SA Rocks

If you live in South Africa there is almost no chance that you don’t know someone who thinks that Table Mountain is the bees knees. I think it’s pretty smart myself, but apparently the rest of the world is beginning to think so too.

TABLE MOUNTAIN TOPS EVEREST

Table Mountain is one step closer to being named one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. South Africa’s iconic mountain, and its only official nominee, has been voted as one of the top 77 sites selected from over 261 participants from around the globe, it was announced yesterday by the New7Wonders foundation, Thursday July 9, 2009.

The much-loved landmark beat fellow category contenders Mount Everest, K2 and Mount Fiji in round two of the international competition that relied solely on votes from the public. Table Mountain needed to be ranked in the top 11 of its category – mountains and volcanoes. Other categories include seascapes, lakes, islands, ice formations, waterfalls and forests.

“We are thrilled at the enormous level of support and votes from the citizens of South Africa as well as from fans around the globe,” said Sabine Lehmann, CEO of Table Mountain Cableway, who formed an official supporting committee to promote Table Mountain as a nominee.

A panel of experts will now select 28 finalists to be announced on July 21, 2009, when the third and final phase of public voting will begin. The official New 7 Wonders of Nature will be revealed in 2011.

A number of South African celebrities and sports stars showed their support for Table Mountain’s New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign. The Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, comedian Marc Lottering, radio DJ Natalie Becker and the Proteas cricketers all cast their vote for Table Mountain.

The campaign is run by the New7Wonders Foundation which is based in Zurich, Switzerland and works to document monuments and conservation efforts worldwide.

For information contact the Cableway on 021 424 0015 or visit www.votefortablemountain.com

Head on

Popularity: 7% [?]

VOTE FOR TABLE MOUNTAIN

People in Cape Town go absolutely mental over Table Mountain and it is no wonder to me why.

They use it as a navigational aid, they use it as justification for living in CT, hell, they even use it to predict the weather and speak of blankets emerging from behind the mountain and cover the top of the table with some sort of cloth (I think that is a reference to what other folk like to call “clouds”).

But let’s just be honest here for a second, Table mountain is, without the shadow of a doubt, one of the most incredible wonders of our world that is still standing, has not been destroyed and provides many people with an immense amount of joy and pride.

What better reason do you need then to go and vote for Table Mountain to become one of the new 7 wonders of the world.

Popularity: 10% [?]

To inspire you to go and vote for Table Mountain and the Kalahari Desert as two of the new 7 wonders of the world i decided to find photos from Zoopy.com and the SA Rocks Flickr Group for you to marvel at.

Each person gets one vote but you have to vote for seven different wonders. I chose two from SA, obviously, one from Zimbabwe, Greece, and some others.

Now be inspired and GO VOTE…

Table Mountain:

Photographs: creative666, coda, bluedoor, michaelbrandon.

Kalahari Desert

Photographs: chris.merwe, Jumbo22, Sybil Vane,

Popularity: 14% [?]

I was in Cape Town this weekend. I am sorry if I didn’t contact you but I left my Mac at home, didn’t check my mail, didn’t blog and was temporarily technophobic for four days.

Camps bay at beach bar
Cape Town is a city that has the right idea. I obviously say this as a Jo’burg local, but I appreciate the mountain, I appreciate the view and I appreciate the beachfront and being at the tip of Africa. Many CT locals forget where they are but I was well aware of it.

I really did do too many things to actually mention in depth but here is a quick rundown of where I was, what I saw and what I loved:

Friday we did the Claremont jol vibe, Tiger Tiger – What a hole – was packed and pumping but I am not a fan of that place. Rondebosch is central, suburban with a view of the mountain. Oh, speaking of the mountain let me just mention something to all you local Cape Tonians; EVERYONE CAN SEE THE MOUNTAIN, there is no need to point it out.

Saturday we toured the coast. Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, Simmons Town and everywhere along and in between. Chapman’s Peak was closed due to rock falls so we had to skip Hout Bay due to extra time to get there. Dinner at the V & A Waterfront is festive but well overpriced so think twice about that.

V&A Waterfront

Sunday was spent driving the wine route of Stellenbosch. We eventually settled at Spier for out “tasting” that never actually happened. We had Lunch at Moyo on the wine farm and never recovered. Three course (or more) meal with wine, great service, African ethos, vibe, feel, setting, architecture, layout and more. Absolutely beautiful.

Sunday night we parked our bums at the Opium Beach Bar in Camps Bay and didn’t actually move from there. Stunning sun set, fantastic company and even better cocktails ended off our evening and weekend.

Long street in Cape Town central was our final destination that unfortunately dissapointed. But nonetheless if you are a tourists it is worth the walk up a long and steep hill-type street.

Cape Town is amazing and the thing I love the most is the option available to you as a person. You can choose to be a workaholic, a surfaholic or balanced person who works hard, plays hard and lives well. Jo’burg is Jo’burg on any day of the week but Cape Town can be so many different things, places, people, experiences and mind-sets.

If you haven’t lived in Cape Town (I haven’t) then I suggest that you add it to your list of things to do before you die.

Popularity: 4% [?]