Robben Island
I was invited, together with a guest, to visit Robben Island. The guesthouse owner, Delgun, and I were met by the senior manager of operations at the boat terminal at the V&A Waterfront. At the island, the senior manager drove us around in a private airconditioned people carrier (the tourist buses are cramped and have no a/c). I was there as a guest an also as an informal consultant to help them with ideas on how to improve their tours.
We were shown areas of the island that were not accessible to the general public including the lime quarry where Nelson Mandela used to break lime rocks during his 18 years of hard labour on Robben Island. There was also a cave which we went inside, which was used as shelter and rest, as well as a place to go to the toilet. The educated prisoners like Mandela would also undertake to teach the uneducated prisoners in that cave, away from the watchful eye of the prison guards. The phrase 'Each One, Teach One' was coined.
Nelson Mandela Cell
We also had the rare privilege of entering the cell of Nelson Mandela and holding the key. Only a few hundred people out of the millions of visitors have been invited to enter his cell, which was a real honour. It was so small inside that I couldn't have survived for more than a couple of days, let alone 18 years.
Cederberg Mountain and Rooibos Factory
A day or so after my visit to Robben Island, I decided to drive up to the Cederberg Mountains as I had heard that they were quite scenic. I drove up there but was not that impressed. However, I did visit the Rooibos Ltd company and was given a screening of how they grow and cultivate Rooibos tea, which is only grown in this part of the world. It is a very healthy and tasty drink, high in antioxidants, and which they export around the world. I drove from Clanwilliam where the factory was to the coast along route R364 and down to Elands Bay. What a spectacular route ! I highly recommend it, although there is a patch that is not paved, but they are working on it.
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