S1 – Ep 467 – Ficksburg, Free State!
S1 – Ep 467 – Ficksburg, Free State!
Our trip to Ficksburg in the Free State was truly unforgettable. It’s certainly not called the Cherry Capital of the World for nothing! We visited the show grounds, which hosted the Cherry Festival for 45 consecutive years, although it’s no longer held there. The stunning sandstone buildings scattered throughout the town were a captivating…
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I LOVE your videos!!!
Apologies re my comment, it should have read after a week working in Bethlehem not Bloem'
Hi Curtis and Sonia. Ficksburg Railway Station Oh wow! What a difference from my visits in the 1970's, back then steam ruled those now rusted rails. Many freights and two passenger trains per day from Bloemfontein to Bethlehem and return. Plus the Saturday only 07.45 Bethlehem to Ficksburg passenger train for citizens of Lesotho to get home for the weekend after a week working in Bloem'. Class 25NC worked, there was a quick turn round at Ficksburg and a "hell for leather" return run empty stock so the crew could get home early ! ! What a great train to chase and photograph in that beautiful scenery, memories of Ionia too, the exhaust noise from a 25NC on a 14 coach passenger train climbing to the sidings there was absolutely awesome. Thank you once again for re-kindling my memories of SA. Cheers
this is home where i was born and grow up but am in jozi now but am proud of this place and thanks guys for this vlog😀
Thankyou very much for going to the church in Ficksburg my grandfather build the church with his hands with the sandstone which he crafted himself many years ago
Ficksbug nice and very clean town wow👌
I was in school in Ficksburg 1962-1964! Also in the girls hostel 1964. Then went to Senekal. My dad used to be a teacher
I went to a cherry festival in the late 70s. Loved it.
My groot word dorpie. Ai was goeie jare daar gewees.
My oupa en Ouma was Kerneels en Maria Smuts.
My moeder is Jeanette Pottas nooiens van Smuts (huidige huwelik Pottas)
My stief pa is Robert Pottas.
My oorlede stief pa was dié welbekende Dr. Ritzema Nel wat in '75 dood geskok is 2 tree voor my net 'n elektriese boor.
Susters: Heidi Mulder – Koekemoer.
Stief suster: Grieta Nel en Zema Nel.
Half broer: Ritzema Nel JR
Groete aan al die ou bekendes in Ficksburg hier van Nelspruit se af.
Blessings…
Afraid you won't see "lots of cherries" at this time of the year…
The roads must really be a concern. What a lovely place
Dankie vir die memories waarop julle ons vat. Ficksburg het 'n baie kosbare plek in my hart. My oupa is daar begrawe.
Please next time you should come to Virginia, Free State 🙏🏽 I beg
Still religiously following and enjoying every one of your episodes. Thank you again for sharing your travels with us.
We have just watched this episode. We visited and stayed at Sandstone Estate in 2022. We booked in advance. You guys do not know what you missed there. I do believe the owners are very fussy about visitors there. They have, what I believe, is the largest collection of narrow guage steam locomotives in the world. There is a 50km track of narrow guage railway there that they run these trains on occasionally. There is an unbelievable collection of steam locomotives, farming equipment, tractors, army tanks, armoured cars , trucks, railway buses, old steam powered raiIway cranes and so much more. Did they say that they do not allow the public in there at all any more? Or was it just while you were there.
You guys sure get around !!! …. always such a pleasure to watch …… yup the Eastern FreeState has many joys & surprises …. if only the authorities realize their folly with the road infrastructure degradation …. but then will they ever !!!!
Have done this trip a few times ( always to my delight ) …. Fouriesburg is my favorite & boundary now with roads thereafter being "really terrible" !!
Thank you so much anyway 👍 👍
I see on google that South Africa is only 54th on the list of cherry producers and the cherry capital is in the USA so I am wondering about the claim that Ficksburg is the capital
Hi Sonia and Curtis,
Thank you for yet another great episode, you have covered so much. I also love the stone buildings, even the one with only the wall remains left, is beautiful.
However, I have to doubt the claim that Ficksburg is the Cherry Capital of the world. SA is only number 54 on the list of cherry producing countries, they produced 1,726 tonnes in 2022, this is a very small percentage (0.04%). Turkey tops this list, in 2022, they produced approximately 23% of the 4,277,298 tonnes of world production. Followed by Chile, Russia and USA.
Besides, Japan at number 29 is known and popular for their annual cherry festival.
Safe travelling.
Frans.
We visited that farm stall December 2019 when we did a mini trip through Lesotho. Entered through Ficksburg border post and exited Maseru. Lesotho is just such a beautiful country
Sad that this festival is another covid casualty. I not been But I have heard it used to be awesome. Another great explore on your back seat with dusty
🎉❤🎉 toot toot where to next??
Eastern free state has exceptional beauty
Borderpost is also there…😅
Baie lekker video! Ons het so 6jaar daar gebly. Daar is 'n paar versteekte plekke hier in die area. Sandstone plaas is ook naby Iona plaas. Verskriklik mooi – daar is jaarliks 'n Sandstone fees ook op die plaas met die ou trekkers en treine.
Daar is self 'n pad wat opgaan na Imperani berg toe. Pragtige uitsig!! Julle moet tog iemand kry in die dorp om julle die plekke te gaan wys. Veilig toer!!
Hi, loved the video. But I was dissapointed, you took us to cherry world but i did not see any cherries? Ha Ha Ha. Can't wait for the next episode. ❤
Ja, Fixburg of Fiksburg? Yet another town me and my brother used to mess with when we were kids. Such a beautiful town with all the lovely old trees. Sad to see the stoflike oorskot of the station. We saw many a 🚂 on that line back in our day. And those beautiful mountains, you can see that you are near Lesotho. Thankyou for a very beautiful tour. Actually I don't like cherries, but that means more for you. I would enjoy the festivities though
We enjoyed seeing your Ficksburg trip ❤
I lam enjoying your travels to the Free State. I am learning so much about South Africa.❤😊
The buttes are a beaut…! BTW, I've a theory about your channel. Those who follow you are all positive people. Everything you say and do is positive. Refreshing! 🎉
Another stunning video – thank you once again! Loved how they put the town and its people under Gods rule by proclaiming the word from a vehicle! Thank you Sonia & Curtis!
Thank you. Thank you! Loved it.
Awesome drone footage of the town and surrounds. The cherry festival at Ionia in November should be a blast, especially with the cherry liqueur flowing!
It would be nice if you guys can film some of the local people and their view of live there. This is becoming SA History Channel fast 😉
Am surprised you don't have your tyres ripped with those potholes. Still looks like a lovely place