
At the conclusion of the tour, we were dropped at Union Square where the crowds for the Black Friday sales were something to behold. We did a quick bit of clothes shopping before retiring to our last night at the Hilton to rest from a busy day. Our long tour starts tomorrow, which we’re really looking forward to.
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