Tina's Quick Trip Back to San Francisco

Went for big breakkie this morning at one of the restaurents along by the wharf.  Tried to get into the Buena Vista one (supposed to be dead famous but not heard of it myself) but it was full.  Anyway got my breakkie ordered 'special' it was to have bacon, eggs, sausage and for some reason pancakes.  When I got it thought they were taking the p***!!!!  Sausages - check, Bacon - check, eggs - check but all put on top of these huge pancakes (like scotch pancakes with syrup)......  Why????????  Had all of it apart from the pancakes - don't undertstand that bit at all. 

So after that jumped a cable car and got off at China Town were they were holding some celebrations and had the dragons and stuff out in the roads - it was really good.  Then headed off to see some Academy of Sciences which I thought would be like a Natural History Museum or something but it wasn't - just an aquarium so wandered round that and now am in 'Copy Central' best place I've found that I can download my piccies and they're sooooo helpful with stuff. 

After this I'm going to try to get to Comedy Club - say's on line that there are no tickets left but am going to try at the box office but it doesn't open until after 3.00 p.m. - fingers crossed. 

Boat left docks about 6.40p.m. and only took about 10mins to get over.  Had done this before last time I was here but they had some different areas open to the public this time.  Did the audio walk which was good as it was narrated by inmates and guards, so very authentic!

Boat left to come back about 9.30 so you had nearly three hours looking about.  Saw the cells (including the ones where the prisoners escaped from and have never been found), dining room, hospital area (that was not open last time), offices and wardens office.  Didn't have the walk which went into the boiler or machine room (place filmed in 'The Rock') and over the exercise yard which I went on last time, which was just fantastic but I remember it was the first time they'd done it when I went and maybe for safety reasons they had to stop it.  Well, you were wondering about in the dark with just a couple of flashlights and going near the cliff edges and stuff!  Pity though that was really, really good.

Also one of the wardens said that the only reason prisoners wouldn't have made it swimming across (only about 1 mile) is that the water is cold (not icy cold though) and that there are some pretty strong currents (but no sharks only bottom feeding ones) and in fact that there are some of these swimming things which regularly swim across and that about 4000 people swim across from Alcatraz each year - madness!!!!!

Spend Saturday (today) up on Union Street (not Union Square) which was nice, some very expensive little shops but loads of bars and little cafes etc and sat and had brunch!  Tried to get into some to see some acts at the Comedy Club and the San Francisco Fringe (bit like Edinburgh Fringe obviously) and so far the online saying no so will have to see if I wait in line I can get a ticket - pants!

Came back to hostel late afternoon and zonked out?  Were did that come from?  Must be the hills, the sea air or the huge amount of calories I'm taking - soooo tired it's untrue....zzzzzzzzzz