Chinese Checkers

Contrary to popular beliefs, the Chinese Checkers actually has nothing to do with China. In fact it is just a version of Halma, a board game invented by George Howards Monks, a Harvard Medical School's surgeon, in 1883 - 1884.

The name Chinese Checkers was given - in 1928 - by Bill & Jack Pressman, the owners of J. Pressman & Co., the company that popularized the game. Previously, the game was called Hop Ching Checker Game. It was first patented by Ravensburger, a German games company, under the name Stern-Halma in 1892, only a few years after Halma appeared.

Like any board games, the Chinese Checker is a mind-engaging occupation. It's fun to play when you have nothing important to do like these men.

Flying Fox

This thing is called flying fox here. According to Wikipedia, the term is of Australian and New Zealandian origin. In the United States it's called zip-lines, and in the UK it's aerial runways.

Flying fox is getting very popular here. Many recreational places and camping grounds have this equipment now. This one is at Vin's Berry, a berry farm and camping ground on Kolonel Masturi Street, in the north of Bandung, where my son had an outbound camp with his school friends yesterday and today. My son loved it very much and wanted to repeat it again and again. As for me, I just watched and photographed the children doing this.

Multiple Information and Telecommunication Technology Shop

Text and picture by Eki Qushay Akhwan

Access to information and telecommunication technology, such as computer, the internet, facsimile, etc., is a necessity today. However, many people, especially those from the lower income strata, still can't afford to have such technology at home. This doesn't necessarily mean that they don't have access to it though. Internet cafes (here called WARNET - the abbreviation for Warung Internet or Internet Kiosk), WARTEL (Warung Telekomunikasi or telecommunication kiosk), photocopy kiosks, etc. are available nearly in every strategic location throughout the city of Bandung and even in its surrounding countrysides where telephone lines and/or wireless mobile telephone signal are available.

The kiosk in the above photo is particularly interesting because it does not only provide internet or telephone services, but both plus a variety of other information and telecommunication technology services. As you can see from the writings on the window, it offers computer rent, data backup services, document typing and editing, photo scanning and editing, laminating, printing and photocopy services, prepaid cellular phone vouchers, and even multy players games. All in one small and unassuming shop!

I took the above shapshot photo at Cimahi, a town about 14 kilometers west of Bandung's city center.