Prison visitors

The Boy's top want-to-do in San Francisco was to visit Alcatraz.  So that was our main event today - a boat trip to the rocky island in the bay, and a tour of the prison.

It was grimly fascinating,  We were all fitted out with headsets, and wandered around listening to an audio commentary narrated by former guards and inmates.  We learned about life and conditions in the prison and about some of the more notorious escape attempts.  We also found out about a period of 19 months after the prison had closed when the island was occupied by Native Americans - the start of their civil protest movement.  And we got to wander around the island admiring gardens and bird-life.

Alcatraz is run by the National Park Service, and they do a great job.  It could be a tasteless horror show, but instead visiting the prison is a thought-provoking experience. 

Back on the mainland, although we'd already done a fair amount of walking we found the energy to mount the many steep steps up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower.  Unfortunately the tower was closed for renovations, however we did get to see the famous flock of green parrots that lives around there, squawking in a tree.

Tonight we have changed hotel to one in the small area of the city known as Japan Town.  And it actually is just like Japan - it's quite disconcerting.  Our lodgings, Hotel Tomo, feature anime-inspired murals, to the great delight of our Japanese-pop-culture-fanGirl.  She's looking forward to doing some Japanese shopping in the morning, I believe.