The Anthem Philatelist

The great writer, Ernest Hemingway was a prominent fixture of Havana.  Even when the United State's  relation with Cuba soured, he chose to stay in the country longer than many Americans.  I can see why he loved this place- the ambiance, the drinks, the music, the views and people that inspire.   Old cars that look new abound and are heirlooms and maintained in polished conditions since no one can buy new cars in Havana- there are no car dealerships there.   Havana captivated me. People there are generally contented.  They are poetic and artistic.  While walking down the street, an old man approached me and said a poem to me in Spanish .  Good that I have some comprehension of the language which was taught in our HS in UP Cebu and in our college in CebuDoc .  He was telling me to celebrate life and be contented of what you have.  Havana Oonana!!

It’s time to hail Havana as one of the world’s great art cities. The Cuban capital has never lacked artistic credentials, but a growing band of small private galleries, fresh interest in outlandish street art and the emergence of the extraordinary art collectives has sparked a creative renaissance that has truly put the city on the map.  Havana’s artistic roots go deep. The city is home to the olde st arts academy in Latin America, the Academia de Bellas Artes San Alejandro , housed in a colonnaded building in Marianao. Founded in 1818, the academy has bred generations of precocious talent, most notably in the 1920s when it spawned the Vanguardia , a loose collection of painters and sculptors who, rejecting the contemporary penchant for mundane landscapes, invented Cuba’s avant-garde. ( Lonely Planet )  Sand Art Mural in Habana Vieja (Old Havana)  

Casimiro Villacin del Rosario ( 13 Jun, 1896- 15 Sep, 1982) is a foremost Filipino physicist, astronomer and meteorologist.   Dr. del Rosario is known for his researches on ultraviolet light of different wavelengths, effect of radioactive radiation on Euglena , high voltage electrical discharges in a vacuum, and many others. His works have been published in international journals such as the American Physics Review and the Journal of Franklin Institute .   He is the co-founder of the Bartol Research Foundation in Philadelphia, an institution which did pioneering researches in physics.   Dr. del Rosario was the recipient of a Presidential Award in 1965 for his contributions to physics. He was made Director of the Philippine Weather Bureau for 11 years, and the first vice-chairman of the National Science Development Board in 1958. He was conferred as a National Scientist in 1984.   Dr. Casimiro del Rosario was born on June 13, 1896 in Bantayan , Cebu to Pantale...