TIPS FOR VISITING ALCATRAZ, THE MOST FAMOUS PRISON IN THE US

“If you break the rules you go to prison. if you break the prison rules you go to Alcatraz ”

Alcatraz was one of the most feared prisons in the world and possibly the most legendary thanks to the many novels and movies he inspired. We didn't know much about its history when we arrived in San Francisco but we had one thing clear: we couldn't leave there without visit Alcatraz and learn as much as possible about this unique corner.

That's how it went. We got on a ferry that in about 20 minutes left us in “The rock" The first thing we did when disembarking was to freak out the wind and the cold it was on that lonely little island. In the distance, on the other side of the bay, San Francisco stood and we thought it looked prettier than ever, it was not difficult for us to imagine that the greatest penalty, perhaps, was to be trapped there while life went on a few kilometers from distance ... freedom so close and so far.

The other day we unveiled a few curiosities about Alcatraz, today we tell you more about our visit to Alcatraz and we will give you all the information you need to plan your trip.

Today the prison is a national museum-monument since its doors closed on March 21, 1963. Why did Alcatraz close? For its costs: the most armored and most famous federal prison in the United States (and the world!) Was also very expensive.

To get there you have to take a ferry on Pier 33, included in the ticket. There is a model of Alcatraz Island, in addition to a restaurant where, if you have not already done so, you can try clam chowder, the typical clam cream of San Francisco.

The ferry ride does not take more than 20 minutes, once at the Alcatraz pier you will have to attend the explanations of the guides about how to take the tour. Then we recommend that you look at a documentary film (in English or Spanish) that is projected in one of the dark buildings of the island, tells you how the prison worked and how life was in "the Rock". We discovered then that on the island not only feared criminals lived: the guards, the mayor and the workers also spent their days (and nights) there ... and they didn't do it alone! Their families too, children included. Something good: the crime rate was zero XD.

Before arriving at the jail, which is at the top of the rock, we strolled the island which turned out to be, objectively, pretty and full of plants, flowers and birds quite nice (and crates). From there comes his name (from the bird, not from the poop): when in 1775 the Spaniard Juan Manuel de Ayala landed for the first time on this island he freaked out with the amount of gannets that roamed around and knew how to call that curious place .

The gannets are very handsome and photogenic, although what we wanted most was to enter the prison (we would never have said it) so we went there. At the entrance is the room where you can pick up the audio guide (free) which, by the way, was possibly the most complete we ever heard.

The tour of the prison It is impressive: walking through the corridors, seeing the cells, stepping on the dining room, walking through the administrative offices, imagining what life should be like in there, pouf, it is crappy. The cold and humidity get into your bones (we can't imagine the cold it has to do on winter nights!). You can also enter an isolation cell and we guarantee you will not want to stay there for a minute.

We can't talk about Alcatraz without talking about attempts to escape their prisoners, because as a good prison worth its salt and against the legend about the impossibility of escaping, there were several prisoners who tried to regain lost freedom. The most famous case was that of brothers Clarence and John Anglin and Frank Morris that they are the only 3 prisoners “disappeared”… although I don't know if they died in the cold waters of the bay or if they are taking caipirinhas in Brazil.

What is known is that its escape was very well planned: scraped the concrete wall of a wall of his cell with a spoon (blessed patience!) for many days to, once opened a gap large enough, crawl to the roof and reconquer once his freedom. It must be recognized that they did a good job, in their beds they left some paper mache heads (with hair included) so the guards did not notice their absence until the morning count.

Prison authorities declared the fugitives dead, although they never had evidence. It's more… All the tests point to the opposite:

• A few months after the escape, human remains were found in the waters of the bay (presumably from one of the former prisoners). When doing a DNA test it was ruled out that it was one of them.
• The mother of the Anglin brothers continued to receive birthday / Christmas greeting cards from their children throughout their lives.
• A photo allegedly of the brothers (on a ranch in Brazil) has been analyzed by forensic experts on facial features and their conclusion was that it is very likely that they are, in fact, the two brothers.

Curious, right? If you want to know more about the subject, watch the movie “Escape from Alcatraz”Or this documentary:

The Anglin brothers were not the most famous prisoners on the island (not even after having arrived at the cinema!) And that sounds like one Al Capone? Yes, the king of the Chicago Mafia was here. The gangster that flooded the streets of Chicago (and half of America) with liquor and blood during the time of the ban, arrived in Alcatraz in August 1934 although with a much softer charge: tax evasion! During his years in Alcatraz he showed himself as a fairly quiet prisoner, played the banyo in the prison band and began to have signs of senile dementia. He was released in 1939 and retired to Miami, where he would die in 1947.

¿Worth the visit to Alcatraz? Yes, flatly.

Video: A DAY IN SAN FRANCISCO. Alcatraz, Pier 39, and Fisherman's Wharf (April 2024).