Read the full story of how antique French Colonial chapels in Vietnam, bound for demolition, were saved and reborn in Dripping Springs, Texas as Camp Lucy, a Hill Country wedding and event venue.
While the buildings Whit brought from Vietnam have now seamlessly and beautifully become a part of this Texas Hill Country venue, the intricate Vietnamese artwork and meaningful symbols carved into the chapel and pavilion’s dramatic ironwood timbers remind us of their journey and history. They also remind us of the friends Whit made in Vietnam who, beginning today, will celebrate Lunar New Year. Vietnamese New Year occurs nearly halfway between winter solstice and spring equinox. Although the Lunar New Year is observed throughout East Asia, each country celebrates in its own way and with its own cultural traditions. (Source) In Vietnam, the New Year is a time to celebrate the festive atmosphere with peach blossom, apricot blossom and kumquat trees. For the country’s biggest holiday, the Vietnamese decorate their houses and offices with these colorful, ornamental plants as symbols of warmth, wealth, and good luck. (Source)
This year, the traditional four main days of celebration for the New Year begin on February 2, 2011, the eve of the New Year. (Source) This Vietnamese New Year is the Year of the Cat. For the Vietnamese, cats are sociable and smart companions, and their year brings high hopes for harmony. (Source)
Learn more about Vietnamese New Year celebrations here.
More information on the history of Camp Lucy and the French Colonial buildings can be found in this mini-documentary:
