"Hemel Op Tafelberg"

Sunday (Feb 5)

On the schedule for the day was a trip out to Robben Island on the ferry, and depending on the weather, I was hoping we could go up to Table Mountain in the afternoon (which fortunately worked out).

We met Angie in the hotel lobby around 10:20 where she informed us that she had developed some kind of stomach bug, so would we feel ok doing the Robben Island tour on our own since it's pretty straightforward. We assured her that we would be fine, and Ben flashed me an excited smile that we would be spending the day without her (he wasn't exactly her biggest fan either).

We walked through the waterfront shops and restaurants to get to the departure point for the ferry. We waited in line to board the ferry, and settled in the bottom level when we got aboard since all the spaces at the top of the boat had filled up. They showed an informational video about Robben Island on the trip over as we enjoyed the ocean views around us.

Once we got to Robben Island, we disembarked and headed over to a group of large tour buses waiting for us. Aboard the tour bus, our Robben Island tour guide introduced himself. I can't remember his full name, but he said to call him MP for short. He was very lively and friendly and gave us an interesting and informative tour of Robben Island -- the isolation house, the prison blocks, the limestone quarry where prisoners were forced to work, the guest house, and the clinic. We also stopped for a break at an area with an incredible view of Table Mountain across the ocean where all the guests got off the bus for the beautiful photo-op. It is definitely a sight not to miss -- the rocks, the ocean, the table mountain vista in the distance -- it's so picturesque. To conclude our tour, MP asked the guests on the bus where they were from. For each country, we would give a little informational bit about how that country contributed to ending apartheid or aiding the political prisoners on Robben Island. For the guests from the USA, he mentioned how Andrew Young, former mayor of Atlanta, adopted Robert Sobukwe's children to give them a better life in Atlanta when Sobukwe was imprisoned on Robben Island.

After the bus tour, we entered prison block B to hear more about prison life on Robben Island from a former political prisoner who showed us the different cell blocks, the living conditions in the prison, and Nelson Mandela's prison cell.

Once finished with the tour (luckily we were the first group done), we quickly walked back to the ferry (with a quick detour to see the penguins), so we could get a spot on top of the boat for the return trip. We succeeded, and enjoyed feeling the ocean breeze and watching the seals play while appreciating the scenic view of Cape Town and Table Mountain across the water.

I had suggested we head to Table Mountain afterwards and enjoy a nice, relaxing lunch at the Table Mountain Restaurant. Fortunately, everyone agreed to this plan, so we caught a taxi to the cable car station at Table Mountain. We enjoyed the ocean/mountain vista from a different point of view as we ascended the mountain in the cable car. At the top, we headed straight for the restaurant and relaxed with some delicious chicken pies and cider beers overlooking the Twelve Apostles mountain range.

After finishing our meal, we took advantage of the gorgeous scenery to take some photos and I wrangled Ben into doing the quick (10 min) Dassie trail with me, so we could appreciate the views from both sides of the mountain. On the Dassie trail, guess what we found? That's right... a dassie. I love these little creatures, so I was pleased that we were able to spot one.

It was quite a hot day, and everyone was a little tired from our day's adventures. So, we headed back to the hotel. Ben and I decided to squeeze in a workout before getting ready to meet Imar, Tamara, and Nadia for dinner. Imar and Tamara graciously offered to pick us up from the hotel, and Mom and Dad came down for a quick introduction before we left for dinner. They took us to The Woodlands Eatery where we met Nadia. The Woodlands Eatery is a charming little restaurant with vintage decor on the inside and a patio with twinkly lights adorning the ceilings. We got some sangria for the table and Ben and I split a delicious lamb pizza. After dinner, Imar and Tamara invited over for coffee to see their apartment. It was so nice to catch up with Imar and Nadia and meet Tamara. We had such a good time -- a perfect evening with good food and great company.