Photos: Sir Jacob Tundagui, KOR; Sir Choy Arnaldo, KCR and Aaron Jalonjon

October 1, 2009

I would have never imagined that by simply acknowledging the email sent to us junior and senior students by our Development Studies Program Director, and by actually taking the challenge of writing an essay on Europe and Rizal, I would win a grand prize that sent me right smack at the heart of Europe this recent September. Writing on Rizal and Europe’s influence on him led me to research about the great continent and her connection with the Philippine’s national hero. But as I enjoyed the prize I rightly won, I understood more what I wrote; it became clear to me more than ever, all that I wrote down on pieces of paper. As I interacted with different kinds of Filipinos living and working in various parts of Europe and walked through the very streets our national hero and other countries’ national heroes passed through years before, a deep impression was left upon me. My experience in Europe was something, which I can call holistic.

PARIS

My trip, along with the winners of the European Quiz Bee, Aaron and Marlon of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao, started in Paris, the city of lights. Here in this city, I got a taste of the profound and legendary Pinoy hospitality, being hosted by a couple, Sir Alan and Ma’am Fe, two domestic helpers. Yes, they were domestic helpers but their apartment, which had a second floor, mind you, was very comfortable. I could still remember my very first breakfast in Paris: delicious. Lunch was pan-fried lamb and prawns. There I was told, and eventually, I realized, that it doesn’t mean that if you’re a domestic helper there, it means you’re utterly deprived (as compared to their own home country, the Philippines). There, they are well paid and very much appreciated for their patience, diligence and skill.

In the same building where we were staying in Aubervilliers lived Sir Jess Umali, a contractor and his wife too. Sir Jess would drive us almost to all the places we were supposed to see and visit. On the first full day in Paris, the group traced the places close to Rizals’s heart, and with the comfort of Sir Jess’ van, I, along with the entire party, leisurely saw Paris’ magnificent ancient buildings while tracing the foot steps of Dr. Rizal. Also with the group was Sir Choy Arnaldo, a former UNESCO Secretariat officer, who supplied us with the historical data as well as the anecdotes that were really useful and entertaining. To end the first night, the group dined in Restaurant Alexandre, a very affordable restaurant right at the back of the UNESCO head office. The following days in Paris were jam packed days of trying to see all the tourist spots and also the not-so-popular but equally important places in the French Capital.

The following day, a Sunday, we made a trip to the historic area of Versailles, famous for its maze-like gardens, manicured lawns, and of course, awe-inspiring palaces commissioned by the Sun King, Louis XIV. There we had a beautiful picnic brunch with a lot of our hosts from the Knights of Rizal gathering to hear and share stories about their struggles and triumphs in France. We were able to gain access to the Trianon, and the Domaine de Marie Antoinette. We ended that Sunday by having a very romantic and breathtaking tour of the city of Paris by the river boat cruise – bateau mouche.

What we could say is that from our Sunday picnic in grandiose Versailles to our tour of hip Centre Pompidou, Paris and the Filipinos who were with us those days, was a journey that was really enthralling. Encountering different kinds of Filipinos, from domestic helpers to professionals, was also an experience; their different backgrounds gave us a glimpse too of the differences and similarities between Filipinos abroad. There are Filipinos who love to talk about art, culture and philosophy and bask in the European ambiance and there are Filipinos who go abroad simply to work and send money back to the Philippines.

I would like to thank all of them though for accommodating us and making our trip very memorable and enjoyable. I remember fondly our last lunch and dinner in Paris, in Sir Choy Arnaldo’s Paris 16 apartment and Sir Jess Umali’s place in Aubervilliers, respectively. Those two meals said much of the kinds of people who welcomed us. The lunch at Sir Choy was an authentic French meal, complete with the freshly baked bread, foie gras, different kinds of cheese, wine and cold cuts. It was sophisticated and light. On the other hand, the dinner at Sir Jess was a fiesta, complete with the inihaw na manok and atay, sinigang na baboy, and lots and lots of rice. I am not listing them to compare and contrast them; I am listing them to say how much we enjoyed the best of both worlds in Paris, the Parisian and Pinoy. I am greatly amazed to this day how Filipinos have become so fluent in French and at the same time, still maintain and keep their Filipino identity. It’s amazing.

PRAGUE

 

Marlon and Joaquin with Sir Jose Lapuz

 

Prague was an experience altogether different. To start off, the driver I was told to look for was not there. Aaron, Marlon and I had to wait for more than an hour for this Czech driver to arrive. Secondly, we had to stay in a hotel, a hotel that was so far from the center of town. The fact too that we were staying in a hotel meant one thing: we won’t be as comfortable as compared to that in Paris. For meals, we had to wait for the official meals unless we wanted to spend on our own. Luckily for us, on our first dinner in Prague, a kind Filipina we call Ma’am Jenny “adopted” us and treated us for dinner at the Moravia Restaurant of the Top Praha Hotel, the hotel where we were booked, along with all the other delegates to the 4^th European Regional Assembly of the Knights of Rizal. It was also in this dinner that I got to meet and chat with the esteemed Rizalist, Dr. José David Lapuz.

To set things clear, what happened in Prague was that we, the student winners, were scheduled to come and visit Prague at the same date of the Knights of Rizal European Regional Assembly. It so happens that our host, the Chapter Commander, Sir Noubikko Ulanday, KCR was also on top of everything in the convention. In short, he had no time to personally cater and host us. What happened in Prague was that different groups of people took care of us. However, one family stood out and that was the family of Sir June and Airene from Belgium. On our second day in Prague, it was their family, along with the family of Sir Abet (also from Belgium), who invited us and treated us for lunch at the nearby Chodov center, a mall.

That same day, the delegates, and we student visitors, trooped to the centuries-old Clam Gallas Palace for the lectures of the friendship of Dr. Rizal and Ferdinand Blumentritt. I was so enthralled when I learned that the hall where we were having the lectures was actually the very same place where budding and famous musicians like Mozart would play for the Imperial family. After the long series of lectures (each sentence was translated either into English or Czech), the entire entourage headed to a bar to have a late dinner.

The following day though was far better. The delegates and the visitors left the hotel past 9 in the morning to head off to the town of Litomerice, a good 45-minutes away from Prague, to visit the hometown of Dr. Rizal’s best friend and confidante, Ferdinand Blumentritt. It was there where we offered flowers and prayers at his tomb, ate a succulent meal in one of Litomerice’s hotels, listened to the projects of Litomerice and the beginnings of the Philippine-Czech ties, and visited also the parks dedicated to Rizal and Blumentritt. At one point, the entourage was even treated by the local bishop by a short organ concert in his beautiful quaint cathedral, which rests on top of a hill. We ended our day in Litomerice by riding a river boat cruise. Dinner and drinks were served on the boat and we cruised through the peaceful Czech countryside with good food, wine and company. The Mayor of Litomerice, Mr. Chulpac, even treated us by singing wonderfully. It was a very fun night that had everyone talking and bonding with one another.

After a night of merry-making, 19 September, was the formal start of the convention. We students decided not to join the afternoon rites and instead, had a memorable and humorous experience with the flamboyant Dr. Lapuz in Chodov where we accompanied him in buying an attaché case for himself. That day ended by again having a river boat cruise, this time along the Voltava river, which runs through the ancient city of Prague. It was again a night of good food, overflowing cheese and cold cuts as well as fine wines and champagnes. There was an American Jazz band that accompanied us, making people (old people at that!) sing and dance joyfully.

The following day was a Sunday and it was only appropriate that the convention end with a Mass at no less the Shrine of the Holy Infant of Prague, or more known among Filipinos as the Santo Niño de Praga. Our celebrant was a Knight of Rizal from Belgium, Fr. Apollo. After the Mass, we had a hearty albeit delayed lunch at the Hotel Roma. After lunch, I tried to meet up with the students who were already in the Old Town Square (except for Kelly Conlon, Aaron and Marlon did not hear Mass). Sadly though, because of the large throng of people, I was unable to see them there. I however spotted Sir Dante Ulanday, Mr. Noubikko’s younger brother, who treated me to a McDonald’s merienda. During that entire afternoon, I explored the small medieval streets of the Old Town of Prague, walked through historic and beautiful Charles Bridge and took photos of the great smorgasbord of architectural designs that define Prague. It was an amazing day.

With the three other students from UP, I left Prague on Monday with some apprehension. First, as mentioned, we weren’t really personally taken care of by the host simply because he was busy and that I understood completely. I just hope that next time, they don’t force student-winners to attend a convention that they’re not really part of. We weren’t really meant to be recognized there, it appeared. It seemed as if we were just inserted into the speech by the representative of the Knights of Rizal from Manila. Secondly, we could have spent more time in Madrid if our flight was earlier and was a direct flight from Prague to Madrid. What happened was entire Monday was spent on travelling – our flight was late at 3:00 PM and it was still bound for Amsterdam. Upon our arrival in Schipol, we had to wait for an hour or so before our 2-hour flight to Madrid, where we arrived at past eight in the evening.

MADRID

Our stay in Madrid was very memorable although quite frankly, in Filipino terms, bitin. It started by an evening tour of Sol and Plaza Mayor right after coming from the airport. Mr. Exequiel Sabarillo also treated us to a dinner of Patatas Bravas and bocadillos before he brought us to our hostess, Señorita Susana Álvarez, a Peruvian who was so hospitable and cordial that she was like our mother there in Madrid. In her quaint but very comfortable apartment, she housed us four Filipino students. One can just imagine too the sort of kindness Rizal received from people in Madrid in his attempt to live a cheap life.

On our first full day in Madre España, Sir Sabarillo set us up with Mr. Jaime Marco, an English teacher based in Guadalajara, to be our guide in our Rizal’s Madrid tour. He brought us, all by walking, to the different places that had importance in Rizals’s life, particularly his first and second apartments, his medical school, which had a grand lecture hall and to the Ateneo de Madrid, a gentlemen’s club. He also brought us to Viva Madrid, the bar Rizal and other Filipino contemporaries of the national hero loved to “hang out” in and to this tapas bar, which had, undoubtedly, the best patatas bravas and orejas I have since eaten. The orejas was a dish that to this moment I still savor. After our tiring tour, Sir Exequiel fetched us at Plaza España and led us to a Peruvian restaurant owned by the friend of Señorita Susana. In that restaurant, I can remember fondly, we had ceviche, the Latin American counterpart of our kilawin. After our hearty lunch, we headed to the Museo Antroplogico near Atocha Renfe where we saw the exhibits on artifacts brought back by Spanish missionaries from the Philippines. In Atocha too, Sir Exequiel also explained and detailed to us to the progress and development of the city of Madrid, which started when the government fixed its main railway station, Atocha. We ended that night by watching a lively display of flamenco in a bar near Plaza Mayor.

The following day, we had to wake up early because we had an audience with Her Excellency, Señora Ana Ines de Sequera Ugarte, the new ambassador of the Philippines to the Kingdom of Spain. After speaking with her for quite some time, the group proceeded to Avenida Islas Filipinas for us to lay a wreath at the monument to Dr. José Rizal. Personally, when I got a view of the monument, I was honestly taken aback because it was an exact replica of the monument in Luneta – I thought I was in Manila again! It was just sad because Sir Exequiel was hoping more Caballeros would come but only one did, the elderly and loyal Jesús. After that, we headed to the nearby Parroquia de Santo Niño de Cebu. It was just too amazing for me – it’s like I never left the Philippines. In the afternoon, Señorita Susana brought us to this restaurant for some amazing paella! It was my first time to try paella with coneho but one thing I can surely attest is this: it does taste like chicken. After that, in the afternoon, she introduced us to her beloved jefe the famous Don José María Ruiz Mateus, one of Spain’s most famous and richest businessmen. I spoke with him personally and ended with him initiating a beso – wow! a beso from a billionaire! Priceless. We then headed to Legazpi where an elderly Filipino couple was hosted our dinner. The dinner was superb. The lady of the house treated us to a Pinoy version of paella, morcon, pollo asado and mixed vegetables. She also served us some delicious leche flan.

On our last whole day in Madrid, Sir Exequiel took us to the area of the Palacio Real, where we saw, you guessed it, the Palacio Real, Plaza Oriente and the Catedral de la Nuestra Señora de Almudena, the patroness of Madrid. On that day too, there was a presentation of credentials of new ambassadors that’s why we were treated, when we saw His Majesty Himself, King Juan Carlos and the Queen, Queen Sofia, in a royal carriage with all the pomp we only read from books. After that, we walked over to the Museo del Prado where we met with our tour guide for the Prado Museum, Señora Perla Primicias, a flamenco teacher that has taught some of our country’s alta de sociedad. In the museum, she guided me (the others wandered away) through the paintings of El Greco, Velasquez, Goya and other masters, sharing her wisdom and knowledge on almost every painting we saw together.

After a couple of hours in the Prado Museum, we headed to Plaza Sta. Ana where Señorita Susana’s boss treated us to his own cerveceria. In that cerveceria, we were toured below it and were shown as to how it makes its own quality beer. It was my first time ever to see and hear how beer was made. We had a long and hearty al fresco lunch in the same plaza, where I personally enjoyed the ambience and feeling of my last lunch in Madrid. What was supposedly an hour and a half lunch eventually became a three hour meal, and that experience of mine taught me so much about the European way of dining.

We proceeded to Calle Presciados to go shopping for a measly hour and a half. True enough, I wasn’t able to buy all that I wanted and was even unable to enter Zara. Yes, of all places in the world, I was unable to go shopping in Zara. This is because we had a scheduled lecture from the Consul Marciano de Borja at the Consulate at around 6:00 PM and we started shopping at 5:00 PM! Well, the lecture was a good one, anyway. It was about the critical and important relationship of the Basques with the Philippines, a relationship that many Filipinos are oblivious of. We ended the night by having a simple dinner with other Filipinos at Casa Mingo, a dinner that was meant also to be the welcome dinner of the Filipino Community to the new ambassador, Señora Ugarte. Our stay in Madrid ended the following early morning when we boarded our plane for Schipol at 8:35 AM.

How then does Rizal fit into this journey of mine in Europe? Simple – he was my inspiration. If Rizal then was captivated by the Old World and her sons and daughters, so was I. The charm of Europe, through being slowly eroded by the influx of too many immigrants who don’t really care about her heritage, art and culture, is still there, constantly drawing young people, like Rizal and me, to be captivated by her timeless grace. The monuments, the fountains, the statues, the food, and the people, make Europe a continent of a distinct identity, which enables it to embrace different kinds of people even if not all of these respect her. Rizal though was a follower of Europe, that despite living a very difficult life there, he still made sure he would be immersed in her culture, always learning new things from the great continent. Rizal scrimped a lot not so much so he could pay the rent but because he wanted to attend social affairs and dinners and join exclusive clubs so that he could get to know people, learn from them and broaden his opportunities. Like Rizal, I too found Europe as a great source of wisdom, knowledge and social contacts and with all the people I have met there of different nationalities, with all their different and varied stories, how could Europe fail in opening my eyes?

The good thing about this trip is that I, along with the three students from Mindanao, didn’t go to Europe simply to go shopping in Zara, or see the Pope or drink cerveza; we went there to trace the footsteps of our national hero and in so doing, realize the importance of education, friendship and of course, good taste.

This wasn’t just about seeing the usual tourist spots but was actually about finding out how indeed the country’s national hero turn out to be the First Filipino.

 

 

 

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