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Published: June 26th 2002
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Alcatraz - trust the Americans to take a top security prison that has been "home" to some of the most violent and notorious criminals of the 20th century - and to turn it into the biggest tourist attraction in the city.
I booked a tour with Cherolyn from Canada - and embarked on the journey. (Aside - this travelling thing is cool - just walk into a room of strangers and ask if anyone wants to go to prison today, and someone will.) I've seen the island in so many movies - too see it in real life is awesome, shame about all the tourists - but hey pot kettle black etc. The ferry journey is so quick and the first thing you notice is that it is cold - I'd forgot my jumper.
On landing on the island 350 tourists all gather in a small port area - for the only required stop of the day - listening to some tour guide really hamming it up and dishing out the island rules. I took this as my cue to leave and went away from the tourists and tour guide and up to the main prison building.
As
Cherolyn and a Duck
Feeding a strawberry to a fussy duck. part of the ticket price ($13) an audio tour is included. The guide is really great - narrated by former inmates and correctional officers - I felt a little like a zombie though - "now walk down C-D street and over to the gun gallery" - yessss master. Without the guide though I wouldn't have found out about all the escape attempts and murders, deaths and inmates.
May 2nd - 4th 1946 - an escape attempt occurred which is now known as the "battle of Alcatraz". One prisoner given the privelige of library duty noticed a slight flaw in security, a single weak point and decided to escape. By bending back the top bars of the gun gallery using a lever - Bernard Coy - was able to squeeze into an area where an armed guard watched out over the cells - somehow he over powered the guard - released five of his fellow inmates, and made for the recreation area and freedom. By a twist of fate the key for the recreation area was missing. The escapees were trapped and the alarms were going. What followed allowed the taking hostage of 14 correctional officers - who were all
Lombard Street
The Crookedest Street executed, and the deathes of 4 of the prisoners. The two caught were executed in gas chambers soon after. More information on
Alcatraz. See I've even learn't something 😊
If only I had brought the spare batteries for my camera with me 😞 I have only a few photos of the island now. Oh well.
The rest of the day was filled with American culture - A shopping mall and movie and a burger - erm thats pretty much what I used to do at home as well... differences, you get more chips (er fries) and people heckle the movies ... Minority Report - pretty good.
Well on with today - and working out how to get to Yosemite soon.
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