ROBBEN ISLAND

So two Sundays ago I was fortunate enough to visit Robben Island with some other CIEE students. CIEE was able to get 60 tickets for us and 20 were automatically given to the seminar kids! I’m starting to feel like a VIP!

The day was absolutely GORGEOUS- probably the nicest day we’ve had so far. It was at least 75 degrees- and to be by the water- ohhh it was perfect!!!

So here are some pictures from our ½ day trip. We left on the 1 o’clock boat and arrived at the island around 145pm. We then boarded about 5 buses and were taken in around the island in the buses. The island is a lot bigger than I imagined it- and it’s interesting to see what life is like for those who still live on the island (mainly the tour guides and their families). Our bus tour guide was amazing! His name was Johnny and he lived on the island for many years- but admitted that after some really bad weather last April & being stranded on the island and not able to make it to the mainland- he got sick of it & moved. But he drove us past his house!! It actually reminds me a lot of what the houses looked like in Hawaii on the base that Mom & Dad lived in Honolulu. (I guess the house I would have been brought home from the hospital to.)

Anyways here are some pictures:

leaving on the boat from the waterfront... blue skies!

ferry

on the bus tour

leper graveyard

lime quarry nelson mandela used to work in... the cave in the back is where nelson and the other political prisoners used to meet during lunch to discuss politics... it was only safe to discuss issues in there otherwise the guards on duties would have heard... our tour guide joked that this was the birth place of south africa's democratic parliament!

reindeer!!

breath taking view

couldn't have picked a better day to visit

santa clara buddies! sarah jeffcoat!

robben island lighthouse

ship wreck!

courtyard mandela used to hang out in

tour guide, Mobasa. he was imprisioned when he was 17 and was on the island for 5 years.

mandela's cell has the open window.

nelson mandela's cell

communal cells... somewhere between 50 & 60 men were kept in there

another communal cell

tour guide & scu-er Lauren!... apparently one can find love on robben island. he was obsessed with her & even asked for her number... and texted her a few days later... haha apparently going to ex-prisions is the place to find guys?

cape town from the ferry... such a beautiful day.

stadium- getting ready for 2010!

sunset down by the waterfront