If you happen to wander into the River House on a Tuesday morning you will be surprised to hear the sounds of laughter, excited shouts, playful banter, and the occasional clatter of clapping hands. In other words, the sounds of people having fun. If you follow the sounds to Bobby’s Bar Room, you will be greeted by a most friendly and welcoming woman by the name of Marie DeMilio-Buchman and you’ll discover a room full of ladies at various tables playing Mexican Train.
Have you ever heard of the Mexican Train? Well, Mexico does have a freight railway system that is also used for passengers but that is not Mexican Train. Mexican train is a really fun game played with dominoes and it is a variation on a Chinese game. When Chinese laborers began arriving in Mexico in the 1850s to work in the sugar fields, the game took hold and was adapted. In the early 1900s laborers were recruited from Mexico to help build our railway system. An American watched the game, liked what he saw, and, with trains on his mind simply named the game Mexican Train Dominoes.
Fast forward to 2024 and Verandah resident Marie DeMilio-Buchman brought the game Mexican Train Dominoes to Verandah. As Marie discovered, living in a golf community when you’re not a golfer presents its challenges. But she knew that there had to be other ladies like herself who were looking to meet people and do something fun. So, she placed a notice on Verandah’s Facebook page to see if she could generate interest in Mexican Train Dominoes. And she now has over 30 ladies who meet every Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m. at the River House to play Mexican Train.
Mexican Train is a popular game because it is easy to learn and fun to play. Marie and her group are very welcoming and subscribe to the phrase “The more the merrier.” There is no need to call or reserve a spot and prior knowledge of the game is not required. Just come by Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m. They always have room for one more.
