[ Anti-theft devices ]

Coming off the boat, we all had to pass through anti-theft scanners like they have in retail stores and libraries. I was confused about this for a few minutes -- what would we be carrying that could set it off? -- but I figured it out when we got up to the main prison building.


[ Gathering ]

There are many buildings on Alcatraz, as it turns out. Administrative buildings and living quarters for the guards, plus workshops and whatnot. This is right next to the dock, and we were all gathered for a brief introductory spiel by one of the park wardens. Mostly they just asked us to leave the birds alone.


[ Good design ]

I'm a fan of simple, effective technology: Unlike those annoying chirping beepers they have on airport golf carts, the electric carts on Alcatraz each had a small chunk of metal tied to a length of string. It drags on the ground, making some noise and letting you know one's coming.


[ Audio tour device ]

At the main prison building they give you this nifty audio tour player (which seems to use MP3 files with headphones. It is *this* that sets off the anti-theft detectors as you leave, but I swear I didn't learn that the hard way.

One of the funny parts of the audio tour (which was excellent, by the way) was the fact that one of the inmates they had narrating it sounded exactly like Ernie Eves. So I got to imagine what it would be like for Ernie Eves to do some hard time.






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