CHAPTER 6

In Sunny Spain (1882-1885)

- After he finished 4th year of the medical course in the
University of Santo Tomas, Jose Rizal decided to
complete his study in pain after being disgusted by the
Dominican-owned university and racial prejudice of the
Dominican professors against Filipino students.
- During this time, there is freedom of speech, freedom
of the press and freedom of assembly because the
government of Spain was Constitutional Monarchy.
- He has a secret mission in Spain and never went there
just to study.
RIZAL’S SECRET MISSION

- He went to Spain without the knowledge of his parents

but Paciano.
- Farewell letter was delivered to his parents shortly after
his departure.
- His task was to observe keenly the life and culture,
language and customs, industries and commerce and
governments and laws of the European nations to
prepare himself in the mighty task of liberating his
oppressed people from Spanish tyranny.
SECRET DEPARTURE FOR SPAIN

- His departure to Spain was kept secret to avoid

detection by the Spanish authorities and the friars.
- Except from his brother, his Uncle Antonio Rivera father
of Leonor Rivera, his sisters Neneng and Lucia, Padre
Paterno, the Valenzuela family, his compadre Mateo
Evangelista, Ateneo Jesuit father, and some friends
including Chengoy (Jose M. Cecilio) knew about his
secret plan.
SECRET DEPARTURE FOR SPAIN

- The kins Jesuit priests give him recommendation to the

members of their society in Barcelona.
- He used the name Jose Mercado, a cousin from Biñan.
- Before his secret departure, he wrote a letter for his parents
and his beloved Leonor Rivera.
- May 3, 1882, Rizal departed on board the Spanish streamer
Salvadora bound for Singapore with tears and gloom in his
heart. Gazed the skyline of Manila and sketched it as it
vanished in view.
SINGAPORE
- During the voyage to Singapore, he carefully observed the
people on board. There are 16 passengers: five or six ladies,
children, and gentlemen. He was the only Filipino, and the
rest were Spaniards, British and Indian Negros.
- The ship captain, Donato Lecha, from Asturias, Spain,
befriended Rizal.
- Rizal was so good in chess that he defeated fellow older
passengers many times.
SINGAPORE
- May 8, 1882, Rizal saw a beautiful island, fascinated by its
beauty. He remembered it as “Talim Island with the Susong
Dalaga”.
- May 9, the Salvador docked at Singapore. He stayed 2 days in
Hotel de la Paz, which was a colony of England. He saw
famous Botanical Garden, Buddhist Temple, busy shopping
district, and the statue of Sir Thomas Standford Raffles
(founder of Singapore).
FROM SINGAPORE TO
COLOMBO
- From Colombo, Rizal transferred to another ship
Djemnah, a French, streamer, which left Singapore for
Europe on May 11. It was a larger and cleaner ship. In this
ship, along with other foreign nationalities were the
Filipinos Mr. & Mrs. Salazar, Mr. Vicente Pardo and Rizal.
- French was spoken on board in this vessel because
majority are French-speaking.
- To his embarassment, he tried to converse with French to
his fellow passengers, but he found out that the French he
learned from Ateneo could not be understood.
FROM SINGAPORE TO
COLOMBO
- He need to speak mixed Spanish-Latin supplemented
by much gesticulation and sketching on paper.
However, by conversing daily with the passengers, he
gradually improved his knowledge of te French
language.
- On May 17, the ship reached Point Galle, a seacoast
town in southern Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Rizal describe
this town as picturesque but lonely, sad, and quiet.
- The following day the ship continue to sail towards
Colombo, the capital of Ceylon.
FROM SINGAPORE TO
COLOMBO

-After a few hours, they reach Ceylon.

-Rizal was enamoured by Colombo and
describe it in his diary as, “more
beautiful, smart, an elegant than
Singapore, Point Galle, and Manila.”
FIRST TRIP THROUGH
SUEZ CANAL
- From Colombo, continued to voyage crossing the Indian
Ocean to the Cape of Guardafui, Africa. He called it
“inhospitable land but famous”.
- The ship stop to Aden, then went ashore to see the
sight. He found this city hotter than Manila. He was
amused to see camels.
- From Aden, the ship sailed to the City of Suez, the Red
Sea terminal of the Suez Canal. Upon arrival, Rizal went
sightseeing like other tourists and got amused by the
moonlight that reminds him of Calamba and his family.
FIRST TRIP THROUGH
SUEZ CANAL
- It took 5 days for the ship to traverse the
Seuz Canal. This canal was built by
Ferdinand de Lesseps a French diplomat-
engineer. It was inaugurated on November
17, 1869.
- Rizal was fascinated to hear multiracial
inhabitants speaking babel of tongues-
Arabic, Egyptian, Greek, Italian, Spanish, etc.
NAPLES AND MARSEILLES

- From the said port, the ship proceeded to

Europe. On June 11, Rizal reached Naples. This
Italian City pleased him because of its
business activity, lively people, and panoramic
view.
- He was also fascinated by Mount Vesuvius, the
castle of St. Telmo, and other historic sights.
NAPLES AND MARSEILLES

- The night of June 12, the ship docked at

French harbor of Marseilles. There, he visited
the famous Chateau d’lf where Dantes, hero of
the Count of Monte Cristo, was imprisoned.
He had enjoyed reading this novel of
Alexander Dumas when he was still astudent
of Ateneo. He spent 2 days and a half there.
BARCELONA
- Afternoon of June 15, Rizal left Marseille by
train for his last lap in Spain. He crossed the
Pyrenees and stopped for a day at frontier
town of Port Bou.
- After the passport inspection of Port Bou, Rizal
continued hir trip by rail and reached
Barcelona (final destination) on June 16, 1882.
BARCELONA
- Rizal’s first impression of Barcelona, the greatest city of Cataluña
and Spain’s second largest city was unfavorable. Because he stayed
during his arrival in “town’s most ugly side”. Later, he liked the city
with an atmosphere of freedom, liberalism, people are open-hearted,
hospitable, and courageous. He enjoyed promenading along Las
Ramblas, the most famous street in Barcelona.
- The Filipinos schoolmates of Rizal welcomed him through a party in
Plaza de Cataluña.
 AMOR PATRIO

- In Barcelona, Rizal wrote an essay entitled “Amor

Patrio” (Love of Country), his first article written in
Spain’s soil. He sent this article to bis friend in
Manila, Basilio Teodoro Moran, publisher of Diariong
Tagalog. The first Manila bilingual newspaper
(Spanish and Tagalog).
- This was under his pen-name Laong Laan, appeared
in print in Diariong Tagalog on August 20, 1882. it
was published in Spanish and Tagalog.
 AMOR PATRIO

- The Spanish text was originally written by Rizal in

Barcelona, while it was translated in Tagalog by M.H.
del Pilar. This article caused a quite sensation among
the Filipino reader because of its nationalistic flavor as
in his price winning “Juventud Filipina”. Rizal urge
compatriots to love their fatherland, the Philippines.
- Publisher Basilio Teodoro Moran was impressed by this
piece, congratulated Rizal and requested for more
articles.
 AMOR PATRIO

- In response to this request, Rizal wrote his

second article, “Los Viajes” (Travels). His
third article entitled, “Revista de Madrid”
(Review of Madrid), which he wrote in
Madrid on November 29, 1882, was
returned because Diariong Tagalog has
ceased for publication for lack of funds.
 AMOR PATRIO

- In response to this request, Rizal wrote his

second article, “Los Viajes” (Travels). His
third article entitled, “Revista de Madrid”
(Review of Madrid), which he wrote in
Madrid on November 29, 1882, was
returned because Diariong Tagalog has
ceased for publication for lack of funds.
MANILA MOVES TO MADRID

- While sojourning in Barcelona, he received a news

that cholera was ravaging Manila and the
provinces. According to Paciano letter, dated
September 15, 1882, the Calamba folks having
afternoon novenas to san roque so that God will
stop the epidemic, which the Spanish health
officers were impotent to check.
MANILA MOVES TO MADRID

- Another sad new was from Chengoy stated that Leonor

Rivera was getting thinner because of the unhappiness
caused by his absence.
- In one of his letters dated May 26, 1882, Paciano
advised his younger brother to finish the medical
course in Madrid. Evidently, heeding his advice, Rizal
left Barcelona in the fall of 1882 and established
himself in Madrid, the capital of Spain.
LIFE IN MADRID
- On November 3, 1882, Rizal enrolled in the Central
University of Madrid (Universidad Central de Madrid)
in 2 courses-Medicine and Philosophy and Letters.
Aside from these, he studied painting and sculpture in
the Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, took
lessons in French, German, and English under private
instructors. He also practiced fencing and shooting in
the Hall of Arms of Sanz y Carbonell. His thirst for
knowledge of music, he visited the art galleries and
museum reads book on all subjects including military
engineering.
LIFE IN MADRID
- Rizal led a Spartan life in Madrid. Accordingly, he
budgeted his money and time. Never wasting it on
gambling, wine or women. He’s only investing his few
pesetas for lottery ticket. He spent his leisure time
reading and writing, attending reunions of Filipino
students at the house of Paterno brothers (Antonio,
Maximo, and Pedro) and practicing shooting and
fencing. At summer twilight he sipped coffee and
fraternized with the students of Cuba, Mexico,
Argentina, etc. at the Antigua Café de Lavante.
LIFE IN MADRID

- On Saturday evenings, he visited Don Pablo

Ortiga y Rey who lived with his son Rafael
and daughter Consuela. Don Pablo had been
the city mayor of Manila during the
administration of Liberal Governor General
Carlos Ma. De la Torre (1869-1871). And was
late promoted vice-president of the Council of
the Philippines in the Ministry of Colonies
(Ultramar).