A great name for a new country song: If I'd Shot You Sooner, I'd Be Out of Jail by Now. ~Author Unknown(Don't know how I choose these quotes. It's just whatever strikes me at the moment. I guess it's the prison theme tonight. )
Just this morning someone said, "Have you ever been to the Eastern State Penitentiary? It's fascinating. There's a synagogue in there."
"Really?", I said. "Hmmm. I've never been there." And that's when I began to plot my great lunch break escape from work to go to prison.
I have passed this huge monstrous old penitentiary so many times. I can't believe in the 22 years that I've been in Philadelphia, I've never been inside. Not even for one of those Haunted Prison Halloween tours.
The highlight, of course, is Al Capone's jail cell. Check it out.
I was curious about the synagogue. Apparently, "the world's first true penitentiary...(with) running water and central heat before the White House",
was very big on making sure prisoners practiced their religion.
I didn't know Charles Dickens actually visited here and was quite upset to see the isolation cells. But apparently just about everyone else at the time thought this prison style was brilliant.
All I know is it's spooky in daylight with all the lights on!
You can learn more at http://www.easternstate.org/
Maybe you know of some other interesting places in the area I should visit for the first time. Send me all your First ideas. (I have over 200 days to go!)
luann.cahn@nbcuni.com
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