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Table Mountain has become a world famous landmark. It is also one of South Africa's and Cape Town's top tourist destinations. But for Capetonians, Table Mountain is more
Jokes abound in South Africa about us Capetonians and our Table Mountain. And yet what would Cape Town be without our famous landmark? She is our constant weather gauge, our compass, our anchor. No one in Cape Town gets dressed in the morning without looking at the mountain first. Cloud formations or not at the top indicate whether it's a sunblock or sweater day. There is hardly a dry eye when her slopes burn with run away fires. Her dried ravines become beautiful waterfalls during the rainy season, and Cape Town rejoices as her slopes then become alive again with green vegetation. In spring she turns pink with the wild flowers in bloom. Builders bash through walls and roofs to create balconies and windows for her view, raising property values. Everyone driving through the morning traffic will glances up her slopes. Sometimes one can see wildebeest and zebras. Often clouds cover her her top, known as her 'table cloth'. In the wind these clouds seem to be racing one another down her slopes, only to disappear half way down into a perfect sunny day. No one gives directions without mentioning at some point "if you are facing the mountain then turn...". Everyone flying into Cape Town airport cranes their necks to catch a glimpse of the mountain. Every ship's captain and yachtsman looks in awe at the spectacle as they sail into the harbour. She is every novice sailor's determined direction when out in the stormy bay, and she must have been the dream destination direction of every prisoner on Robben Island years ago. And today her flat top, along with Nelson Mandela's jail cell, make up the two top tourist destinations in Cape Town. Across the city centre and the waters of Table Bay they are in each others constant view. The ride to the top of Table Mountain in the cable car is spectacular, not just for the views across the city but in order to be able to get close to some of the gullies, ridges and rock formations. One will usually see some dassies on the rocks, somewhat like enlarged squirrels without tails, but strangely enough related to the elephant family. But once you are able to walk around the flat mountain top with views like no other, you too will be glad that "Capetonians are so lazy we can't even finish building the top of our own mountain!"
The copyright of the article Cape Town's Mountain in South Africa Travel is owned by Nina Challis. Permission to republish Cape Town's Mountain in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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