Boat Landing at Alcatraz
I've really been enjoying my life of unemployment. Yesterday, I behaved like a tourist, and visited Alcatraz Island for the first time.
I had heard from friends that this is a very interesting tourist attraction, despite it's "touristy" reputation. I must agree, but mostly because the audio tour was so entertaining, not necessarily resulting from the site's inherent historical significance.
A 45 minute audio tour is provided to all visitors who purchase a ferry ticket. This audio tour won an award and is considered to be one of the best in the U.S. It was certainly one of the most dramatic audio tours I've ever taken, and I have listened to some very good ones (my favorites include the audio tour at the Vincent Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and the audio tour at the Santa Croce in Florence. Thanks, Melissa, for the heads up).
A 45 minute audio tour is provided to all visitors who purchase a ferry ticket. This audio tour won an award and is considered to be one of the best in the U.S. It was certainly one of the most dramatic audio tours I've ever taken, and I have listened to some very good ones (my favorites include the audio tour at the Vincent Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and the audio tour at the Santa Croce in Florence. Thanks, Melissa, for the heads up).
Alcatraz's Broadway After being ushered past the area where you get your jail uniform, you are led down the main aisle of the jail. As you walk down "Broadway" you hear raucaus catcalls and heckling from a million imaginary prisoners all around you. This was the tune to which which all new prisoners were greeted with upon arrival. The heckling sounds so real, except that the three stories of jail cells surrounding you are completely empty, which made for a jarring experience.
Later, you are lead to the recreational yard, where prisoners receive a glimpse of San Francisco, so close, yet so far away. It is here that you feel the cold, bay wind gusting all around you, and you realize the feeling of hopelessness and desolation that the prisoners must feel
The scariest part for me was the solitary confinement cell, called, "The Hole". The Hole was occupied by Al Capone, Alcatraz's most famous resident, 3 times. The room is completely bare, except for a hole in the ground in which you do your business. Prisoners were isolated in this cell, in the dark, for days at a time. The audio tour is then narrated by a former prisoner, the tapping of a button bouncing on the floor serving as the background. When placed in solitary confinement, this prisoner used to turn around three times and drop a button onto the ground. He would then search everywhere in the cell for his button, until he found it, whereupon he would repeat the proces, ad infinitum
Even more creepy was the story of another prisoner. When placed in the "Hole" he would concentrate on seeing a bright light over the period of hours and days, until it finally became a TV. He would then go inside of the TV and take trips. The audio tour invites one to step in to The Hole, which I opted not to do after hearing these haunting stories.
All in all, I enjoyed Alcatraz. I would recommend it to anyone visiting San Francisco. Or to Bay Area residents who have never had the inclination to visit before.
Later, you are lead to the recreational yard, where prisoners receive a glimpse of San Francisco, so close, yet so far away. It is here that you feel the cold, bay wind gusting all around you, and you realize the feeling of hopelessness and desolation that the prisoners must feel
The scariest part for me was the solitary confinement cell, called, "The Hole". The Hole was occupied by Al Capone, Alcatraz's most famous resident, 3 times. The room is completely bare, except for a hole in the ground in which you do your business. Prisoners were isolated in this cell, in the dark, for days at a time. The audio tour is then narrated by a former prisoner, the tapping of a button bouncing on the floor serving as the background. When placed in solitary confinement, this prisoner used to turn around three times and drop a button onto the ground. He would then search everywhere in the cell for his button, until he found it, whereupon he would repeat the proces, ad infinitum
Even more creepy was the story of another prisoner. When placed in the "Hole" he would concentrate on seeing a bright light over the period of hours and days, until it finally became a TV. He would then go inside of the TV and take trips. The audio tour invites one to step in to The Hole, which I opted not to do after hearing these haunting stories.
All in all, I enjoyed Alcatraz. I would recommend it to anyone visiting San Francisco. Or to Bay Area residents who have never had the inclination to visit before.
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