Of course the first thing we do after getting to San Francisco is go
to prison. We actually wanted to go take the night tour for more
jollies, but there were no longer any spots available so we ended up
going during regular business hours. After finishing at Brainwash,
the coolest laundromat ever, we headed over to Pier 33 to catch the
ferry over to Alcatraz Island.
If you were in doubt about the visit to Alcatraz being one of the most
popular tourist sights in San Fran, the ferry terminal left you
without any doubts. Instead of a ferry, we boarded an "Alcatraz
Cruise" which featured the obligatory pre-embarkation photo shoot in
front of a screen with the island printed on it. Knowing full well I
wasn't going to purchase the photo, I pulled out my Muppet look. I
flipped all my hair in front of my face, placed my sunglasses over the
hair and made a peace sign. I figured if the guys have to waste a
photo, it might as well be entertaining. Besides this photo, the
short ride to the Island bore no other resemblance to a real cruise.
As the island approached, the announcer belted out over the intercom
"Welcome to Alcatraz!!!" as if he was introducing a circus act.
Someone nearby dryly noted that this would be the only time where
people actually looked forward to going to prison. It is definitely
the novelly of stepping into a prison that draws most of the crowd
here.
Even before docking, an immense sign with a stern proclamation greets
incoming passengers. This place was all business. As we move into
the dock, the guard tower is the first thing that stares imposingly
down at you, then on the left hand side an equally imposing concrete
building rises solidly from the dock, with a large wooden sign on the
buillding expressing something to the effect of "Despair All Ye Who
Disembark." Curiously, someone has spray painted in red "Welcome
Indians" and "This is Indian Territory." Judging by the fact that it
hasn't been erased, I surmised that this might be important. The
welcome video explains that the message was sprayed on during a
protest occupation staged in 1968 to increase awareness of indigenous
land claims in the US. This protest eventually led to acknowledgments
and renewed negotiations that allowed American Indians to reclaim
ancestral territories. It struck me that despite this pivotal and
positive event, Alcatraz's fame is based mostly on its intimidating
reputation for incarceration. Clint Eastwood might consider making
another movie about the island?
Wandering through the hallways, it was easy to appreciate that it was
not at all fun to be an Alcatraz inmate. In fact, I don't understand
how many of them did not go insane. Cells were the size of a hotel
bathroom. Some sunlight came in, but it was mostly dark inside.
Guards locked an entire row of cells with a huge heavy-duty lever, and
they did not carry guns nor keys with them as they patrolled the
prisoner's area. I certainly did wonder what kind of crime landed men
into this particular prison while it was in use from 1930s to the 60s.
And who ends up working at Alcatraz anyway?
We finished our time in prison getting reaquainted with the outside
world and wandered about the gardens around the prison. Previously
tended by the prisoners, volunteers now continue the gardening work
they started, and Alcatraz is slowly being taken over by birds.
