Our last day in San Francisco (February 25, 2008) was gorgeous, sunny and fairly warm. We caught the 11 am boat across to Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz Cruises is the only cruise company that takes you across to Alcatraz Island and lets you off on the island which is now part of the National Park Service. Departure is from Pier 33, and it takes just about 10 to 15 minutes to get across. During our boat trip we enjoyed a beautiful view of downtown San Francisco, the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge and the mountainous communities on the north and east side of San Francisco Bay.

We arrived at the ferry dock where a National Park Ranger provided us with a brief overview of things to see and do on the island. We then took in a 15 minute video that gave us a great summary of the island and its fascinating history. From 1850 onwards, Alcatraz Island was the location of a citadel, and it also housed the first lighthouse on the West Coast, built in 1854. In 1909 it became a military prison and in 1933 it finally was converted into the infamous maximum security penitentiary that it is known for all over the world.

Starting my walk, I stopped in a room that displays posters and information about the 1969 to 1971 Native American Occupation of Alcatraz. I then snapped photos all along my walk to the famous Cell Blocks, caught some gorgeous view across the bay and was morbidly fascinated by the run-down morgue that held deceased prisoners from 1933 to 1963, the year the prison was finally closed. The highlight of any trip to Alcatraz is a visit of the four cellblocks that housed 390 cells, all designed for single prisoners, which were actually better conditions than in many other penitentiaries of the time.

After getting equipped with headsets and a recorder, I followed the excellent narration of the audio tour that featured the voices of real former prison guards and former inmates. The audio tour was a fabulous way of creating a self-guided tour where you could stop and linger at any of the destinations to look at them up close. I stopped frequently to snap hundreds of pictures.

The tour features many stops, including the large dining room and kitchen, the intake-area where new inmates got changed from their street clothing into prison garb, the prison library and the main cellblocks with their tiny cells, all equipped with a metal bunk, a small wash basin and toilet bowl. The corridors separating cellblocks B and C is named Broadway, another corridor is called Michigan Avenue and the area in front of the dining room was referred to as Times Square. Several of the cells were furnished to show what they would have looked like when the prison was still in operation. The location of the famous 1942 Battle of Alcatraz and the cells were several prison guards were killed was signposted.

The cells housing Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, location of the most famous escape attempt in Alcatraz' history, were also furnished to provide an authentic demonstration of the escape. The cells showcased the papier-maché dummies that used to disguise the inmates' disappearance, and the small tunnels, hand-carved with metal spoons, that successfully took the prisoners into an unguarded utility tunnel and from there off the island. The three prisoners or their bodies were never found, and to this day there are diverging theories that presume that the escaped inmates either drowned or made their way all across to Latin America. A segment of the Discovery Channel's "MythBusters" TV series proved that the escape could have indeed succeeded.

I also examined the Control Room and the visitation area as well as the outside space at the southern end of the cell block building which features a lighthouse and the ruins of the former Warden's House which burned down in 1970. After checking out the many souvenirs in the gift shop I made my way back down to the ferry dock, past another set of ruined buildings which include the recreation hall and the Coast Guard quarter.

Alcatraz is a truly fascinating destination, and the stories of its famous inmates (Al Capone, Robert Stroud -- the Birdman of Alcatraz, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and many others) make your hair stand on end.

Just before 2 pm we caught another ferry back to the mainland, and after a quick lunch at Pier 39 we were ready for another adventure: a bike ride to Golden Gate Park.

Our last day in San Francisco (February 25, 2008) was gorgeous, sunny and fairly warm. We caught the 11 am boat across to Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz Cruises is the only cruise company that takes you across to Alcatraz Island and lets you off on the island which is now part of the National Park Service. Departure is from Pier 33, and it takes just about 10 to 15 minutes to get across. During our boat trip we enjoyed a beautiful view of downtown San Francisco, the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge and the mountainous communities on the north and east side of San Francisco Bay.

We arrived at the ferry dock where a National Park Ranger provided us with a brief overview of things to see and do on the island. We then took in a 15 minute video that gave us a great summary of the island and its fascinating history. From 1850 onwards, Alcatraz Island was the location of a citadel, and it also housed the first lighthouse on the West Coast, built in 1854. In 1909 it became a military prison and in 1933 it finally was converted into the infamous maximum security penitentiary that it is known for all over the world.

Starting my walk, I stopped in a room that displays posters and information about the 1969 to 1971 Native American Occupation of Alcatraz. I then snapped photos all along my walk to the famous Cell Blocks, caught some gorgeous view across the bay and was morbidly fascinated by the run-down morgue that held deceased prisoners from 1933 to 1963, the year the prison was finally closed. The highlight of any trip to Alcatraz is a visit of the four cellblocks that housed 390 cells, all designed for single prisoners, which were actually better conditions than in many other penitentiaries of the time.

After getting equipped with headsets and a recorder, I followed the excellent narration of the audio tour that featured the voices of real former prison guards and former inmates. The audio tour was a fabulous way of creating a self-guided tour where you could stop and linger at any of the destinations to look at them up close. I stopped frequently to snap hundreds of pictures.

The tour features many stops, including the large dining room and kitchen, the intake-area where new inmates got changed from their street clothing into prison garb, the prison library and the main cellblocks with their tiny cells, all equipped with a metal bunk, a small wash basin and toilet bowl. The corridors separating cellblocks B and C is named Broadway, another corridor is called Michigan Avenue and the area in front of the dining room was referred to as Times Square. Several of the cells were furnished to show what they would have looked like when the prison was still in operation. The location of the famous 1942 Battle of Alcatraz and the cells were several prison guards were killed was signposted.

The cells housing Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, location of the most famous escape attempt in Alcatraz' history, were also furnished to provide an authentic demonstration of the escape. The cells showcased the papier-maché dummies that used to disguise the inmates' disappearance, and the small tunnels, hand-carved with metal spoons, that successfully took the prisoners into an unguarded utility tunnel and from there off the island. The three prisoners or their bodies were never found, and to this day there are diverging theories that presume that the escaped inmates either drowned or made their way all across to Latin America. A segment of the Discovery Channel's "MythBusters" TV series proved that the escape could have indeed succeeded.

I also examined the Control Room and the visitation area as well as the outside space at the southern end of the cell block building which features a lighthouse and the ruins of the former Warden's House which burned down in 1970. After checking out the many souvenirs in the gift shop I made my way back down to the ferry dock, past another set of ruined buildings which include the recreation hall and the Coast Guard quarter.

Alcatraz is a truly fascinating destination, and the stories of its famous inmates (Al Capone, Robert Stroud -- the Birdman of Alcatraz, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and many others) make your hair stand on end.

Just before 2 pm we caught another ferry back to the mainland, and after a quick lunch at Pier 39 we were ready for another adventure: a bike ride to Golden Gate Park.

Our last day in San Francisco, February 25, 2008, was rapidly coming to an end. After an amazing tour of infamous Alcatraz Island and its former maximum security prison we enjoyed a nice lunch in the sun at Pier 39. We took up a sunny spot right in front of the historic Italian-built carousel to savour our selection of French fries and crepes.

Then we had to hurry because by this time it was past 3 pm and we still wanted to do a bicycle tour of San Francisco's northern coastline and to explore Golden Gate Park. So we rushed over to Bay City Bike Rental where we took out two comfortable cruiser bikes and started our second bicycle tour of San Francisco.

In the sunshine we cruised past Fort Mason Center and the Marina District. We then stopped off at Palace of Fine Arts, one of San Francisco's most popular destinations and the only remainder of the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition. Unfortunately the Rotunda was under renovation, but the beautifully carved Corinthian columns and the scenic pond still provided plenty of opportunities for passionate photographers.

On we continued past Crissy Field and up a steep hill to the Fort Point Lookout, location of the southern terminus of the Golden Gate Bridge. Then we continued uphill on Lincoln Boulevard, high above Baker Beach and China Beach to Land's End where a wooden lookout platform offered a phenomenal view of the Golden Gate Bridge. After taking a rest in beautiful Lincoln Park (which features a reasonably priced municipal golf course with amazing Pacific Ocean views) we continued past the Palace of the Legion of Honor, a European art museum financed by a sugar heiress. Then we continued southwards into Golden Gate Park.on steep 47th Avenue

By this time it was after 5 pm and we knew our bicycles had to be back by 6 pm, so we had no choice but to race through the park. I figured this will be a full-day destination for my next San Francisco trip which should allow me to explore all the features of this fine urban park in great detail. We made our way up the steep climb of Arguello Street and came down through the Presidio, a former military area that is now a beautiful wooded oasis in the city.

On the way back we caught some nice sunset shots of the Golden Gate Bridge. We were a bit late returning our bikes, but the folks at Bay City Bike were quite nice about it and our two bicycle rides in San Francisco were definitely major highlights of our entire trip.

We spent our last evening at a great Mexican eatery called Colibri, not far from Union Square where we got to sample all sorts of authentic dishes from Central Mexico. The place even features more than 350 varieties of Mexican tequila. A fitting end to our much too short 4.5 days in San Francisco!

Our last day in San Francisco (February 25, 2008) was gorgeous, sunny and fairly warm. We caught the 11 am boat across to Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz Cruises is the only cruise company that takes you across to Alcatraz Island and lets you off on the island which is now part of the National Park Service. Departure is from Pier 33, and it takes just about 10 to 15 minutes to get across. During our boat trip we enjoyed a beautiful view of downtown San Francisco, the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge and the mountainous communities on the north and east side of San Francisco Bay.

We arrived at the ferry dock where a National Park Ranger provided us with a brief overview of things to see and do on the island. We then took in a 15 minute video that gave us a great summary of the island and its fascinating history. From 1850 onwards, Alcatraz Island was the location of a citadel, and it also housed the first lighthouse on the West Coast, built in 1854. In 1909 it became a military prison and in 1933 it finally was converted into the infamous maximum security penitentiary that it is known for all over the world.

Starting my walk, I stopped in a room that displays posters and information about the 1969 to 1971 Native American Occupation of Alcatraz. I then snapped photos all along my walk to the famous Cell Blocks, caught some gorgeous view across the bay and was morbidly fascinated by the run-down morgue that held deceased prisoners from 1933 to 1963, the year the prison was finally closed. The highlight of any trip to Alcatraz is a visit of the four cellblocks that housed 390 cells, all designed for single prisoners, which were actually better conditions than in many other penitentiaries of the time.

After getting equipped with headsets and a recorder, I followed the excellent narration of the audio tour that featured the voices of real former prison guards and former inmates. The audio tour was a fabulous way of creating a self-guided tour where you could stop and linger at any of the destinations to look at them up close. I stopped frequently to snap hundreds of pictures.

The tour features many stops, including the large dining room and kitchen, the intake-area where new inmates got changed from their street clothing into prison garb, the prison library and the main cellblocks with their tiny cells, all equipped with a metal bunk, a small wash basin and toilet bowl. The corridors separating cellblocks B and C is named Broadway, another corridor is called Michigan Avenue and the area in front of the dining room was referred to as Times Square. Several of the cells were furnished to show what they would have looked like when the prison was still in operation. The location of the famous 1942 Battle of Alcatraz and the cells were several prison guards were killed was signposted.

The cells housing Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, location of the most famous escape attempt in Alcatraz' history, were also furnished to provide an authentic demonstration of the escape. The cells showcased the papier-maché dummies that used to disguise the inmates' disappearance, and the small tunnels, hand-carved with metal spoons, that successfully took the prisoners into an unguarded utility tunnel and from there off the island. The three prisoners or their bodies were never found, and to this day there are diverging theories that presume that the escaped inmates either drowned or made their way all across to Latin America. A segment of the Discovery Channel's "MythBusters" TV series proved that the escape could have indeed succeeded.

I also examined the Control Room and the visitation area as well as the outside space at the southern end of the cell block building which features a lighthouse and the ruins of the former Warden's House which burned down in 1970. After checking out the many souvenirs in the gift shop I made my way back down to the ferry dock, past another set of ruined buildings which include the recreation hall and the Coast Guard quarter.

Alcatraz is a truly fascinating destination, and the stories of its famous inmates (Al Capone, Robert Stroud -- the Birdman of Alcatraz, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and many others) make your hair stand on end.

Just before 2 pm we caught another ferry back to the mainland, and after a quick lunch at Pier 39 we were ready for another adventure: a bike ride to Golden Gate Park.