Finding the ‘bon’ in bloem

Open to the public for jogging or walking, there is a digital planetarium (shows in Afrikaans) up there, plus the 250-hectare Franklin Game Reserve – one of only two nature reserves in the world located in the centre of a city.

Fleshing out the cultural diversity of Bloem included a meaty lunch at Street Corner Braai in one of the townships; a visit to the weekly Boeremark in Langenhovenpark, a farmers’ market every Saturday, celebrating Afrikaans heritage with dozens of stalls selling homemade bakes, arts and crafts, jewellery, clothing, books, and more; and a night of wonderful smooth, live jazz and whisky at Moods & Flavors, a popular nightclub.

One of Bloemfontein’s most wellknown residents – although only up until he was about three years old – was JRR Tolkien. Today’s celebrities include winners of reality cooking show My Kitchen Rules South Africa on M-net 101 in 2017, Jamandi and Machiel Bekker, known by everyone as the “Lekkerbekkers”.

“Boemfontein is the best kept secret in South Africa. What makes the city special is the authenticity of the people – it is just so real – we love everything about it,” says Jamandi. “Definitely worth a stop, come and check it out for yourself!”