Today we headed up to Old Maitland Gaol to have a look. It was started up in the 1800's and closed up in 1998. Of course somewhere along the way, they eventually got indoor plumbing. All of the old buildings are made out of sandstone. Each wall is 2 ft thick. The hinged doors are solid iron. They eventually had to put chain link fences in and razor wire to stop the inmates from escaping.
Like Alcatraz, we had on our head phones with a DIY tour, and as the inmate spoke into your ears, the desperation and gloom of the place began to bear down on you. And unlike Alcatraz; we were left with feelings of depression and desperation, not only of the inmates, but for the officers who looked after them for so many years.
The heat today was almost unbearable. It got to 35C/97F and that could have added to those feelings. It certainly makes us both appreciate our freedom.
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