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Not all the motorcycle loads are as dramatic and extreme as some of the ones pictured here. It seems more and more companies are devising some type of carrier for deliveries, especially as now we have started food delivery services. This carrier looks homemade and it’s definitely bigger than most, but it looks like a more reasonable way to transport things–although notice the straps on the box, ready to tie down the really big and unwieldy loads when necessary.
Phnom Penh has Starbucks now, but for most of the country, when you’re really hot and thirsty….
The traffic in Phnom Penh is beginning to rival that of the infamous bad-traffic cities like Bangkok. There are multiple problems behind the traffic mess. One is the sheer number of vehicles that increases significantly every year. There is no place to park or drive the vehicles we have, but last year more than 200 vehicles were registered per day on average. So far in the first six weeks of this year, the average is 876 per day. Another reason is government incompetence. Everyone knows there is a huge problem but even the most simple remedies, ones that don’t even entail spending any money, are ignored. The above article is from a new newspaper, Capital Cambodia. An article in the past week in another paper lists several steps that the government is finally going to initiate. There is little expectation of change because of the way the government functions–or doesn’t function.
Today is New Year’s Eve and all Chinese should be home with their families for the reunion dinner. If you were out and about, however, and needed a few last things for the dinner, you may have encountered this crowd at Lucky Market.
Tomorrow (Monday) is New Year’s Eve, one of the most important dates in the Chinese calendar, the re-union dinner when all the family MUST be home. Today, Sunday, gave people a little time to prepare for tomorrow.
Another essential element for the proper celebration of the Lunar New Year is chrysanthemums. And they are out in full force on the streets now, ready to decorate every house with any Chinese heritage.
More signs of the approaching lunar new year are appearing. Today I passed a woman on the street who was washing traditional Chinese figures and symbols used to celebrate the New Year. They were probably stored away in a box all year and very dusty.
After washing the figures, the woman dried each one with a yellow towel. As I saw her handling them, I was wondering if she has a favorite figure just like some of us had favorite Christmas tree ornaments that we would look forward to displaying each year.