La Paz Plaza looks like any other city plaza in South America. Yet this is one of the most bizarre tourist attractions in the world. And the only scenery spot is its infamous San Pedro prison.
The prison which located in the eastern side of the plaza is a former monastery and houses around 1,500 prisoners, 80 percent of whom are in for drug offences. However, apart from the high walls and the main gate, there are no prison bars. The guards only enter to take the morning roll call, or if there is any major violence such as a murder or a riot. Even most prisoners' families live in the prison with them.
Differing from most of prisons in the world, its prisoners are not issued with cells, as they must be purchased. Prices vary according to what section you want. There are eight sections in San Pedro, each with cells of varying comfort. The cell blocks in wealthier sections are equipped with tiled floors, cable TV, and DVD players. Some of them even have an open balcony where you can look out on to the city of La Paz, with the Andes Mountains towering behind.
While cells in the poorer sections are designed for one person, but often house five. The walls and floors are bare concrete, and prisoners lie on stained mattresses. Personal belongings such as cups or books rest on rickety bedside tables.
It is also convenient to purchase a cell for there are real estate agents operating within the prison and the market for cells acts just like a genuine housing market, with prices fluctuating, depending on the demand. When prisoners buy a cell, they are given the key, and contracts and deeds are signed. The cheapest cell will cost around £100, but the cells which more like actual apartments can sell for as much as £3,000.
Besides the cells, the food in prison also can make your life here easier on condition that you have enough money. Instead of a massive pot of unappetizing-looking soup, you can buy fried chicken with chips or rice. There are many restaurants dotted around the prison, some of which set up a plastic table and umbrella and a few chairs outside.
Everything that prisoners need can be brought from vendors. They own shops selling fruit and vegetables, soft drinks, sweets, and other items such as toilet paper. Some prisoners also sell handicrafts they have made or pictures they've drawn.


据英国《独立报》28日报道，拉巴斯广场和南美其他城市的广场看起来没什么两样，但它却是世界上最奇异的一处观光胜地：它唯一的景点就是其恶名昭著的圣佩德罗监狱。


监狱位于该广场东侧，曾是一家修道院。监狱里现有1500名囚犯，其中80%的因贩卖毒品入狱。但是，监狱中只有高墙和正门，没有栅栏。狱卒也只在清晨点名、发生谋杀或暴乱等重大暴力事件时才会进入监狱。很多囚犯的家人甚至搬到监狱同囚犯一起生活。



与其他地方的监狱不同，没人会给这个监狱中的囚犯分配牢房，他们必须自己"买房"。囚犯选择的牢房不同，价格也有差别。圣佩德罗监狱牢房的价格分为八个层次，每个层次牢房的舒适度不同。"富人区"的监狱里装有瓷砖地板、有线电视和DVD播放机，有些甚至还设有阳台，囚犯可以在那儿鸟瞰拉巴斯市及其后面高耸的安第斯山脉。


而"贫民区"的监狱，虽然是单人间，却常常住着五个人。牢房的墙壁和地板上裸露着混凝土，囚犯睡在肮脏的垫子上，他们的杯子、书等私人物品就放在摇摇晃晃的床头柜上。


在该监狱买间牢房就像在真正的住宅区市场进行交易一样方便，因为这里有专门经营监狱和牢房市场的房地产经纪人，牢房的价格也会随着需求上下波动。当囚犯买了牢房后，有人就会把钥匙交给他，并与他签订合同和契约。最便宜的牢房只需要100英镑左右，而那些看起来跟真实公寓没有差别的（高级）牢房售价则高达3000英镑。



除此之外，只要你的钱足够多，这里的食物也可以让你活得很舒坦。你可以购买配有薯条或米饭的炸鸡套餐，而不用买一大盆让人没有食欲的菜汤。这里零星分布着许多餐厅，有些餐厅还在外面搭建塑料桌椅和遮阳伞。


囚犯可以从供应商那儿买到一切所需物品。这些供应商的店里有蔬菜、水果、饮料、甜食和其他物品，如卫生纸等。有些囚犯也会卖点自己制作的手工品或绘制的图画。

• violence [´vaiələns] n.猛烈；暴力(行) (初中英语单词)
• convenient [kən´vi:niənt] a.方便的 (初中英语单词)
• estate [i´steit] n.财产；庄园；等级 (初中英语单词)
• actual [´æktʃuəl] a.现实的；实际的 (初中英语单词)
• tourist [´tuərist] n.游客，观光者 (高中英语单词)
• scenery [´si:nəri] n.舞台布景 (高中英语单词)
• monastery [´mɔnəstri] n.修道院；庙宇 (高中英语单词)
• concrete [´kɔŋkri:t] a.具体的 n.混凝土 (高中英语单词)
• genuine [´dʒenjuin] a.真正的；真诚的 (高中英语单词)
• massive [´mæsiv] a.厚实的；魁伟的 (高中英语单词)
• umbrella [ʌm´brelə] n.伞 (高中英语单词)
• toilet [´tɔilit] n.梳妆(台)；卫生间 (高中英语单词)
• balcony [´bælkəni] n.阳台；(戏院的)楼厅 (英语四级单词)
• towering [´tauəriŋ] a.高耸的；强烈的 (英语四级单词)
• belongings [bi´lɔŋiŋz] n.所有物；行李 (英语四级单词)
• bedside [´bedsaid] n.床边 a.护理的 (英语四级单词)
• infamous [´infəməs] a.声名狼藉的 (英语六级单词)