The streets are full of scooters and bicycles transporting Marigolds, New Years trees and boxes of Heineken beer. In spots the sidewalks are made impassable by miniature forests of the same trees and plants in addition to obstacles such as watermelons. People have carts hawking plastic coins on red strings and decorative envelopes for ‘lucky money’ to be presented to—mostly—children.

And last minute clean up efforts are in full force from people’s homes to businesses to the piles of trash in the streets requiring a small army of cleaners and the might of a front end loader. The motorcycle cleaners are doing a brisk, last-minute business as everybody wants to sparkle and have only a few hours left before many places close for the remainder of the week.