Buenos Aires, Sydney & Cape Town: all three are winners of the 2008 Conde Naste Best City on their continent award

Well, well, well. It's no wonder that Buenos Aires, Sydney and Cape Town have each been voted Best City on their continent in the 2008 Conde Naste's Best City ratings.

Three of my favourite things about each:

BUENOS AIRES:

1. The tango - specially in the outskirts of the city in small, local salons

2. The tango - OK, OK, it really is the best thing about BA, but my second vote goes to Sunday afternoon tango on the streets of San Telmo

3. The architecture (so there's more to BA than tango) - it's not called Little Paris for nothing.

SYDNEY

1. The Harbour Walks - and there are many. 100's of kilometers of coastline, most of which is public walkway. Mangroves, bobbing boats, blue water (though not all for swimming), ferries, rowers, tinnies, canoes, birds.

2. The Hawkesbury - just one hour north of Ashfield by train. The last Riverboat Postman and the huge jelly-fish.

3. The incredible diversity of people living (mostly) peacefully - and the ability to walk about safely, especially as a woman.

CAPE TOWN:

[It's only right to stick to three reasons why I love Cape Town, but I could wax lyrical on this one for 300, given the chance... ok, I miss Cape Town...]

1. Table Mountain

2. My family roots and my oldest friends (I mean tenure!)

3. The animals: The whales in False Bay, the whales just over an hour away in Hermanus, the penguins at Boulders Beach in Simons Town, my ex-dog in Stanford, and the African wildlife so possible to reach at Addo Elephant Park or further north in the Kruger, Pilanesburg and other places that are not in Cape Town, but that I associate with the most beautiful city on Earth.

These are a few of my favourite things 34 degrees South. Perhaps you could let me know yours.