Robben Island

We went out to Robben Island on a sunny Saturday afternoon and had a lovely time. Touring prisons is creepy business though. Despite the new paint and washed floors and perfectly cut grass outside to welcome dignitaries, there is still something creepy in the air. People have lived their whole lives within these walls, and many people died inside these walls. I think the worst part was knowing that people had been tortured inside those walls and here I was taking photos.

The one thing I will say about the famous Mandela cell is that it was small. So small. It’s a miracle that he didn’t go insane. I did see the famous lime quarry that helped build up movement, leadership and intelligence within the ANC. It was bright, dusty and uninviting even under the late afternoon sun. Apparently this is the place where men, white and black, received multiple university degrees and learned the beauty of tolerance. This rock is also responsible for hundreds of men’s eyes as it blinded many of them. According my lovely guide, this is why you may not use flash photography with Mr. Mandela. We were led around the prison itself by an ex-political prisoner, which was a bit cruel in my opinion. I highly doubt that this man wants to tell loads of foreigners about the torture he endured, let alone stand in his old jail cell. However, according to our previous guide, this was a job. One of the only jobs that he could get, so he embraced his fate to never fully leave behind the Island.