On Monday I went to Table Mountain and Robben Island some friends. What a wonderful day! We got up early and took a taxi to the base of the mountain where the cable car picked us up. The top of the mountain was incredible, but really really windy. I wasn't quite prepared and about froze my butt off up there, but the view was more that worth it. From the top of the mountain I could see just how vast Cape Town really is. The mountains in the distance and the beautiful ocean and city nestled just below. Stunning!!!

 





















After a little hike around the top of the mountain we headed into town for a walk around the waterfront and a nice lunch.






Around 1:00 we were picked up by a boat that took us to Robben Island. It was a great ride, fun to watch as Table Mountain slipped further and further away in the distance. The tour of Robben Island was fantastic. It is amazing what the men in this prison went through and what they accomplished while in prison. Our tour of the prison itself was given by a man that had actually spent 11 years in prison. His stories of prison life were interesting. We walked around the prison yard and the cells.





I was able to see the cell where Nelson Mandela spent so many years, incredible.








We were then given a tour of the rest of the island by a guy named Thabo; he did a great job of showing us around. His stories were fascinating. He told us of how the island was previously used as a leper colony, and showed us the leper graveyard and their church. He told us of the only man who escaped the island and how he did it by stealing a boat. He showed us the quarry where the prisoners worked from many hours in the hot sun. He told us how the prisoners taught each other and the prisoners made the prison into their own university. Many of the prisoners came in with little education and left with degrees.






After the tour we were able to walk around and came across some very friendly penguins, they are so cute!!! And Curious!! The boat ride back was great, the skipper let me stand at the front of the boat, the wind and occasional splash of sea water in the face worked wonders for my sea sickness. We enjoyed a great dinner and good company. What a wonderful day. I have to send out t big big THANK YOU to Jamie's mom Kathy and her friend Ann. They treated us the whole day, we were all very grateful and I hope they know how much we appreciated their generosity.