Touws River South Africa (Touwsrivier)

Touws River (Afrikaans: Touwsrivier) is a small railway town of 6,800 people in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is located on the river of the same name, about 160 kilometres (100 mi) north-east of Cape Town. The Touwsrivier CPV Solar Project is located just outside of the town and supplies 50 MW to the national electrical grid
The town of Touws River owes its existence to the Cape Government Railways, and to the route that their founder, Cape Prime Minister John Molteno, chose for a railway line over the Hex River Mountains.
A railway was needed from the port at Cape Town, to service the newly discovered diamond fields in Kimberley. However, several seemingly impregnable ranges of mountains separated Cape Town from the hinterland of the Cape. The Royal Commonwealth Society (1898) records how the route was chosen:
When Mr. Molteno formulated his railway scheme he sent for his consulting engineer, who asked him what was the route he desired. Mr. Molteno asked for a map of South Africa, which was brought to him. Taking a ruler he drew his pen along it, in a direct line from Cape Town to Beaufort West. "But," said the engineer, "that means you go slap bang through the Hex River Mountains." "Never mind," said Mr. Molteno, "that is the way I want it to go." And that is the way it did go
It is now a sleepy town, surrounded by farms, mountains and game reserves, it preserves open-air displays of steam engines in memory of its history as a railway centre.
#Touwsriver #smalltowns #WesternCape
For more information:
0:00 Jonathan Deal Author of Timeless Karoo geckorock.co.za/timeless-karoo/
0:43 Chief Dr Aubrey Daampies from the United Aboriginal Khoisan Kingdom
1:01 Christiaan du Plessis Touws River Tourism touwsrivertourism.co.za/
1:20 Travis Deal Gecko Rock geckorock.co.za/
1:35 Neville Fourie Town Manager bvm.gov.za/touwsrivier/
2:00 Oom Willie Marais @williemarais1000
3:46 Elizabeth Mantambo Kroonplaas Padstal www.komkyk.co.za/
8:26 Sharon Deal Retreats geckorock.co.za/activities/co...

[@ExpressionsPhotoSA]

What a wonderful clip showcasing the amazing people of Touwsriver!

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

Thank you so much for watching. We love the people of Touws. ❤️

[@kambrose1549]

Next time I will stop!

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

Fantastic.

[@touwsriviertourismassociat5985]

Thanks Neil! So very special and professionally adorned with your signature African Travel Crew style. ❤️❤️❤️

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

We love you guys ❤️ and now you're making me blush 😳

[@amandaliebenberg2953]

I love the Karoo. And it’s people are pure gold.

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

100% agree ❤️

[@allanbastard1905]

Love the format of your videos . Enchanting and makes one want to watch more and visit these places.

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

Thank you. You made our day ❤️

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

The people of this town ❤️

[@willemwalters]

I grew up in Touwsrivier. My maats was Amanda, Jos, Spikkels etc..

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

Where are you know? En jou maats?

[@willemwalters]

Praha

[@willemwalters]

Jos is NZ. Amanda in Paarl.

[@LeonVanDyk]

Beautiful, mooi

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

Dit is.

[@michaellawson6533]

The first farm we had was in the Koo district and the last one was at Leeu Gamka. So we always passed Touws River and liked to stop at the BP where there was a large jungle bird of immensely rich gold and other colours with long feathers . Im nearly sure it was one of the birds of paradise perhaps from Papua New Guinea. Unfortunately it didnt have a mate. Yes , Touws River was a vital junction in our history. Greetings from Holland.

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

Great memory, thanks for sharing it with us. . No bird of paradise at the garage anymore, but there were some ostriches.

[@MrHammerkop]

Twice I have travelled right across the Karoo to Namibia the slow way, using only public transport. And I was struck by how my fellow passengers, although locals familiar with the backdrop, often fell silent and became irresistibly drawn, just as I was, to look out and take in the sheer immensity and haunting beauty of what we were passing through. Difficult to put into words, but it feels to me as though a journey through the Karoo is a pilgrimage to somewhere unspeakably old and deep within us, and that you are not a mere observer, but in some sense called upon as a witness.

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

How beautifully put. Thank you ❤️

[@shauncharlesporter2589]

Lived there many years ago. Homesick now.

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

Maybe a visit is in order. I'm sure Touws misses you just as much ...

[@jannielouwrence1523]

Willie dit was nog die goeie ou tye

[@daniellfourie]

Kan u my sê wat die naamval die kunstenaar is. Sy skilderye van die Karoo is pragtig.

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

Mag ek asseblief vra dat u vir my die kuns wys waarna u kyk, en ek sal vir u uitvind

[@daniellfourie]

Ek meen die man by 10:18 in hierdie video van Touwsrivier. Die skilderye lyk pragtig. Ek sal graag 'n besoek wil aflê om te gaan kyk.

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

@@daniellfourie dis Kiwiet’s Art Gallery Briljante kunstenaar. Ek dink die beste sal wees om Christiaan die voorsitter van Touwsrivier Toerisme te vra
[e-mail]

[@daniellfourie]

@@AfricanTravelCrew Baie baie dankie! Dit is pragtige kuns.

[@seavale11]

die coloureds hier is niks khoi... is anners julle weet hoe

[@AfricanTravelCrew]

Ons vertel net war mense van die gebied vir ons vertel.