A&F there we went. poor and loaded with awesomely fashionable stuff and what can only be describe as a soft-porn mag... (Hannah you know, Mum and Dad contact your nearest offspring for further details). Feeling sinful and in need of penance we set of for Grace Cathedral.
On our way there we encountered the Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco. Back on his movie quest, Chris indicated to Kate that this was where, in the Rock, Sean Connery is held by the FBI before helping them invade Alcatraz, including where he gets his haircut and the exchange between FBI Director Walmack and the barber
FBI Dir: 'You the barber'
Barber: (very camp) err no, stylist'
FBI Dir: 'Just clippers no scissors'
Barber: 'No scissors? you've got to be kidding me no scissors, I mean did they tell Picasso no brush?
FBI Dir: 'With scissors this man could kill you'
classic!
Across the Plaza from the Fairmont stood Grace Cathedral...Modelled on Notre Dame, Paris, the Cathedral was built following the Great Fire that followed the San Francisco Earthquake in 1906. it is the largest Cathedral in the Episcopal Church of the United States.
The inside was quite plain yet elegant, most of the walls left plain save for those with murals depicting the history of Grace Church (now the Cathedral) and the City of San Francisco, from the arrival of christian missionaries in the 15th and 16th centuries to the foundation of the United Nations.
The dominating feature on the outside was the great west doors beautifully decorated with biblical scenes in gold leaf.
From Grace Cathedral we transversed the City, first heading down California, (again here Chris came up with 'this is the tram car scene from the rock') he subsequently showed me the clip on youtube when we returned to the hotel!! We past some very impressive hills, here you go Ma!
There are 7 major hills in San Francisco and 40 odd smaller hills. Powell street where our hotel is was a major hill, it goes from bay Market street 4 blocks down from our hotel over to the Embarcadera (the street running the length of the bay originally a double decker highway that collapsed in the 89 earthquake) at pier 44!! We walked up the hill to reach Grace Cathedral, who put a Cathedral on a hill and at the top too!!! 3 words.....Hello Calf Muscles!
Having dropped back down steeply on California street we went north on Washington to the Trans America Pyramid. Through China town we were confused as it seemed to have disappeared!!! Until glinting in the sun light there is was, we gave you all the info on it in the last blog, but the tallest building in San Francisco was a very interesting piece of architecture....so much so that Chris got all arty farty with his photography Here we have the pyramid, sign and other interesting building!! (p.s the interesting building is the San Francisco church of Scientology)
From here we continued through North beach over to pier 39 where we would catch our blue and gold fleet escape from the rock cruise. Having baked walking to the pier we braved taking of our jumpers, that lasted all of about 30 minutes....we became icicles!! We had a little wait until our cruise so we took this opportunity to grab a Pretzel, it was really nice warm, but so salty, we felt out body drying out as we ate! We may have to carry our own salt to use in future!! We boarded our cruise getting awesome seats, however in order to get good seats we sacrificed our health and core body temperature. Mongo looked like an Eskimo and an idiot, 'at least my ears are warm' she said!! The Sky's were blue, could it be...will we see the bright orange bridge.........
Well....you decide!! No was the answer the fog covered the top, it was gloomy as we approached it though a token blue strip emerged from the behind the clouds reveling the bridge in the best light we have seen, we were also joined by some dolphins swimming behind the boat they just love Mongo!!! There were orcas in the bay mouth too but we didn't see them.
From here we continued through North beach over to pier 39 where we would catch our blue and gold fleet escape from the rock cruise. Having baked walking to the pier we braved taking of our jumpers, that lasted all of about 30 minutes....we became icicles!! We had a little wait until our cruise so we took this opportunity to grab a Pretzel, it was really nice warm, but so salty, we felt out body drying out as we ate! We may have to carry our own salt to use in future!! We boarded our cruise getting awesome seats, however in order to get good seats we sacrificed our health and core body temperature. Mongo looked like an Eskimo and an idiot, 'at least my ears are warm' she said!! The Sky's were blue, could it be...will we see the bright orange bridge.........
Well....you decide!! No was the answer the fog covered the top, it was gloomy as we approached it though a token blue strip emerged from the behind the clouds reveling the bridge in the best light we have seen, we were also joined by some dolphins swimming behind the boat they just love Mongo!!! There were orcas in the bay mouth too but we didn't see them.
Oh so it is orange.......
From the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz we went, first of all we went the wrong way around it, so the island was on the left of the boat....we were on the right, having not got him onto Alcatraz have I screwed this up to?? No thank goodness, we turned and circle the whole island again...phew!! As you can see a happy bunny!
Happy Bunny was right, 'The Rock' as the island is known was a desolate bare rock when native Californians first named it Alcatraz, after the only living thing that dwelt on it, a flock of pelicans (Alcatraz is Spanish for Pelican) when the Island became a federal penitentiary in 1934 soil had to be shipped in to allow any plants to grow. during its 29 years of operation as a prison Alcatraz was known for housing the worst of the worst, Al 'Scarface' Capone, George 'Machine Gun' Kelly and Robert 'The Bird-man' Stroud we listed among the notable alumni. An anonymous quote outside the port stated 'If you broke the rules they sent you to prison, if you broke the prison rules they sent you to Alcatraz'. We were told on our trip that the inmates arrived on the island chained, cuffed and blindfolded, inmates who died on the island, whether they died naturally or were shot by guards, they left the island the same way, chained, cuffed and blindfolded. 
As we reached the head of the island we caught the amazing view of 'The Rock' with the City of San Francisco in the background....sweet!!!!
From Alcatraz we headed in the direction of the city, and to bay bridge, this is the largest bridge in the bay transversing an island too!!! The block in the middle of this picture has more concrete in it than the the Empire State Building....that's alot of concrete!!!
ON our arrival back to Pier 39 we picked up our photo...we though it was free....haha so naive we are...$25 later and we have a picture of us on my birthday in font of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz...one each sweet!!! We were suitably frozen and in need of sustenance...Mongo suddenly desired a Java Chip Frappachino...don't know why but just did!!! We stopped by the Candy Barron for some Haribo Cherries...yummy and the proceeded to the Alcatraz Shop.....Chris had to pick up his inmate laundry...he left it there after his escape yesterday!! He wanted it as a memento! 
From the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz we went, first of all we went the wrong way around it, so the island was on the left of the boat....we were on the right, having not got him onto Alcatraz have I screwed this up to?? No thank goodness, we turned and circle the whole island again...phew!! As you can see a happy bunny!
Happy Bunny was right, 'The Rock' as the island is known was a desolate bare rock when native Californians first named it Alcatraz, after the only living thing that dwelt on it, a flock of pelicans (Alcatraz is Spanish for Pelican) when the Island became a federal penitentiary in 1934 soil had to be shipped in to allow any plants to grow. during its 29 years of operation as a prison Alcatraz was known for housing the worst of the worst, Al 'Scarface' Capone, George 'Machine Gun' Kelly and Robert 'The Bird-man' Stroud we listed among the notable alumni. An anonymous quote outside the port stated 'If you broke the rules they sent you to prison, if you broke the prison rules they sent you to Alcatraz'. We were told on our trip that the inmates arrived on the island chained, cuffed and blindfolded, inmates who died on the island, whether they died naturally or were shot by guards, they left the island the same way, chained, cuffed and blindfolded.
The frozen rock, just over 1 mile out into the Bay, kept its inmates firmly under lock and key and while many broke out of their cells and 36 prisoners were involved in 14 escape attempts none made it off the island.
Below we see the lighthouse towering over the island next to the ruins of the warden's house (mum you should remember the lighthouse from The Rock, when Nicholas Cage puts the very fragile glass ball, containing the poison gas, in his pocket and then jumps off the roof... whatever.. below these buildings are the guards barracks and the little wooden guard tower overlooking the dock. here guards were locked for eight hour shifts with a collection of weapons that would make the French Army weep (because it has so much more than they do). Men were shot and killed by guards from that tiny little room...
There was something hauntingly beautiful and quite mysterious about the island, whether because it was a prison or because of its brutal reputation I'm not sure. It is little wonder though that Alcatraz is one of the most visited of the US National Parks.
As we reached the head of the island we caught the amazing view of 'The Rock' with the City of San Francisco in the background....sweet!!!!From Alcatraz we headed in the direction of the city, and to bay bridge, this is the largest bridge in the bay transversing an island too!!! The block in the middle of this picture has more concrete in it than the the Empire State Building....that's alot of concrete!!!
We passed the Port of San Francisco which we aptly took a picture of as we had entered this port twice!!! This is Pier 1 if you are interested....on the first day we walked from here to Pier 39 with our bags!!!!
ON our arrival back to Pier 39 we picked up our photo...we though it was free....haha so naive we are...$25 later and we have a picture of us on my birthday in font of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz...one each sweet!!! We were suitably frozen and in need of sustenance...Mongo suddenly desired a Java Chip Frappachino...don't know why but just did!!! We stopped by the Candy Barron for some Haribo Cherries...yummy and the proceeded to the Alcatraz Shop.....Chris had to pick up his inmate laundry...he left it there after his escape yesterday!! He wanted it as a memento!
We found that the Starbucks we had been directed to was actually right next to the Powell and Market turn table...Starbucks had to wait we had to ride the only national monument that moves and it had to be a traditional tram!!! We weren't going to be mad more cold than we already were with a iced drink!!! We were onto a tram in less than 30 minutes...impressive considering the lines at the other side (we had seen them earlier this morning!!) hundreds of people seriously!!
We boarded the tram and travelled the whole way...up Powell the really steep one....going down was somewhat scary!! Mongo lent out the side the whole way to film it may add to blog later but i don't think it worked that well!!
Our position at the back of the tram was nice, we were able to get the view down and back up the hill, this is part of Powell our hotel is up there somewhere!!!
On our arrival at Market street, we were hungry, where would Chris take me for my birthday?? An Italian maybe....no McDonalds was the answer....and I paid we had both decided on MacDonnies but I thought he would have paid!!!!!!!! Despite the freezing temperatures i choose to have an ice cream sundae....because I could and it was my birthday! We headed back to the hotel then via the very impressive Emporio Armani designed in the image of the Pantheon in Rome!!
Mongo was happy to ride the tram and on her birthday too, the hair a little worse that usual she blames the Alcatraz cruise!!! No a particularly flattering picture my head looks tiny on a massive body!!!!
On our arrival at Market street, we were hungry, where would Chris take me for my birthday?? An Italian maybe....no McDonalds was the answer....and I paid we had both decided on MacDonnies but I thought he would have paid!!!!!!!! Despite the freezing temperatures i choose to have an ice cream sundae....because I could and it was my birthday! We headed back to the hotel then via the very impressive Emporio Armani designed in the image of the Pantheon in Rome!!
We Crashed back into the hotel, and as we had collected vouchers by 'Choosing to conserve' basically not having the cleaners in, we had a brink at the bar...well Mongo did Chris had a juice!! We both had a Starbucks and went to pack and blog, we have to be up at 6.30 though...and neither of us can freaking sleep!! Passed one we eventually made it to the land of nod....Michael McIntyre sketch comes to mind!!!
The Adventures of Mongo and The Boy, written and experienced by
Kate 'have an OS map when reading this to make sure i'm not lying about our routes taken' Davies
Kate 'have an OS map when reading this to make sure i'm not lying about our routes taken' Davies
and
Chris 'I didn't see anything, I never saw you throw that gentleman off the balcony. (whimpering) look all i care about is, are you happy with your haircut?' Davies
P.S. Watch the Rock, available at all good Davies households.
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