Putting a Cap on the Cape!

 Today is our last day in Cape Town.  We spent the morning visiting the World Heritage Site of Robben Island.  It is an island about 6 miles from Cape Town, and was a stopping point for sailors in the 16th and 17th century.  It was named by the early Dutch settlers--Robben is the dutch word for seal, so it was Seal Island.

 

(Note there was a heavy tablecloth on Table Mountain today--that means it's very windy!)

The island became a British penal colony, then a leper and mental asylum until 1931; and then from 1931-1991 it served as South Africa's maximum security prison.   It is often called South Africa's Alcatraz.  Most inmates, including Nelson Mandela, were black men incarcerated for political offenses.  The last political prisoner was released in 1991, and one of those prisoners was our guide today!  What a privilege to be able to meet and talk with someone who lived in a place we all have read about.  He was imprisoned for 7 years for his involvement with a political group supporting the anti-apartheid movement.  He gave a first hand account of his experience in the prison, and how the prisoners were processed through.  He said they were "dehumanized".

Prisoners were issued with prison clothes.  In the 60's, Africans were given short pants, shirts, moleskin jackets and sandals and no underpants.  Indian prisoners were given long pants, shirts, jackets, underpants, socks and shoes.  Africans only received long pants in 1971.

We saw the tiny cell where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years imprisoned.  It's hard to believe all of this happened during our lifetime. 

The Island known for its politial oppression, was turned into a museum  as a symbol of reconciliation.  It is now a World Heritage Site.  Our guides were passionate about making sure that people don't forget what happened here.

It is obvious there continues to be a separation of class.  We see a lot of homeless people, street side panhandlers and "Townships" with shantys and tents to house the less fortunate.

We returned to the mainland for a great lunch on the waterfront.  We took in the mall, more entertainment and colorful views.

Here are a few photos I missed yesterday.  One is our group at a stop on the way to Cape of Good Hope.

The other is a view of Constantia, the oldest part of wine country in South Africa.  We didn't stop for tasting...that's another day on our trip!

We are packing up tonight, as we leave early tomorrow to go pick up the RV's.  We've been here five days now, and I can't figure out how everything fit in my suitcase!!  We haven't even done much shopping yet...this could be a problem!