Obama Visits Tirta Empul Temple in Bali

Gianyar (Antara Bali) - Former president of the United States, Barack Obama, along with his wife, Michele, and two daughters, Sasha and Malia, visited Tirta Empul Temple in Tampaksiring village, Gianyar district, on Tuesday afternoon.

Michele and her two daughters toured the tourist attraction and met dozens of foreign tourists who mingled with the Balinese people during the sanctification ritual process.

During the ritual, the people used water from dozens of showers that lined the poolside of the sacred area of the temple to wash and purify themselves.

The 44th US presidents visit lasted about 30 minutes, since 04.15 p.m. local time, with tight police surveillance.

During the visit, Obama waved to the local community and domestic and foreign tourists who came to the site after the celebration of Eid Al-Fitr 1438 Hijriah.

The local community enthusiastically welcomed their arrival, although Obama and his family visited the tourist attraction in a relatively short time.

Nisa, a foreign tourist, admitted being surprised to see Obama in one of the mainstay attractions of Gianyar district.

The Tirta Empul sacred area, located about 65 kilometers east of Denpasar, the capital of Bali province, has as many as 30 fountains whose water never stops flowing, empties into the Pekerisan River to irrigate thousands of hectares of rice fields, and flows to Lebih Beach and Keramas Beach in the district.

The natural scenery, with green and sustainable environment, makes the Tirta Empul an interesting tourist attraction.

People from various villages in Bali, including foreign tourists, queued up in an orderly manner to purify themselves by bathing and shampooing at 30 showers.

Obama and his family had earlier visited Arma Ubud Museum and Subak Jatiluwih with a rice field irrigation system in Tabanan district. (WDY)