Table Mountain is a flat-topped
mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of
Cape Town in
South Africa, and is featured in the
flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant
tourist attraction, with many visitors using the
cableway or hiking to the top. The mountain forms part of the
Table Mountain National Park.
The flat top of the mountain is often covered by
orographic clouds, formed when a south-easterly wind is directed up the mountain's slopes into colder air, where the moisture condenses to form the so-called "table cloth" of cloud. Legend attributes this phenomenon to a
smoking contest between the
Devil and a local
pirate called Van Hunks. When the table cloth is seen, it symbolizes the contest.
