Situated on an island just 1.5 miles off San Francisco, Alcatraz, known as the "Rock", was home to some of the most notorious prisoners, like “Scarface” Al Capone, “Birdman” Robert Stroud, George “Machine Gun” Kelly and Alvin “Creep Karpis” Karpowicz.
Welcome to Alcatraz Island.
Somehow, I couldn't help thinking of Shutter Island.
This used to be a watchtower.
The forbidden area.
These were the ex-inmates who guided us on our audio tour. The audio tour lasted approximately 2 and half hours. We walked around with headphones, listening intently to the recorded voices guiding us where to go. Each new destination was accompanied with solemn flashbacks of the past.
View of San Francisco from a small window in the prison.
In the dark halls of the prison, a window outside Al Capone’s cell was the glimmer of hope to many. Peeking through the little rectangle, I could see the city of San Francisco sitting proudly in a distance. The inmates would say that they yearned to swim across the waters, whether shark-infested or not, to the thriving city. Sometimes, they could hear the laughter and city buzz. At night, the spectacular city lights just made them miss the city even more.
“I used to stare at it for hours, sometimes. Freedom felt so near, yet it was so far,” an inmate’s voice drifted sadly through the headphones.
The courtyard was a place of leisure. Prisoners would take a stroll and enjoy the fresh air, or play cards.
This island has seen and heard so much. I believe that there are more mysteries wedged between the dingy walls that have not been exposed to public. Whatever they are, they will remain a secret of Alcatraz for as long as it lives.
All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.
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