After bidding farewell to Kusumajaya, we walked down the hill and a hundred meters up the road to the Tirta Gangga watergarden. I had been looking forward to visiting this site for quite a long time and hadn't told Kristin about it at all, so I was excited.
Tirta Gangga belongs to the royal family of Karangasem, who began construction of the complex in 1948. The watergarden mixes traditional Balinese, Chinese, and European architecture to create an unique atmosphere covering over 3 acres. The garden's attractions include the two massive front ponds, the 11-tiered fountain, and 2 upper pools.
The water of Tirta Gangga ('tirta' meaning blessed water and 'gangga' referring to the holy Ganges River in India) is sourced from the Rejasa natural spring. It is considered holy water by the local people and used for ceremonies on site and throughout the area; the water enters into a main swimming pool at the top of the complex before filtering down into a second swimming area, through the garden's remaining pools, and finally out into the rice fields below as irrigation. The spring water is rumored to be the fountain of youth; those who swim in it are revitalized and remain youthful forever.
With a handful of young locals enjoying the small, lower swimming pool, Kristin and I were surprised to find the main pool empty. Of course, that meant we could enjoy it all by ourselves! I'm guessing the pool is 25 meters in length, about 8 meters in width, and about six feet in depth. The spring water was refreshingly cool and crystal clear; I think I could have stayed there all day.
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