Crowds of people from near and far lined the streets of downtown Saluda on Thursday to welcome the Walk for Peace, some out of curiosity, others in search of a deeply personal experience in the presence of two dozen Buddhist monks.
The monks are making their way across South Carolina as part of a months-long walk across the country from their home temple in Texas all the way to Washington, D.C. Traveling on foot, the monks are expected to arrive in Columbia by Saturday.
Like in other stops along the way, the caravan attracted hundreds of onlookers at the monks’ previously announced stopping point on the lawn of the Saluda County Courthouse. The monks collected flowers from well-wishers as they walked down Church Street escorted by local law enforcement at 11:30 a.m., hours after they left a country church in Edgefield County 13 miles away…