
People not previously familiar with wet and dry markets are maybe now more cognizant of wet markets because a wet market in Wuhan, China was the starting point of the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to see pictures of a wet market in Cambodia.
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People not previously familiar with wet and dry markets are maybe now more cognizant of wet markets because a wet market in Wuhan, China was the starting point of the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to see pictures of a wet market in Cambodia.
I went to a DDP graduation today, held at a Christian church near the Chinese Embassy. Especially because it is a church, even though we were using it for totally secular purposes, Khmers would never wear shoes inside. Instead they leave them at the door–literally. In the United States the liability lawyers would go crazy at the hazard the shoes create for an organization, but here it’s just part of life. What else are you going to do with your shoes?
After you clean the house and buy new clothes and get your haircut; after you burn the incense and paper offerings; then it’s time to put out the food and drink offerings to really make the spirits happy.
There are always last-minutes purchases and preparations and many people were out on new year’s eve making everything ready.
Much of the world may be turning away from meat for health and environmental reasons, but for many developing countries eating meat is a sign of success, an indicator that the family is no longer too poor. And that is especially true at the Lunar New Year when roast pig is an almost essential item.
Because the lunar year isn’t an actual holiday people won’t take quite as many days off as they will for the Khmer New Year. But they will all celebrate at home and at their work place. Here are some scenes from staff parties at various places of employment before they head home for the new year’s eve reunion dinner, a VERY important occasion.
Certain activities have to take place on certain days according to the Lunar New Year calendar. Today was the day for burning offerings for deceased ancestors to provide them with what they need in the afterlife and, more importantly, to keep them happy so they don’t cause problems for the family.