Fhenix christened

Cherry-Mae is the daughter of Syl's Auntie Joyce, who hails from the Philippines. Cherry-Mae is married to Bjorn, who is from Sweden. They live in Dordrecht. Cherry-Mae works as a flight steward for KLM and Bjorn is a sommelier who works in a wine shop in Rotterdam. They have a baby boy, Fhenix and he was christened on the 10th of October. We were delighted to be invited.

The christening was conducted by a jolly Dutch priest who had spent 30 years in the Phillipines before coming to Dordrecht. It was a truly multi-cultural affair, with Swedish, Dutch, Australian, Scottish, Philippino and Thai friends and family. Mercifully, the priest spoke English.

I think he had done one or two of these before, because he had excellent technique. First, he was blessedly quick. Second, he gave all the children a role, which ensured their undivided attention. Although giving a long, lit candle to 2 year old Noa, in her beautiful, flouncy, highly-inflammable, tuille dress, was a risk that only a priest would take.

Caity and Hugh looked angelic framing the ceremony with their candles - it was a rare spiritual moment for all of us. And Fhenix's behaviour was exemplary - he was quiet and still throughout, even when he was passed around the throng for each of us to make the mark of the cross on his forehead. I didn't think I should make a cross, so I wrote 'good luck and be nice' instead. I don't think anyone noticed.

After the church, we went to Cherry-Mae and Bjorn's apartment, where about forty people enjoyed a celebratory feast - a 'doop feest'. The kids ran around outside downstairs, the adults chatted and noshed upstairs. 

We were introduced to a gay couple who used to have a hair-dressing salon next to Joyce's restaurant. One asked whether Syl was my daughter. Incredibly, I have not been asked this before. Re-telling this later to Syl, she laughed and said I should have asked whether they were brothers.

We had a long and pleasant walk home through Dordrecht Centrum and slept like logs.