In Holland Mah Jongg is not a common, known game at all. So how did he come in contact with it?
Well, though he was an all Dutch guy, he was born in Hong Kong, where his parents, Dutch expats, were living at that moment.
At home in Hong Kong, the family had a Mah Jongg game which they took with them, when they moved back to the Netherlands.
And so my love affair with Mah Jongg started.
We found a couple of other enthusiasts via and add in a magazine (after all it was the time from way before the internet) who would play with us once a month. Some people dropped out after a while, new ones filled in their place, others stayed on for many, many years.
Mr. Mah Jongg and I seperated. He left me the pinball machine and the Mah Jongg game.
Other boyfriends came and went, but the monthly Mah Jongg evening stayed (not with the ex, of course) with a quite steady group, already for more then 20 years now!.
Our current group consists of Y. and me, members since the beginning. X. is in it since more then 15 years and Z. since about 10 years.
On our Mah Jongg evenings we play, eat, drink, chat and laugh so much! Precious gatherings!
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| Having a picnic with X. and Z. |
We never play ‘for real’. We do note everyone’s points in a simplified way, but we do not play for money, and we do not get angry if mistakes are made and so on.
Three of us adore and have cats, while the fourth one hates them. Three of us are women, the fourth one is a guy. Three of us play the ‘regular’ game, while the fourth one stupes to game-rules that we consider ‘inferior play;-).
That fourth one is one and the same person: a former priest who became the most fanatic anti-religious person I know. Hilarious. Found a new love via internet dating when they were both around 65 to 70 years old.
Love you all, my Mah Jongg gals and guy!
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| Oooooh, bubbles! |
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| Yummie stuff. |
But I’m afraid that our Mah Jongg days are numbered. My absence during my Singapore periods already does not do the continuity much good. And now Z. is moving to another part of the Netherlands. So NOT LIKE!!!!
This post is an homage to the game that has brought me so much fun and pleasure during all those years.
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| Walking through Georgetown’s streets we came across this place where a Mah Jongg club is based. |
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| Under a counter are some Mah Jongg games in this stall in Malaysia. |
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| Mah Jongg chocolates in mall in Singapore. |
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| Mah Jongg cake in W hotel in Hong Kong |
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| In Asia Mah Jongg is still played a lot. Especially by older people. |
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| Playing Mah Jongg is as common in Asia, as playing card games is in e.g. the Netherlands. My mother plays card games every day. Yours? |
Are you familiar with Mah Jongg? Do you love games? What is your favorite board- or card game?
The only place I heard of this game was on Seinfeld I think.
I’m not a big board game player. My husband sounds a bit like the guy, bending the rules a bit to suit him, so I don’t like to play with a cheater! LOL
That is too funny that he was a priest and is now anti religion. Sounds like an interesting guy.
bisous
Suzanne
Hahaha…funny about your husband;-)!
Yes, Anton is a special person. His anti-religion book was just published a week ago!
You will have to form a new group in Singapore perhaps? There will be people playing it there I suppose. But yes bummer that Z is moving. You were so close to your lovely group. Things change and sometimes it makes us sad. But you know what they say: when a door closes, a window will open.
Greetje
Good idea, Greetje! Might be a bit of a challenge though, since it is mainly seen as something for elderly chinese people;-).
And very true and philosophically spoken, Greetje. I totally agree with that.
(Still s*cks big time though;-).)