By Linda Tancs

Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront boasts Table Mountain as its backdrop. You can ride a cable car to the top of this flat-topped mountain for panoramic views. Down its eastern slope you can visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, especially the large indoor greenhouse exhibit of plants from around the region and the outdoor exhibit of local flora. Equally compelling is the view of Table Mountain from Table Bay via the high speed catamaran ferry to Robben Island from the waterfront. That location is significant for its maximum security prison where Nelson Mandela spent nearly two decades of his life for daring to fight against apartheid. These characteristics alone merit Table Mountain’s designation as a New 7 Wonder of Nature, an appellation announced at the N7W headquarters in Zurich on 11 November 2011. Did you know that a N7W Cities competition is underway? Choose your seven cities for the finalist phase starting on 7 December.