Cape Town Day 2

Day 2 took us down to the water front for our Robben Island tour. It was cold and rainy and windy. Worst day ever for a boat ride. The four of our group made it through by the skin of our teeth without being sick. 45 minutes against the current and wind to get to the island. It was horrible. But once all the boats docked on the island, it ran like a well oiled machine. Everyone down to the buses and we take a boat tour of the island. We see the village where the workers of the prison lived, the maximum security prison (from the outside), they lime quarry where the prisoners worked and destroyed their health, the churches, the school, the lighthouse etc....At the end of the bus tour, we are dropped off in front of the maximum security ward and we get a 45 minutes talk from a previous inmate, see Nelson Mandelas cell, the yard where recreation was etc. The history and stories were very eye opening. Robben Island is known mostly for being a prison for political prisoners, but it had other uses before that including a lepar colony. Headed back to the mainland (weather had cleared up nicely) and had lunch on the waterfront. From there were were all tired and headed back to the hostel.