Viking Invades Alaska!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Arrived safely into SFO about 2 hours ago and in the Chancellor Hotel in Union Square. It’s well, quaint. But in a great location.

Service was good. The menus
55797271-2752-4B18-B350-1EBA4C350099.jpeg

DF67E121-EDA6-4953-988D-FF32FA7CBC68.jpeg

Had the pumpkin soup which was nice and then the chicken which although doesn’t look great it was fine.

6D77B827-9CF0-4A46-91D9-DFF31760AE4E.jpeg

Deserts came on a trolley which suited me as I was ready to sleep. Fell asleep straight away then woke about 4 hours later when the guy next bumped me getting stuff out the locker. Wide awake. Watched a couple of movies part way then decided I could drop off to sleep again, which I did.

Then could smell bacon so woke up again for breakfast which had been ordered the night before.
I don’t like scrambled eggs but it was the only way to get bacon. A strange crumpet as well.

6D70A323-9107-43E2-BA13-6B99C176421B.jpeg

Weather perfect, coolish and sunny.

3A60BCD2-6897-4C6A-9802-E6B8845F4B58.jpeg

EEFFBA8A-B090-47A8-A27C-2F08DAC8846A.jpeg
 
I’m falling behind here. So last night being punch drunk from jet lag we decided on a close restaurant of which there are several. We crossed the road. Had pizza and spaghetti and ridiculously expensive wine and worked out we’d just spent $150 on a meal that was nice but not worth that much. Thankgod we will be on a cruise with food and drink paid for.

Our sleep was instant but at periods during the night we were awake for 2 hour stretches and consequently it was 10am before we woke.

We had missed breakfast which was additional anyway so no loss ($36USD ++) and checked in on a diner but kept walking down to Fisherman’s Wharf. Our plan being to go to Alcatraz. First shop said all tickets were sold so we walked to Pier 33 just to check and were able to get two tickets for an hour later cruise. Apparently in high season the tickets sell out weeks ahead online.

By then having walked up the three steep hills from Union Square to Embarcadero we were hungry and there’s no eating on Alcatraz. We’d walked past a sausage and onion pop up where the smell was wonderful. So after checking out an expensive carbohydrates laden diner we bought a sausage and ate in looking over the ocean. That’s all we needed. MrP has learnt American and asked for ketchup.

2B525E8A-0837-4F88-A584-F6FD4E3B2EC9.jpeg

Then it was time to line up for the 20 minute ferry to Alcatraz. And it was super busy.

The views over to Oakland bridge and Golden Gate were excellent even though it was a dull and cold windy day.

C8D234B8-A038-4C02-A2DF-14B6C25FA3A3.jpeg

DB81B318-D851-47F7-A17C-91D89460FF30.jpeg

DD272DED-A5A4-4D83-BBB1-E6957615E89F.jpeg

FFD070F0-826D-4F82-9E9D-181A21D2846B.jpeg
 
The Alcatraz tour cost $39 and consists of the ferry plus audio tour of the Gaol. Such a bleak place and wind blown environment.

Al Capone spent years here. Although many prisoners had committed property crimes rather then murder.

D816DD15-25ED-4E37-B7F1-0F73EA668A43.jpeg

The birds here are huge.
778D2B8B-AD31-4F71-9B0C-EAB694EF27C4.jpeg

Once the Gaol was closed by Kennedy in 1963 the Indian population claimed ownership.
9A2AB5F0-122C-41E2-A84D-803D1BB1D817.jpeg

The walk up to the Gaol was steep as it’s perched on the hilltop.

1E17F7F4-5A19-4D28-A4B9-1FDFDDDF542B.jpeg

299C8EC7-7153-47C4-8312-20B364660CEB.jpeg

Laundry.

09F24579-C4FD-407A-8339-A7E12BFF30F8.jpeg
 
12198245-260A-4627-B959-9FA6A2DA4932.jpeg

5A95D8E3-A314-4505-B9CC-C69BABC2B319.jpeg

Solitary confinement cells were larger than normal cells but faced the cold coastal side and which were bleak and freezing.

5F7C7821-54D8-4D51-AC6B-428109E88C35.jpeg

This being an original room with decorations as the prisoner liked painting.

1FA2E145-1321-41C4-AE5F-A7DCB0C601F2.jpeg

This cell was one of three used during a Gaol break. The prisoners spent a year digging through the ventilation space (mid right of this photo) and three escaped on a lifeboat made from a rain coat. They made dummies to look like their heads. There were never seen again. Theory was that they died from sharks or exposure and some said they escaped to South America as they were learning Spanish.

AD9A5DB3-F49D-4517-81EE-9F83E8C903BE.jpeg
 
We finally escaped and in the gift room there were many books including one written by a former prisoner. He was seated at a desk to autograph the book! Guess they can make a profit from crime over here.
CDF5C69B-367C-4412-B0F7-9C5C9CA5A6D7.jpeg

29CCF8A1-6B3F-414F-A782-049192339B96.jpeg

40AAF296-5E66-48EA-81E5-9D27A9A0DD82.jpeg

Caught the ferry back and then instead of the cable car we were cold and grabbed the nearest taxi back to Union Square. Decided to get Indian for dinner and found an excellent one close by.

Forecast for tomorrow is windy and rain. But tonight was warmer so we checked out the shop displays which were rather interesting.

Whomever would have thought a vacuum cleaner store would look good in a high end retail street.

AF24B58D-6363-4021-8382-B025B831760A.jpeg

DD58E36E-40E5-416B-883F-B563EA9295E3.jpeg
59971615-88AC-48C1-B8BD-6624014F60E2.jpeg


Louis Vuitton in perfect style
02848CF1-22AD-460B-8EAD-FF03B9F9D078.jpeg

Swarovski crystals.

1065D23B-2691-45A4-964E-DA84BFE59653.jpeg
 
Loving the photos! Hubby loves SF, I think you always remember your first cable car ride.

We did a twlight tour at Alzatraz about 2yrs ago and at the time there was offer a golf cart trip up the hill for those that needed it.

Keep posting!
 
Sponsored Post

Struggling to use your Frequent Flyer Points?

Frequent Flyer Concierge takes the hard work out of finding award availability and redeeming your frequent flyer or credit card points for flights.

Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, the Frequent Flyer Concierge team at Frequent Flyer Concierge will help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

On Qantas of all things! Nabbed award seats to the US the instant they became available. Via Sydney. Equals the awful bus. We do have 2.5 hours gap so hoping for some FLounging but MrP tells me he isn’t having anything to eat. To hell with that I say. We have agreed to do our own thing. Thank god.

I booked this cruise 18 months ago so plenty of time to sort out the other details.

Ha - I probably was there at the same time as you
 
Loving the photos! Hubby loves SF, I think you always remember your first cable car ride.

We did a twlight tour at Alzatraz about 2yrs ago and at the time there was offer a golf cart trip up the hill for those that needed it.

Keep posting!
Yes, they still do that but only for people with disabilities. And sometimes their companion can travel with them.

I must get MrP off to the gym today so I can do some shopping at Macy’s which I can see from the room. It’s either that or Saks which is just across the road. I think the weather is about to cave in, even as Far East as Grand Canyon where it’s going to only be 15 while we are there but up to 30 the week after. C that is. We have 2 more nights here then early morning flight to Flagstaff via Phoenix from Oakland, across that bridge.
 
Brunch - local style. And brought the vegemite.

1AC32067-9305-43CD-9AEC-3D10C7E83DC3.jpeg

941F8384-AACD-4B79-900D-2DCAF4F7E307.jpeg

126F589C-8BA8-4AAA-985F-B13642AE165B.jpeg

AE15E8AB-04E1-4553-B001-CA4ACCFF2982.jpeg

With vegemite of course. But forgot to say no Hashbrown and it wasn’t mentioned on the menus. A very busy place.

07BE47A0-08D1-4751-91B7-14337CADBB16.jpeg

It’s rainy and cool here so shopping in Macy’s and a gym trip on the agenda. Might look into the baby section. Our DIL now holds 3 passports - UK, US and now Aus so a little US influence is appropriate. And better range than in Aus for non gender items.

Also purchased some US notes in small denominations for Egypt cruise at Christmas time. Had to sort out the non crisp notes and will spend them here.
 
The Frequent Flyer Concierge team takes the hard work out of finding reward seat availability. Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, they'll help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top