Alcatraz

Well I saved the BEST vacation post for LAST.... drum roll...... Alcatraz! You see as someone who is very "into" the Paranormal and the history of locations that make them that way Alcatraz has always been a Top 5 on my Bucket List! And in fact, Alcatraz was the sole reason we picked San Fran or let me rephrase that.... Alcatraz was the reason Matt let me pick San Fran as our spot!

I booked our tickets 6 weeks in advance because I was NOT going to miss this, although we did miss out on a night tour.... they book out 6 months in advance.

So the ferry ride to the island is only 20 minutes but JUST long enough for me to get sea sick.... literally, I am so pathetic! But in-between waves of motion sickness I really tried to place myself back in the days when inmates would arrive here and see the island ahead. It really is something to see.

I read a few books to "prep" myself like any nerd would on the Island before we came out so I knew about the Indian Occupation. After Alcatraz the Penitentiary closed Native Americans basically held an almost 2 year "sit in" claiming this island was theirs. Long before the US seized the island from the Spanish, made it a Civil War Military base Native Americans had already laid claim.

Besides the history, the paranormal and the fact that this Island overlooks the San Fran Bay.... it is beautiful.... the dilapidated buildings speak to me. HA!

This TINY little building was the morgue, inside were rows where I assume the bodies where held and a table in the middle for the newest body.... but it was really small. BUT with that being said there are only 8 recorded deaths on Alcatraz.

Check out this old Guard post from the Penitentiary...

Sprinkled around the main prison were the work locations that inmates helped run.

The showers, I can only imagine how this room probably saw a lot of violence. How could it not?

This is the work yard where inmates who earned privileges could come out and see the sun and play a game or two of baseball.

Everyone has been asking me if I "felt" anything, had a paranormal experience and sadly this picture below shows you exactly why that isn't possible....... because you are on the tour with literally like 1,000 other people. You have to fight to get pictures and you are never alone.

The place I was most excited to go to was D Block or Solitary and this is the block where 99% of all paranormal activity is reported! Here is a brief clip from when Ghost Adventures investigated the island in D Block...

And here are cells 13 & 14 from the video above............

Here I am in Cell 14..... I so badly wanted something to happen but with a line of people waiting for their chance to step inside that was a no-go! BOO! But none the less, I was inside the cell. Very very cool......

Look at the old Wardens house, I mean look what time has done to it...... it was incredible.

Another place that saw a lot of violence was the cafeteria, and I get it... all the men eating at once getting to interact with one another.

The California Parks and rec runs the island and is actually a State Park so the grounds are kept up beautifully.

And when you are leaving on your ferry this is the last thing you see............

And with views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Island it really is an incredible place to visit.

How did my visit live up to expectations? It did.... but the amount of people on the island at one time really ... sucks! haha! It was incredible and I can say I was THERE but I would kill (no pun intended) to go back at night with less than 20 people.

Half Moon Bay

The Sunday of our San Fran trip might actually be my favorite day now looking back, our day trip to Half Moon Bay. We got up early and on our 45 minute drive on the Pacific Coast HWY we got to watch the sun rise over the ocean and see all the pumpkin fields on our way to the Ritz. It was breathtaking.

 San Fran is SO busy, dirty and filled with smoke that being here was literally a breathe of fresh air and we were so peaceful.

 Matt got to play a the famous Half Moon Bay Ocean Course where all the major tournaments have been in the past and I was his photographer on the first 1/2 of the course!

 I got some really great shots of Matt and the scenery didn't hurt either! How do I like riding along with Matt while he plays? WELL... I don't! He is really good, and he takes it really serious so when he is in the zone he wouldn't even talk to me. SO... needless to say I was glad I peaced-out on the back 9 to head to the Spa at the Ritz.

 That is the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay where the course is attached to....

 Half Moon Bay is the Pumpkin Capital of California, who knew? SO the resort had many pumpkin themed items, food, drink, spa and the city is full of fields of pumpkins... If we weren't in a Uber I would have wanted to stop for more pictures!

 The homes that lined the course were unreal...... You know I LOVE the sound of the waves and the ocean, I really could be happy there I told Matt! hahaha!

 The morning was cool, bright, peaceful and Matt played his best as usual.

 I had a Pumpkin Facial at the Spa at the Ritz and it was Amazing! Afterwards on the deck of the resort they have these anorak chairs lined up over looking the course and the ocean and I was happily content for quite a while!

 Cheese..........

 We ran out of time and had to get back to San Fran but I regret not walking down to that beach!

The day was perfect except for ONE thing...... I have a funny story for you.... SO I got us reservations at Navio the Ritz's "famous" Sunday brunch like 6 weeks out and I was SOO excited! The buffet was unreal anything your heart could want they had it. And I thought that the price was $59 per person, so we were already trying to eat our money worth.... but oh no.... I was WRONG!!! It was $109 per PERSON! hahaha! So we literally both went back to try and shove more food down our mouths and try everything because we literally spent with tip $250 at BREAKFAST!!!!!!!! Matt and I do not mind spending money on food but BRUNCH? Luckily Matt was a good sport and we had a nice laugh and a FULL tummy!