Wet, Wet, Wet

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A new day in a new and exciting city and it's chuffin pouring with rain. Time passes as we look out the window trying to figure out the best action plan as today is the day we visit 'The Rock'.
At about 2 we decide to bave it and venture out to make our way to Fishermans Wharf. Both armed with umberellas we hit the soaked streets and jump on one of San Franciscos famous cable cars.
Packed with soggy tourists and leaking, this is not the most pleasent mode of transport but an experience.
The journey takes about 15 minutes and drops us off in the heart of the wharf. On a normal day this is quite a good place and packed but not today. It is now hammering down and we decide to walk a bit closer to where the ferry will leave for Alcatraz before stopping for a bite to eat.
By now we are looking like drowned rats and both have trench foot and at Pier 39 (we need to get to Pier 33) we stop and take stock.
Shops and cafes are open but when your soggy and stinky and peed off you just want to get on with it so we carry on. We finally reach Pier 33 and I can no longer feel my toes and Claires hands are in serious danger of dropping off. We collect our tickets and go into the holding area / cafe to wait.
As we sit there dejected, sipping on hot drinks to try to get the blood circulating again, we watch the previous boat load stomp through after their trip. At this point I'm ready to give up but we decide to power on through with good 'ole British bulldog spirit !!!!
It's our turn and it seems not only the British love to queue as everyone streams out to stand and queue in the pouring rain and cold wind.
There is no cover and some stupid women is checking peoples ID and credit card details against their tickets !!! Why on earth this couldn't have been done at the ticket booth or one the boat in shelter I do not know and is one of the most stupidest things we have seen.
We leave the queue and go back inside. At this point I'm losing the will to live so to cheer ourselves up we buy Alcatraz rain ponchos - let the hilarity ensue.
About 30 minutes later the ticket women finally realises she is a silly moo and lets people thrugh.
It's a short ride to Alcatraz and unfortunately due to the weather you can't see much or stand outside.
We dock and all pile off. By now it's pitch black and the wind is howling. We stomp up the hill and enter The Rock. We are each given an mp3 player with headphones which contains an audio tour and set off around Alcatraz.
The commentary was very informative and given by a former guard. It detailed all the areas of the cell block with stories from previous inmates. By this point we had forgotten about just how wet and cold we were and were loving it. It wasn't as creepy as I thought it would be but amazing to see just how cramped the cells were and how damp, cold and opressive it must have been. The tales from the guards (and inmates) were fascinating. Towards the end one of the rangers gave a 'Sounds of the Slammers' demo where he opend and closed the cell doors to let us hear that sound that probably all the residents hated to hear. This was quite creepy and a good end to the tour.
Back on the boat and back to dry land. We managed to jump on a tram fairly quickly and headed back to hotel to dry off. It was a toss up between bed and room service or over the road for a meal.......
A quick change of clothes and we set out again, only over the road though, and had a very nice meal to end a very wet but very good day.

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Photos

pic 1
The Rock

pic 2
This look will rule the cat walks this Spring

pic 3
Previous inmates narrating the audio tour of Alcatraz

pic 4
A cell. Cramped and nasty

pic 5
Singing in the rain, just singing in the rain !!