June 4, 2006 - Alcatraz
ON Saturday, June 4, we journeyed once more into San Francisco to visit the famous Alcatraz Island. We donned sweaters (it's very windy on the island) and boarded the ferry to take the short trip out to island. I was surprised by how patient Natalie was on the tour. She was confined mostly to the back pack and Henry and I were both listening to audio tours. It was fascinating to learn the history - who knew it was originally an army base and only became a prison when the FBI was formed? There is an apartment building on the island where first army families lived and then guard families...another interesting fact I was unaware of.
As I listened to the different stories of the inmates, two stood out in my mind. One, was of a famous prisoner, known as the bird man, who fed and kept birds; and of two brothers who were able to escape by widening the vents in their rooms and climbing out during a thunderstorm through the utility space between the blocks of cells. If any of you have seen Stephen King's "Shawshank Redemption", it is no wonder where he picked up his ideas.
I think the thing that struck me most was the testimony from one prisoner who said, "the view from Alcatraz is spectacular. You would think one would appreciate being able to see the Golden Gate Bridge, the water, and San Francisco from the prison windows. Instead it reminded you how much you were missing."
We capped off the day by eating at the Franciscan - a restaurant on the water a stone's throw from Pier 41. It was absolutely fabulous food, some of the best we've had since being here (of course, it wasn't the diners, pizza parlors, and fast food restaurants we've been frequenting!!) I highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area.