August 31st, 2022. I decided to spend a week in Cape Town to give myself time to explore the city, go on a few day trips, and still have time to chill at the hostel or a cafe.

I’m still not sure how I feel about Cape Town. It’s early spring here. It’s windy and the temperature has been high 50s to low 70s. The town is situated between mountains and the ocean. I get Northern California vibes. It is a car oriented society and most of the well off people live in suburbs. I’ve been here for way too short of a time to really understand the society, but the classes still seem very separate. Unemployment is very high. My hostel is more than half locals who can’t afford/ find affordable housing.

At the same time, the location of the city is gorgeous. The beaches are endless and there are so many outdoor activities to take part in. The cafe and restaurant scene is on point. Malls and new developments seem to be everywhere. As a foreigner with American dollars, I can see why expats enjoy it here. Personally, I’m a bit split. I think the longer I stay, the more I will like it.

The first day, I went on a tour of Cape Peninsula, which included the Cape of Good Hope and the penguins. I really just wanted to see the African black-footed penguins, but the scenery was equally stunning. It was too cold to go swimming however walking along the beach was lovely.

• 

• 

• 

The penguins were so cute! The beach we visited was protected so the people stayed on the boardwalks and the penguins got everything else.

Another highlight was walking around the Bo-Kaap neighborhood. It’s very colorful which causes tourists to flock for pictures. The history behind it is just as interesting. It’s been a Muslim neighborhood through multiple waves of immigrants. Somehow it survived apartheid when other mixed neighborhoods were destroyed.

Cape Town is close to South African wine country. So of course I went on a wine tasting trip. We drove about an hour outside of the city and visited 4 wineries. My favorite was Mitre’s Edge- probably because the wines were all paired with delicious cheese. The group was so much fun.

• 

• 

• 

On my last day I visited Robben Island. This is where Nelson Mandela and other black political prisoners were incarcerated during Apartheid. Though I’m sure all of my readers are well-informed about Apartheid in South Africa, I just want to remind you that a negotiated end to these heinous racial segregation laws was not completed until 1993. Nelson Mandela was freed in 1990. It’s hard to believe that a system like this was still in place just 30 years ago.

• 

• 

The island is 7-11 km from land and has been used intermittently as a prison since the 1600s. It was a surprisingly pretty island. We saw African penguins, seals, turtles, steenbok (tiny antelope), tons of guinea fowl, two types of cormorants, and lots of other birds. The environmentalist in me hopes the large numbers of tourists don’t disrupt the animals.

A former political prisoner guided us around the prison. He was only 18 (arrested at 15 but it took 3 years for sentencing) when he was incarcerated. The conditions were very brutal. It was meant to break the spirits of those opposing the apartheid. Beds, proper washrooms, and recreation space were only provided as the decades went on. In the 1960-1970s, the prisoners slept on thin mats. No pillows or warm blankets. The guide showed us how to roll the mat to make a “pillow”.

The political leaders were separated from the rest of the prisoners. They were kept in individual cells. The cells had a bucket for personal waste which the prisoners would empty, a mat, and a tiny table where they could eat the little food they received.

The tour ended on a positive note. They thanked the international community for pressuring the South African government into releasing Mandela and other political prisoners. I wish I felt as positive. Yes, Apartheid is over but racism continues all over the world. The Jim Crow laws don’t exist in the USA, but division remain. People must work towards equality everyday and not grow complacent. I’m not sure how though. I notice the separation especially in the hospitals around the USA. I’m making a generalization based off my experience, but I notice that house keepers are African American, the nurses are mostly white women, and the doctors are either white or from well off immigrant families. That can’t be a coincidence.

I’m glad that I visited the prison and spent this time in South Africa. It has given me more perspective on racial struggles here and in other countries. Let us follow in the footsteps of civil rights leaders worldwide and continue to work towards equality for all.