Robben Island

Nelson Mandela's cell, where he spent 18 years of his life

Jama, our tour guide. He had been a political prisoner of Robben Island for five years

I treated myself to a delicious dinner last night, matched with a view of the sunset over Table Mountain 

            I thought I might have time for a second blog post yesterday, but after a day full of walking all over the waterfront out in the sun, I was pretty tired last night, so I decided to head to bed early and make the post this morning. Shortly after posting my last blog yesterday morning, I headed out of my hostel, armed with a good pair of walking shoes, my camera, and my Robben Island tour ticket, down to the waterfront. Atlantic Point is in a great location- it’s only about a ten-minute walk from here to the waterfront, which is my favorite part of town. It’s a huge, very busy area, with everything from restaurants and bars to a ferris wheel to helicopter and yacht tours. And the name “waterfront” is very appropriate- it’s right on the ocean!

            I got to the spot where the Robben Island ferry picks up shortly before eleven, and not long after we were on our way! It was about a half hour ferry ride to the island- the water here is absolutely beautiful, by the way. First we headed to the tour buses that would take us around the majority of the island. Before we took off, our tour guide asked us what part of the world we were all from. There were two other groups of Americans, as well as people from Canada, England, Germany, Spain, Australia, Namibia, and more. Then the tour guide said something I doubt I’ll ever forget. She said, “once the world discovered what was happening in South Africa during apartheid, many other countries stepped in to help bring it down. It wasn’t about one person, one race, or one country. It was about humankind. If other nations hadn’t gotten involved, South Africa might still be in the grip of apartheid. So thank you all.” I think that’s a lesson that applies not only to apartheid in South Africa, but to life today, and every day. It’s not about one person, one race, or one country. It’s about humankind.

            The bus tour took us around most of the island, stopping at certain points, like the limestone quarry where many of the prisoners worked, a graveyard for those that died on the island, and a church that the prisoners used. We then got out of the bus at an area that was great for pictures- we had a pretty clear view of Cape Town across the water, could see South African penguins out on the rocks, and there was a little shop where we could get some snacks. After spending some time there, the bus took us back to the spot we started, right in front of the maximum-security prison. That’s where another tour guide met us. His name was Jama, and he told us that he had been a political prisoner at Robben Island for five years. As we walked through the complex, he pointed out the communal cells, which still had some straw mats on the floor that had served as the prisoners’ beds, as well as the individual cells and exercise yards. He also explained the images on the walls, like the prisoner ID cards, censored letters, and description of the prisoners’ diets. Our last stop on the tour was Nelson Mandela’s cell. He was in prison for a total of 27 years, 18 of which were spent at Robben Island. It’s hard to put into words how it felt looking at that tiny cell, knowing 18 years of his life were spent there. What I know for sure is it was a feeling I never could’ve gotten from reading a book or watching a movie. That’s just one of the many reasons I love travel.

            After getting a few more pictures, we headed back to the ferry, and arrived back at the Cape Town waterfront at about 2:30. I had noticed that morning that we were pretty close to the ferris wheel, so I decided, since I didn’t have any plans for the rest of the day, I might as well try that. I felt like such a tourist, but hey, it wasn’t expensive and provided a fantastic view of the city! After doing that and walking around the area a bit more, I headed back to Atlantic Point to upload the pictures I took and relax for a while before going out again to grab dinner. I’m staying in an eight bed shared dorm room here at the hostel. My first night here only four beds were taken, including mine, but yesterday, four girls traveling together arrived (I think they’re from Germany), so last night my room was full!

            After relaxing and browsing the internet here at Atlantic Point for a while, I headed out to the waterfront again a little after six to grab something to eat. After walking around and weighing my options, I noticed a place right outside the main shopping mall, right next to the water, that had a sign outside for their special: a t-bone steak with chips (aka fries) and dessert for only 180 rand, which is less than 14 dollars. And a complementary view of the sun setting over Table Mountain, reflecting off the ocean? Sounded like a deal to me! I love this city!

            An hour later, feeling very full and high on life, I walked back to my hostel to shower, relax with my fellow travelers, and head to bed early, which is exactly what I did. It was a damn near perfect first day back in South Africa. This post’s food for thought: “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”- Maya Angelou