Praying for Prosperity and Happiness in Lunar New Year 祈福

It is customary for people to go to nearby temple to pray for prosperity and happiness in first days of Lunar New Year.

The temples that are auspicious will inevitably attract  many visitors.

We went to Goddess of Mercy Temple (观音亭)  at Waterloo St on first day of Lunar New Year. The queque to enter the temple was very long (we could not see where the quequ started)... gave up and decided to come another day.

Went there today (on 3rd day of Lunar New Year) - the queque was interrupted by sudden downpour of rain. Many people ran for shelter in the shop housed nearby. 

CJ and my wife joined the truncated queque (under the shelter of umbrella), and I joined in a few minutes later when the rain abated somewhat.

As we left the temple after praying, a long line of worshippers had started to form a queque outside the temple (much longer than before).

新春期间，到附近的庙宇去拜拜祈福，是个习俗。尤其是非常灵验的庙宇，往往会吸引很多人潮。

四马路的观音亭，是众多新加坡善男善女，喜欢去祈福的庙宇。尤其在农历新年期间，其香火之鼎盛，人潮的攘来熙往，自然不在话下。

我们年初一到该庙祈福，一条长长的人龙，排得整整齐齐，弯弯曲曲，绕了好几个弯，只见其头（观音亭），不见其尾 （队伍的起点）。罢了。。。只好改天再来！

今天年初三，十一点多时分，再闯观音亭。 今天的人龙比较短。恰好来了场大雨，很多人都一窝蜂跑到附近的店屋避雨； 顿时人龙更缩短了不少。

我们兵分两路，CJ与内人先撑伞加入人龙，我再几分钟过后，雨水没有那么强时走入队伍。

从观音亭出来时，雨已经停了，人潮也开始热闹起来。排队进庙的人龙也长了许多！