I
had the good fortune to be able to travel to San Francisco for work recently
and managed to do some sightseeing after my conference was over.
First
thing to do was to catch the cable car from the turnaround at Market and Powell
Streets.
The ride started with a steep climb up Nob Hill for an amazing view of the bay.
I alighted near Lombard Street to check out the famous winding stretch of the street.
The brick-lined street
zigzags around the residences’ bright flower gardens
It was quite a long walk all the way to FIsherman’s Wharf to catch the ferry to Alcatraz Island (aka The Rock), San Francisco’s famous abandoned prison. The ride itself offered great views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city.
Once on the island, an audio tour took visitors through the cellblocks and offerred snippets of the prison’s historic past and some of its infamous inmates.
Recreation
yard – the yard offered rare freedom of movement, association and choice. Some inmates chose to play baseball or run
laps. Others simply walked to the top of
the bleachers and looked out at what they were missing.
Isolation
cells or “The Treatment Unit” – reserved for unusually dangerous or violent
inmates. Men received adequate food and
health care but was confined to their cells 24 hours a day.
The
dining hall – the food was some of the best in the federal prison system, and
guards and inmates ate the same meals.
The prison's hospital
No comments:
Post a Comment