S1 - Ep 335 - Alice - Fort Hare University and the Old British Fort!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2023
- We embarked on a nostalgic journey to Alice, the town where I was born. Our spirits were dampened upon arrival as we discovered the devastating fate that had befallen the once magnificent Amatola Hotel, a place my parents often reminisced about. It, and the Royal Hotel, were both places where they would go dancing back in the day. A somber drive past the abandoned station further revealed the town's decline. However, our spirits were uplifted when we found the well-preserved Victoria Hospital, where my own birth took place, standing as a testament to the town's enduring past. The unexpected delight came with our visit to Fort Hare University, where the remnants of the old British fort were impeccably maintained. Driving through the sprawling campus grounds filled us with awe, realising that this institution nurtures the aspirations of a staggering 12,000 students. #DustBugs #adventuretravel #southafrica #southafricavlog #travelongravel #easterncape #alice
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I was 6 month old when we moved to Alice.( end of 1960). We left Alice end of 1978
I would say you were born in the other Hospital - as you drove into Alice, just before the station you should have turned right and that street takes you going up the hill and the Hospital ( for whites) was at the end of that street.
We live in Michelle street , just 1 block up from the beautiful white. ‘castle church’ with was Die NGKerk.
We also lived on campus, in fact the last house on the right as you drove towards King Williamstown.
Then we bought a house near the Hospital where you were born.
We 4 kids attended Alice Laerskool. You passed it in town (on the left) just after you passed the ‘sport field’ with was the Rugby field. The tennis courts and swimming pool was just there too.
I visited Alice about 7 years ago and was pleasantly surprised by most of Alice. I arrived unannounced at the School and our University House, and was welcomed with open arms. I even could walk into the old NG Kerk and saw the inside after about 35 years.
My dad was a Professor of Education at Ford Hare. His books he wrote to train Teachers are still been used.
Thanks so much for visiting Alice for all of us who grew up there.
Love and Greetings from Bundaberg, Australië
Stone the crows , Bundaberg Queensland !!! You are so lucky. All the Bundaberg ginger beer you can drink. You are definitely in a better place now than Alice. So jealous of you. A nice safe town Bundie , with no potholes to avoid. Nice to keep your memories of Alice , but you will be so disappointed at how these SA towns are deteriorating . One hardly sees a white face in any of these small towns anymore. Especially not in the CBD's.
@user-ry2eq3nc6g My mom says I was born in Victoria Hospital and I know better than to argue with her! 😁🏥 I was there, but I wasn't there if you know what I mean. It sounds like you had a great visit to Alice yourself seven years ago. Thank you for coming back again with us two. 🚙
Many of these burnt down buildings was arson. There has been a lot of violence and unrest in this area. Fortunately quite peaceful now. Alice station. And socks on the line!En so n paar otte! That was unexpected. Love the little mushroom building! So cute! I think you could be right about Alice being Ciskei, I seem to remember ex-husband telling me about it. Ah! The good old orange. Natures anti-depressant. Why do you think oranges ripen in time to cheer up the woes of winter? Next time you feel down, eat an orange, or a naartjie. Beautiful Baptist church. The mama and her piglets are so cute! Have to have the token white for the quota. Amazing to see Fort Hare. My brother taught at the university during the tough times of unrest during early 1990s. Often he would drive from where he was staying in Hogsback to find the roads blocked by lines of tyre fires. Eventually he had to leave because the stress was too much. What is sad is that most students were only trying to study and get where they wanted in life
Ha Anna mooie reactie heb je geschreven over de huidige stand van zaken en de jaren van onrust … Hopelijk heeft je broer elders werk als docent gekregen en wèl willende studenten kunnen opleiden. Dank voor de tip over de medicinale werking van sinaasappels 😄🍊. In Nederland worden wij vandaag erg blij met de regen, can you imagine, want de zon werd ons bleekscheten bijna te veel 😅. Kun je me nog vertellen want de Afrikaanse woorden otte en neertjie betekenen? Want mijn Nederlands schiet hier te kort om het te ‘ontcijferen’ en Google vertaling geeft ‘acht’ en ‘zeuren’ als variant maar dat lijkt niet te kloppen 😊
@@ingeborgvanderveer789 Hi Ingeborg! Ja, ot is een vark, naartjie is tangerine. Wij hebben veels te veel regen, ik stuur dit naar jou toe. 🌧️☔ En bibberkoud! Lekkerbly! ♥️♥️
@annawitter 5161 We both love oranges very much and I do believe in the healing powers of Vitamin C, so we're sold on oranges, winter or summer! 😁🍊 Fortunately the only excitement in the air at Fort Hare University on the day of our visit, was an imminent concert on the university grounds and it was certainly a hive of activity. It's always great to see youngsters going about their business in a peaceful and happy way!
@ingeborgvanderveer What an interesting word sinaasappels is for oranges! 😁🍊 Languages are certainly very intriguing, no wonder Sonia finds them so fascinating. I hope you enjoyed the little reprieve from the heat! 🌧️
My grandad used to play violin at the Royal Hotel in the 50's and 60's. We are coloured people from Hillcrest, Alice. Thanks for the video
Wow, you guys are just amazing. I was born in this small town. I remember as a boy we used to walk through the campus from town to my village and fantasise ourselves being students at the university. Decades later I obtained three degrees from this prestigious institution. Watching these videos brings back a lot of memories. Thanks #DustBugs for such wonderful memories
Yet another impressive castlelike church despite the worn out look!!
I was born and bred in Alice, this gives me a lot of memories. I can still remember the old Alice in my mind when it was neat and everything was working. I was also born in Victoria Hospital. 😂
I miss Alice. I studied social work at the university of Fort Hare and I am now in the UK. Alice became my home as a young man from Zimbabwe coming on a scholarship to study. I had big dreams. I did my group work and community work practicals in Ntselamanzi Village. Alice is amazing and I miss it!
These small towns are so beautiful with old buildings.
I absolutely agree with you! 🚙🏛️
I won't lie I was emotional watching this episode, born in fort Beaufort hospital grew up in Alice (University of fort hare east campus stuff housing early 90s ) and Middledrift... I wish I was there to give you guys more interesting historical sites in Alice especially the History of fort hare starting at the "somgxada Historical site" eish man thanks you so much ģuys 😢😢😢 😢😢😢😢
Ewe man Kwa Somgxada. I taught at Fort Hare between 1988 to 1996. I did my Matric at Healdtown😃😃
@@lulamantshephe5595 if you know Mr Patrick momwabisi sirayi that's my dad, worked at fort hare since late 70s till 2015!
@asemahlesirayi7 We prefer exploring on our own and happening upon interesting sights ourselves. Our videos aren't intended to show every single place of interest in a town, but rather a town through our eyes. 🚙🤩 Thank you for watching our video of my birthtown.
Beautiful Town ❤❤❤
I appreciate you coming along to Alice! 🚙😊
Hi guys, thank you sooo much. Now at last I know what Alice looks like. Have just always wondered. Your place of birth Curtis, fancy that. Take care, and keep exploring.!!!🙃👍🙏🤩
@susannaemmerich1166 Yup, my place of birth! Thank you for visiting Alice with us. I remember you asking if it's a different place from Alicedale and now you've seen both! 🚙😁
Hi guys wonderful town where you were born a song and a old film named after it lol .a very interesting and busy town lots of old buildings and churches the Presbyterian mission was very active in this area with memorial hall etc .the station is being used as houses and the pigs walking around was cute .loved the old general dealer store and the other old buildings goats on the pavement and the razzmatazz club was buzzing the first scap dealer I've seen on the videos what a stunning place the Victoria hospital is the place of your birth love the Fort and the viewing tower from recycling the old bricks the Hare University was impressive and like a separate town with all the hostels and houses 12000 students amazes me music in the background definitely partytime. I'm glad you found the Royal Hotel I could imagine the place with the old time dancing shame about the other hotel definitely had an old time vibe to me thanks for taking me to your birth place cheerio till the next one
@charlietreston4035 Alice is a popular name amongst artists, it seems! 🎤🎬 I was surprised at how old Victoria Hospital was, I had no idea it had been around for more than 100 years already! 😳🏥 Happy to hear you enjoyed the hustle-and-bustle of the town and the university campus with us, it was certainly very interesting to visit my birthtown again! 🚙
More fond memories. Another great video.
What a nice home town and so much history. Memories of the past. This must have been a real nice trip with lots of memories, even though you were small - one does remember something! I fully agree with the comments made by
@ingeborgvanderveer789.
A trip well done and thank you for taking us there. Till the next one!!
It's most certainly not the same town that I have very vague memories of, but I don't think there are many towns left which are still the same, if any. 🤷🏻♂️ I think the town or place anyone was born in, will forever hold a special place in their hearts, even if it's not perfect. I appreciate you taking the time to come and visit Alice with me, that means a lot to me. 🚙😊
Hearing that you were born in Alice made viewing a little more special 😊 and Sonia’s gratitude to the nurses who helped with your safe arrival was so sweet. We, your thousands of subscribers share her gratitude 😁
This was another wonderful adventure, with driving around the vast Fort Hare campus both a pleasure and surprise to see.
You're very sweet, thank you. 😊 I'm glad you share Sonia's opinion that the doctors and nurses did a marvellous job at delivering me! 😇 Alice was a surprise to me in terms of size and activity. We were very pleased that we were able to drive around Fort Hare, it's quite a sprawling campus with some well-known names emerging from the institution. Thanks for visiting my birthtown with us. It was rather special. 🚙😁
Never been there myself. My father, however, obtained a BSc Honours at Fort Hare way back in the 1940's. Many of his peers back then, read today like a "Who's Who" of the political spectrum of sub-Saharan Africa. My dad didn't want to work as a public hygiene inspector so he enlisted at UCT to do his MBChB graduating in 1952.
@gregorydavids5304 Interesting, thanks for sharing the info about your dad. 🙂🎓
I am also from Alice i really love your channel guy's
Thank you, I'm happy to hear that you enjoy our videos. It was good to visit your hometown and my birthtown again! 🚙😁
Hi you two! Thank you for this interesting visit to Alice. I feel for you, Curtis, that the first view on a return to your birthplace had to be a ruin. But the rest of the town,, and especially the Varsity grounds, more than makes up for it.
I never realized that Fort Hare was such an enormous university both in buildings, academic variety, and number of students. I hope that they will have peaceful future.
It is good to see that the Alice's do not forget their rich history, eg. the restored Fort, the upgraded Victoria Hospital (where a famous TH-cam contributor was born), many other old buildings and churches, the paintings of President Mandela and Winnie etc.. The out-of-commission railway was to be expected; it is a proud national feature, not unique to Alice. What I also found interesting is that pigs and goats seem to feel quite comfortable in a town this size.
I really enjoyed this trip you two and am looking forward to the next one.
Keep safe!
@1812nico Greetings to you, I think still in the Waterberg! Lucky fish! 🤩 Alice can most certainly look after their buildings a whole lot better, there's no denying that. We were just as surprised at the number of students and equally so at the sprawling campus grounds and facilities, it was very interesting to take a drive through there. 🚙🎓 Of course the four-legged ones always put the smile right back on our faces, if we lose them momentarily when we find a defunct station and such. Onwards we go! 😁 Enjoy the rest of your trip.
I remember Alice, we use to drive through to King Williamstown, my Dad use to stop at the Royal Hotel everytime on our way to KWT, that was in the 1960's.
I used to stay at Eluk 2, we are celebrating 50 years as friends next year. We met in 1974 at Fort Hare as first year students
You must all share some fantastic memories! 🎓
I think that we are all appreciative of those nurses at the Alice Hospital as we are all enjoying your fabulous content. I was playing that Smokey "living next door to Alice" song in my mind and then you said it...though everytime I saw a building not enjoying its original design, I also sang the audience's feedback 😂
Those doctors and nurses at Victoria Hospital did a mighty fine job, Sonia says! 🤣 Yup, I lived on a farm next door to Alice at the time of my birth and even I was a member of the audience as I was driving through the town. I'm quite comfortable with diplomacy and tact, but 'building not enjoying its original design' takes it to another level. You'll hear us saying that in a video further down the line, I can guarantee you that! 🚙🏛️
Such a wonderful and joyful couple. Thank you for this video. God bless your hearts. Sending regards from Pietermaritzburg, KZN.❤️❤️❤️
Wow Alice sure has changed . Thank you. I liked to see it again.😊
@flodillon991 That you can say again, not that I remember much! 🚙😍 I'm glad we could take you back there!
32:09 James Stewart Memorial we used to call it Somgxada. He was a physician that founded Lovedale. I remember asking my dad what was that in the 80s, he did B.Ed in Pedagogics Honous at Fort Hare in the early 80s.
Well I am glad you could see your birthplace. For the rest of the town...ja..it was sort of what I expected. Safe travels...
Yes, I was rather glad to go back to Alice after many a year. 🚙🙂
We lived in Seymour and when we came through Alice we thought we were coming to a metropolis!
Alice ny home town i was also born and raised there, I'm currently in Western Cape
Oh my goodness! Memories
Indeed! Hopefully some great ones too! 🚙🙂
Leuk Curtis om je geboortestad te zien. Staat het huis waar je als baby/kind woonde er nog? Ik dacht even, nu krijgen we een oud zwart wit fotootje in beeld van een trotse papa met baby Curtis in zijn armen 😊. De ruïnes van dat hotel doet de kijker terug zwieren naar de ballroom dance en grootse diner parties van weleer en de heren en dames in prachtige kleding. Het blijft onvoorstelbaar om te zien hoe gebouwen opgemetseld kunnen worden uit stenen die allemaal verschillend zijn van afmeting en dat het uiteindelijk helemaal ‘klopt’ en in elkaar past als geheel! Hopelijk krijgt dat witte kerkje ooit inderdaad weer wat TLC. Mooi dat je bij het Britse fort kon komen en dat het zo goed onderhouden wordt met die houten rondgang binnenin. Fijn dat je geen ‘onrust’ bespeurde en de Kwid in zicht bleef 😁💂Dat universiteitsterrein is enorm en de muurschildering van de Mandela’s vind ik zeer kunstzinnig, de student die dat maakte krijgt hopelijk een goede carrière. Al verwondert het mij dat Winnie hier nog op staat, gezien haar reputatie onder alle gelederen…. Last but not least, zoals altijd, zo leuk om de lokale 4-voeters te zien, de varken(tje)s, koeien en die geiten keurig lopend achter elkaar in een rij, het lijken wel Britten 🇬🇧😜
Hoi. Ik hou van je opmerkingen. Ze zijn zo waar. Het gebouw waarnaar je verwijst, is altijd verbazingwekkend voor mij - dat alle ongelijke stenen het en-product perfect maken. Leuk je weer te spreken.
Graag gedaan 😊 en leuk om weer van u te horen in foutloos Nederlands. De mens blijft geniaal als het om bouwwerken gaat. Hoe kon men ooit het Colosseum maken destijds of de pyramides? En wie stonden er angstaanjagend hoog op houten steigers om ooit de toren van onze Deventerse Lebuinuskerk te metselen? Hoe haalde men zo snel alle materialen vandaan om spoedig na vestiging in die vele Zuid-Afrikaanse dorpen de NG kerken te ontwerpen en uit de grond te stampen? En ook nog zo deugdelijk dat veel ervan nog fier overeind staat. Morgen gaan we vast weer meer moois zien van dien aard vanaf de achterbank van de Kwid 😄🚘
@ingeborgvanderveer789 My dad worked on an orange farm and we lived there too at the time of my birth and not in town, so there was no house to try and find. I actually have a few pics of my dad holding me as a baby, but they're all in storage. I hope to go and scratch them out one of these fine days, I haven't seen them in many years. 😍👨👦 I have to agree with you about buildings and structures like the Colosseum and the pyramids and I often wonder how it was even possible back in those early days. And that they still stand, boggles the mind! 💒🏛️
5:17 that building on the left is written "Royal Hotel"
That was the 'Royal Hotel Liquor Store'. 🚙🙂 We did see the actual Royal Hotel building later in our video. It seems to be apartments now though and not a hotel anymore.
Mugabe was there as well, last time I saw him at Fort Hare he told us that he used to visit Vic Hospital and asked us to cook " umgqusho" for him😃😃
If I remember correctly, that is samp-and-beans. I love it too! 😁🍲
Victoria Hospital, Alice
Location: Eastern Cape Department of Health
Type: Healthcare
Project Description:
EC DoH required a very dilapidated heritage building to be refurbished to accommodate Pediatric and Maternity Wards, a Nurses College with lecture facilities and simulation wards, as well as Nurses’ accommodation. The old Art Deco building was revived, redesigned internally and transformed, linking to
the modern theatres and circulation routes to related facilities. We focused on creating a mother- and child friendly interior while respecting the heritage of the building externally.
Interesting, thank you for the info! 🏥
@@DustBugsTravel Just love watching your trips
Please travel to Mount Frere and perhaps, you can make your way to the village of Osborn.
We have been through Mount Frere on our way to KZN and actually filled up there. ⛽ We might drive through that area again in the future, but we won't be making videos. I film out of the window and there are just too many people on the roads, which creates a safety concern for me and my camera. It's unfortunate, but a sad reality. 🚙🤷🏻♂️
That at the top is called Kwa Somgxada monument
Noted, thank you. 🏛️
It’s utterly disheartening to see the decay and decline of these villages!
@Mm1twiggy It is rather sad to see the decline and the decay, but fortunately some beautiful buildings and the incredible natural beauty surrounding the towns remain. That is why we travel. 🚙🙂
Does the Eastern Cape hold some kind of world record for burnt down hotels and such?
@fireanddicewine Keeping stats like that is not the reason we travel. Fortunately there is always the beauty of nature or an intact building around the next corner. That is our focus. 🏛️🌳🐖
;-) I hear you can buy a doctorate from Fort Hare for quite a reasonable price and no questions asked. Only problem is you have to be very well connected to qualify. (You can still get a doctorate for less money but a lot more work, there.)
Just to balance that out, this was an early target of the previous government, which tried hard to reduce the quality of education, there (at least for a few decades - until they changed over to trying to make secession from the RSA attractive by doing things like building nice facilities in the Homelands.)
I know you don't do the politics of these towns (and I can understand why - makes a lot of sense not to), but these things happened (maybe not exactly as the very approximate rumour-versions I give, here.)
(I'm actually surprised the hospital isn't fancier - unless there's another one. One thing the old government made quite nicely was hospitals, where they wanted their hospitals to be evidence of their "good will".)
Leisure travel and politics certainly don't mix, not for us anyway. 🤷🏻♂️ I don't think my parents could've given two hoots about how 'fancy' the hospital was back in the day, as long as they left the building with a healthy baby. That's really all that mattered to them. And fortunately they did! 😁🏥
@@DustBugsTravel What matters most at any hospital is the nurses. (And politics doesn't make for fun holidays.)
It's just one of the things the old government "did right"; that's all. When they built a hospital in one of the homelands it was as good as any hospital, anywhere. Separate, but really equal, in that case. But that's very old history now, anyway, and I suppose the fact is a bit too "political", too.
The concrete example I'm thinking of is Kabokweni Hospital in Mpumalanga Province. It's pretty much a copy of Greys Hospital in 'Maritzburg. Solid, decent quality hospital for its time. (This doesn't mean they did other stuff right.)
if you pause the video at 30:21 , my car is the 3th from left behind the 4X4. The green Hyundai with the shiney mag. 😁
Wow, fancy that! 🚙🤩 I'm so glad you let us know. Thank you for watching our video of my birthtown! 😍
Hehehe, whoww Sonia, Curtis birth hospital, sorry I'll will not settle in Alice....believe you either. My late friend Garth Owens studied to be a pharmacist in Fort Hare. Believe Sonia will remember Libra Apteek in Pietersburg
Went to school with Garth in PEMS all those many years ago. I now reside in the USA...also many years ago.
@frederikbrits9559 Sonia does remember a few pharmacies in Pietersburg, but not by name. Chances are that she did indeed shop at Libra Pharmacy though. 💊
You were not born in Lovedale Hospital. Victoria Hospital is where the Breakfast Vlei / Peddie road leaves town on the Southern part of the town above the railway line.
😁 My mother should know where I was born and she confirmed that it was in Victoria Hospital where we stopped in our video.
Victoria Hospital was on the opposite side of town. I, my mother, sister and brother were all all born in Victoria Hospital. Born and bred in Alice
Sorry Curtis. What a dump. Your parents were wise to leave. 😂😂😂
It will always be my town of birth, regardless of what it looks like. 🙂
It was Amatola Hotel not Royal
We did spot the Royal Hotel in town too, later in our video. 🏨 We knew when we saw a 'T' in the name that it couldn't be the Royal.
Yes Amatola Hotel not Royal Hotel.
Alice, the "little" town with the most speed bumps! It has definitely expanded right?!! @annawitter5161 ~ I too recall friends telling me about the difficult _unrest_ Hopefully the peace will hold as today's drive shows a wonderfully interesting town...now if only those old buildings/churches can be saved❤ Thanx so much DB, always great to drive along with you both🫂
@thepenelopejones Alice has become much bigger than I remember, but then again I was rather teeny myself, so don't remember much to be honest. 😁 It was thankfully very peaceful, yet very busy, in town and on the campus on the day of our visit, but peaceful busy is a good thing! We're so happy you enjoyed the drive, I certainly appreciate you coming along with us! 🚙👌🏻
@@DustBugsTravel 💕