This was definitely one of my favourite parts of our trip; Alcatraz. What a beautiful place.
We were lucky that the sun was shining, and a lot of the flowers had bloomed. The island is also a bird reserve, so there was a lot of wildlife to watch for. It was pretty windy though! The wind comes whipping in off the ocean and through the channel, straight for the island. We didn't feel it while we were on the east side, but we sure felt it on the west!
Though it's painted pink and mint green, this was the worst wing of the penitentiary to be locked up in. It was said that the winds constantly howled through the bars of the prison in this area. It's also where solitary confinement was located.
This is one of the solitary confinement cells. They don't look so bad on the outside, but they were extremely creepy on the inside.
This was one of my favourite parts of the island; the doorway in to the Administration Building. I found it a bit odd that the flag in the crest reads, "FREE".
After being abandoned in 1963, the island has become wild and overgrown. It's really beautiful to see the moss and plants growing out of everything. The salt water and wind have taken a toll on a lot of the buildings too, but because the area is now a national park, parts of it are being restored.
So beautiful, I'm such a huge fan of Alcatraz. You've just made me look at the pictures I took from my visit a few years ago. Such good times.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm glad! It really was an incredible place. I'd love to go back again.
DeleteReally enjoying your travel posts, Melinda... It's such a lovely time of year to be traveling.
ReplyDeleteI remember finding Alcatraz extremely fascinating, but also very eerie, too... The most memorable part for me was the last day's menu still being posted in the cafeteria area.
Thank you Trish! It really is.
DeleteAnd the eeriness was part of what I loved so much about Alcatraz. It's amazing to see the transformation from such a sad and chilling place to such a beautiful and rugged one. And I'd noticed the menu too! I loved the cafeteria area. It had such beautiful light pouring in.