I had heard many rumors that Cape Town was beautiful. However, I have had the good fortune of traveling around a lot of the world and I had yet to see a more beautiful city. It occupies one of the most stunning locations; in the middle of the city stands a tall mountain range that is surrounded by beaches and wine vineyards. I was so overwhelmed by the beauty, I did not know where to look first!
Having said that, the dichotomy that exists within Cape Town (as well as other cities in South Africa) is utterly shocking. Here is a perfect example...
From my coach this was the view from the left side:
And this was the view from the right side:
We lunched at the the charming Victoria & Alfred Waterfront harbor. Some of the best views of the city can be seen from there.
A view of Table Mountain from the harbor.
An amazing South African choir performing in front of our restaurant.
After lunch, we took a ferry to Robben Island, which is South Africa's most infamous prison due to the involuntary residency of Nelson Mandela for 27 years. While, it is no longer a prison today, it acts as a monument to the freedom struggle during the apartheid era.
Another view of Table Mountain from the ferry.
The South African flag in the wind.
Me on the ferry.
Once we arrived on the island, we then had a guided exploration by a former political prisoner.
The entrance to Robben Island.
The sleeping quarters of the prison.
The exercise area of the prison.
The island's lighthouse.
A curious penguin, which were found in abundance on the island.
Mandela photographed during his last year in the prison.
Mandela's dire private cell in the prison. It was about 5' X 5'.
Walking around the grounds was emotionally stirring, but not as much as the intense speech our humble guide gave us at the end of the tour recalling his 11 years in the prison. I tried to fight back tears as he talked, but I was unsuccessful. When he was finished I walked up to him, gave him a big hug, and thanked him for being both brave AND inspirational.
Our extraordinary guide during his speech.
Please visit here to learn more about nonprofit organization which is bringing former Robben Island inmates to America
where they share the lessons of their own struggle against apartheid in
disadvantaged high schools. They teach students about standing up for what you
believe in, the universality of struggle, and the importance of forgiveness to
achieve peace.
Once the tour was commenced, we headed back to the harbor for dinner.
A view of Cape Town from our restaurant.
Me and a sunlit Table Mountain.
It was quite difficult for me to eat after that experience and I knew that I needed to do something fun in order to change my solemn mood. Plus, Sarah and I needed a break from the others, thus we excused ourselves after the meal and made our way to Club Opium: Buddha Bar. Even though one had to be on the VIP list to get into the club, we somehow managed to get ourselves in (maybe it was our cute foreign accents?). Inside we found a comfortable place to people watch at the bar. No adventure is complete without meeting a model, and that is just what happened next! A handsome man approached us and asked if he could buy us drinks. Bruno, an Angolan model famous in Africafor his smile, bought us expensive champagne and proceeded to fill ourheads with his glamorous stories.
Me, the Angolan model, and Sarah after a bottle of champagne.
Such trouble that smile of his was, however a nice way to end the night!
YAY! Can't wait to go myself! These posts will come in handy in about six months.
And I adore that pink top--though you look like the one-armed wonder in that one shot
Reply to this
Ooo, I really love the flag picture!
Reply to this
oh, I loved this post and it made me so teary!
Reply to this
Your photos are beautiful, I officially want to go there someday. Look at you getting into VIP
Reply to this
I like it!
Thank you for sharing.
Reply to this
I just enjoyed reading your blog post about recently visiting Robben Island and your reflections on taking a tour conducted by one of the former prisoners there.
I work for a nonprofit organization which is bringing former Robben Island inmates to America where they share the lessons of their own struggle against Apartheid in disadvantaged high schools. They teach students about standing up for what you believe in, the universality of struggle, and the importance of forgiveness to achieve peace. They're also the subjects of an upcoming documentary.
It struck me that your readers might like to know about this project after reading your recent posting. Would you consider linking to our website from that entry? Please check it out:
http://robbenislandsingers.com
Best,
Arlen
Reply to this