makaya06’s Blog

ALCATRAZ HISTORY http://www.alcatrazhistory.com/rs2.htm

INMATE RULES AND REGULATIONS http://www.alcatrazhistory.com/regpage1.htm

This summer my mom, my brother and I traveled to San Francisco and were able to be some of the lucky tourists to visit Alcatraz. We were all very excited but didn’t really know what to expect, and what we experienced was more than we could have imagined.

To get to alcatraz, we boarded a Ferry with other tourists all anticipating what awaited on the Alcatraz island. When we arrived at Alcatraz, there was a haunting feeling of seeing the old structure and knowing dangerous people once walked those grounds. We made our first steps on the island and were ready for our adventure.

The tours given at Alcatraz are automated, which meant you receive a tape recording and headset which tours you through the prison by yourself and no tour guide. They toured you through the kitchen area and dining hall, where you sat down and felt what it must of felt like to be a hungry prisoner. You toured Broadway, C-D Street, Michigan Avenue, Park Avenue, and Sunrise Alley which are all of the hallways through the prison 5’ by 9’ foot cells. As I walked through the halls stopping at the specified cells, I could hear the sounds of the men yelling and shouting at each other through the bars.

The part of my tour of Alcatraz that really pulled at my heart was the visiting hours. The inmates had to earn their rights to have any visitors come see them and even if they earned it, the chance of anyone coming to see them was rare. I got to see where the visitors would be able to talk to the inmates. It was a hole no bigger than a foot in diameter and a little window. The inmates couldn’t even touch or hug their loved ones after not seeing them for 15 years. I had tears in my eyes imagining what that would feel like.

We were also educated on the legendary “Escape from Alcatraz.” The men involved in this plot tricked the officers by making fake heads and placing them on their pillows. One of the men carved out a hole in his wall with a spoon. Some of the men died, but the others were never found.

My experience at Alcatraz was seriously unforgettable. As I was writing this blog I kept getting the chills because I can still feel and smell the prison almost like I was there yesterday. If you ever get the chance to go to San Francisco, do yourself a favor and visit Alcatraz. It is an incredible experience of a lifetime.

My favorite podcast was Star Girl by Nora. I loved how when I listened to it I felt like I was actually there in the story. The way each scene of the podcast was distinguished by different music or melodies made me feel the moods of each part. Every person had a different voice which made it easy to know who was talking. All the voices were very clear and easy to understand. I actually felt like I was looking at a new girl at school hearing everyones comments about her. I liked how much description the podcast had about Star Girl. It makes me want to know more about her and read the story to see how she does in her new school. Star Girl sounds like a heart warming story that every person should read. I am definitely planning on reading it.