XtremeSix ...Hanoi Hilton (Prison)

Pictures will be up soon, technical difficulties >.< We all know how irritating it is, don't we?

During the 19th century, when Vietnam was colonised by the French, Hoa Lo, which was a trade village, was transformed into what we know today as the Hilton Prison, purpose built to imprison the Vietnamese revolutionaries. After Vietnam gained independence under the communist party, they used the prison to imprison former American Presidential candidate John MClain, who contested against President Obama, who was previously a prisoner of war.

The prison was surrounded by thick walls that gives a forbidding sense. The metal gate seems as if there is no way out when one enters. To further support this intimidating atmosphere, the walls are lined with broken glass bottles and barbed wires to prevent any daredevil prisoners to would try their luck at escaping.

The Prisoners of War (POW) were locked in small, dark rooms. The rooms were spartan (whatever that means...) with no furniture. As a result, prisoners sleep on concrete bunks. The rooms are painted black and white. The lights were dim, offsetting a strong sense of sadistic feel. It is our guess that as a result, the prisoners felt hopeless, their futures bleak.

There is a certain treatment whereby their legs were chained to heavy metal blocks attatched to their cold and hard bunks. The torturing methods used to torment the prisoners were harsh and cruel. Some examples would be caning, oil barrels, glass bottles, ropes, cigarette butts, and boxing gloves.

Surprisingly, a number of female prisoners managed to pull through the tortures and pull off an impressive escape. Their determination and persistence is certainly commendable, and we should all look up to their "never say die" attitude.

After reading these few paragraphs, we find ourselves comparing the luxuries that we have, in sharp contrast to what the prisoners in the "Hanoi Hilton Hotel" went through. Even if we went into our room disappointed that our parents had not gotten us the latest iPhone that they promised us, we should still be thankful that we don't have shackles and guillotines in our rooms.