Robben Island

Took the boat out to Robben Island today, where Nelson Mandela was held as a political prisoner by the Apartheid government of South Africa. He was sent to the island in 1964, and released in 1990. His prisoner number, 466/64, represents the fact that he was the 466th prisoner sent to the island in 1964. Robben Island closed as a prison in 1996, was opened as a museum in 1997, and was declared a UN world heritage site in 1999.

The tour started with the 1/2 hour boat ride out to the island in the choppy waters. Once there, they load everyone on buses, and do a small driving tour around the island, visiting places like the Limestone quarry, and various other buildings that made up the prison. Unfortunately, you are not allowed off the bus to look around by yourself. They go over the history of the island, as it has gone from prison to military base and back to prison again. They have sent Lepers and the Mentally Insane here, and use it now as a museum and host weddings in the small churches, and government and corporate events in the halls it has. Parts of the island were briefly used as a B&B, but that was closed down after a few 'incidents', which weren't elaborated on.

After the bus tour, you are taken inside the prison where most of the political prisoners were held. The tour from that point is operated by a former political prisoner, who gives you a view on what it was like there and how life in prison was. You get to stop by all the cells, including Mandela's, and take a few photos. then it's back on the boat and back to shore.

I wish I had more to write about this place, but there isn't really more to offer. I found the tour surprisingly short and somewhat uninformative, with a lot of repetition on dates and facts, but not a lot of insight as to what took place, different stories and personal accounts of what went on. I left felling a bit ripped off, thinking there would have been more. Still, for the low cost of the tour, it is still worth the time it took.

Photos to follow....