We are in Cape Town, South Africa tied up at the same pier we were at ten years ago. It is still a short walk to the Victoria and Alfred Shopping Mall about a quarter of a mile down the water front. Except this time, it was a walk through a construction zone. Some of the old grain storage towers are being converted into an upscale hotel. A lot has been done in ten years and a lot is still being done. The mall is built around the old inner harbor and dock area. In ten years, the mall has doubled in size. We spent an hour walking around before returning to the ship. We have an afternoon ferry ride to Robben Island and a tour of the prison where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner.
Robben Island is an hour’s boat ride from the Cape Town harbor. Robben Island is a two mile by one mile chunk of limestone in the middle of the bay ten miles north of Cape Town. Beautiful views of Table Mountain and Cape Town in the distance but the island is still grim. Our guide walked us into the prison, through several of barracks and exercise yards. One long description of life in the prison was held in a room that once held 65 prisoners. From the exercise yard, we could see the window of Mandela’s cell. We later walked passed his cell and others in the same cell block. From there, it was a short drive to the village, really the living quarters for the guards and their families. We passed by the local church and the original school building. People are still living on the island but I think they work off island or in the island’s prison tourist industry. Our last stop was a small gift shop/snack shop at the end of the island overlooking Cape Town and Table Mountain. Then it was a rush back to the pier to catch the 5:00 P.M. ferry back to Cape Town.
Back on the ship, we rushed around getting showers and dressed for the World Cruise Dinner, the dinner for all those who were doing a complete world cruise. This year it was held at the Grand West Casino, in the suburbs of Cape Town. We boarded our bus, complete with driver and guide, for the 45 minute drive to the casino. Our bus had plush leather seats and a bar in back, unstocked, unfortunately. The guide told us that this particular bus had previously been used by the national soccer team. At the casino, we were dropped off at the back entrance and escorted into a main reception area. Wine and finger food was served, while we listened to a young lady, in a plastic bubble, play the viola. In a half hour, the doors to the dining room were opened and we all filed to our seats. We lucked out, one of the couples at our table were also on our trivia team. The food was good, the wine was excellent, the entertainment was so-so, and the speaker, from the main office, was forgettable. Our Captain, Inger Klein Thorhauge, also spoke and everyone listened to her. At the end, our ride back to the ship was a lot quieter except for the occasional snoring.
The next day, we were still in Cape Town. Sail away was scheduled for 4:30 in the afternoon. It gave us enough time to ride the shuttle bus back to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and do some more shopping. First in the mall area, upscale shops and such. We then turned our attention to a group of local craft shops. Sandra picked up quite a few gifts and such from the shops. I just found a quiet place to sit and watch the world pass by. We had lunch at a burger shop near the waterfront before finding the shuttle bus stop and a ride back to the ship. I think we did laundry for the rest of the afternoon. No lines in the laundry since a lot of people were just getting onto the ship.
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| Outside the prison on Robben Island |
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| Cell block in the prison |
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| More cell blocks |
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| Inside the cell block |
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| Outside in the exercise yard |
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| Window to Nelson Mandela's cell |
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| Interior of the cell next to Nelson Mandela's cell |
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| Church in the village |
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| Village building |
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| A home in the village |
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| Village school |
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| A view of Table Mountain and Cape Town |
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| Robben Island lighthouse |
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