3 weeks

Crazy to believe that I only have three full weeks left or two full weekends left to explore Cape Town. I am so amazed by how fast time has gone by! I still can't believe it is July already. I am going to be so sad to leave this beautiful place. I have loved seeing all of the nature here and I know that I am not going to see everything that I have wanted to see. But, hopefully I can return one day... 


This weekend, I had ice cream in Camp's Bay, saw the beaches at Sea Point and Clifton (lots of other bays too), visited Hout Bay Market and ate fish & chips at my favorite place- Fish on the Rocks, then drove through Chapman's Peak (I went previously with my classmates, but it was at night)! We also went to an amazing viewing spot above  Constantia (whenever I hear and see this word I can only think of Seinfeld and  George "Can't stand ya.") and was wishing the day wouldn't end. I wish I had a car here, that I knew how to drive stick and how to drive on the opposite side of the road. I feel like you can access this city better and see so much more. I am so glad that sun came out and that I could spend the day being a tourist. Today, it rained a lot. It was a relaxing day and I started "Long Walk to Freedom." Mandela is a beautiful and humble writer.  Well, off to bed - gotta start the week just right! 

Glimpse into Robben Island

L to R: Entrance to Robben Island (Did you know that before it's infamy Robben Island used to be a place where they kept the lepers?);  The yellow house on the left is called Sobukwe House. Sobukwe was a freedom fighter, who broke away from the ANC and founded the Pan Africanist Congress. He was held  24-hour solitary confinement as a "visitor" on Robben Island. Sobukwe was never given a trial and during his time on the island was never allowed to speak to anyone. He would die years later still under house arrest. The buildings on the right are where they kept the guard dogs;  This is the limestone quarry where maximum security prisoners were used for hard labour. The conditions were harsh and the limestone caused lung damage and also damage to the eyes. One example is Nelson Mandela, who cannot produce tears, because of damage from the hours of direct sunlight and reflection of the light on the stones.  This quarry was also the only time for prisoners were able to talk and share revolutionary literature; and trying to look beyond the wall and barbed wire.   

L to R: Nelson Mandela's prison cell; our tour guide, who was a former prisoner, sharing his experiences on the island;  scenes of the empty prison; and a tour of our guide's former cell and his sleeping arrangements. 

For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. - Nelson Mandela