Fourth day started early for our Alcatraz tour at 9:30 am. We had to be there 45 minutes before the ferry boat left for our tour time. The boat we rode in held 700 people and went every 30 minutes back and forth from Alcatraz island. Once we got to the island, we had to walk 1/4 mile up a incline to get to the audio tour inside the prison cells. Each of us had headphones and a mini mp3 player that had the audio on and told us different facts about each area. It lasted about 90 minutes. It was very interesting and very quiet too, because everyone had on headsets and listening. The kids weren't even bored. It was a great history lesson for all of us. We saw a 17 minutes DVD on Alcatraz at the discovery channel did and then the audio tour and we at our leisure we could walk around the island as long as we wanted. They had one of the inmates that is still living sign books in the bookstore for souveniers. Erika purchased one for her US History class and possibly get extra credit points. We left the island at around 1:00 pm and then the kids were starving again and suggested we go to the Rainforest Cafe for lunch, so we walked to Pier 39 where it was. The food was okay, but it is all about the atmosphere inside. We then booked a tour on a Cable Car that was converted to drive anywhere to Golden Gate Bridge and other San Francisco sites, which we had seen on the ride the duck tour, but we were able to get a discount for the same tour company. It was a little bit chilly riding the car over the bridge at 50 miles per hour, but luckily for us, they had blankets there to use. After two hours of the tour, we sent Brian and Rob to get our jackets at the cars, because we left them there earlier, and it was getting chilly again. Oh, and it cost to park your car down by the pier, the first day it cost us $28 for the day and the second time we were smarter, and only paid $10 for the day. Everyone is trying to earn a buck at the Pier's. From jugglers, to mime's, to guitar players and keyboards, to homeless people, to magician's, etc ,etc, etc. It was crazy in Pier 39 with all that going on outside and inside. We then decided to go to the 4D movies that Riley and Sarah wanted to do the day before. The movies were Speed Racer, Spongebob and Journey to the Center of the Earth. So you get the 3D glasses and then the seats move around when you are watching the 3D movie. It was really crazy, but it was fun too. The best one was Spongebob, surprisingly. We decided to get Funnel Cake and watch a lady do a magic show. She was 57 years old and she asked Brian to come and volunteer for her. He had to hold a walking stick for her to walk across and juggle. She climbed up his back over his head. I thought Erika and Riley were going to die of laughter. Brian was a good sport and let us laugh at him doing his chippendale dance as well. We then went to our cars and decided to drive down Lombard street, the #1 most crooked street in the US. It was crazy, becasue people actually live on that street and park their cars on it. It was a very steep street and can understand why they made it wind back and forth, but it is the only one if San Francisco. It is very famous from many different movies, like "What's up doc" with Barbra Streisand. We then drove to the Coit tower to look at the city in the dark. We tried to go there earlier, but didn't make it until it was dark and it was closed. We then decided to go back to the hotel and pack up, since we were leaving on the airplane in the afternoon. We had a great time, but we wanted to do some much more, but there just wasn't time. There is alot to do in San Francisco, but I am sure we only saw a sliver of it. Thanks to the Autrey's who came and spent time with us for a couple of days.
