Capetown - 12,202kms from home

---

I woke on Sunday (still with Manu Chao running over and over in my head) determined to climb Table Mountain. So on a breakfast of Nice biscuits and OJ we set out. There was no proper breakfast to be found - Capetown is VERY laid back compared to Sydney nothing opens early and most things close quite early (the guy at the bar told me it's not called the "Mother City" for nothing - everything takes 9 months). My motivation was to be killed quickly though as Howard and I (my new American friend) got to the bottom of the cablecar to find that it was too windy to climb or use the cablecar. But we got some good pics. As the South Africans say "Shame."

But the day was not to be wasted. We headed for the Waterfront hoping to get the ferry to Robben Island. With two hours to the ferry we bumped into the two gorgeous Danish girls we had met the day before and headed to the famous "Harry's Pancakes" for breakfast. Howard ordered the pancakes with Biltong. Biltong is like a dried meat product that is quite popular here. I am not 100% sure if it's beef or ostrich or maybe you can get both types. Apologies in advance to anyone that might like it, but I can't say I'm a fan.

The wait for the ferry turned out to be well worth it. Robben Island has had a number of "lives" but probably the most famous and interesting is that it was used to house political prisoners such as Nelson Mandela and Robert Sobukwe. Once you get on the Island you are given a bus trip around the Island and then on foot you are given a tour to Nelson Mandela's cell and you hear a former inmate speak. Hearing the inmate describe his torture was emotional. Mandela's cell gave me shivers. They showed you that it wasn't as long as him so he slept curled up for something like 17 years. You also see the limestone quarry where they worked which seriously damaged his eyes. Today photographers are not allowed to use a flash because the ducts in his eyelids are permanently damaged and do not keep his eyes wet. One thing I have noticed all South Africans agree on, Black and White is how great Mandela is.

Capetown from the ferry looked amazing. Freezing though!

---

Photos

Table Mountain
To be conquered another day...