Camdeboo Magic

Whilst looking through my "stored" photos for future use on this blog, I came across a "set" I decided to post today. Although I've got many photos left of mainly birds and wild animals, I'm sharing photos today I took quite some time ago (with a "small" HP Camera) in a quaint little town: Nieu Bethesda, in the Camdeboo region of our country.

Whilst travelling on one of 2 gravel roads leading to Nieu Bethesda, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this scenic valley (left) for the first time. The peak, visible on the right, is called "De Toren" (= the tower) and I must say: I think it's one of the most picturesque valleys in our country - and that in an area (the Karoo) mostly known for wide, open spaces!

Nowadays, Nieu Bethesda is mainly famous for "The Owl House", which has become a great tourist attraction (one day I'll post photos I took of Helen Martins' art-creations in the so-called Camel Yard behind her house). Today, I prefer to concentrate on what I "discovered" whilst walking around, camera in hand - like this building (above), a trading store.



The vibrant colour of this house "begged" me to take a photo!








This house (right) reminded me of what many houses looked like in the part of the country, where I grew up (on a farm in the Free State Province). To me, it's a perfect example of how, through it's isolated location, Nieu Bethesda has certainly retained an "old-world"-kind of atmosphere.



Surely this tractor is quite out-dated? But here it was, standing in the main street!











And then there were these 2 wells - each with its own charm (right + below).


















I returned from where I had set off - the famous Owl House, and "checked out" the ware a street vendor was selling - copies of the owls Helen Martins had created many years ago. Since all who know me are aware that I "collect" owls, they'll understand that I couldn't resist buying one here.

My last photo for today is of one of the bedrooms inside the Owl House museum because I think it's also representative of the old-world kind-of-charm the photos I posted today, depict.