The beauty and pride of Table Mountain

While in Cape Town, it is impossible to ignore the giant mass that is Table Mountain. It sits in the middle of the city and can be seen all over the town and the suburbs. It offers some really beautiful views.  I have found it to be a particularly useful tool for navigation, when I’m trying to get home from anywhere, even if I don't need to know the way, I just follow the mountain!

The mountain gets its name from its flat table like top. Often , even on fairly cloudless days, the mountain can be seen with its signature "table cloth" of clouds. The south easterly wind rises up the slopes and finds cooler air at the high altitude and condensation causes the clouds to form. The mountain range forms a distinctive shape with Lion's head mountain on one side and Devil's Peak on the other. Every Capetonian can recognise the shape and it is used so much around Cape Town as a symbol of the city. 

My first panoramic shot - Table Mountain, Devil's Peak and Lion's Head (slightly hidden by the trees)

In travelling around Cape Town I have taken some shots of different views of the mountain. I hope to increase my collection throughout the rest of my stay, but here are my starting few:

The other side of Table Mountain seen from Khayelitsha township. The Table Top doesn't look flat from  this angle.

Known to Captonians as the Tampon Towers - another landmark of the City Bowl. Here are the 3 towers in front of Table Mountain at night.

Table Mountain and Devil's Peak seen from the Yacht club in the Waterfront

Table Mountain in the background of the neighbourhood of Bo-Kaap

Table Mountain seen from town - Buitengracht St

 An initiative named "New7Wonders of Nature" began in Switzerland to select a list of seven natural wonders, voted by people across the world. There was a campaign which was publicised widely through billboards, TV, Radio and newspapers. I spent a whole R2 in sending my SMS vote in favour of Table Mountain as a wonder of the world. Only a week before the deadline we weren't making the top 10, however, last week it was announced that Table Mountain made the New7Wonders list - Well Done Table Mountain! As I walk around Cape Town I notice the pride of people in their mountain. Not only due to the vote, but the shape of the outline of the mountain is used all over as a symbol of this beautiful city. Here is a selection of logos I have found using the 3 peaks outline.

The Big Red Bus driving down from the base of Table Mountain

Cape 24 Property group

The front of the Cape Times - The weather report represented on the right hand side using the Mountain range

Cape Town Tourism sign

City of Cape Town - Council logo, with the South African flag colours

Rusks (here they are not just a snack for children but are great for dunking in tea) - Cape cookies logo

Ons Plek - A shelter for street children

Cape Foods logo on the side of a pepper grinder

Every day I look at Table Mountain and love that I'm living in such a beautiful city. Here you are always surrounded my sea and mountains, it's a very different experience to living in a city like London. I am still yet to climb the mountain but I hope to do so soon and look forward to looking over the entire city.