Friday, April 23, 2010

Three Sisters



These three hillocks are located next to a small Karoo town called Three Sisters. The town was named after the three similar looking hillocks. This image shows two of the sisters with the third sister just visible in the middle.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Cape Town Harbour



The harbour at Cape Town from the V&A waterfront. The harbour developed into a vibrant shopping and tourist hot spot. The nearby aquarium is worth a visit.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Table Mountain



Table Mountain remains one of South Africa's special sights. This view was special to me as I last saw the mountain in this way when I serviced in the Navy many years ago.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Mandela's prison cell



This is the furniture inside Nelson Mandela's cell in the Robbin Island prison. To the left is a toilet bucket. Next to the toilet bucket a table / chair and eating utensils. To the right of that a bed roll. Due to international pressure the bed roll was eventually replaced with a simple bunk style bed.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Robbin Island Prison


The entrance to the Robbin Island prison complex.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Table Mountain from Robbin Island



This is Table Mountain as seen from Robbin Island. It must have added to the feeling of being banned from society, having to see this every day but not being allowed to be there.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Robbin Island



This is the harbor at Robbin Island where Nelson Mandela was jailed for 18 years. The prison itself is in good condition but it is sad to see how the rest of the island is slowly deteriorating. The house where the first leader of the ANC Youth League was held is overgrown by weeds. During the war the island was used as base to defend the waters around the cape. Significant block houses housing some of the biggest guns used were built on the island. These are in a sad state of repair. Previously the island also housed a leper colony. Their grave yard is in a sad state of repair.

Probably the result of nepotism and political interference. Maybe one of the instances of about ½ the staff employed on the island actually “working” on the island.