Amalia's Day

For some, it's birth. For some it's sweet sixteen. For them Greeks it's the baptism. Two years ago Irini had been baptised in the small church of Panagia ("Virgin Mary") in Kifissia. She was just six months old and spent the entire process watching and being handed from one person to another.

On July 23rd, 2011 it was Amalia's turn to be baptised in the same church. She was 14 months, mobile and knew what she wanted (and what she didn't want). She sat in Aleko and Anna's (the godparents) arms for roughly 5 minutes watching the ceremony with interest but, once it became obvious to her that the priest was just going to keep talking, she decided that perhaps it would be best to try to get down... and therein began the 'tricky' part. She swung from one side the next in a futile attempt to get down. With each passing movement - since it didn't work - she got more and more frustrated. By the time the clothing was taken off for the 'plunge' she was crying wildly. The Greeks in the crowd, seeing this as a right of passage (of sorts) smiled. Laurence was close to calling it quits, seeing Amalia in such dire straights.

Aleko and Anna were rushed through the reading of their script and finally Amalia was allowed to be removed and dressed in her new white clothing. Irini sat in wonder, perhaps asking herself what was happening. How nice that Amalia too will have no recollection of this soon enough.

Adri and her fiance Luca had flown in from Milano. Patty had flown in from Madrid (as she had for Irini's baptism). Monica and Walter had flown down from Sweden. Vincent had flown in for the weekend, also from Sweden (thank you Vince!!). Sammy had flown in from London. Aleko and Anna had flown in with him from London where they had attended his graduation from the London School of Economics. They were celebration hopping! The rest of the group was made up of Athens-based friends, young and old.

Later on, with the tears dried up and the food being consumed with gusto, Amalia would sleep soundly in her stroller. For the rest of the group of 25 or so it was a perfect chance to re-unite, to share stories and chat about life. Irini and Mikaela (Stelio and Maria's daughter) played for hours on end in the space in front of two adjoining shops, now closed, oblivious to the signs of economic difficulties.

Amalia is now, formally, Amalia Sienna. We are all happy. The tears have dried.