Mandela Legacy Tour -- Our Journey's End

Day 13 - Sunday, October 19, 2014

We ended our tour with a visit to Robben Island Prison where Nelson Mandela Spent most of the 27 years in captivity.  This quote at the Robben Island Museum captures the essence of this historic place:

"While we will not forget the brutality of apartheid, we will not want Robben Island to be a monument of our hardship and suffering.   We would want it to be a triumph of the human spirit against the forces of evil; a triumph of wisdom and largeness of spirit against small minds and pettiness; a triumph of courage and determination over human frailty and weakness."   

Ahmed Kathrada 1993

 

 

After our visit to Robben Island, we gathered at the Lagoon Beach Hotel for one last photo at sunset. We have enjoyed ourselves immensely, and also formed a long-lasting bond. This has been a very special group for many reasons.  The memories of this time together will last forever.

We hope you enjoyed the photos and sites we shared.  Perhaps you will join us for our next tour in October, 2015. Plan to join us for the best kept secret in travel to Africa.

Thanks for following us on our tour.

Roger Madison, CEO

iZania, LLC

About.me

Mandela Legacy Tour -- Cape Town, the Mother City of South Africa

Day 10 - Thursday, October 16, 2014
Today, we traveled to Cape Town -- the second-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg, and the provincial capital city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. The city is famous for its harbor, for its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, as well as for such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point.

The majesty of Table Mountain as the background for the city seascape is breath-taking.  We arrived at our hotel -- the Lagoon Beach Hotel -- at sunset on Thursday evening, followed by the sunrise Friday morning.  What a scenic greeting!

     

We enjoyed dinner with a spectacular view as a backdrop, and an evening by the pool.

 

   

Day 11 - Friday, October 17, 2014

We began our visit to the cape with the Cape Winelands -- a region of the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It is the largest wine producing region in South Africa and is divided into six main wine regions, each offering its own unique wine route. Constantia, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, Robertson and Wellington are the most popular.  We spent our day in the Franschhoek region.

The highlight of our day was a visit to the Boekenhoutskloof Winery, where two of their wines were featured -- The Chocolate Block Red Blend and Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc.

   

 

 

 Day 12 - Saturday, October 18, 2014

Our destination today is the Cape of Good Hope -- the most south-western point of the African continent.  Along the way, we visited Hout Bay, a scenic fishing town where there is also an island of seals.  Nearby, in Simon's Town, there is a colony of penguins.  Most of our travelers did not expect  to see penguins in South Africa.  We paid tribute to OHIO overlooking Hout Bay. 

 

 

We ended our day with a cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain, the most stunning view of Cape Town and Robben Island.

 

Tomorrow is our last day before traveling home.  There remains one last stop on our Mandela Legacy Tour -- Robben Island Prison.  We are looking forward to this fitting end to our jopurney.

Roger Madison, CEO

iZania, LLC

About.me

Mandela Legacy Tour - Day 7, 8, and 9

Day 7 - Monday, October 13, 2014

Today was a day of rest and shopping. 

Johannesburg offers some of the most modern and cosmopolitan shopping experiences in the fashion conscious malls in contrast to local merchants selling handcrafted items. One of those shopping venues we visited was was the Sandton City Mall, featuring Nelson Mandela Square.

Tomorrow we will visit the sites of Johannesburg -- including the Apartheid Museum, and the home of Nelson Mandela in Soweto.





Day 8 - Tuesday, October 14, 2014
We began our day with a visit to the Apartheid Museum.  This was a comprehensive exploration of the period of apartheid in South Africa and the struggle to end this system of oppression.  There also was a special section of the museum dedicated to the role of Nelson Mandela and the ANC in the struggle to end this system and create a democratic government based on a new constitution that respects the dignity of all people.

Following our visit to the Apartheid Museum we toured Soweto. Our tour included many iconic sights.  The famous cooling towers of the power station in Soweto is now a bungee jumping sight. Note the suspended bridge between the two towers from which jumpers take the dive. We saw the World Cup "Soccer City Stadium" with its unique calabash shape. We visited Nelson Mandela's Soweto home, and the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum just a few blocks from where 12-year-old Hector Pieterson was shot in 1976 in a peaceful protest against the mandatory use of Afrikaans as a language of instruction in black secondary schools..

We ended our day with dinner at the home of Kgosi and Mpho Letlape.  They are friends of the Madisons and very active in society of South Africa.

Dr Kgosi Letlape is an ophthalmologist and health care leader from South Africa. He is the current president of the African Medical Association, former chairperson of the South African Medical Association (SAMA), past president of the World Medical Association (WMA) and Executive Director of the Tshepang Trust. He also serves as a member of The Global Hygiene Council.

Mpho Letlape has recently been appointed as  new Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Strategic Services at the University of Johannesburg. The University of Johannesburg (UJ) announced the appointment of Mrs Mpho Emily Letlape as the new Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Strategic Services with effect from 1 September 2014.

We were especially honored with the presence of members of the International Women's Forum (IWF) South Africa, including Mrs. Zanele Mbecke, wife of former South Africa President, Thabo Mbecke.

Day 9 - Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Today we visited Pretoria, popularly known as the Jacaranda City due to the thousands of Jacaranda trees planted in its streets, parks and gardens.We visited the Voortrekker Monument, built to commemorate the journey of the early Dutch settlers in the Northern part of South Africa. And we visited the Union buildings, the administrative offices of the President and Cabinet members. Our day ended with a visit to the Lesedi Cultural Village, where we toured the traditional villages and customs of the Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, and Ndbele tribes. Our visit ended with an African Feast with the meats of African wild game.

 

 

 

  

On Thursday, we travel to Cape Town and the last leg of our journey.  We are looking forward to the wine country, Table Mountain, and the scenery by the sea.

Roger Madison, CEO

iZania, LLC

About.me

Mandela Legacy Tour - Day 5 and 6

Day 5 - Saturday, October 11, 2014
On our way to God's Window, the fog at the mountain top closed the curtains on this magnificent view.  So we visited two other sites at lower altitudes that were fine examples of the majesty of the Drakensberg Mountain Range.  The Drakensberg is the name given to the eastern portion of the Great Escarpment, which encloses the central Southern African plateau.

Mac Mac Falls
Now a national monument, the waterfall was not always split in two. Gold miners in the area for the gold rush blasted the originally single stream to try and reach the gold-bearing reef over which it drops. Mac Mac tends to revert to one fall during the dry season. There was only one waterfall during our visit.

 

 

While we were visiting the falls, we also had an opportunity to do some shopping at the falls with local vendors.  The falls are maintained by the government, but the proceeds from the sales of local merchandise goes directly to the families in the nearby villages.  Pictured above are a few of our ladies shopping at one of the vendor stalls.

Bourke's Luck Potholes
These magnificent rock formations have to be seen to be believed.  This natural water feature marks the beginning of the Blyde River Canyon.  Through countless eons the swirling whirlpools which occur as the Treur River plunges into the Blyde River caused waterborne sand and rock to grind huge, cylindrical potholes into the bedrock of the river.

Day 6 - Sunday, October 12, 2014
Today, the sun rose and brightened the sky to create a beautiful day for traveling to the top of the Drakensberg Mountain Range.  We are looking forward to an even more awesome viewing experience.

The Pinnacle Rock
The Pinnacle Rock, a tower-like freestanding quartzite buttress rises above the dense indigenous forest in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve.

  

The Three Rondavels
The word "Rondavel" is a South African word that refers to a round hut-like dwelling (usually with a thatched roof).  The three well known gigantic peaks of quartzite and shale with their sheer rock walls tower more than 700 m above the surrounding landscape.  These peaks are named after the three most troublesome wives of Chief Maripi Mashile - they are (from left to right) Magabolle, Mogoladikwe and Maseroto.

 

     

Bernice Vance -- "Witnessing the ecosystem of Kruger National 
Park South Africa urges you to acknowledge the unity,wisdom, power and complexity of the Holy Trinity. "

Pat Flowers -- "We captured many amazing photos at the Kruger National Park and in the Drakensberg Mountains.  But the stories shared with new friends in the Bono Travel van were equally as exhilarating."

God's Window

No brochure, website or travel magazine will prepare you for the spectacular view from God’s Window, one of the most scenic vantage points in South Africa, situated along the Panorama Route in the Mpumalanga Province. God’s Window is one the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve’s most spectacular viewpoints, with astonishing views over the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve.  On a clear day, you'll be able to see over the famous Kruger National Park towards the Lebombo Mountains on South Africa’s border Mozambique.

 

 

 

 We enjoyed the challenge of the trek through the rain forest to the top of the summit.  The view was worth every step of the way.  Now we know why they call it God's Window.

We have seen the splendor of South Africa's natural wonders -- the animals of the Kruger National Park, and the majesty of the Drakensberg Mountains.  There is more to come!

Roger Madison, CEO

iZania, LLC

About.me