Although I personally didn't spend an extended amount of time exploring the area, I still feel as obligated as I always do to write a post about my experiences visiting a friend who lives out this way. Royersford, Pennsylvania is a rather small town the lies on the fringes of other small towns, about 20 minutes from King of Prussia Mall. most people out there are family oriented and church-going individuals who are usually found relaxing with loved ones in their homes. However, when I went the second week of July, their biggest church was having a festival. every year, the Sacred Heart Church puts on a walking tour and small carnival at their Church, which decommissions about half of the small streets in the town. However, every building out there is immense and awe inspiring.

When not enjoying the quaint family life of this town, which all in all, will remind you a lot of small town Suburbia, there are a few miniature golf courses and breweries that can be visited. It is also home to Pennhurst Asylum, one of many abandoned and supposedly haunted asylum in the United States. In theory, if you hear the word Asylum, it has since been shut down.

Either way around, this is just a quick little update on my life adventures. More stories to come with time. See you all soon!

Eastern State Penitentiary

Seeing as to how the individuals who established the prison believed that all inmates had good inside of them in the potential to be rehabilitated, Eastern State Penitentiary was built to be progressive and meant to instill fear and pierce the soul. of course, this was not unconditionally regarded as a universal experience. As I will touch later, quite a large number of individuals Express their disdain towards the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation system that incorporates solitary confinement into most of the inmates time.

And so, as we entered the prison turned Museum, we learned about Henry Enlicker, who was 1 of 3 people born here. It actually said so on his birth certificate. His grandpa being deputy warden.

The courtyard Henry used to romp around in.

We then went on to tour the first cell block, which was meant to be a general waiting tank. Overall, conditions sucked. there was a lack of proper cleaning facilities, there were no windows in most of the facility, and it also came without any heating or air condition. Generally, the weather on the outside of the walls reflected the weather on the inside.

However, it was the first modern building, albeit with no front doors. They anticipated no rowdy crowds and no typhus outbreaks, and astonishingly enough, it was just as such. when the remodel came, there was heating and running water and it was more modern than the whitehouse. It had sophistication that the White House lacked, as even the president at that point in time, Andrew Jackson, was mostly using a chamber pot.

And so, we learned about solitary confinement. The goal of solitary confinement here was to allow time for reflection to become penitent, per the humane society of Philadelphia. Prisoners never saw other inmates, spent 23 hours in cell, working, weaving, crafting, shoe crafting, and got 2 half hour breaks a day. Approximately every 2 weeks he could bathe, and so, this is when he was allotted more time outside of his cell. whenever any movement occurred outside of the solitary exercise Courtyard or solitary room, The Prisoner was nearly always blindfolded buy a bag placed over the head so that he could not learn his way around the penitentiary or to see and interact with others.

Where they were took if they were injured.

Guards often wore bags on their shoes to muffle their footsteps, and they kept close eye on all inmates. There were severe punishments for talking, such as a straightjacket and gag. as such, Charles Dickens wrote that this prison put the person in a position that was one step between insanity and inmate.

Cell 4 eventually had life sentences. Some people are still incarcerated elsewhere that were once confined Within These Walls. by the 1940s, everyone had a job, including a band and choir.

On a secondary note, alot of inmates couldnt be tracked after release, so nobody knew how they did. It was largely known though, that in those days, inmates often times did not return to prison after their release. this, unfortunately, changed quite a lot throughout the years of mass incarceration.

Isolation to the extreme was most common in the PA system, but in NY, they workes and ate together, but in silence. Isolation, at this point in time, began to be too controversial and expensive, so the Pennsylvania system of penance eventually broke down by about 1870.

The guards we're not always the bad guy, though. Some of the guards had heart, especially Sloan. people had celebrated  holidays and had fun. And at one point, AL Capone got tonsils removed here in this present during one holiday.

The catwalk upon which they stood.

A lot of other individuals weren't enthused about the place, though. a lot of suffering happened here. And so, in 1971, it was shut forever.

Tickets run from $10 to $16, and is open for tour most weekdays. Check it out sometime!

Shower Walking

Martic Township Park is a nice little area with several hiking trails doubt in Lancaster. The hiking was very steep in certain parts, making it a very good hike to practice for bigger and harder mountains. I took a friend hiking with me, as it was her idea, and at certain parts in the hike, she was left completely out of breath. Parts of the hike where extremely steep in either direction. What won the hike over for me? What made it a very interesting and beautiful challenge was the fact that we did it in the rain.

With me being an Eagle Scout of her being a former Girl Scout, we were rolling Customs to bad weather. But after all, I wasn't going to waste an hour drive out to visit her on not being able to go hiking. and so, we laced up our boots and headed out to the trail.

So instead of power walking, we talked this shower walking. It is not for the faint of heart, but let's face it. You might be alone on the Appalachian Trail, trying to do a thru-hike, then all of a sudden, the heavens open up. you don't have a choice but to continue on Works through the rain or to find shelter under the trees and hope their one does not get struck by lightning and collapse on you (which, mind you, actually has a very slim chance of ever happening, and that you are more likely to win the lottery.) and so, we willingly exposed ourselves to the elements, in the way a true hiker would, or that somebody who is homeless would have to deal with. Shelter was for the weak in this instance, and we were warriors.

Interestingly enough, hiking in the rain was incredibly refreshing. The musty air killed some of the pollen and reduced the heat, so I didn't have to sweat as much. I was quite content enjoying the atmosphere of the forest while rain was falling around us. I was very content with the constant reminder that the ecosystem is still functioning.

And so, you may not do it on purpose very often, and you may not be visiting the same trail in Lancaster that I did, but you should definitely try shower walking. It is an Indescribable and life-altering experience. Nevermind the fact that it is raining, and most people are miserable and wet. Make the best of it and enjoy it for what it is.