Germany

Rizal and my Heidelberg Trip

Here’s an interesting Rizal story you don’t hear everyday. When my former company asked me to go to Germany, I was told that I’m staying in Walldorf. Too bad I said, I wish it was Heidelberg (also in the southwestern part). Jose Rizal studied and lived here. Heidelberg is about 20 to 30 minutes ride […]

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Laguna

Another Rizal Monument, This Time in Calamba…

I visited the new monument dedicated to José Rizal located just in front of Calamba’s city hall yesterday and was surprised to find a monument made with great reverence, historical enthusiasm and respect! I’ve seen my share of Rizal monuments around the country. This one was obviously well planned unlike the other ones.  In the  past all municipalities were encouraged to put […]

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Historia

Is Rizal’s execution photo a still from 1912 movie?

Pio Andrade, Philippine Daily Inquirer THE PICTURE at left is the only known photograph of Rizal’s execution. The picture has been reproduced so many, many times in books and popular publications that its image is deeply imprinted in Filipino minds. But is the picture authentic? This question, it seems, has never been seriously entertained. I […]

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Singapura

Diary of a Doctor, Rizal in Singapore

Jose Rizal (1861-1896), fondly remembered as the founding father of the modern Philippines, was one luminary who formed favourable impressions of Singapore. In May 1882, Rizal left the then Spanish colony of the Philippines on his way to Spains for further studies in medicine. As a keen 21 year old leaving home for the first time, nhe meticulously recorded […]

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Singapura

Chijmes and or chimes

Singaporeans could get really creative with how to make use of  their remaining heritage buildings. There’s not a lot around so collective effort are directed towards salvaging what’s left of their historical and cultural sites. I was in the Victoria St. area earlier to take photos of CHIJMES. I marveled at the gracious and innovative […]

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Hong Kong

Rizal’s Hong Kong

The good thing about Hong Kong is that it’s just a two hours flight from Manila — and they don’t require a visa. You can grab round trip tickets on line for dirt cheap prices. Thanks to budget airlines. There’s a huge Filipino community here. Never had problem finding my way around because there’s a […]

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America

Rizal in Chicago

From Japan, Rizal boarded a ship that took him across the pacific to San Francisco. His boarding ticket was first class. Not that many Asians during his time could afford such accommodation. In fact, in that same ship, Chinese immigrants that boarded in Hong Kong sat in crowded quarters below. In a letter to a […]

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Ilocos

Back to Vigan

This isn’t my first time in Ilocos but it sure feels like it. The last time, about 2+ years ago, was a disaster. I thought I could squeeze touring Ilocos Norte and Sur in just one weekend – epic fail – I ended up on a hurried tour of inspection. You know you’ve messed up […]

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Laguna

Calls to Save Casa Alberto of Biñan…Too Late the Hero

It’s a little too late. Casa Alberto has already been gutted from the inside. I’m not surprised that it collapsed. The house that caved in was just the exterior shell. The owner who sold the house, piece by piece, must be welcoming this development. The heir of the house has expressed willingness to have the […]

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Germany

Around Heidelberg

Thanks to these heritage conscious Germans I could see the same town as Rizal left it. It was the same Heidelberg he fell in love with – the same town where he wrote his “Las Flores de Heidelberg”. Same place where he watched those bloody fencing duels. Same place where he studied ophthalmology. Its amazing […]

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Historia

One Morning in Heidelberg Castle

Trying to exercise here is not easy. The weather is just too cold in the morning –its hard to get out of bed in the weekend – the cold weather makes your body ask for more rest. But somehow I did manage to get out to do some exercise today. I decided to climb the […]

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Opinion

The Rizal Manifesto

Having visited Rizal’s reconstructed house in Calambâ recently (biking all the way there from Muntinglupà!), I became interested again in the circumstances that led to his execution. I reread “The Trial of Rizal” (a book almost forgotten today) and saw some interesting facts that are often glossed over by our history teachers. For example, not […]

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