Sweet Summer Days in Amsterdam

Westerkerk and Prinsengracht

When summer descends upon Amsterdam, the whole city is transformed. The trees are green with foliage, flower boxes are brimming with colorful perennials, the canals are abuzz with boats and partying passengers and terrace umbrellas line the sidewalks for the best of people watching.

Houseboat

This houseboat is cooling off under the shade of its own green plants. There are no limits to growing a garden. All you need are a green thumb and good weather.

Bronze Breast by Anonymous Artist

One of the important things to remember while walking around Amsterdam is to look down at the sidewalk to check if you are on a bicycle lane. Stay away from these lanes or risk being scolded by angry bikers (Motorcyclists also use this lane.) The other reason to look down at the cobblestone streets is sometimes there are surprises to behold. Like this bronze breast on the Oudekerksplein, outside the Oude Kerk (Old Church). A nod to the ladies of the night? Maybe. It's in the red light district.

Canal Cruise

There are many options for sightseeing in Amsterdam. One of the best ways to see the city is by taking a canal cruise. And this boat has a bar. Why not? An hour's cruise is 15 euros. Cheers!

Café Restaurant Amsterdam

Everyone wants to sit at a terrace restaurant during the summer. And there are a number of popular squares to do this in Amsterdam. The Rembrandtplein, the Leidseplein, the Spui area, they all attract the hordes of visitors to the city. At the former water pumping station near Westerpark, the Café-Restaurant Amsterdam serves dinner both indoors and on their terrace by the stream. I ordered the pasta with summer truffles and it was divine. This place is packed with diners so it's best to make reservations in advance. www.caferestaurantamsterdam.nl.

The Fiddler

The Fiddler was on my bucket list so we headed to the Opera House after dinner in nearby Waterlooplein. This fiddler is bursting from the ground with his groundbreaking music. Here's another mysterious sculpture whose artist is unknown. Though there are whispers that this may be the work of the former queen, Beatrix, who is a sculptress. And the fiddler resembles her husband, Claus.

Princess Beatrix formely Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands

Speaking of the former queen, we spotted her outside the Opera after the show. It was my second time to see her and she graciously waved at us as her car sped away.

Bosbaan

It's 10 p.m. and two days shy of the summer solstice. The sun had slid down from view and but left the horizon with a pale light so we could enjoy this long day at the Bosbaan. What a sweet summer night!

Poffertjes

How much sweeter can summer days in Amsterdam be? These poffertjes were on the children's menu. But we adults love it just as much. So we ordered it for the visitor from another planet. And I have to say it was the best thing on the menu! :-)

*****

Images by TravelswithCharie

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 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

8 Heritage Houses of Iloilo

Lizares Mansion The province of Iloilo on the island of Panay has a rich trove of heritage houses, left over from the sugar industry boom in the 19th century. Iloilo also had the largest port in the Philippines at that time which facilitated the export of sugar to foreign shores and deposited money in the hands of the sugar barons. The barons dropped their earnings into the acquisition of properties in Negros and the construction of beautiful homes in Iloilo, many of which are located in the vicinity of the Jaro Cathedral. The Lizares Mansion was built in 1937 by Don Emiliano Lizares for his wife, Concepcion Gamboa and five children. The family fled to safety when World War II broke out and the house was occupied by the Japanese military. The family returned to the house after the war but left once again after the demise of Don Emiliano. It was sold to the Dominican order in the 1960s and was converted in 1978 to a private school, Angelicum School. The mansion now houses the

TravelswithCharie

Search This Blog