San Francisco: Alcatraz Island

When we hopped off the tour ferry and stepped onto Alcatraz island, we didn't expect it to be so vibrant with life. We later learned that in 1775, Spanish lieutenant Juan Manual de Ayala named the island "La Isla de los Alcatraces" (Island of the Sea Birds) because of their being so plentiful there. That explains the origin of the exotic plant seeds that were scattered througout the landscape. It was a serene, steep walk around the outskirts of the island until we got inside. More on that tomorrow.