TheMadHouse: The Photo Lottery

Saturday, 20 March 2010

The Photo Lottery

I have been tagged by The Musings of a geriatric Mummy and I am sure someone else too, to do the Photo Lottery Meme, the rules are:

1. Open the first (oldest) photo folder in your computer library
2. Scroll to the 10th photo
3. Post the photo and the story behind it
4. Tag 5 or more people to continue the thread

OK the oldest digital photographs I have on the laptop are from 2003 and our trip to South Africa. This is the tenth one and not all that stunning in its imagery, but as a part of modern history it is just beyond my comprehension.

For this is the cell that Nelson Mandela occupied for approx 18 years during his imprisonment on Robben Island. He was finally released only 13 years before this picture was taken on 11 February 1990 (he didn't spent the last part of his sentence on Robben Island).

The whole tour of Robben Island was very emotional, as we were shown round by an ex-prisoner and oh my it was certainly an eye opener. The hardships that these people endured. The hard labour where they were forced to work in a Lime Quarry and were refused a lot of basic medication.

We were amazed by South Africa when we visited and had the best holiday ever. You have to remember that this is a third world country, with such a mixture of first and third word, that it is mind boggling.

The people we friendly, the hospitality excellent, the food was outstanding and the scenery well out of this world. One day we hope to be lucky enough to take our boys and show them.

Plus I am very envious of anyone who is going to the world cup. They will have a fantastic time, in a beautiful country that has come such a long, long way since the days of apartheid, but still has a long way to travel.

I need to Tag 5 other people to do it too and I am going to tag some of the new people I have been introduced to via The Gallery

Mums gone to....

What's happening at my house

Barefoot in the Kitchen

Freckles family

Kelloggsville

Now if you have tagged me recently, please can you drop me a line, as the flu has fried my brain and I can not find my notebook where I write all these things down - doh, I am having a homer moment as we call them.

Comments (10)

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deer baby · 784 weeks ago

That's the actual cell? Wow - that's mind blowing. Never been to South Africa - it's never been on my top ten list of places I'd like to go - but you may have just swayed me.

1 reply · active 783 weeks ago

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TheMadHouse 92p · 783 weeks ago

It was, we really loved SA and were bowled over by the people, but the povety is mindblowing. Plus I got some diamond earings, which of cource I wear all the time!

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Trish@Mum's Gone to · 784 weeks ago

Thanks for your tag. I have just done the photo lottery meme after being tagged by Vegemitevix. But thanks for popping over - The Gallery is a great way to see new blogs - I've enjoyed reading yours because of it too!
Really interesting photo and narrative - more cultural than my dirty photo haha!!

1 reply · active 783 weeks ago

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TheMadHouse 92p · 783 weeks ago

I too love the gallery a great way of finding new blogs, wish there were more hours in the day for them all!

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Brit In Bosnia · 784 weeks ago

Sort of connected.... but there's a really fascinating book called More Than Just A Game by Chuck Knorr about the football that the prisoners organised for themselves on Robben Island. They were totally in guidance with FIFA rules and regulations, very strictly adhered to, and are, I think, the only non state FA recognised by FIFA. Well worth a read (although a little too football will save the world for my liking, but fascinating none the less)

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holly@itsamummyslife · 784 weeks ago

Hello there, great pic and story. We went to S A for our 'pre-baby' holiday, the only organised thing I think I've ever managed. It was a spectacular holiday, wonderful country and yes very friendly people. We have some great memories too.

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Emily O · 784 weeks ago

My sister has just got married in South Africa but we didn't make it over there. I spoke to my Dad the other evening and I couldn't believe it when he said he didn't visit Robben Island. It would have been the first place I'd gone to! What a fascinating picture to open at random like that.

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Penny · 784 weeks ago

Fasinating - I've never been to SA but met a few arrogant White South Africans on my travells who used to joke about things they'd done To Black SA's ....needles to say I was not impressed....and made it very clear that I wasn't !