On our Sojourn I learned Lunar New Year is a happy two week season like Easter or Christmas. Much of our journey we saw the excitement and color of the Asians celebrating their holiday at temples, restaurants, shopping and on their own vacations. Decorations of pink flowers, red lanterns, mandarin oranges and roosters were displayed from the start in Hong Kong through the end in Singapore. The temples were bustling as prayers were performing their New Year offerings and rituals.
It was exciting to be in the midst of the holiday frenzy as a tourist. Above are photos in Hong Kong. The following are from the Buddhist Temples of Quanzhou, China. This temple is along the famed Silk Road and right next to a mosque.
Quanzhou was an important port on the Maritime Silk road where mosque and temple next to each other represents the diversity of this city during the early centuries when the products of the orient were highly valued by the Western world.
The city of Quanzhou is nicknamed the ‘Buddhist Kingdom’ and has another temple with Golden Buddahs, a monastery and large towers which were under construction. (This seems to be a theme for many landmarks I’ve traveled to see such as the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.)
Singapore has a Chinatown too so we visited two temples on the day that they were celebrating a Jade god. The Lunar New Year is celebrated for two weeks and each day has a different meaning or god honored. We saw lion dancers in the street but I could not get a good photo. Being in Asia during one of their most highly celebrated holidays brought the temples to life and added depth to our experience of the Eastern culture.
Gung Hei fat choi my friends!
Buen Camino 
Dear Pam– love your pictures. I’ve wanted to ask if you receive notifications on blog posts from me. You are listed as following an old blog ID delight4dad. It is video connected so hoped you’d see blogs if you’re interested. My site is caminowalk2016.com. Looks like you are still on the road!!! Blessings!!
LikeLike
That’s “it is connected” not video connected!!! 🙊
LikeLike
Pam — I hadn’t know how to ask. Do you receive my posts from
Caminowalk2016.com as you’ve followed dad’s delight blog? I’m writing on the Camino walk blog but didn’t now if they were all connected somehow… just checking and wasn’t certain how to send a message?!! Blessings! Brian
LikeLike
I just noticed that I’d asked this before! 🙈😂
LikeLike
Hi Brian🤗 I did not know how to find you and I am glad you found me! I fell very ill this past March and have had a rough time keeping up with things. I am doing better now and I today have figured out how to stay connected to your blog. Again, thank you for reaching out. I have read a bit of your blog from September and October 2016. The Camino continues for us all. I believe my experience gave me the physical strength and spiritual strength to carry me through my journey with cancer. Buen Camino Brian and I will see you on your blog.
LikeLike
Oh yuck cancer! So sorry Pam! That’s quite a journey for certain. I’ll be praying for your continued and complete recovery. Yes the journey Continues! ❤️🙏
LikeLike
Pam: I would like your permission to possibly use three of your images for an article on pilgrimaging. They are 2515 Tom & Pam, 1950 feet, and 1854 cruz de ferro, from September 2016. They are gorgeous. Respond and I can tell you more details. (I am not sure how else to contact you with this request except through this method.)
LikeLike
Hi Daniel. Thank you for your interest. What are the details?
LikeLike
I am just finishing up an article on the theology/history of pilgrimage for a new magazine the Archdiocese of Detroit is producing for donors. I did in image search and your website came up. I need a good photo to illustrate the sense of community that quickly develops among pilgrims of different ages and backgrounds, the sense of “communitas.” Plus a few atmosphere-type shots such as the feet in creek. BTW, I walked the Camino back in 2008; it is perhaps the greatest experience of my life. I would credit pamhess.worpress.com.
LikeLike
Hello Daniel, My WiFi was giving me some trouble this week so it was hard for me to respond with full information. My life has changed dramatically since I finished the Camino. I am yearning to do another Camino and I am sure you understand my feelings. You may use the Cruz de Ferro and the Feet photos, however, the other photo of my Camino Friends I am reluctant to give agreement. I do not have a way to contact the gentlemen in the photo and would not want to give consent without their knowledge.
LikeLike
Just checking on your response.
LikeLike
I understand completely, Pam, about your camino attraction and your photo decision. I often think about doing the Portuguese camino, it is shorter, but my knees are ten years older now. There is a Holy Week pilgrimage to a chapel in Chimayo, New Mexico, I may do instead next year, only nine miles! Your cruz and feet in creek photos may just be used. Thanks.
LikeLike