Escape to Alcatraz, Part I

Imagine this post as if it were the first-half of ________________ (insert fantasy novel-made-movie title here…please say “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” and not “Breaking Dawn”). There are too many photos and if I were to share them all in one sitting, they would probably take you six hours to (hopefully) enjoy.

The caption under my 5″x7″ photo souvenir (which cost $11.00, by the way) says, “An Inescapable Experience” (jeez, that’s reassuring); I would’ve used that as the title of this post, but I thought it would be more ironic to title it the opposite of the Clint Eastwood classic “Escape From Alcatraz.” See the irony? Eh? Eh??

I had never been to a penitentiary before, but thought I knew what to expect because of my slight obsession (it used to be a major obsession, trust me) with the show “Ghost Adventures.” Not to say that Alcatraz wasn’t creepy at times, but it definitely wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It’s probably because there were at least 500 people there at any given time, whereas in the show it’s only the three of them taunting the spirits in the middle of the night…Anyway, the tour took a total of about three hours, in which I experienced every emotion ranging from excitement, to anxiety, to sorrow; excitement from the idea of exploring the infamous tourist destination, anxiety from potentially getting sick on the boat rides to and from the island (which didn’t happen, and never does, so I don’t even know why I freak out about this), and sorrow from the realization that more than a thousand criminals had spent years of their lives caged inside this cold, unforgiving place.

Nonetheless, it was an interesting activity, and mostly enjoyable except for how cold it was. I sincerely wish I would have added at least one more layer onto the three that I already had on. (Yes, I get cold very easily). (No, I’m not a vampire…or am I?) I was particularly fond of the complimentary audio tour, which lasted about an hour in total. It guides you through the main cell block and tells you cool stories and information/history about the island. (This also explains why everyone in my photos are wearing headphones, just in case you couldn’t put the two together).

Below are the first-half of the best photos that I captured at Alcatraz:

Alcatraz as seen from Pier 39, taken November 24, 2011 at 300mm.

A photo of Alcatraz visitors' feet. Taken in the Dining Hall, November 26, 2011.

Alcatraz visitors view the gated kitchen area. Above them hangs the dinner menu for March 21, 1963, which was the last day that the building was officially used as a prison. The menu reads: "Assorted dry cereals, steamed wheat, 1 scrambled egg, 2 milk, stewed fruit, toast, bread, butter, co_fee." Photo taken November 26, 2011.

My view of Alcatraz as we approach it via a 10-minute ferry boat ride. November 26, 2011.

Shelves for Alcatraz inmates. November 26, 2011.

Alcatraz visitors enter the main cell block to begin their audio tour of the building. November 26, 2011.

Here is a detail shot of a wall in the Dining Hall. Love the colors that the oxidization has created. November 26, 2011.

Just a detail shot of a brick wall along the outdoor walkway. November 26, 2011.

Old Warden's house, just outside of the main cellhouse. November 26, 2011.

Even barred windows at Alcatraz couldn't prevent escapes...November 26, 2011.

Kyle looks out one of two "windows to freedom" at Alcatraz. I wonder how many inmates have stood in the exact demeanor as Kyle? November 26, 2011.

A detail shot of an old wall heater. It's all about patterns! November 26, 2011.

I believe this is the Electrical Repair Shop. November 26, 2011.

Our visit to Alcatraz was actually one of the last things we did in San Francisco before starting our journey back home. I would say that it was a great way to top off the already-amazing time we had.

On a final note: if you found any of these photos to be somewhat or even completely uninteresting, then I successfully did my job. I use this tactic to entice you to come back for more – for bigger and better things like my favorite photos from Alcatraz, for example. (Yes, that was a hint).

Check back soon for Part II. Oh, and be prepared to see an awesome surprise photo of yours truly.

Snap back to reality (oh, there goes gravity)

There’s always a bittersweetness that can be felt upon returning home from a vacation. I’m sure we’re all familiar with that feeling, so I won’t waste time explaining how I’m experiencing it right this second.

I will say, however, that I definitely feel a lot better. A LOT. After two months of being unemployed, the (itchy) ants in my pants were multiplying at such high rates that getting rid of them became almost a desperate desire. How to rid of them, you ask? Traveling. Going somewhere. Going anywhere. Anything but staying here, because, well, there’s always something about here that drives me nuts.

Luckily, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Because of Thanksgiving, we (“we” as in the employed attendees of this trip) were all able to get Thursday through Sunday off. I know that might not seem like a big deal, but that is such a rarity in my family because my mom works weird shifts at a restaurant and Kyle works weird hours/occasional weekends at his job. And even though at least one of these people (*cough* Kyle *cough*) “didn’t want to go” at first, it turned out to be an amazing little trip. It’s also relieving that we didn’t get abducted by aliens, might I add.

As it turns out, I actually enjoyed San Francisco much more than I thought I would. In fact, I loved it. A lot. So much that I am seriously thinking about looking for a job and packing up all my crap and moving there when my lease ends in January. And that’s not just me talking…

Anyways, if you’ve never been to San Francisco, I would highly, highly recommend it. It will knock your socks off. It is absolutely beautiful, and there is actually a culture and real stuff to do. I will, of course, elaborate this on my blog in the days to come. For now, I leave you with this visual proof that I have returned to reality:

Three days ago:

The classic Bay Area scene: a sailboat crossing under the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California. Taken November 25, 2011 at sunset.

Now:

This is my lovely clogged kitchen sink, complete with hints of Cinnamon Toast Crunch remnants. November 28, 2011.

Stuffing and Olives

I dunno, I think I might be falling in love with blogging again… (said in a playful-yet-questionable-yet-sarcastic tone) I mean, this is my second post today (“whaaaa?” – ah, the beauty of scheduling posts for the future ). I’ll blame my re-discovered enthusiasm on recent “followers,” “likers,” and “commenters.” (Yes, I’m talking to YOU!)

Today is Thanksgiving. (Well, actually, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, seeing as how I wrote this “yesterday”…) I should be in San Francisco with my family by now (although there is still a chance we got abducted), and y’all should be sitting in your nice, warm, cozy homes enjoying the smells or tastes of a traditional (or non-traditional) Thanksgiving dinner. I must admit: I’m jealous; the thought of my mouth missing out on the scrumptious elements of this annual meal – the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, STUFFING (in all-caps to show that STUFFING is my FAVORITE), cranberry sauce, finger veggies, and pumpkin pie – was the one reason I almost decided against this trip. This goes to show how bad my wanderlust is.

Irregardless (oh wait, that isn’t a real word), I thought I would still share some pictures with you. These pictures happen to be taken on Thanksgiving Day in 2008 and 2010. (Don’t ask where 2009 went).

My cousin Mariah serves my mom a piece of pumpkin pie. Taken November 27, 2008.

Veggie platter (where are the OLIVES??). Taken November 27, 2008.

Baby sportin' a nice "do" and a pink tennis vest. Taken November 27, 2008.

First cut off the ol' turkey, courtesy of Grandpa. Taken Novemeber 25, 2010.

Portrait of Adele, my newest cousin. Taken November 25, 2010.

Immigration Canyon, Idaho, fogged in the distance with falling snow. Taken November 25, 2010.

One thing’s for sure: I’m going to miss this this year. Perhaps we’ll find a good restaurant in San Francisco that is serving turkey dinner.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What happens in the desert…is never heard of again.

I’ve been sitting here brainstorming topics for today’s blog for the past little while. Thanksgiving? Nah. Too generic.
Black Friday? Nah. I couldn’t care less about Black Friday.
Thanksgiving family vacation? Now there’s something, but not quite interesting enough.

Ah, got it… (please read on, this is going to get interesting – trust me)

So this year, instead of indulging in a scrumptious homemade Thanksgiving turkey dinner, my parents, Kyle, and I will be indulging in the sweet smells, sounds, and 60-degree weather of San Francisco, California.

I’m quite excited to go, as I have never been before. There are tons of things on our agenda (we’ll try to avoid being all touristy, but no guarantees): Chinatown (duh), Golden Gate Park (duh), Fisherman’s Wharf (duh), Alcatraz!, a redwood forest, and hopefully a bunch of other stuff that caught my quick, online eye. I am also lucky enough to have a previously published National Geographic Traveler issue with a nice editorial about San Franciscans’ favorite spots to eat, sleep, and shop, so hopefully we’ll get to go try out some of those places as well.

But the real reason I write this post is not to make you jealous that I finally get to leave this…this hell hole…
It’s more of a living will, so-to-speak.

Yes, that’s right. A living will. (Told you this would get interesting).

Normally, I wouldn’t be thinking about something like this, but when our proposal to drive the whole 12 hours through the pitch black desert of Nevada became the real plan (we’ll be leaving this evening at around 10 p.m. (thanks, Mom, for having a late work schedule)), I began to worry.

Worry about what, you ask? Falling asleep at the wheel and getting into a horrific, fatal accident? Slightly. But my biggest worry is…being abducted by aliens.

You heard me.

Aliens.

Call me crazy, I dare you, but I am a firm believer of extra-terrestrial intelligent life. Not merely from the numerous movies and TV shows that feature the “terrifying” (that’s what the media wants you to believe) creatures, but from my own sense of logic, and, well, a couple of strange experiences.

Speaking of “terrifying,” it seems as though I feel nothing less than terrified at the idea of an alien abduction. Did I mention I had to walk out of “The Fourth Kind” at the theater because I was shaking from being so scared? Then there are the other movies like “Fire in the Sky” (which is “based on actual events”) and conspiracies of their existence on Earth from “proof” in crop circles, religious texts, natural disasters, and home-video recordings of UFOs…

Anyway, if you’ve ever heard the stories about UFO sightings, you know they happen mostly in baron, uninhabited lands. Like the desert. Some poor semi driver will be scootin’ along at 3 a.m. and he’ll see a massive flying object with many lights hovering low to the ground. He’ll get out to get a better view, then BAM! He’s either vanished, or worse, he’s deemed a nut job when he runs into the nearest gas station yellin’ ’bout how he saw them aliens.

I don’t want either to happen to me, but just in case… if we don’t return by Sunday night, then don’t be surprised at our disappearance. With that said, I would like to leave Chloe and Baby to Christi Z., since she will be dogsitting them while we are gone. I don’t doubt her ability to further care for them. I will leave Souk my iMac, and whatever else he might want from our apartment. I will leave robbers/the landlords whatever else is left. I’m sorry if I left anyone important out, but it’s likely because no one else knows where we live.

Regardless, I hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving weekend. Perhaps I’ll send y’all a postcard (in the form of a blog post) from San Francisco just to let you know that we got there without being abducted (for more than a few hours, anyway).

My Glorious Day Off

This post is a response to ZLifeOfKyle‘s post “Day Off“…

You call that “glorious?” That is what happens to me pretty much everyday. I think to myself, “Tomorrow I will clean the apartment, maybe go to the gym, maybe go ‘treasure hunting’ at the thrift store…anything but sit at the computer all day.” Sometimes I even go as far as making a to-do list. But do any of these things happen? Do I actually clean, go the gym, or go ‘treasure hunting’? No – I end up sitting at the computer all day.

My idea of a “glorious day off” (more like 2 months off…) consists of waking up before 10 a.m.; having a nice, healthy, filling breakfast; going exploring and photographing somewhere I’ve never been; picnicing with Kyle and/or friends and bringing along my non-wild-when-in-public dog; coming home to spotlessness and the smell of home cooking and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies; devouring said home cooking and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies; NOT getting heartburn/indigestion after dinner; taking a nice, long, warm bath; cuddling up on the couch and sharing laughs and kisses with my loved one; then heading off to bed at a decent time, after which I do not wake up once during the night. Repeat the next day (until I get a job).

Doesn’t that sound like the bee’s knees?

Unfortunately, it is merely a fantasy and somewhere along the lines of 80% unlikely to ever happen. The following passage explains how my days really unfold:

Six out of seven days of the week I wake up at or after 10 a.m. and unless you call a half-eaten bowl of Fruity Pebbles or a chocolate-frosted donut a “nice, healthy, filling breakfast,” then that never happens. I sit at my computer and look at all the beautiful pictures of New York City, France, and Italy, then become all pissy because I’ve never been to any of them. My illness of wanderlust also severely takes its effects on me as a result. Everyone I know, especially Kyle, has a day job. This means picnicing with Kyle and/or friends. And since this “non-wild-when-in-public dog” is non-existent (looking right at you, Chloe), then the picnic idea is completely scrapped. And it’s not like I’m about to go on a picnic by myself. Not in this part of town, anyway… In reality, unless I hire a maid, there is no way this place is ever going to be “spotless,” and “the smell of home cooking” is more like “the smell of burnt $3.00 steaks on the stove.” Freshly baked cookies is sometimes an occurrence, but if I made and ate them everyday my frequent indigestion would probably kill me altogether. My bathtub is probably filthy at best – and let’s face it, I’m too lazy to clean it everyday, so I end up taking 20-minute lukewarm showers under a crappy shower head. We don’t even have a couch, and we’re way too busy doing other pointless things (like Facebooking or blogging) to cuddle and share laughs and kisses on a daily basis. Finally, I don’t end up falling asleep until around 1:30 a.m, waking up sporadically throughout the night from a certain dog jumping up on the bed (again, looking right at you, Chloe) or finally deciding to no longer attempt to get a good night’s rest on my 4-inch high tempurpedic pillow.

Anyway, this post was meant to be funny, so I’m sorry if you got cynicism out of it. (Or maybe it was meant to be cynical, so I’m sorry if you got funny out of it)…but the real point is that I want y’all to go check out Kyle’s bloggy-blog. He started it not too long ago and has big plans for it. If you follow it I’m sure you will continually be entertained (unlike you are over here).

Dear Readers: VOTE FOR MY PHOTO!

If you haven’t already, please show your support and vote for my photo in the B&H Photo Fall Color Contest! PRETTY PLEASE! I would absolutely love and appreciate it if you could share my entry with your friends as well!

https://apps.facebook.com/promotionshq/contests/166618/voteable_entries/36043656

*Please note that you have to have a Facebook account and allow an app called “Promotions” to access your profile. Nothing difficult, and I’m sure you could even revoke the app’s access after you vote.

Thank you all in advance. I hope I win!

It was a beautiful fall day in the canyon. Taken October 15, 2011.

Cyclist in Stanley Park

Cyclist in Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C., May 2011