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"Wide
open spaces", is a phrase that best describes South
Africa’s most central, landlocked region. Between the Vaal
River in the north and the Orange River in the south, this
immense rolling prairie, chequered with farmlands and scattered
with windmills, stretching in every direction, as far as the eye
can see. Nightfall is a time of special effects as the sun goes
down in a startling blaze, lighting up the landscape with
brilliant colour. After dark, the sky is transformed into velvet
black, ushering in a billion sparkling stars.
The
Free State was mainly agricultural until the discovery of the
magnificent goldfields of the Northern Free State in the 1940s.
As you approach the towns of Welkom, Odendaalsrus, Virginia and
Allanridge, the horizon is dotted with mine dumps and headgear.
All of these towns were built on gold, and Welkom was
transformed from barren veld to an attractive, bustling
industrial city within 20 years.
The
scenic Willem Pretorius Game Reserve, near Winburg, surrounds
the Allemanskraal Dam and supports a wide range of wildlife,
including some 600 black wildebeest and over 200 species of
birds. The northern border flanks the Vaal River, and Loch Vaal
and the Vaal Dam are firm favourites among anglers and water
sport enthusiasts. The area provides shops, theatres and other
diversions, and when the sun goes down, the fine wines and good
food of the plush hotels beckon.
Travellers
entering the Free State from the Northern Cape are always
surprised to see a different, more fertile area than the one
they have just left. The southern Free State has a fascination
of its own: grassy plains, farmlands, isolated mountains, rock
hillocks and tranquil towns.
Pride
and joy of the southern Free State, the Eastern Highlands are
best explored by following the Highland Route. In spring, the
cool, sparkling air is filled with the scent of flowers, cherry
blossoms and herbs; summer is the time of ripening harvests and
in winter the cliffs are shrouded in snow.
With
its magnificent mountains, the region can be traversed from
Harrismith in the north to Zastron in the south on a road that
often straddles great rock outcrops as it winds through the
peaceful countryside overlooked by massive peaks.
Some
of South Africa’s most value Bushman rock art is found in the
Free State; the districts of Bethlehem, Ficksburg, Ladybrand and
Wepener have remarkable collections. The area also has many
pleasant inns and hotels, monuments, battlefields and beautiful
sandstone buildings.
The
Golden Gate National Park, home of the springbok, eland, red
hartebeest and the rare black eagle, is well worth a visit
because of its superlative scenery, invigorating climate and
comfortable accommodation. |
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In
the centre of the plains of the Free State, the spring from
which Bloemfontein gets its name still surfaces in the middle of
the city. At one time the source of water for Bushman hunters,
Sotho farmers, Voortrekkers and their oxen, the spring is now
part of a site occupied by a shaded caravan park.
With
its crisp highveld air, modern shopping centres. restaurants,
cinemas and theatres, Bloemfontein, "The City of
Roses", has all the dignity and city pride one would expect
of South Africa’s judicial capital. Dominated by skyscrapers,
its stately homes, historical buildings and monuments testify to
the pioneering past of this city, while the magnificent Sand du
Plessis Theatre Complex - the most modern in South Africa -
provides an appropriate cultural backdrop.
The
city is noted for its parks, botanical gardens, orchid house and
Loch Logan. Rose lovers should make a point of visiting the city
in October when the annual Rose Festival is held. For those who
enjoy delving into the past, the National Museum features
fascinating anthropological displays, while exhibits relating to
the Anglo Boer War are found at the War Museum.
Situated
at the most central point in South Africa, Bloemfontein’s
hotels offer a convenient stopover for motorists travelling
between the Cape and Gauteng, and the city serves as an ideal
base for those who wish to explore the surrounding countryside
or try their luck at a nearby casino. (Source: SATOUR) |
