Visiting the former apartheid prison of Robben Island a bitter sweet place Part 1 (Blog and video)

Dear steemit friends

It’s your boy KOKO with a bit of a sad story and video

Visiting Robben Island was one of the top things I wanted to do in Cape Town. I’ve heard that just going on the ferry ride is an experience of its self because you get to take in those magnificent views that make that picture perfect postcard of Table Mountain and the city of Cape Town.

My mother and I decided to go visit the island as we both haven't done it yet. We got to the departure point early as the seats fill up fast. This means some people have to stand and sit on the floor for the 45-minute journey.

The boat departs three times a day (weather dependent) from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront and in total is about 3½ half hours long tour of Robben Island. This includes a 45-minute ferry ride, a bus tour around the island, as well as a tour of the prison unit where Mandela was imprisoned. In the bus tour, there was a lady who was very informative; but we felt the tour was a bit rushed you would get out, take a photo, get back in the bus, get out, take a photo, get back in the bus. Nevertheless, once we got to visit the cell where Robert Sobukwe was kept in isolation for six years it was very moving. Letters between him and his wife are on display. On the tour, we would go pass the limestone quarry where many political prisoners were forced to do hard manual labour for hours on end.

At the end of the bus tour around the island, we had to do the rest of the tour by walking first visiting the infamous maximum security prison block where Mandela and many other political prisoners were kept. This was the highlight of the tour as an ex-political prisoner showed us around, making the experiences feel much more personalized. Before we went into Mandela’s old cell we stopped in the courtyard where Mandela managed to smuggle out some of the pages of his book “Long Walk to Freedom”. After seeing Mandela prison it was shocking to imagine he spent 18 years of his life in this tiny space.

Ending off the tour, My mom and I left the island feeling a sense of sadness after seeing the conditions these prisoners and others had to deal with.

Information about visiting Robben Island

Ferries to Robben Island depart at 9am, 11am and 1pm, from Nelson Mandela Gateway, at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

Ferry tickets cost R340 for adults and R190 for children under 18. We also have Educational concession tickets, view the Tour Types page for more information.

Tickets for Robben Island Museum are available at Pick n Pay and can be purchased online or call tel +27 21 409 5169.

www.robben-island.org.za

To Be Continued