Article Search


Prison or pleasure? Some of the hundreds of Adriatic islands are seen from the air. Croatia plans to open up its most notorious Communist-era jail on Goli Otok - naked island - for tourists who want to experience life as a political prisoner. Photo: AP

 Feeling spoilt? Spend a night in prison
    November 17 2004 at 06:23PM Get IOL on your
mobile at m.iol.co.za

Zagreb - Croatia may reopen its most notorious communist-era prison for tourists willing to part with their money to re-enact the life of a political prisoner - including hard labour, stale food and nights in solitary confinement.

The plan has the support of some local officials and even former inmates, who have offered to work as tour guides, though the city council has yet to make a final decision.

"If you want to experience some of the torture that political prisoners underwent... just come along," said Josip Modric, an architect who is promoting the project.

Modric envisions tourists being issued convict uniforms, pounding large stones with a sledgehammer and hauling the pieces on their backs to quarries around the prison on Goli Otok, a barren island in the northern Adriatic Sea.
Continues Below ↓





'Of course, unlike real prisoners, nobody would be tortured'
Those who sign up would be given written awards after completing their "prison sentence".

Goli Otok - which means Naked Island - was a miniature gulag set up by Yugoslavia's communist dictator Josip Broz Tito after World War 2. It housed 3 000 inmates at its height but has been derelict since its closure in 1989.

To bring in tourists, Modric wants to build a gondola connecting the mainland to Goli Otok and a smaller neighbouring island that served as a political prison for women.

Local officials have expressed interest but say they are unsure how well a vacation from hell will sell.

"How avant-garde or realistic this idea is remains to be further analysed," said the head of the district's tourism office, Alen Andreskic.

A final decision was expected within a few weeks.

Modric insisted he would offer gluttons for punishment only as much as they could take - with plenty of expert supervision.

"Weaker inmates would carry out light toil, while fitter inmates would 'kill themselves' with work in the sun during the day and spend the night in solitary confinement," Modric said.

"Of course, unlike real prisoners, nobody would be tortured." - Sapa-AP

Email StoryPrint Story
BOOKMARK THIS STORY
Social bookmarking allows users to save and categorise a personal collection of bookmarks and share them with others. This is different to using your own browser bookmarks which are available using the menus within your web browser.

Use the links below to share this article on the social bookmarking site of your choice.

Read more about social bookmarking at Wikipedia - Social Bookmarking

muti



     Related Articles
More A Step Beyond stories

Watch IOLs latest videos on YouTube Join IOLs Facebook page Follow IOL on Twitter





     Online Services

Date Your Destiny
 
I'm a 34 year old man looking to meet women between the ages of 21 and 30.
 

     More Services

     More A Step Beyond Stories