Capetonians tend to look with pity on those who don't have the good fortune to live in their Eden. Their attitude is understandable -- Cape Town is indeed one of the world's fairest cities. Backed by Table Mountain, the city presides over a coastline of unsurpassed beauty: mountains cascading into the sea, miles of beaches, and 17th-century wineries snoozing under giant oaks. Modern South Africa was born here, and the city is filled with historic reminders of its three centuries as the sea link between Europe and the East.