First, the publishing process:  I've sent over 50 letters/queries to prospective publishers.  So far, I have received more than 25 rejections.  I am waiting for the others to respond.  Two publishers are reviewing my book, and that might take several months. 

Now, on to the "Mystery Quest" -- The first picture refers to the clue  "When you enter the Dragon Gate."  The excerpt from the book (in Chapter 222) that relates to the picture:

Apollos drove his Mercury Mystique through the dragon’s gate at the entrance to Chinatown on Grant Street.  He parked his green car on the uphill one-way street facing north.  He walked around the majestic structure, which was a gift from China in 1969, and noticed the earthy green roof that had wavy tiling flowing horizontally and round bamboo-like ridges that were placed vertically.  The larger roof on top overlapped two smaller roofs on the left and right side of the street, with a guardian lion in front of each twin pillar supporting the entire edifice.  Twelve small guardian beasts stood in protective poses on the four corners of each roof.  And on the very top of the dragon-crested gate were two brazen dragons contending for a centrally placed fiery pearl.  To each side of the central imperial emblem and coat of arms of the emperor was a carp with the long upper green bamboo support in its mouth.

            Apollos with his western mentality saw the sign of Pisces in the pair of fish, not the eastern symbol of domestic felicity and fertility.  The dragons to him represented evil that must be vanquished, like in the famous story of St. George and the dragon; although at times he thought the dragon was an apt symbol of the mysterious Chinese civilization.

            Apollos looked for clues that might connect with the message.  He couldn’t decipher the Chinese characters.  In a San Francisco guide he had read that the writing proclaimed, “Every-thing in the world is in just proportions.”  He searched again near the ominous-looking Fu Dogs, and this time he noticed a red envelope underneath the western-oriented male paw.  He opened the envelope, hoping for good fortune, but instead he only found a cryptic capital letter A on one side of a small card.   On the reverse side of the card was a clue for his next destination: a picture of a trident inside a square.  He knew where it was located.

Tomorrow:  the second place/picture and clue to the "mystery quest."