2nd Nov day 19 cable cars and Alcatraz

Enjoyed my breakfast in my room with scrummy yoghurt/fruit and granola, as well as fresh orange juice. Chancellors Hotel was built in 1912 after the terrible earthquake of 1906. The builder wanted it to be so secure that sadly he went bust installing all the safety features. It was bought by Isador Rosenburg and is still owned and run by his grandchildren, its one of the few family hotels in San Francisco. It's perfectly situated on Powell St just up from Union Sq. It has some special touches that are lovely - sweets in the bedroom, homemade cookies on reception for you to help yourself, as well as fresh fruit, popcorn, hot filter coffee and a variety of Twinings teas. 

Simon FaceTime'd me and we had a good catch up. He had just got in from a swim at Ocean Spa and in less than 2 weeks I will be joining him - yikeroos that's a fab thought. He has booked a couple of trips for while I am staying and they sound great 1) Wellington for the first few days of his long summer holidays, with Nicholas 2) a few days away at Lake Taupo which takes in the New Year, that's with Carol (Simon's girlfriend) and her family. Also there's a dinner and cinema trip to see Spectre, the new James Bond film arranged to celebrate Jillian's (a friends) birthday on 14th Nov. 

Today was my day to go to Alcatraz so I got on the cable car just opposite the hotel, the trip took about 30mins to reach the seafront. With the very steep gradients, constant jerking and really creaky brakes you do wonder if they are actually safe?

A Philipino guy sat next to me and started talking, he was travelling alone and I just knew he was going to want to accompany me. His English was not easy to understand (but in fairness to him it was a lot better than my Philipino!). As soon as we got off he announced he would come join me as he didn't like being alone aaargh. I walked at a stiff pace down to the waterfront, I wanted a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge after the mist yesterday, bless him he scuttled along next to me. He said he wanted to go to Pier 39 so I told him where it was, but still he stayed with me. He asked me to take lots of photos of him which I did and he took this one of me.

He then wanted us to have selfies together, I balked at that as I'm not a fan of 20 year olds who take those and for someone with a neck like an old turkey that was a bridge too far. I carried on walking at a fair pace along the waterfront and then he announced he wanted to take me for a meal. Last straw time, I thanked him, said no and shot off like a bullet from a gun. I know Cheryl wants me to meet someone on this trip but a 70 yr old who's about 6 inches shorter than me wouldn't even be her ideal man, or would it - eeeek!

The boat trip in the sunshine was stunning and the views of San Francisco Harbour are fantastic from the boat and from Alcatraz. I did the tour in order to learn as much as I could and took lots of photos.

It's a very interesting place on a sunny but cold day, but it must have been the pits to be incarcerated there, especially in the freezing cold and wet. Only 3 of the people who escaped were unaccounted for, it's assumed they drowned like the others who tried, but who knows they just might have made it. I hadn't realised the families of the guards lived on the island and the accounts from some of those children were really interesting. They said it was a lovely place to live. None of the homes were kept locked as it was considered a safe community. The kids got the boat across the bay every day for school - well you live and learn don't you.

There was a crazy long wait of an hour down at Fisherman's Wharf for the cable car to come back and there was a biting wind. It was comforting to get back to the hotel for a hot coffee and cookie. I really didn't fancy a long walk to a restaurant this evening so just popped over to Lori's Diner, which is up the street. Their meatballs and spaghetti were just what I needed on a raw November night.