Amed's version of Lourdes!

Hidden way up in the hills behind Amed are the Sacred Springs. After renting a motorbike, I followed Komang and Ketut (K&K) on their bike and we made our way along a narrow road that followed a gushing river and meandered up into the mountain area, passing villages and rice fields, . The scenery was magical. Thirty minutes later, Komang stopped his bike and said, "We go here," pointing at a narrow path off the side of the road. A local villager, barefoot and wearing a torn and worn t-shirt was our guide. K & K had been before but weren't confident on finding all 5 springs. We trekked through rice fields and up the side of the mountain past banana, pineapple and potato plantations, crossing a rushing stream, where I almost lost my sun glasses (but for the quick reflexes of our guide who caught them mid stream!) Whether it was the fresh mountain air or the endorphins buzzing around my body after the 2 km trek, coming upon the first spring in the bush did feel sacred. It was like discovering some magical secret place that holds all the answers to life. Our guide tells us that the water has healing properties and that many people trek here to drink it and bathe in it. K&K and myself splashed the water over our faces and heads. The greatest surprise came when I took a handful of water and drank it. It tasted like lemon. "Why does it taste like lemon?" I asked the guide. He just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "A little sour," he says. I have another drink.  It tastes just like someone squeezed a lemon into it. I know, because at home I drink it all the time. The guide tells us 300 metres up the mountain is another spring, "this one a little sweeter." So, off we trek. It is true: the second spring almost tastes like coconut water with just a tiny amount of sweetness in it. The third spring had the lemon flavour again and the 4th and 5th springs were completely different; they had a metalic taste. The guide said there is gold, copper and crystals under the earth in this area and that is what gives it the metalic taste. Okay, I get that, but what about the lemon and coconut tasting ones???
Back in my bungalow a few hours later, I contemplate the healing properties of the spring water. While it's true I had no physical ailment to test the validity of it, I do feel unusually invigorated and alive.