I love to see people playing cards and chess under trees on the streets and in China is was either cards or some games called Chinese chess and sometimes Ma Jong.
Here is Tanzania, it’s mostly draughts (chequers) and it’s played with a handmade board and red and blue water bottle tops. This week I was on the peninsular looking for a dala dala back home to save a bajaj fare.
I spent a bit of time trying to talk to the Masai who guard the premises and look after the parking at Epi D’or. They struggle in English which is a shame as I would really like to chat to them.
After standing around on the side of the road in the sun I was hot and sweaty and saw some bajaj drivers playing under a tree waiting for a customer. So I went to go and look.
They offered me a seat and I gladly sat down. My clothes were stuck to me. Why do the locals never look at hot and sweaty as me? Sweat can be running in rivulets off my face and they still look cool
The winner invited me to play and so I took the seat opposite him. I knew I wasn’t going to win because I haven’t played since I was a child and then I wasn;t very good. In any case they seem to play slightly different rules here – esp when the counter gets to the opposite side. It seems it goes crazy – movig diagonally as much as it likes.
Suffice to say he beat me easily. Then I was fed up of trying to get home cheaply and as a reward for meeting me I gave him my fare. Take me home driver.