Got up early, packed up thecar, checked out and left the car in the garage and caught the bus down to Pier 33. Once there we had breakfast and boarded the prison transport to Alcatraz.
There was quite a few heading out too. Our boat left dock at 9:30. The water was calm and the views were good. A few clouds the sun was hiding behind. Short boat ride and we docked. Once off we had a 5 min orientation then we hiked it up to the prison. Once inside we got our audio tour devices. It was a 45 min tour and narrated by a former guard. They had excerpts from former prisoners and they guided you very well through the prison. We then exited through the gift shop (of course. Lol this seems to be standard now - do a tour and you have to exit through the gift shop.) They had an really neat snow globe of the Golden Gate Bridge but it was a "fog" snow globe trying to replicate the fog that rolls in all the time. I think what amazed me the most about Alcatraz was the gardens. The families of the guards that lived there created victories gardens and late inmates, closely guarded, we're allowed to garden as well. Since it shut down they went wild but they are beautiful!
After Alcatraz we hopped on the light rail to catch the connection transit a little ways away. Once back at the hotel there was a burger joint close by so we stopped for lunch. It was so good!!!! Then we hopped in the car and hit the highway up to Mendicino. We took the scenic coast highway and at every chance we got we stopped and took pictures and drank in the coastline. It is just something that takes your breath away.
So we pulled into Mendicino a tad later than originally predicted but it was only just after 7. Ah Mendicino. Its....Mendicino. If you like small Victorian towns then this place is for you. The hotel we are at...well we have a 10 x 10 room with a double bed, a sink and a closet the size of a coffin (Kels words). We share a bathroom so it's out the hallway. Ya. So Um this is an adventure tonight. Dinner was overpriced and terrible. And there's SUPER shoty wifi.
We have an early start tomorrow as it's a loooooooong drive to our next stop.
Up next: Cannon Beach.
Signing off....
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