Fili’s world

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I kept thinking that there’s no way anyone can make out those Chinese symbols on the board. I’ve seen them in Thailand, I’ve seen them in Lao, and now they’ve come back to hunt me in Vietnam. My curiosity has drawn my attention to it more than once, never been able to understand what was going on. All I knew is that it looked interesting and that it’s something I have to look into.

I’ve started looking around for information, and that was in no way easy. Even finding the name was hard, not been able to explain to the folks what it was that I was looking for. I’ve grown frustrated and almost gave up the search. But, HoiAn gave me new hope. It wasn’t only the wonderful people in here that will talk with you for hours patiently; it was also that it’s just everywhere you go here. People are sitting down together in cafes and staring at this Chinese game, fully concentrated and in deep thought. Some of them have money rolling on the side, suggesting that is wasn’t purely pleasure and brains that were involved, others playing different varieties with super extra twists that make it impossible for me to follow. After I somehow managed to find the “Co Toung” name, things rolled along pretty quickly. I bought a small board and came in, a little intimidated, to a gambler’s Chinese Chess cafe and asked if it’s okay if I sit down and watch.
It took seconds for the two waitresses to tell me how handsome I am and to ask if I’m married and since I’m not – asking if I’m looking for a wife. The only local hassler in there with very basic (awful) English laughed at my attempts to follow the board and then finally sat down to guide me. He seemed to be extremely happy to be my mentor in this game and soon came all his friends, giggling at every move that I made. I lost two games, but it was great. I now know how to play this undecipherable Co Toung Chinese Chess and I was even able to beat Owe - the maintenance guy at my hotel.

The sad news is that there is no more shaving machine. “Gone, dead, unfixable”, or at least in Hue/HoiAn terms. The good news is that I found a replacement. I’ve never got a shave in a barbershop, and I almost never used a razor, being the Datlash that I am. It’s so different! And the Vietnamese way is to also get a face massage and a complete ear inside clean job (which made me feel somewhat violated for an hour). Good stuff.

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