Day 14 - Visit to Fort Point and Trip to Alcatraz

We picked up the car this morning and then drove to Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge. The entire bridge was shrouded in fog upon our arrival. We had never seen the bridge like that before. A ship's horn could be heard every 10 seconds. At first, we thought it was coming from a ship passing under the bridge. But the bridge itself made a loud noise similar to a ship's horn.

At Fort Point, it felt like a gale was blowing. A strong wind was blowing, and we put on our winter jackets. It was just manageable with the sun out. But wearing shorts made it quite windy around the legs. You could go all the way up to the top of the Fort's roof. The pictures here give the impression that one could reach for the bridge.

Inside the Fort, many clocks were exhibited, just like they were used before the bridge was built. Many battles took place around the entrance to the Bay. It was really very informative!

Later, we crossed the bridge again and enjoyed the beautiful view.

Then we drove past the painted ladies. These are many beautiful colorful houses, some of which date back to the 19th century.

In the evening, we took the train towards Pier 33. From there, the ships ⛴️ depart for Alcatraz. For my birthday, Kathi had given me a tour and a visit to the prison, which I was very happy about. We then took the ship ⛴️ around 6:30 PM for about 20 minutes to the island. The view of the Golden Gate Bridge 🌉 and the city 🌇 from the ship was stunning. When we arrived at Alcatraz, it was still light.

In the prison itself, we first stood in the huge shower room, where all the inmates used to shower together, and we received a guide with narration in German. This guided us through the prison and explained everything to us. Also, the escape attempt of 1960, which was filmed in the famous movie “Escape from Alcatraz” with Clint Eastwood.

These were very special impressions conveyed to us there. The idea that someone was kept in solitary confinement and isolation for over two weeks, naked in a cell with only a steel floor to break him, is unimaginable from today's perspective.

After the tour, we took the ship back towards Fisherman's Wharf and then took the train back to the hotel. It was a really wonderful day.