Groot Marico, North West! S1 - Ep 515

We were very excited to visit Groot Marico, but shortly after leaving Zeerust, we stumbled upon a private museum called Vaalkop 66 Sentraal and had to stop to take a look. It was an incredible place, filled with fascinating items from the past on display. Our next stop was the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa just before town, where we explored some intriguing monuments. Arriving in Groot Marico was a delightful experience. This small hamlet has a unique charm, with plenty to see and eat. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Bosveld Bistro before continuing our exploration. We discovered the station and had a fantastic tour at the Herman Charles Bosman Living Museum, kindly led by Dominic Greeff and Louise Denysschen Greeff. Our visit to Groot Marico was truly memorable. Our visit to Groot Marico was truly memorable.
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[@terrimeyer3815]

Loved the drone footage Curtis. Nice that you could fly it there. This video is jam packed. The church book was exceptional for me. Thank you for opening our eyes to the beauty of our country. Loved this video and groot marico is stunning bushveld country ❤🎉❤

[@axelmertens7762]

I loved your travel to Groot Marico!! I also loved the the museum on the road from Zeerust. Read all the Charles Herman Bosman stories and especcially loved the story about the leopard ! Hy het n kol vir elke dag van die jaar en as dit n skrikkeljaar is tel hy sy stert op! Brilliant! Thanks a ton for doing this journey! Drive safely you two!

[@kennethdshort]

Read a lot of Herman Charles Bosmans books . Missed the one about the leopard. Hmm , will have to find his books agian and read them . I don't suppose you remember in which of his books is the story of the leopard may be found

[@thewanderer58]

I can only quote Sonia's words : "I love Groot Marico". What a truly exquisite, unique little hamlet. I could spend days strolling around the little town exploring the quaint shops and chatting to the locals. The Bosveld Spore eatery was a delight. The Herman Charles Bosman Living Museum was fascinating. Like yourself Curtis, I could also spend days at Vaalkop 66 Sentraal just taking-in the memorabilia on display. My kind of place Groot Marico with an awesome atmosphere. Your drone footage did the hamlet proud! I would also love to try their mampoer some day 😉. Thank you for a truly fascinating visit.

[@danavanniekerk9868]

@thewanderer58 When we holidayed there in March, there was some mampoer waiting for us in our rondavel. I had a little taste & almost choked hehe. Definitely for the brave.

[@thewanderer58]

@@danavanniekerk9868 Ha ha ha. Thanks for the warning. I'll have to try the mampoer with a mixer. 😂😏

[@kennethdshort]

Hi Curtis and Sonia . When your video starts off with wildlife, you know it's going to be a good one. . Vaalkop was fascinating. That bus make Thames is one. I've never heard of before. The rest of the stuff is equally fascinating. Old farm implements Road making equipment and a highlight was at 4:30 water trough etc. Inside the museum indeed so much to see . That working gramophone. Lovely! I saw someone elses comment about the piece of music played . Great it's still in working order. Ah. Next, the church and its grounds with all its monuments . What's not to like.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Groot Marico and surrounds have a special feel. It's not all that often that we happen upon such extensive church grounds before we enter a town and this one was absolutely magnificent and very interesting with its selection of memorials. 🏛️⛪

[@kennethdshort]

​@DustBugsTravel Loved the Herman Charles Bosman Living Museum, too. Love the portrayal of a simpler lifestyle years ago . And the church and church hall (ex original church ) Lastly first the fabulous railway bridge which has stood the test of time. Even in its decayed state the station building is stunning. Loved the drone footage which really shows of the abundance of trees. Thanks again for this wonderful trip through time. I Still think we are on our way to see Swartruggens . I note on Google Maps there is a place called Buckingham Peles .

[@charlietreston4035]

Hi guys another awesome video Groot marico had a lovely relaxed vibe .it would be impossible to top Charles Herman Bosmans poetic description of the area .I loved Vaal kop such amazing stuff I had one of those gramophones it played 78s and 45s me nd my sister would listen to the same record over and over ( Running bear) lol😂 could spend a week there. The NG church in Africa with amazing grounds with the hougenot connection first translators. Loved the old shop I noticed Worcester sorse braai mix ordered some on amazon 👌 😀 still got a few weeks left of summer..shame about the name boards but as you said been disused for a long time But the old iron bridge made up for it. The African community village was interesting. Loved the drone footage. Then when you said MAMPOER my eyes bugged out I've been telling people about it for years did partake a few times and got stratospherically drunk.amazing video thanks for taking me along cheerio till the next one

[@nicolaasludick4807]

Thank you for a trip through my old child years. I loved it. You can also visit Schuinsdrift and Buhrmansdrift, ach, to many astonishing and beautiful places in that area. We had an english teacher in High school at Zeerust that used to read us Herman Charles Bosman's stories. Wonderful material to listen to.

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm glad you enjoyed our visit to an area you must know very well. 🚙😊 We left the North West more than a month ago already and are long back home in the Western Cape.

[@volksieza]

The cleanliness blew me away! People there are proud of their town, so great to see

[@GailNetherlands]

Hi Sonia and Curtis, Groot Marico is an interesting little town. Thank you for the ride along. Travel safe, guys. See you on the next trip! ❤

[@susannaemmerich1166]

Daar is nou vir jou "contraptions" wat ek nog nooit in my lewe gesien het nie. Thanks guys.🙃🙏💕🇿🇦

[@mariusroos]

Quite an interesting town. I like the shop outside the town. Amazing what they have accumulated over time. History also deep here. I love the greenery all over. The town shows the toll time took to drive the town to very little activities. The museum is very nice. The bosveld is really a nice place to visit. It's got it's own character. Thanks for a well informed visit. I wait for the next one

[@metalbird8992]

Loved Jan van der Westhuizen's museum and was amazed to hear a few bars of Hungarian-born South Africa singer Eve Boswell's "Pickin' a Chicken" on the old gramophone. As a young boy, I remember my mother going into a record shop in Bulawayo to buy it. She didn't know the name of the song but called it "Do little do little" which sounded something like the refrain "Do do do, do do do"! Somehow the saleslady managed the find the right 78 rpm record! 😂

[@kennethdshort]

I wonder if Eve Boswell is a Boswell from the circus. Boswell Wilkie. Seem to remember she was of Hungarian origin. Could it be the same person ?

[@DustBugsTravel]

Wikipedia confirms that she was indeed a member of the Boswell Circus family. 🎪

[@kennethdshort]

​@DustBugsTravel Thanks Curtis , always great to get confirmation.

[@rassie1415]

There is an old school their where they shot a movie. Ask the locals. It was called " Het van verlange kraal"

[@DustBugsTravel]

Interesting. 🎬 We left town a long time ago already and are back home in the Western Cape. 🚙😁 We chatted to a lot of locals and I can't recall anyone mentioning anything about a movie being shot in town.

[@iainmcfadyen1900]

Your visit to the Vaalkop museum was, in your own words, absolutely fascinating, especially the books and documents. I MUST go and see for myself.

[@beryl9538]

Growth Marico what an interesting little town. Loved the Church, Museum, Curtis breakfast😅. Be safe on the road. Can't wait for the next one.

[@capefox8321]

Now I know where to go for breakfast!

[@tillabezuidenhout6460]

My husband's colusin, Santa runs the boollkings for resorts in Groor Marico with her husband Eggbert.

[@tillabezuidenhout6460]

Cousin .

[@deonzar]

I have heard a lot about Groot Marico and their people and so glad I could see part of it now. Very interesting

[@teresagillmer9464]

You mean days.Thanks again I enjoy these trips so much and also look forward to many more.🤗♥️

[@danavanniekerk9868]

We holidayed just outside Groot Marico earlier this year. I loved the little town, but was saddened by the condition of the buildings. We had a delicious lunch at the Bistro. We planned to visit the Herman Charles Bosman museum, but the lady's brother just passed away and the person she requested to call me to arrange a viewing never phoned me. Glad I saw it in your video. It looks like the main road had been retarred, as it was in a terrible state when we were there. All the people we met, very super friendly.

[@MrFcob]

@@danavanniekerk9868 the buildings in groot marico is being upgraded

[@LizzyNomvulaFaku]

Wow this morning I watched u cllgs at KLERKSDORP ❤❤ it was such a wonderful to watch ur city the way it is. I was impressed to c all that in my CBD😂😂. Thanks very much for Adele to invite u hear at my city❤❤thanks very much may God bless you and give you more blessings and wisdom Regards❤❤❤

[@andatoleni3603]

Exploring this small town with you guys and learning a lot! Let's go!

[@ChristaGodley]

Ai was jare gelede daar vir n trouebmaar ongelukig herhen ek niks . Maar dit is n baie mooi plek, dankie wardeer als ry veilig

[@barbaraholzmann946]

You guys are thoroughly awesome! Hubby and I love watching all these places and going along with you to discover many towns we have never visited. Living in Canada currently, but... We're coming back to do that , for sure!

[@petroferreira1052]

I agree with you 100% could spend the whole day at the museum of Jan, that was amazing 🎉

[@shirleybezuidenhout2724]

Heard so much about this place but have never seen it. Very interesting I will say, like your videos it takes a person into reality. So many places in South Africa that a lot of people have never seen. Thanks for sharing 👍👍

[@tillabezuidenhout6460]

You should see Up the Creek. Belonged to Piet Bezuidenhout and the Marico dqam. Beautiful.

[@lee-anneadams9222]

Hi Curtis Sonia, Dusty and Sandy, what an amazing town, loved all of it, the north west province continues to shine... safe travels 🥾❤️

[@corneelssnyman4330]

Groot Marico is 'n juweel, inteendeel, die hele Marico distrik is 'n juweel. Soos Herman Carles Bosman gesê het: "There is no place I know that is so heavy with atmosphere, so strangely and darkly impregnated with that stuff of life that bears the authentic stamp of South Africa."

[@DustBugsTravel]

Exactly. We also thought those words were quite profound, that's why Sonia read them in our video. Give it a watch sometime. 😊

[@moniquetrollip-s5u]

Nice to see groot marico .. Grew up there..

[@mattbrown4141]

Sodra ek Jan se winkel en museum van die eerste vfytien minute van die video gesien het, ek dog, ek het hierdie plek gesien. Een dag was ek besig om die gebied van Groot Marico langs die N4 op Google Earth te kyk want die storie oor die luiperd en Oom Schalk Lourens wat Herman Bosman geskryf het speel af in Groot Marico. Wat 'n wonderlike plekkie! Daai ou plaas uitrusting en daai versameling van boeke is amazing. Ek kon slyt 'n paar dae daar om te lees! Ek baie hou van die hele ry deur die dorpie--die kerke, die strate, dir brug, die trein stasie, ens. Dankie!

[@LizzyNomvulaFaku]

Wow wow what a good job ur doing. Bring back our memories as I was born in the NW province at KLERKSDORP. But from this episode my wish was 2c groot marico river as I always dreams about it. But I give u 100% of the work that ur doing. I salute the whole team for coming with this suggestion ❤❤❤❤

[@DustBugsTravel]

We visited the town of Groot Marico in Episode 515 and we crossed the river. You should check it out! 🚙😁

[@samsonkjoseph6087]

Baie dankie vriende.

[@KGSELD]

Nice small town am glad the town is clean

[@hendrikfourie]

ONS werelde is die mooiste en die pragtig ste op die werelde ❤❤🎉🎉😊😊😅😅😂😂

[@frederikbrits9559]

H.C Bosman was for a while a editor of the local newspaper in Pietersburg

[@sicko_the_ew]

I think Bosman was both a Bozman and a Bosman. They're the same thing, in the end. He wrote a lot of his Marico stories while in London, so maybe he was a bit homesick when he did (along with being at home enough to live there for years). He also translated the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam into Afrikaans, BTW.

[@kooswesfhuizen6472]

Hi to Jan from another van der Westhuizen 😊

[@mk-xq1tt]

Railways......lifeblood of South Africa.....so very sad to see what has become of it.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yup, indeed. 😢 That intact railway bridge and goodshed made it a little easier though.

[@kilmore44]

And as you know , Patrick Mynhardt came from Bethulie in the Free State -see his autobiography "-Boy from Bethulie", a great man and a great read.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Indeed. He already had his turn a long time ago, in Episode 204 to be exact. 😁 This was Herman Charles Bosman's, so he was our focus.

[@T-Motlhasedi]

I grew up in the Rustenburg area, pass by groot marico almost very week to mafikeng, always wondered what the town looks like, never even thought of taking that turn, thanks to DustBugs I am now more curious about taking that turn into town

[@Pr1meEv1l]

Come to Rustenburg. I would love to meet you.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We're long back home from the North West. 🚙😁

[@CharlesJHin]

My mother grew up in Zeerust and Groot Marico. I've only been there once. It is such a pity that all of the railway stations are in such a poor state 😢. It looks like a beautiful town, though. You guys have visited so many towns already. Which ones are your favourites? Which ones would you retire to?

[@DustBugsTravel]

It's impossible to answer your questions. 😁 We don't visit places with a view to settle elsewhere, so we don't look at places through those eyes. We also can't possibly pick favourites amongst the 500+ we've visited so far. We enjoyed them all, in different ways.

[@robertcousins2668]

Heavy railway sleepers for heavier trains. Class 45 diesels.

[@Helgardt6189]

59:56 ‘n era wat vir altyd veby is vir plattelandse treinstasies. So jammer.😢

[@DustBugsTravel]

But the beautiful, strong steel bridge remains for us to admire! 😊🌁

[@Helgardt6189]

@@DustBugsTravel❤

[@frederikbrits9559]

Dorsmasjien = Harvester?

[@DustBugsTravel]

A 'dorsmasjien' is a thresher which is used to separate the chaff. 🌽 I believe a combine is a combination of a harvester and a thresher.

[@annacassisa9151]

I SO MUCH WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU R SATING BUT THE SOUND ON MOST YOUR TOURS, R 2 SOFT AND MY SOUND IS ON THE LOUDEST. I AM HARD OF HEARING GO WELL AMD SAFE, UBRING SO MUCH PLEASURE TO SO MUCH PEOPLE. GOD BLESS. B/DORP

[@DustBugsTravel]

It might be that the maximum sound volume on your device is not sufficient. Hopefully you can get it resolved. 📶

[@annacassisa9151]

THANK YOU FOR REPLYING. AT MY AGE THE EYESIGHT'S ALSO NOT TO GOOD. BUT AM SO GREATEFUL TO WAKE UP EVERY MORNING. GOD BLESS YOU ON YOUR JOURNEYS TO WHERE EVER. WITH LOVE FROM ME TO YOU GUYS.

[@maxnjax7294]

Kyk net seblief of daar nie party keer iets raak aan die fan nie Het dit in zeerust gehoor

[@maxnjax7294]

maar dis nie die vibe nie😅

[@DustBugsTravel]

We rent a vehicle each time, so it has long since been returned to the car rental company. 🚙 The release bearing did make a noise, that may have been what you heard.