I pride myself on being a law-abiding citizen, yet I ended up doing time at Alcatraz Island on Thursday afternoon. Joining dozens of tourists for the evening tour, the ferry arrived at the dock nearly 15 minutes after leaving Fisherman's Wharf.
The first thing I noticed about the historic penitentiary was the painted welcome sign that dates back to when Native American protesters occupied the island from 1969 to 1971. Although it's mostly known for housing criminals like Al 'Scarface' Capone and Robert 'Birdman' Stroud, Alcatraz was also a fortress and military prison. A winding path linked Building 64 to the Cellhouse, and visitors could see the dilapidated Lighthouse and the ruins of the Warden's House before entering the prison.
Walking down Alcatraz's halls of infamy made me think of Oz, without the rowdy inmates. Seeing Capone's cell and checking out a solitary confinement room were among the highlights of my trip; other worthwhile sights included visiting a cell where an escape took place and experiencing "lights out" for a few seconds.
