S1 - Ep 467 - Ficksburg, Free State!
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2 ай бұрынOur 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 sight to behold. Thankfully, the annual Cherry Festival continues at the Ionia Cherry Farm nearby, which was a pleasure to visit. Although we were unable to explore Sandstone Estates, our experience in Ficksburg was beyond spectacular. #DustBugs #adventuretravel #southafrica #southafricavlog #travelongravel #
Accommodation in this episode was provided by:
Cherry Lane
Valerie Ferreira
082-520-3426
bookings@cherrylaneguesthouse.co.za
www.gewelgastehuis.co.za
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@deonzar 2 ай бұрын
So many memories of Ficksburg countryside, I did the Ficksburg Dirt Bike Enduro there on 31 May 1984 on my Suzuki PE250....oh boy what a challenge that was. We did not really see the town itself. The previous night it was so very cold the black seat of the bike was white with ice...But what a beautiful countryside....I can remember the country side cause my bike broke down and I had to be fetched on the back of a bakkie...lol. One day I will go back. And o wow...I see there is a Miladys in Ficksburg....my goodness...my mother use to buy some of her dresses here in Cape Town at Miladys...And there I now see a Lewis Stores....oh wow...my first employer here in Cape Town! What a lot of memories your visit to Ficksburg has brought me now..I really should not tell you now...but I am shedding a few tears..
@mariusroos 2 ай бұрын
I knew you will cover Ficksburg. My town where i started school. Many moons ago -70 years ago to be exact. I loved the cherry festival it was so nice. The church we saw is the one we attended as family. We lived just under the Imperanie berg and the sun went under at 4pm behind the mountain. Thanks for the drone it gives good petspective of the town. First time i am back in Ficksburg since 1954. What a nice trip bringing back so much memories. I am on board with the next trip.
@danietheron7818 2 ай бұрын
I grew up in ficksburg born 1960 thanks for showing us this video😊😊😊
@joannemoore1729 2 ай бұрын
I lam enjoying your travels to the Free State. I am learning so much about South Africa.❤😊
@1812nico 2 ай бұрын
Hi you two! Thank for taking me along to Cherry City. I have no words! This is truly a unique town. Not only for the cherries, but also the stone buildings, the beautiful surrounds, the singular rock hills, its history. A surprise around every corner. Your drone view was the cherry on the cake. It was fun to have Sonia meet Ionia! It was also good to se that killing the railroad didn't kill the town. It is clearly flourishing. Thank you again for these wonderful Free State trips, they're the best! Until next time - keep safe!
@susannaemmerich1166 2 ай бұрын
Cherry time is November.!!! Take care, thank you.🙃🎶🙏💕🇿🇦
@doraduplessis2727 2 ай бұрын
I enjoyed every bit of your trip to Ficksburg. The Ionia Cherry Farm stood out! We would like to visit them in future, but a definite no-no for Sandstone Estates who said they were closed to the public. They definitely lost out on free advertising!
@colinstone1406 Ай бұрын
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
@ajlau8975 2 ай бұрын
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! 🎉
@DustBugsTravel 2 ай бұрын
Thank you for your company and for your positive comment! 🚙😁 You are correct. Negativity is not welcome as a passenger on our travels, and never will be. There would be be no point then.
@axelmertens7762 2 ай бұрын
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!
@charlietreston4035 2 ай бұрын
Hi guys very impressed with Vicksburg for a large town I noticed the lack of high fencing!!! Ladies with umbrellas prayers from a speaker on a bakkie!!! History of President Swart amazing what a lucky man God had plans for him !!! .cherry capital of the world only in South Africa . It's quite spookythis morning my sister sent me pictures of my niece who is on holiday in Japan with cherry blossom in the background later I took my granddaughters to the Friers monastery and the cherry blossom was in bloom .then the corrugated shower walls and tomorrow I am repairing the correct metal at the back of my garage crazy. And I remember blickie is a can so blickie place lived up to its name so quirky. The cherry farm and the products brilliant ( I was partial to cherry snapps in Germany) the train museum was amazing. Aursom video thanks for taking me along cheerio till the next one
@MrElhabib123 2 ай бұрын
These small towns deserve more recognition and infrastructure roads and maintenance and cleaning and good facilities and recreation for tourism…I have visited and noticed the potholes and roads are terrible…it’s a good cultural heritage that needs to be protected
@user-se3we1et5o 2 ай бұрын
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!
@franspistorius1886 2 ай бұрын
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.
@hergenie 2 ай бұрын
Thank you. Thank you! Loved it.
@eurafrican85 2 ай бұрын
Altyd lekker om bekende plekke in die Vrystaat te sien
@lindenhardy9021 2 ай бұрын
My uncle Jimmy Hughes farmed in the Ficksburg area many years ago. We had great fun on the farm when we visited from Pmb.
@danietheron7818 2 ай бұрын
I knew Mr Jimmy Hughes my father knows him very well my father's name was koos theron
@olivehattingh9764 2 ай бұрын
We enjoyed seeing your Ficksburg trip ❤
@JoanneVanvuuren-je1oq Ай бұрын
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
@LindiweMalindi-jk6vj Ай бұрын
Ficksbug nice and very clean town wow👌
@susannaemmerich1166 2 ай бұрын
They sure have gone from strenght to strength!! Congratulatins to them.🙃🙏💕💕🇿🇦
@danietheron7818 2 ай бұрын
Thanks agaim😊😊😊😊😊😊 it was awesome to see my hometown again
@debbiekruger9414 Ай бұрын
I went to a cherry festival in the late 70s. Loved it.
@carolmccorry3053 Ай бұрын
The roads must really be a concern. What a lovely place
@benjaminlabuschagne9101 2 ай бұрын
Leka trip guys, have done this route a few times but always disappointed with the road in & outa there ( Imperani Hotel restaurant a good spot too ....(massive potholes all over the place ). One of my favorites is Fouriesburg !!! .... hope you went there .... the restaurant come pub as you turn in with old tracker on pavement & warm local folks & conversation there around 16h00 I will always remember !! If you missed it go back sometime .
@samsonkjoseph6087 2 ай бұрын
Baie dankie my vriende. Ek is dors en honger nou vir Cherry produgte.......
@LenaTaljaard 27 күн бұрын
I LOVE your videos!!!
@sechabaqacha-gt7pc Ай бұрын
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😀
@nunamvseravno 2 ай бұрын
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 ;-)
@user-mj5hr5gg8o 2 ай бұрын
🎉🎉I like roads with no traffic congestion
@ronelmarais7729 Ай бұрын
Dankie vir die memories waarop julle ons vat. Ficksburg het 'n baie kosbare plek in my hart. My oupa is daar begrawe.
@dodiendalgety8908 2 ай бұрын
Awesome julle Rock Thanks for a great show
@user-bm9gu1yg6x 2 ай бұрын
Am surprised you don't have your tyres ripped with those potholes. Still looks like a lovely place
@beryl9538 2 ай бұрын
Thanks once again Sonja and Curtis. It was so nice to hear that Church bell ringing. The trees are absolutely gorgeous on that side of the world. Nature at its absolute best.❤
@Henkie86 Ай бұрын
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
@lindenhardy9021 2 ай бұрын
My cousin, Shaun didn't go to Ficksburg Primary, I remember we rode horses to his school which was 1 room, 1 teacher and all the classes were taught in that room. That was 55 years ago.
@benjaminlabuschagne9101 2 ай бұрын
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 👍 👍
@DustBugsTravel 2 ай бұрын
There are so many beautiful places in our country and we'd like to see as many of them as we possibly can! 😍🇿🇦 The implications of the poor road conditions are far-reaching though, not only for the residents of each affected town and the surrounding district, but it most certainly also deters tourists from visiting. It will never stop us, but not everyone would take their chances on those roads. Some of them are in really bad shape! Thank you for travelling along, I appreciate it. 🚙😁
@inesneto5280 2 ай бұрын
You will love Ficksburg. It's beautiful there
@neilarmitage6632 2 ай бұрын
Aah the town which was the municipality for my farm. It was 22 km from Ficksburg.
@lindenhardy9021 2 ай бұрын
Have you heard of my uncle, Jimmy Hughes? He was quite a character. I think the name of his farm was Ionia.
@neilarmitage6632 2 ай бұрын
Yes I know the farm Ionia. I've been away from Ficksburg since 2014. Don't miss it much although the country side is spectacular. The mountain is called Imperani Mountain.
@jacquesdelaan8343 2 ай бұрын
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. ❤
@DustBugsTravel 2 ай бұрын
We were exactly four months late for cherry season.🍒😢 I can only imagine the fun to be had at that Cherry Festival! 😁 Thanks for coming along to Ficksburg!
@annawitter5161 2 ай бұрын
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
@DustBugsTravel 2 ай бұрын
Luckily it's still the same place, however we pronounce it! 😁 Methinks that Cherry Festival must be quite the spectacle, in the best way possible! 🍒 Glad you enjoyed revisiting the town and the defunct station! 🚙🚉
@annawitter5161 2 ай бұрын
@@DustBugsTravel yep, 50 or 55 years ago. I am old!
@felvr705 2 ай бұрын
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
@mikeweitsz2699 2 ай бұрын
Still religiously following and enjoying every one of your episodes. Thank you again for sharing your travels with us.
@WMHS_GWIJO-bt7tv 4 күн бұрын
My home ❤️❤️
@terrimeyer3815 2 ай бұрын
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
@DustBugsTravel 2 ай бұрын
Not long to go until you explore the next place with us again! 🚙😁
@Griffel01 Ай бұрын
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...
@marikegrobbelaar696 2 ай бұрын
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!!
@DustBugsTravel 2 ай бұрын
Thank you for watching our video of your old hometown! 🚙😍 We're totally happy exploring on our own and prefer it that way. We're not fussed at all about anything we didn't get to see in any place we visit. The regular tourist attractions aren't what interest us the most. The seemingly ordinary is very interesting and exciting to us. Just so you know, we visited both Ionia and Sandstone Estates. It sounds like you missed them in our video. 🚙🍒
@afenijmeijer9027 2 ай бұрын
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.
@DustBugsTravel 2 ай бұрын
We're fairly big steam train enthusiasts ourselves, so have a fair idea of what the place must offer if the glimpses we got were that spectacular. 🚂 Apparently there were renovations ongoing at the time of our visit, so I'm sure they'll reopen again at some point. Google still indicates them as 'Temporarily closed' when I checked a few minutes ago. We're used to not always being able to visit every single place we'd like to on our travels. Other than our accommodation, we don't make any bookings in advance. Our travels have to fit in with our life and work schedule and not the other way around, so we win some, but will always lose some too. That's totally OK with us. 🚙😁
@christinejudyalexanderprin8826 Ай бұрын
Afraid you won't see "lots of cherries" at this time of the year...
@DustBugsTravel Ай бұрын
We did indeed see lots of cherries, in processed form and on advertising boards! 😁🍒
@marikegrobbelaar696 2 ай бұрын
Borderpost is also there...😅
@Helgardt6189 2 ай бұрын
Moet sê…die strate in Ficksburg lyk te te sleg nie.
@neilarmitage6632 2 ай бұрын
You must make a turn at Imperani guest house
@colinstone1406 Ай бұрын
Apologies re my comment, it should have read after a week working in Bethlehem not Bloem'
@WMHS_GWIJO-bt7tv 2 күн бұрын
Why didn't you guys go into the township and taste the food
@DustBugsTravel 2 күн бұрын
I film out of the window of a vehicle and my camera was almost grabbed twice in townships in early episodes, so we don't film in townships anymore. 🤷🏻♂️ We're not big foodies either, so what we eat, isn't hugely important to us, as long as it's nutritious.
@neilarmitage6632 2 ай бұрын
No Paul Roux. Senekal use bethehem. Ficksburg uses Bethlehem also. 100km
@Mrembola Ай бұрын
Please next time you should come to Virginia, Free State 🙏🏽 I beg
@davesteyn 2 ай бұрын
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
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