Nieu-bethesda, a great place to spend New Year’s Eve
The usually quiet village of Nieubethesda was transformed into a hive of activity this holiday period.
While guesthouse bookings appeared less than usual initially, there were a handful of nights where there was literally not a single bed available for those who had not booked ahead of time.
The dirt roads soon turned to powder dust as vehicle after vehicle rolled into the village, coating everything in a fine whiteness.
Local restaurants did good trade and musicians such as The Fake Leather Blues Band and Jamie Jupiter graced audiences in front of ‘Outsiders’ and ‘Die Waenhuis’ respectively.
The Infinity Gallery housed Dirkje Daling’s ethereal artwork, and sometimes the sound of piano and singing wafted from the inside, a tendril of wonderment.
Nieu-bethesda becomes a magical place on New Year’s Eve.
The light lingers late into the evening, bathing all in a golden glow, and one can’t help but slow down to lap it all up. While some sat on soporific stoeps and watched the world go by, others were busy making lanterns to join in the annual Festival of Lights that took place at the Bethesda Art Centre. This was, as usual, a breath-taking event.
Some locals took a trip down memory lane, donned ‘hippie gear’ and drove out to Photo: Lorian Hetem Gregg Price took this photo of a spectacular double rainbow that graced the village one December evening. LEFT: Karen de Beer and Ina Botha hippy the night away. RIGHT: Some locals took a trip down memory lane, donned ‘hippie gear’ and drove out to Kareelaagte, the home of Ina and Francois Botha, where an ‘opskop’ of note ensued! Seen here are two very young dancers having a great time. Kareelaagte, the home of Ina and Francois Botha, where an ‘opskop’ of note ensued! Friends stopped and joined local braai’s, some went to bed before midnight when five drops of rain tried to fall, there were thankfully a minimal amount of fireworks, and all in all a ‘lekker’ new year was had by all in Nieu-bethesda.