Only in Amsterdam

Today is Liberation Day in Holland. The whole country was celebrating with hip music on three stages at Museumplein. My friend André who is the best host one can only dream of, took me to the park and we walked and watched the performances in bright sunshine. Afterward we went to the Amstel River to enjoy another concert with Amsterdam's own Metropole Orchestra. The temperatures plunged but we kept warm in the company of thousands who came to listen to the music and wave their flags when the Queen Beatrix arrived and sat on a floating platform across from the stage. When the concert was nearly over, Andre called me, "Rose, please hurry if you want to see the Queen". And I followed him though I didn't believe we could really get close enough to see her.

At the Opera House, we found her car with the AA license plates and sure enough she came by boat with the Prime Minister and Mayor of Amsterdam. She waved at the few gathered there and entered her car and was whisked away with the minimum of security . The Prime Minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, was about to leave when he decided to come our way and I immediately shook his hand. He asked the party next to me (in Dutch), "Was it worth your wait?" and they heartily said "ya".

Andre who is never short for words addressed him, "Mr. Prime Minister, I would like you to meet Rose Albar who is here all the way from California". You can imagine how stunned I was and I couldn't think what to say so I shook Mr. Balkenende's hand again.

What an exciting evening! After that we went to L'Opera at Rembrandtplein for drinks and talked all about our unexpected meeting with the Prime Minister. How incredible that I left my camera at home and my cellphone camera could only take a photo of silhouettes in the dark of night. Helaas, too bad!

The Art of Carlos Botong Francisco - Progress of Medicine in the Philippines

Pre-colonial period Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines) is a group of four large-scale paintings depicting healing practices in the Philippines from pre-colonial times to the modern period. Carlos Botong Francisco was commissioned in 1953 by Dr. Agerico Sison who was then the director of Philippine General Hospital (PGH) together with Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing of the National Museum, Dr. Florentino Herrera, Jr. and Dr. Constantino Manahan. These oil on canvas paintings measure 2.92 meters in height and 2.76 meters in width (9.71 ft x 8.92 ft) and were displayed at the main entrance hall of PGH for over five decades. Owing to its location, the artworks were in a state of "severe deterioration" at the beginning of the 21st century from exposure to heat, humidity, dirt, dust, smoke, insect stains, grime, termites and an oxidized synthetic resin used in an earlier restoration. These canvases were restored three times, the last was...

Filipino Struggles in History - Carlos Botong Francisco

In 1968, Antonio Villegas (then Mayor of Manila), commissioned Carlos "Botong" Francisco to paint the history of Manila for Manila City Hall. The series of large scale paintings was called Kasaysayan ng Maynila (History of Manila). The paintings deteriorated over time and no attempt was made to preserve these historical canvases until 2013 when Mayor Amado Lim sent them to the National Museum for extensive restoration. Four years later, in 2017, Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada and the Manila City Council signed an agreement with the National Museum to leave the paintings at the museum so they may reach a larger audience in exchange for museum grade reproductions to replace the originals. Kasaysayan ng Maynila was later renamed Filipino Struggles in History and is now on display at the Senate Hall of the National Museum . Carlos "Botong" Francisco died in March 1969, a few months after completing the paintings. He is one of the first Filipino modernists and...

The Painted Monasteries of Bucovina

Church of the Beheading of St. John, Arbore Monastery Tucked away in the northeastern corner of Romania lies the enchanting region of Bucovina, home to a treasure trove of stunning monasteries. The Painted Monasteries of Bucovina, collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a testament to the region's rich history, spirituality and artistic genius. One of the most visited monasteries in Bucovina is Voronet. It was commissioned by Stefan the Great, Voivode of Moldova and one of its most admired rulers. Moldova was a medieval state that once encompassed parts of present-day Romania, Ukraine, and Moldova. Voronet was built in 1488 to commemorate his victory over the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Vaslui and it was miraculously completed in three months time. Succeeding princes of Moldova continued the construction of more magnificent monasteries. The exterior walls of these structures were adorned with intricate frescoes, depicting biblical scenes, saints, and...

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