Not a game for kids

A stop that I always make when I have visitors in Singapore is Chinatown.  There is some great food, cheap shopping, and some good photo spots.  There is also a Buddhist temple that is open to tourists.  I have blogged previously about visiting the temple.

One of my favorite parts of Chinatown is just outside of the temple.  There is a plaza or courtyard or some big ole' slab of cement where people gather.  Part of it is covered and under the cover are always a bunch of older Chinese men playing either checkers or dominoes.  These do not appear to be the friendly games of our childhood...they are serious business...and there is always lots of intensity and stress and cheering and commenting...is fun to just sit and watch for a bit.

I often wish I could speak Mandarin so I knew what they were saying to each other...but a small part of me really enjoys not understanding so that I can put my own commentary to it.

I also think it is interesting how these two games that are taken so seriously by these men are mainly the games of children back home.  I am curious what game I will be playing when I get a bit older.  My guess is that it will be Scrabble.  Do you think there will be as much interest and intensity when I score 68 points on a 3-letter word?

BTW - I cannot decide who I like better...the guy in the blue plaid shirt with his hands on his head or the guy in the greenish print shirt with his hands clasped at his chest.