Eggbert's Travels

Tuesday 27th March

SHE SAID :

We took the ferry across to Robben Island today, for a half day tour. On the island we had a 50 minute coach ride around to all the important sites. Not only was the island a prison, but it had been used in the world wars and was first used to house lepers.

The tour around the prison buildings was conducted by an ex-political prisoner, Sparks Mlilwana. He told us his story: arrested aged 17 for being a member of the ANC & Umkontwe we Sizwe (the armed wing of the ANC). He was jailed for 7 years in the dormitory style blocks. During his sentence he worked in the lime quarry, smashing the rock manually to be used as road base. He also met Nelson Mandela during his time there. It was an informative tour, and quite uncomfortable listening to the treatment he & the other prisoners endured. Back on the mainland we went over to Camps Bay, to watch the sunset and had Spanish tapas for dinner.

Crossing Table Bay for Robben Island

Robben Island township

A gathering of cormorants on the Robben Island jetty

Old prison entrance

Driving around the island...the old staff quarters

OIC house - now guest house

WW2 guns

Wild Steenbuck roam the island

Sunbaking Mole Snake

Lime Quarry where the prisoners were forced to work

Old guard tower & perimeter fence

One of the cell block areas

Sparks Mlilwana was our guide, but also a prisoner for 7 years here

Sparks' cell block

Sparks told us this "garden" behind him was planted by Nelson Mandela, he also hid his

"Long Walk to Freedom" manuscript in it before he managed to get it smuggled out

 

Heading back to the city

We spotted a whale as we returned to shore; an unusual sight

at this time of the year

These seals have their own private sunbathing spot near to where the Robben Island ferry comes in

Wandering around the Waterfront

Old hangout many years ago...

Sunset at Camps Bay

HE SAID:

The tour of Robben Island was quite confronting, apart from the whale and dolphins we saw on the return ferry trip. Apartheid was a horrible time that I can not really comprehend. The things that people thought of to do to others is amazing in its broad application of belittling and humiliating exclusions and enforcements. From what I have seen and heard there has been huge progress, but it seems that it may take generations to achieve widespread improvements in the general population's standards of living. Poverty and corruption are obvious here, but the few locals I have spoken with are optimistic.

Dinner was different, entertainment/distraction-wise, with street performers and singers mixing with the very annoying self-styled "Parking Attendants" on the road in front of the restaurant strip,  all hoping for donations. The trouble is that there are so many people everywhere you go begging or scamming for cash, but I have never felt that getting my wallet out was the right thing to do, safety-wise. The locals advise against paying these people, and despite our sympathies, it is too unsafe and overwhelming to be a donor.