Lush flowers and greenery.
Stunning views of the San Francisco skyline.
Seagulls flapping gently overhead, their calls muffled by the bay.
Gorgeous expanses of water lit up at dusk.
You’d never know you were . . . at a former prison.
The remains of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, in fact — one of the most infamous buildings in the world.
I didn’t expect our ferry ride to the island to include such gorgeous vistas, but nearly everywhere you looked was a beautiful and unexpected scene. In fact, some of my favorite photos from the trip — which included Yosemite and Sequoia national parks — came at a spooky jail.
Who knew?
I think it was all about the juxtaposition for me. Side by side are beauty and dreariness, pain and hope.


Located just over a mile offshore of the city in San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island was once home…
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