If you live in South Africa you might have seen some of our orchestra members on morning TV on Thursday the 9th of July. Seven senior players along with Kathleen and David left the hotel at 5am to head to the TV studio for an interview and performance on live TV. For the orchestra members back in the hotel we woke up at 6am to watch their smiling face playing the songs we know so well Kenny Gillies and Dashing White Sargent.
After recovering from all the excitement we went back down to the V & A waterfront to catch a boat over to Robben Island to see the prison and surrounding area where Nelson Mandela and so many others served time.
It was a 45 minute boat ride to the island and when we arrived we were met by Glen (his English name) a former prisoner. He shared his story with us and was very open to any questions we had about it. Then he walked us around the prison and told us about the day-to-day life there, we even got to see the cell Nelson Mandela was in for his 18 years there.
Just before the end of our walking tour Ciaran McHugh played Nelson Mandela’s Welcome to the City of Glasgow in one of the halls of the prison, it was a very emotional moment.
After the walking tour we got on buses for a driving tour of the island, which I am very sorry to say I fell asleep for most of it. But from what I did see and hear from our guide it was very interesting.
Then it was back on the boat and headed for lunch at the waterfront.
-Hannah
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