Escaping Alcatraz

The infamous maximum security prison Alcatraz is located on an incredibly scenic island just 2 kilometers offshore. Several prisoners tried to escape from it over the years it was in operation, inspiring numerous Hollywood movies. But because of the extremely cold water and strong currents no one is believed to have actually made it to freedom. The few prisoners that were not found are assumed to have drowned.

Alcatraz closed down in the 1960s because it became to expensive to run. Today it is a part of a national park and a popular tourist destination.

Alcatraz can be seen from most places in San Francisco.

With the city only 2 kilometers away several prisoners tried to swim to freedom. No one is believed to have made it.

There is an audio tour guiding you around the prison with previous prisoners and wardens talking and explaining.

San Francisco

It is cold. Or at least colder. The hour long plane ride North defiantly came with a temperature change. But I was expecting it, at least in theory, and despite the cooler weather I am truly enjoying this city. San Francisco has a bit of a European feel to it, with an actual city centre, old buildings and decent bread(!).

We spent today touring some of the main tourist attractions such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Warf and Ghirardelli Square. San Francisco has in comparison to LA a wonderful public transport system, so getting around was easy.

San Francisco is famous for its crab sandwiches. I had one for lunch and I totally see why.

Sea lions at Fisherman's Warf. They just rocked up and took over the harbour about 20 years ago and no one managed to chase them away. Today they are considered a tourist attraction.

Janelle, Lesley, Hege and Hana. Ghirardelli's famous ice cream shop. We walked for quite a while to get to this place, uphill, and when we got there we had to wait in line for nearly 20 minutes. But the ice cream was good. Especially the fudge.

The Golden Gate Bridge.

San Francisco is filled with various street performers and beggars. This was one of the more creative attempts. A dog, a cat and the little white thing on the top of the cat is actually a rat. I do not know how he managed to get them to stay like that, but people were quite intrigued by it.

Everybody wants to go to Hollywood

- including me. But for a place associated with so much glitter and glamour it was fairly dull and filled with an array of somewhat shady characters. Besides the Walk of Fame and Grauman's Chinese Theatre there was not much to do there. Even the famous Hollywood sign was pretty hard to get a glimpse of.

The only place we could see the sign from was from the third floor of a shopping centre.

The hand and footprints of California's current governor/actor outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

The Harry Potter stars.

I guess this is the closest I'll ever get to Johnny Depp.

How cool would it be to attend Hollywood High School?

We watched Boyz II Men at night in downtown LA. I have never heard of the group, but apparently they very pretty big in the 90s.

The Chou family: Helen, Lesley, Henry and Michael posing at eight am in the morning. Lesley and I flew into San Francisco this morning where Lesley goes to school.

The Place Where Dreams Come True

Its the happiest place on earth - at least according to the advertising. Lesley, Karen (a girl that used to live on my floor in Hong Kong during the first semester) and I spent a busy day in Disneyland and its neighbouring park: Disney's California Adventure. While Disney is known for its never ending ques for just about everything, we hardly had to wait at all, speeding through the two parks at minimum effort. It was very visually pretty and some of the rides were absolutely amazing.

One of the rides had an option where you could email a picture taken while you where on the ride - for free! Needless to say I was at this very moment fighting off evil aliens.

It is the details that makes the park stand out from the other theme parks I have been to.

Hege and Karen feeling the happiness.

It is even prettier at night. The Disney castle is the pinkish thing at the back.

Sally, Hege, Lesley and Karen. Sally met us for dinner in what they call "downtown Disney". It is a bunch of restaurants and shops right outside the park.

California Dreaming

It's sunny, warm and there's a lemon tree in the garden - I am in the city of dreams, or at least pretty close to it, visiting some of my friends from Hong Kong. At the moment I am staying with my previous room mate Lesley and her family in charming little city called Cerritos.

We spent today touring Cerritos and its nearby attractions such as an amazing library, Walmart (my wish) and a shopping centre. We also dined at In-n-Out Burger which according to my guidebook is Los Angeles' best burger chain – it even has a secret menu.

In-n-Out Burgers

Cerritos Libraray - the children's section

Walmart - a true American institution