After the Carnival Leaves Town

Come on, people — you don't have to be an olympic gymnast to master this move. My 10-month-old daughter, Coralia, has it down cold. Step One: Stand up. Step Two: Bring your open palms together with as much force as possible. Step Three: Yell, "Bravo Hellas!" Give the Greeks an Olympic-size round of applause.

Heaven knows we deserve it. Greece, my charmingly chaotic country and the butt of international ridicule for the past seven years, really delivered. We staged a successful Olympic Games — something the rest of the planet was sure we couldn't do. Practically from the...