Around the world: The many facets of Cape Town

Cape Town boasts natural beauty, a world-renowned food and wine scene. — Photos: Cape Town Tourism/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS

A New Year’s resolution I intended to keep was travelling to a new continent. Africa seemed daunting, but I gathered that South Africa – Cape Town, in particular – was unlike the rest of the continent. As the plane descended on South Africa’s oldest city, my eyes gravitated toward a massive, distinctly flat-topped mountain in the distance. It was Table Mountain, welcoming me to the Mother City.

Mother City, as Cape Town is affectionately nicknamed, is divided geographically by Table Mountain. Upon landing, my friend and I hailed a cab to get to our vacation rental in the Atlantic Seaboard side, where hills and beaches overlook the Atlantic Ocean. Our home for the next week was in Green Point, right by the colossal Cape Town Stadium built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We dropped off our bags and walked towards the water.