Free State provincial article - South African Vacations

SJA De Villiers, who taught a whole generation of young South African women how to cook
and whose cook book is still in print, is recorded and exhibited here.
Voortrekker Monument: The Voortrekker Monument was inaugurated in 1938 during the
centenary celebrations of the Great Trek of 1838.
BOTHAVILLE
The town of Bothaville, established in 1891 as a church parish called Botharnia is situated
at the confluence of the Vals and Vaal Rivers. In 1893 the town received municipal status
and was renamed Bothaville. Bothaville is located in one of the corners of the so-called
“Maize Triangle” and was officially recognised as the “Maize Capital of South Africa” in
February 1995. The region’s total annual maize crop is between 4 and 10 million tons,
depending on the rainfall and the production per hectare varies from under a ton per
hectare on subsistence farms to 10 tons on commercial farms. Bothaville is well known for
the annual NAMPO (National Maize Production Organisation) Harvest Day Show, the
largest privately owned agricultural show in the world, which is hosted here each May, and
the NAMPO Outdoor Living Expedition held in September each year. Many local and
international visitors regularly attend the agricultural show. The town also has a factory that
manufactures agricultural machinery and tractors and is the headquarters of Grain South
Africa (GSA).
ADVENTURE AND SPORT
Hiking, birdwatching and angling: There are several hiking trails in the vicinity, including
the Visarend and Mealie Trails. Wag-‘n-Bietjie Eco Farm offers visitors a fantastic hiking
trail, as well as superb birdwatching opportunities and fly-fishing from the banks of the
Vaal River.
Sport: The town has facilities for basketball, bowls, cricket, golf, horse riding (gymkhana),
karate, rugby, squash and jukskei. There is also a parachuting club and a marathon
running club.
11