1960’s Baby – Christina Haramis Charalambous – My autobiography - Chapter 2 - Port- Said

Puzzle Pieces

1960’s Baby – Christina Haramis Charalambous  – My autobiography  -  Chapter 2

Port-Said

My childhood years in Port-Said always bring forth a feeling of nostalgia and love. I remember the loving times I spent with my dad in the clothing store in which he worked.  While I visited my dad, I would spend hours drawing. I vividly remember two occasions, one where my dad made a kite with us, and one where he bought whole corn cooked on coals from a vendor, and how he took of every kernel and put it on a plate for me to eat. I usually visited my dad on my own, because my sister did not like being away from my mom. This is something that my mom shared with me recently.
My dad was 41yrs older than me, yet he was so very patient and spent so much time with my sister and me. He loved telling and reading us stories. One beautiful memory I have of my mom, is the beautiful dresses and coats she used to sew for us. We always looked so pretty with bows in our hair with a very cute girlie look.

My favourite pass time was of course going to the beach, taking the ferry from Port-Said and going across to Port-Fuad, where we visited family or swam. In Port-Fuad we belonged to a club where many Greeks used to gather, had lunch and socialised. I specifically remember the jelly fish and star fish, and for some reason or other the smell of the star fish.
Another fond memory is the open cinema theatres we went during summer nights. This is where I first saw “The Sound of Music” and straight away fell in love with the movie and still to this day is my favourite.

My love and the very best of the best times I have in my heart are the times I spent with my “mummy” a translation for granny from the island of Kastellorizo, also known as Megisti. It is situated between Rhodes and Cyprus.  My “mummy” was so ever loving and patient and involved me in all her chores and I felt like a little madam worth so very much. When I was there, time went so very fast, I felt safe and much loved. She had long white hair, and I would play with it hours on end. I would watch her crotchet, and of course she taught me this too. She would crotchet socks for us with ribbons, and I would crotchet clothes for my dolls. My “mummy” also taught me how to eat cheese and bread; a big bit of bread, and a small bite of cheese. To this day when I eat any Greek or Italian hard cheese I still remember these words.  A memorable picture I have, is the big family lunches, how I was taught to lay the table; always a large plate at the bottom with the smaller plate on top where the meal was served. I remember the love and laughter and my grandfather as the king of the occasion.

The family that I very fondly remember on my mother’s side is her aunt and cousins on her father’s side. They were Italian, very loving and a dog called Vrailla and cooked delicious meals. My aunt Tsia Tina was like a granny, I also would visit them and spent a night with them. My uncle Giorgio, my mom’s first cousin,would take me for a treat at a hotel which served crème caramel, which was and still is my favourite dessert.

My mom’s mom, sister and brother had already immigrated to South Africa when I was a baby so I only got to know them when I arrived in Johannesburg in 1969.

Beautiful loving memories embedded in my heart.