Sunday 7 August 2022

Years Gone By

 Looking back to 2014 and an extended family baptism on the next door island of Aegina.  I have a cousin who was married to a greek woman, lived in New Zealand, who moved to England, remarried and whose son married a Greek.


Cousin John's son, with the Greek wife, had a daughter and they decided to baptise her on the island of Aegina.  The child was baptised Marina.  The baptism took place at a picturesque blue and white church dedicated to *Saint Marina overlooking the village of *Agia Marina. We were invited to the baptism naturally enough, being the greek connection actually living in Greece. And Poros is next to Aegina in the Saronic Gulf.

* Agia is the greek for a female Saint.


So we booked tickets and a hotel and arrived with half the family.

Back then it was easy.  We got on a boat and sailed for an hour to Aegina.  Nowadays we would have to take the hydrofoil back to the port of Piraeus, 1 hour, wait and catch a boat to Aegina, another hour. And the same to return.  Plus the bus ride around  to the other side of Aegina to the coastal town 



Walking up to the church on the hill




Here we are, our family contingent, minus K, the photographer.  Don't worry, he turns up in another photo
Me and daughter with 3 of the grandchildren


The baby held by kiwi grandfather, cousin John, surrounded by english and greek family





And in she goes.  She was dunked right under 3 times


He is, obviously, Scottish.
 Can't remember his name.  I think he is a friend of the english family.  He was very popular as everyone wanted a photo of him and his kilt




After the formalities the kids found huge mounds of dried seaweed and let off steam climbing up the piles and throwing 'chaff' to the wind


A mighty mural of Sea God Poseidon




The reception took place at a small taverna right beside the sea.
It wasn't quite summer but warm enough for small children to enjoy a dip in the waves


Here we are seated for lunch


Party on the sand






And then came the music
The accordionist was the french step father of the greek mother of little Marina.  An international crowd


And naturally there was dancing
Daughter and father kicked off their shoes to dance on the sand




Waiting for bus to do the return trip round the island and down to the Port.  The bus takes the scenic route through the villages which was great for us.


Past this mighty temple
Dedicated to the Greek Goddess Aphaia






And another little white church.  This one is down on Aegina harbour.  One of the first things you see as you get off the boat













13 comments:

  1. Wonderful memories. It all looks so enviously beautiful and such happy faces.

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    1. We had a great time. The kids loved staying in a hotel and exploring somewhere different

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  2. Great to look back on those memories and how time flies and how the little grandchildren have grown taller and taller no doubt.

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    1. Those two oldest are in Athens at university, during the year. Time sure does fly. But it was a great little holiday

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  3. It looks like a very relaxed and happy day. Nothing better than having a wonderful day with family and friends. It’s just so Greek! Lol
    Thanks for sharing precious memories

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    1. It was very relaxed. So nice to see my cousin again. All the English crowd were friendly and so happy to be in Greece. Great memories

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  4. awww that's a lovely mix of traditions and such a happy event.

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    1. Looking back at these photos it was a very mixed crowd. We all enjoyed it tremendously

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  5. And not a posh hat to be seen!
    As Angela said…..thank you for sharing.
    I love those piccies of kids who don’t really want their photo taken but do so under sufferance. That teenage boy will be almost a man now.

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    1. Posh hats allowed but they would have been like the kilt, a topic of conversation! That teenage boy is in his third year at uni! We all could have smiled a little!!

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  6. My knowledge of Greek islands is limited to Kos. I loved all those little white painted, dome topped, churches. They seemed to be everywhere.

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    1. Those little churches are so typical of the islands. Very picturesque.

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  7. Looks like a great day out, lovely to be seated on the sand there.

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