Day 2: Alcatraz!
It's 4:30am and I'm wide awake.
My bucket list shrinks by one today.
When I was a child and first learned of a prison on an island once considered to be so tightly guarded, secure, and inesacpable only the most hardened and violent criminals got in, I wanted to see it.
Today is the day.
Our tour begins at 3:20 pm but we should be there about an hour before so we need to get moving. Our plan is a late breakfast then walk to Pier 39 to check the sights. Head to Pier 33 by 2:30ish for the 3:20 Alcatraz ferry.
Breakfast.
Last night the wife read about a nice little breakfast cottage located just blocks from the Pier. Mama's on Washington Square. A spot made famous by Food Netwok star Rachel Ray who visited there sometime ago for a feature on her "$40 a day show". Well if it's good enough for Rach then it's good enough for me.
Off we walk. Down Stockton street, seventeen blocks, uuupppppp, dooowwwwnnnnn from Union Square through Chinatown, to Little Italy then finally Mama's. We knew it was Mama's because of the line wrapped from the front door left to the corner then up the street about a half block. We decide there's enough time to stick it out and wait. Twenty-five minutes and my feet haven't budged. I think I'll check out some online reviews. Google reveals three. None good. the harshest read something like this. "...it's just pancakes, people!"
That's all we needed to see. Time for an audible. We step off line line toward the pier. On the way a local kindly offers directions then confirms our move to abandon Mamma's.
The sound of seals barking, the smell of saltwater and the sight of trolly cars from yesteryear tells us we're at Pier 39. Its nice but all tourist. Think of Jax Brewery on pilings. This worrys me because being from New Orleans, I understand no good food ever comes from a touristy joint. I was right. Breakfast at The Eagle was just ok but hey it's breakfast. Eggs, bacon and french toast, we should have hit IHOP. One thing about San Fran though, they have good coffee.
After breakfast we walk the pier. It's all very nice but mostly shops. Candles, soaps, bath salts and souveniers. It's cold on the pier. Feels like a rainy January day in NOLA. The kind where you just can't get comfortable. Wifey's feet are numbing, but she must not be alone becaust the busiest shop on the pier is The San Francisco Sock Market. Handled.
But the best thing about Pier 39 is Trish's Mini Donut Stand. Like most culinary treasures, we found this accidently, making a quit stop for hot chocolate on the way out. Out of the corner of my eye while ordering the hot cocoa for two I notice the EZ Bake oven sized Krispy Kreme type donut maker frying up these mini drops of heaven. From the fryer they are dumped into dune of cinnamon sugar, coated then served in all of their steamy airy fluffy sweet goodness. OMG!!! Against the bosses protests that these are unhealthy, I order a bag of eight. (Hey at least I didn't get the buket of 50). The prosester? She ate four!
Finally it's time to head to Pier 33. Alcatraz! My mind has been on this tour since we booked the trip. We board the Alcatraz ferry then float toward the island. About fifteen minutes and we're greated by the sight of gloomy greys of worn down prison walls and pleasing pinks and purples of the flowers that have bloomed since the prison closed. As we step off the boat an eerie feeling comes over us. There is a paplable presence in the air. The boat captain earlier annouced that we must hear a brief instructional talk from one of the park rangers then we are on our own. The ranger intructs us on the areas that are roped off due to dangerous deterioration. He then warns if anyone has a heart or lung condition to take special care as the ascent to the prison is equal to scaling a ten story building. If needed there's a train that will carry you up then bring you down. Screw that. We're walking.
Climbing the road to the prison offers an incredicle view of the city, ocean and all those colors. Seagulls are everywhere as the island is now a bird sanctuary. A compound of a variety of buildings including an apartment house for the guards and their families, a quartermaster, supply house and even a morgue share the landscape.
As you enter the prison you know your are in a different world. The hall leads you into the showers. Not going there. A line forms as you leave the shower room . This is where you get your audio tour guide. At first we were reluctant to wear them but we were glad we did . The tour is phenomenal. It directs you to landmarks then explains points of history associated with the landmark. "This is where the guards were overtaken." "Around the corner is C-D (seedy) Street." "Walk down the hall, turn right, pass through the cell doors and look to your left." More precise then the finest GPS.
The tour proceeds, the attempted uprising, the escape, isolation and the dining hall, affectionately known as the gas chamber. Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, the Birdman. My kinda place. Never once was I bored or disappointed. The best tour I've ever been on.
The ferry lands back at Pier 33 then we're headed back to the hotel. The trollys are all overflowing and not even stopping so we decide to walk back. My feet are in revolt! They refuse to walk one step further. Fortunately we spot an off duty limo driver offering rides back to Market Square for $3. We're in. Another couple and two older ladys cram a black Crown Vic and we head back. Little did we know this was once a stunt driver for Starskey and Hutch. Taking corners on two wheels, cutting in and out of traffic, horns blowing, drivers cursing and high pitched screams serenade us back to the square. But hey, we made it back and alive. I'm golden.
And hungry.
Dinner at the Burger Bar. The next generation of burger joints. Upscale casual atmosphere serving angus beef from local farms, brioche buns the melt in your mouth, fresh cheeses and choices of toppings ranging from fried egg to red zinfindel onion compote. It all seems a little pretentious for a burger but I'm all in.
We grab dessert from the Cheescake factory two floors above us then call it a night. It's only been two days but feels like two weeks.
After a long day, a hotel bed never looks so inviting. The night is still early so we use the on demand button and catch the latest Paul Giamatti movie, "Win Win". Good movie. Good food . Good tour. Great day. We like this town.
Tomorrow, Sonoma!
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