Chùa Giác Minh — Local services in East Palo Alto

The Vietnamese Buddhist Temple in East Palo Alto was amazing.

I just went over on a field trip to the Temple in East Palo Alto this morning and it was beautiful. The temple is gorgeous and just beautiful with its bold and dark fusion of purple, hot pink, gold and gorgeous colorful fusia. There were beautiful orchids all over the temple. Flowers and fresh fruits every where. There were at least 60 to 80 people at service.

I saw a lot of big huge red apples, Asian pears and apples oranges, tangerines, other fruits and fresh food. Even during service the cook ladies brought food up. I did not know the meaning. Food decorated all over the temple. The center Buddha is in gold and it is truly magnificent and gorgeous. WOW! The colors were delightful. It was a full service, everyone sat on the floor and older people had chairs if they want to sit there, or not.

The lights that surrounds Buddha face was show stopping blinking red lights. Buddha is huge bold and in gold, in the front center of the alter. It was captivating and very hypnotic. The chanting and praying was soothing and relaxing. And even though I did not understand one word it was still marvelous. It was fantastic. I asked one of the young ladies outside after service what is the food inside the temple mean or stand for and she said, she does not know, she has no idea. So I was taken back that she had no idea, she is about 16 or 17 years old. So I was taken back because she came in with her mom and went to the front, sat down and prayed, yet she did not know what the food was for next to the big wall of faces.

I am new at this Temple. So I expected someone to greet me and say Welcome and come sit here, and introduced me to other members . Also to translate and tell me what was going on in service, and after service. But no one.

This is my first time going over and I do not know a soul. I looked over and people were staring at me, but no one cared to come over and say Welcome or Hello to me. No one! And I mean NOT one person came over to say hello or introduced themselves to me. Not one! I was there for 2 hours and NOT ONE PERSON.

So I found that inhospitable and UNWELCOMING AND UNFREINDLY.

BUT the Temple was...

They have delicious vegan food every Sunday from 9:30 to 12pm. Free food for everyone at 12pm but it gets busy and parking may be hard to find around that time. Recommend going early to purchase vegan food. Lots of old Vietnamese folks come here just to purchase the food so you know it's good. Food is made fresh at the temple and the ladies are...

Very love and sweat people. Everyone specially the Nuns and all the volunteer, just like we visit a big lovely family. Everyone treat us like their own family, We love the temple and cannot wait to visit and enjoy the delicious vegetarian food. Thank you with...