The Karoo Town of Nieu Bethesda is the kind of place everybody needs to try and visit at some stage in their lives. Its not a big tourist orientated city but rather a small village that embrace their visitors. The most famous attraction in Nieu Bethesda is the world renown Owl House.
The late Helen Martins spent most of her life in the town and the latter part of it transforming her ordinary Karoo home into a place of colour and light. Over the years she and her assistant Koos Malgas, used concrete and glass to create a multi-coloured house and fantasy garden. In the Camel Yard visitors will find statues of owls, camels, wise men and much more and one can literally get lost In your own thoughts trying to take all of this in. Shortly before her 79th birthday, Helen Martins committed suicide by drinking caustic soda. It is said that at the time her eyesight was failing because of damage from ground glass and that depression was getting the better of her.
At present the Owl House is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily in summer and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during winter. Entry is R50 per person for both adults and kids and R65 for a combo ticket for the Owl House and the nearby Kitching Fossil Centre.
I found the Owl House very interesting.
A very creative mind at work. A wonderful gift. Intriguing.