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ROBBEN ISLAND -- OCTOBER 2000 A SUNNY Wednesday afternoon in October saw a group of wannabe shipping lawyers board a hydrofoil in Table Bay for a quick hit-and-run visit to the historic Robben Island. As even most South Africans among us hadn't visited the island before, spirits were high. Although we arrived late, a tour of the famous prison was kindly arranged for us. An ex-political prisoner who had served 7 years showed us the (shameful) sights. The enormity of the place left a buoyant, wisecracking class silent and introspective, but the optimism and forgiving nature of our guide showed most of us even more. Dinner was washed down with wine, while the evening news reported bombs exploding on the mainland. The local pub stayed open after normal closing time to quench pre-exam thirst, putting any undergraduate to shame. A few hours sleep and onto a tour of the island (stragglers and all): the limestone quarry and a photo-op on a wreck, with a background that shows what the fuss about "the mountain" is all about. Then a sunny Thursday morning saw certain homeward-bound wannabe shipping lawyers contemplating the merits of "dry" law on their knees as the sea heaved us up and down, up and down, up and ..... Click on each small image to see a larger version. To return to THIS page, just use your browser's BACK button or BACK arrow.
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