MANILA, Philippines - Since Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands ascended to the throne more than three decades ago, Queen’s Day has actually been celebrated 30th April every year, which is actually her mother’s natal day rather than her own. The Dutch celebrate this special occasion with much joy everywhere – be it in the streets of Amsterdam or in th e official residences as we saw last week in Dutch Ambassador Robert Brinks’ home! The always charming Ambassador decided to bridge Amsterdam and Manila by putting up a photo booth in the residence reminiscent of Amsterdam’s famous canals, bridges, and bikes! With their Heineken beers in tow, guests flocked to the Amsterdam booths to have their pictures taken for posterity.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Brinks referred, amongst others, to the growing cooperation in the maritime sector between the two countries. The increasing number of visa applications is not only proof of the strong personal and bilateral relations, but also reflects the growing number of seafarers traveling to the Netherlands.