Art or trash? (Other locations...)

Member Name: chris-afrika

Product:	Other locations...
Date:	24/04/03 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Of the beaten Track, Friendly people

Disadvantages: Sometimes to hot

If you drive from the garden route or PE right in the back country your coming through a dry and dusty area the Karoo.

My first target in this seemingly grim area was Graaff-Reinet a little town directly in the bend of the Sunday river. It is a really beautiful little town and one of the hottest spots of south Africa. As I arrived there thinking it is really hot, the locals convinced me that it is a nice fresh day. There are a view really nice buildings in town and they have got a view really nice buildings and a interesting but small museum. Best view of the city you have got from the so called “Valley of Desolation” a gigantic rock formation just outside of town. Standing there you feel quit small. It is well worth driving up to the top and making the walking circle on top.

On this side of town although leaves the way to Nieu Bethesda a small little village geographically close to Graaff-Reinet but in vegetation the absolute difference.

Main attraction of Nieu Bethesda (ok it is the only attraction) is the Owl-House museum the former resident of Helen Martin a local artist who lived here for a long time of her live and left her lifework to the community. My first opinion when entering the museum was trash what the hell are you doing here. But after a bit of time I got the feeling for the art. Everybody has do decide by himself if it is trash or a piece of art for him. But at least you should have seen it.

Besides the Owl-House the only other thing which is interesting is how small and remote Nieu Bethesda is. There is no tarmac road and I think every inhabitant of Nieu-Bethesda knows each other.

As I arrived in the hostel I found a completely empty hostel without any other guest or employee. There was only a small chit of paper I should feel like at home. As the owner finely appeared it was really like at home. He invited me for diner at home just across the street. When I left the hostel in the evening f
or the 100m distant home of the own
er I switched of the lights in the hostel. That was something I would regret later. In Nieu-Bethesda there are no street lights and after diner I get out in a pitch dark African night. It did took a bit of time to find the hostel stumbling a view times despite I haven’t had alcohol set night. Next day I was told they never switch of the outsight light of the hostel after dark.

As a resume I want to tell you when travelling along the garden route and bored about all the tourists and tourist industry take a brake. Make a small detour in the “Outback” of Africa and visit Graaff-Reinet and small but friendly and cosy Nieu-Bethesda you want regret it.

Summary: