Cape Town, South Africa
We woke early and went down to get a quick breakfast at our hotel before our 9 a.m. ferry. In the lobby they told us that we had to be at the ferry at 8:30 a.m. We ran over there and were the last one's on the ferry headed out on a cool morning on an hour and fifteen minute boat trip through a fairly rough sea to Robben Island. Anyone that knows me knows that I am boat sick! So I stood on the upper deck and thankfully although a bit cold had no problem. As we approached Robben Island it became clear how difficult it would be to escape, different than Alcatraz in that it was much further from the main land. There was no dilly dallying on this tour. We immediately hopped on buses for our tour of the island with about 90 secs to buy a bag of chips and a bottle of water for breakfast.
Our tour guides were former political prisoners of Robben Island. This made the tour even more fascinating as we could ask them questions as well. I had read the Nelson Mandela Autobiography, as well as Sam before we left on our trip so we had a pretty good idea of what happened on Robben Island. Here is some of what we had learned and were reminded of and saw:
Island had been used to keep prisoners as well as a military base and had some remaining WWII weapons on the island. There also was a leprosy colony on the island, kept away from the other prisoners and also segregated by race and color. White prisoners weren't held on the island, only Black, Colored and Indian prisoners.
Nelson Mandela came in 1964 to begin his life sentence. He was known as 466-64 (he was the 466th prisoner in the year 64. There were many prisons and groups on the island. Where Nelson was held was Group A- which housed all political prisoners and was the maximum security prison. The photos below tell the story. Being somewhere that a man served for 18 years of a 27 year sentence for trying to forward freedom and equality for his people and for a country is humbling. The story of Mandela and many others and their sacrifices, including the life and death and mistreatment of so many is a reminder at what great price freedom comes. Each country, each race, each religion, each one of us comes from a story of triumph, of overcoming oppression and we are grateful for those that made the sacrifices so that we can enjoy the freedoms we do today.
One of Sam's favorite things at the Cape Town Aquarium was this awesome tortoise that was swimming with the sharks
Mermaid's Purse- Shark embryo in there ...cool!
We woke early and went down to get a quick breakfast at our hotel before our 9 a.m. ferry. In the lobby they told us that we had to be at the ferry at 8:30 a.m. We ran over there and were the last one's on the ferry headed out on a cool morning on an hour and fifteen minute boat trip through a fairly rough sea to Robben Island. Anyone that knows me knows that I am boat sick! So I stood on the upper deck and thankfully although a bit cold had no problem. As we approached Robben Island it became clear how difficult it would be to escape, different than Alcatraz in that it was much further from the main land. There was no dilly dallying on this tour. We immediately hopped on buses for our tour of the island with about 90 secs to buy a bag of chips and a bottle of water for breakfast.
Our tour guides were former political prisoners of Robben Island. This made the tour even more fascinating as we could ask them questions as well. I had read the Nelson Mandela Autobiography, as well as Sam before we left on our trip so we had a pretty good idea of what happened on Robben Island. Here is some of what we had learned and were reminded of and saw:
Island had been used to keep prisoners as well as a military base and had some remaining WWII weapons on the island. There also was a leprosy colony on the island, kept away from the other prisoners and also segregated by race and color. White prisoners weren't held on the island, only Black, Colored and Indian prisoners.
Nelson Mandela came in 1964 to begin his life sentence. He was known as 466-64 (he was the 466th prisoner in the year 64. There were many prisons and groups on the island. Where Nelson was held was Group A- which housed all political prisoners and was the maximum security prison. The photos below tell the story. Being somewhere that a man served for 18 years of a 27 year sentence for trying to forward freedom and equality for his people and for a country is humbling. The story of Mandela and many others and their sacrifices, including the life and death and mistreatment of so many is a reminder at what great price freedom comes. Each country, each race, each religion, each one of us comes from a story of triumph, of overcoming oppression and we are grateful for those that made the sacrifices so that we can enjoy the freedoms we do today.
On the ferry leaving Cape Town behind on the way to Robben Island
Our guide, a former political prisoner on Robben Island 1986-1990
One of the stories that struck me the most was that of Robert Sobukwe. He was head of the PAC, a break off from the ANC. They were responsible for setting up the rally where hundreds of Black South Africans burned their passbooks and it evolved into the Sharpeville Massacre. There in Sharpeville over 65 Blacks were shot in the back as they ran from the scene and over 120 were injured. Sobukwe was sentenced for 3 years and then held long after until his death. The Parliament changed the laws, which was called the Sobukwe Clause in Parliament that said that Parliament had the right to detain a political prisoner indefinitely. So even after having served his time they kept him additional time in his own home/cell on Robben Island and then moved him and he died a prisoner without ever having another trial after his time was served. The injustice was really just remarkable.
The Quarry where Mandela and the prisoners worked everyday for many years. The pile was placed on the 5 year celebration of his release when over 100 political prisoners reunited and made this symbolic rock pile/monument. Our guide was there during this historical moment and said the pile was symbolic of them putting the past behind them and the varied colored stones on the pile represent the many colors of their Rainbow Nation
A photo of the last political prisoners released from Robben Island
Entering the grounds of Block A- where political prisoners were held
Outside Mandela's cell in the courtyard where maybe the only photo of Mandela was taken while he was imprisoned here, he is shown chipping rocks in a pile in this courtyard. The back of the courtyard is where Mandela had a garden and where he would hide his manuscript of his autobiography that was smuggled off the island while he was still a prisoner
Nelson Mandela's cell. When he first came to Robben Island the inmates didn't have beds, they were give this thick blanket to sleep on. The bucket was the bathroom, the blankets were for warmth and all their meals were eaten in their cell.
The corridor that Mandela's cell was on. He lived in that cell for 18 years of his 27 years in prison. 
In the recreation area where prisoners would spend an hour two
times a day and could play tennis against this backboard or volleyball
Edited letters that came to prisoners
Sam with our cell guide who served time with Nelson Mandela, although he was in the group cell that held 30-50 political prisoners. He came in 1970 when they had just mats on the floor.
Outside the gate to Robben Island Prison, where prisoners were brought until 1996 when it was closed and turned into a historical landmark and later became a World Heritage Sight.
A photo of the reunion of political prisoners in the quarry that they all worked in, responsible for the poor vision that Mandela suffered from during his life
A photo explaining the heap of stones at the quarry that were placed in remembrance and memorial of the former prisoners there and symbol of them moving forward
Oldest dry dock still in use in the world, Cape Town
Sam with a statue of Nelson Mandela
From Cape Town you can go anywhere ....
This sums it all up #AfriSam
Cool Penguin...crazy eyebrows!
My favorite fish in the aquarium it was super stealth Anglerfish that entices its prey with his dorsal fin and then eats it's prey whole. Honestly just liked how it looks- like a swimming piece of coral.
Sam between two statues of the 4 South African Peace Prize recipients: Nelson Mandela and F.W. De Klerk, who both received the Peace Prize in 1993. De Klerk was the last President of South Africa under the apartheid era and lead the country into a multi-racial democracy
Peace Prize Recipients: Albert Luthuu Desmond Tutu, FW De Klerk, Nelson Mandela
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