Barns Family USA Odyssey: Alcatraz

So yesterday was a huge day. We headed off for Alcatraz, and spent a fantastic day there. The kids filled in the National Parks workbook (Alcatraz is cared for now by the National Parks) and received their first Junior Ranger badge. We were all taken with the place - it was fascinating, and our guide was super, telling us many stories of the guards' families who lived there, and the daily routine of the place. We took a picnic lunch, and unlike the other day when we picnicked in the freezing cold, this day was glorious. We meandered through Pier 39 afterward - incredibly touristy - but our destination of the Ghirardelli chocolate store was very rewarding. The sea lions at the pier were a sight to behold, as was Oliver's impersonation of them - grunting and drooling included!

Today (Sunday) was Pride Day in SF. We began our day by attending mass at Grace Cathedral, followed by sushi for lunch - the food here in SF is so fresh and clean ... we are making the most of it before we head into 'steak land'. By chance we visited Julie's shoe mecca (see image below). To get back to the Children's Creativity Museum we had to head downtown past the crowds of the Pride parade. The children wanted to know what the party was all about, so we gave a potted version for them. Though I think the colourfully adorned people (and those who seemed to forget to adorn themselves with anything to wear) filled in the gaps for the kids. A lady handed Benedict a placard which he gratefully accepted (he had no darned idea what was going on) and waved it madly at people who thought he was cute! Hilarious! Victoria on the other hand knew exactly what was going on, and was very unsure of herself. All things were made better in the end with an ice-cream and carousel ride at the Creativity Museum.

On the ferry to Alcatraz

Alcatraz - land officially given back to the Indian people
(Ken: A few years after the prison closed, Indian protesters occupied the abandoned site for 19 months. Even though they were evicted eventually, this period is now memorialised as part of the National Park. Still, you have to admire the chutzpah of the protesters offering to buy Alcatraz Island from the federal government for $24 of beads and blankets!)