Approaching the New Year

10 April 2016

Cambodia is in full new-year mode now. Officially Monday (tomorrow) and Tuesday are work days but few will be at their desks or work places those two days. The whole country takes a couple days of annual leave and has an eight-day new year celebration. Here are some of the last-minute preparations taking place.

 

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The central part of this display, with a picture of the king, has been in place for several years. But in the past weeks, workers have added the "wings" to the display, with gold shapes.
Overloaded van

 Almost no one is from Phnom Penh and everyone must go home to their village for the new year so the transportation companies raise their prices and make a bundle. Comfort and convenience are not part of the package as this overloaded shows as it heads out of the city to some province.
Waiting for a ride

 This young man has his bag packed and is either waiting for someone to pick him up or waiting for the right van to his province to come along.
New Year banner at post office

 The post office gets into the new year spirit with a large white celebratory banner spread across the archway into their grounds.
New Year display at a ministry

 Another nearby ministry has put up this new year banner to show that they are in the mood for celebration.

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