Day Seven

January 8th, Sunday. Today we went to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and many other anti-apartheid leaders and followers were imprisoned under the apartheid government. We took a forty minute ferry ride to get to the island and I was very much looking forward to this particular tour. However, I found that I was pretty disappointed with it. Though our guide was in prison during the time that Nelson Mandela was there, he never spoke of his experience, but rather just told us where they were kept and why, and showed us two cells and a courtyard. Altogether, not the best experience, but I do have some pictures.

Gates to the prison at Robben Island 

Typical room for about 60-70 political prisoners at one time with no beds or benches.

Our tour guide who was a political prisoner for seven years on Robben Island.

This intercom system was the way that the guards would find out whether or not they were speaking about anything political inside the cell. If they were, they would be put into solitary confinement, beaten and starved.

The communal bathroom

Where Nelson Mandela was kept in solitary confinement for eighteen years

Raquel, Mike, Nathalie, Batya, Amr, Racheli, myself, James and Erin

I put all my penguin pictures in because penguins are amazing and I love them (:

These are a South African invention and are actually made of cement. These break up waves and prevent strong waves from being able to take structures away.

Seals!!! They just hang out at the harbor around all kinds of people

Random tourist man

South African gay pride!

Peruvian street performers

Performance artist at the harbor. He was at the waterfront longer than we were there. 

The mountains from the car looking very ominous.