Ellis Island of the West

Angel Island is bit unassuming, and much less famous, than its nearby sister Alcatraz, but no less interesting. For many years, the speck of land in the San Francisco Bay served as the point of entry for millions of immigrants coming to the U.S. – mostly from Russia, Latin America and Asia, especially China.

While today Angel Island is mostly enjoyed by hikers, bikers, and nature-seekers as a National Park, remnants of its history are still visible at the former Immigration Station.

You can even walk through the remains of the barracks which used to house personnel and immigrants. In World War II, Angel Island also served as a detainment center for prisoners of war.

For non-history buffs, though, the main attraction are clearly the many views of other parts of the Bay Area. Above, Treasure Island and the East Bay. Below, Tiburon.

And seeing San Francisco’s skyline from Angel Island is certainly worth the ferry ride across the Bay, not just during Fleet Week.

After a long walk, you can chill out in the picnic area right next to the ferry landing...

...or let your feet take a cool bath in the Bay.

Literary Landmark

Few bookstores in the U.S. – or even the world – have a pedigree like San Francisco’s City Lights: This is where “Beatnik” writers like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg found a home, at a time when no traditional publisher dared to touch what they wrote.

Today, City Lights is both an official San Francisco landmark and a vibrant independent bookstore, located in North Beach. Upstairs, there’s a whole room dedicated to Beatnik poetry.

I had a chance to photograph this icon of literature for the Swiss newspaper Le Temps. You can find a gallery with many more images on my photo website.

Sunny Barbara

Back in 1786, Spanish Franciscan monks built the Old Mission Santa Barbara – which, to this day, remains one of the more remarkable sights in town, despite much competition by all those tanned bodies on the beach...