VERY UNUSUAL PRISONS: Here are the top 10

Once upon a time, in a world where prisons were as diverse as the people who inhabited them, there existed tales that transcended the ordinary. These were stories of places where the concept of incarceration took on surreal dimensions, turning the tables on what one might expect behind bars.

In the faraway lands of Norway, nestled amidst serene landscapes, stood the enigmatic Bastoy prison, nicknamed the 'Holiday Prison.' Here, amid the idyllic setting, murderers and rapists found themselves in a paradoxical world of comfort and rehabilitation. They tended to baby cows and gazed out of bar-less windows, participating in professional cookery courses while serving their sentences. It was a testament to Norway's progressive approach to justice, where the lines between punishment and reform blurred into something strangely effective.

On the contrasting spectrum of despair lay Gitarama City Prison in Rwanda, a grim reality reminiscent of a dystopian nightmare. Overcrowded to twenty times its intended capacity, it harbored atrocities that defied humanity. Inmates grappled with mass infections, starvation, and even resorted to cannibalism amidst decaying conditions. It was a place where hope seemed like a forgotten dream, a reminder of the darkest depths human beings could plummet.

In the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, the Pitcairn Islands held a peculiar secret. Here, amidst a population barely numbering sixty, a scandalous revelation led to the construction of a custom-built prison. It was a saga of justice struggling to find its footing in a place untouched by modern judicial systems. The prison, once home to a fraction of the islanders, now stood empty, a symbol of a tumultuous past.

Louisiana State Penitentiary emerged as a paradox within its walls, offering inmates amenities unheard of in most prisons. A golf course, a radio station, and even an airstrip painted a picture of a surreal city within confinement, juxtaposing normalcy with the reality of violent criminals.

Pelican Bay State Prison in the United States delved into the depths of psychological torment with its solitary confinement, breeding a syndrome akin to PTSD among its inhabitants. It was a stark reminder of the invisible scars inflicted by the rigors of incarceration.

Sark, a tiny island, boasted the world's smallest and most absurd prison, a testament to its quaint eccentricities amidst a changing world. Meanwhile, Mexican prisons echoed with the bizarre echoes of corruption, where luxury cells and secret lotteries clashed with the harsh realities of overcrowding and brutality.

Chikurubi Prison in Zimbabwe carried a chilling legacy, where new prisoners endured months of nakedness amidst disease and violence, a harrowing initiation into a world devoid of humanity. Mpimba Prison in Burundi harbored a disturbing secret, a wall turned into a symbol of exploitation and abuse.

Amidst the azure waters of the Republic of Seychelles, a pirate prison offered a surreal juxtaposition of paradise and punishment. Somali pirates, captured and awaiting trial, found themselves in a peculiar limbo of sunbathing and uncertain futures, a stark reminder of the unpredictability of fate.

These tales, woven from the fabric of reality, reminded the world that behind every prison door lay a story untold, a narrative of human resilience, despair, and occasionally, a hint of the absurd. In the tapestry of incarceration, these prisons stood as anomalies, challenging perceptions and painting a vivid portrait of the human experience behind bars.