"The only time I feel alive is when I'm painting. "– Vincent Van Gogh
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY VIEWERS ANG BLOGGING FRIENDS!This new year I had been tinkering with the idea of changing the face & format of my blog. Somehow, it didn't click. I still like the old one. Who said, it should be changed because it's new year? Well...nobody!
There's no travel plans in the next several months. Hopefully I will have more time to update my blog and also start doing oil paintings once again. It's more than a year since I touched my paint brushes & oils. I am getting rusty. Like my fave artist Vincent Van Gogh, I feel alive when painting. So this new year, I am fired up and will paint again.
TRIP TO THE PHILIPPINES-The Philippines is the land of my birth. I grew up in Manila. Then I immigrated to the U.S. two yrs. after graduating from college. I went back w/ a husband & 2 kids in 1978. After that I haven't been back to my homeland for 35 years. Our fours kids are now adults. I am getting old & so is my hubby. We knew it was time to come back after a long absence. Last February 20,2010, was the perfect time to go back. I attended the 50th (Jubilee) PWU high school reunion w/ my husnand & son Ryan. At the same time it was our opportunity to tour Manila again & other islands. My husband Rhod retired early, so we were able to stay as long as 3 weeks. Revisting our homeland was an unfogettable & creative experience for us.
During our last night in Manila, prior to our Southeast Asian cruise, we revisited & had dinner at the famous Manila Hotel. This was a nostalgic place for us because in 1978, when we visited the Philippines, we stayed here for 3 days w/ our two young kids (Rodney & Joy). It was a beautiful hotel then because the former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos promoted it. Many reported that it was renovated again but during our visit, it didn't look as dazzling as before. It looked jaded, worn out and there were less people.
During a trip, gazing at a beautiful & gigantic oil paintings was one of the things that I'd like to do. It makes me feel alive. In the background was a awesome painting by Fernando Amorsolo. What a joy to pose w/ one of his oil paintings! He is one of the most important artists in the history of painting in the Philippines. Amorsolo was a portraitist and painter of rural Philippine landscapes. He is popularly known for his craftsmanship and mastery in the use of light. FAST FORWARD TO 1978: During a visit to the Philippines in 1978, our family was fortunate to have a private tour of the Malacanang Palace. It is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines. The house was built in 1750 in Spanish Colonial style.
President Ferdinand Marcos was the president during that time. Luckily, our friend Olive, the daughter of the Secretary of Education (Mr. Manuel) was a relative of the president. We toured w/ her & Bruce. We didn't meet the president & the first lady but we were given a FREE VIP tour. It was at the palace that I saw many numerous Fernando Amorsolo oil paintings. I no longer remember those oil paintings. We regretted that we didn't take many photos of Amorsolo's oil paintings.
President Ferdinand Marcos was the president during that time. Luckily, our friend Olive, the daughter of the Secretary of Education (Mr. Manuel) was a relative of the president. We toured w/ her & Bruce. We didn't meet the president & the first lady but we were given a FREE VIP tour. It was at the palace that I saw many numerous Fernando Amorsolo oil paintings. I no longer remember those oil paintings. We regretted that we didn't take many photos of Amorsolo's oil paintings.
Another view of Amorsolo's oil painting with my husband Rhod posing w/ it. I don't know the name of the painting but it depicted a fruit vendor.
We lingered at the lobby for a while as we listened to some local musicians played the piano & soft musical instruments. Soon our tummies were also humming some hungry sounds. We went to one of the restaurants. They had a Filipino buffet & all-u-can eat. But when we looked the buffet selections we were not so..... hungry. Instead we opted for ala cart Filipino dishes. 
This simple Filipino dish called "Sinigang Na Hipon" (Shrimps Sinigang) is very easy to cook & also delicious to eat especially during cold weathers. I painted this dish in one of my past paintings called "SINIGANG & SNOW." Our neighbor Mary won it during the raffle on my first-solo-art show.Till next post! Will blog about other places we visited in the Philippines that showcased many art works by local artists.
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