IN SUNNY SPAIN (1882 – 1885)
Chapter VI
Prepared by: Rommel H. Gabuay - II BSF
After finishing the 4th Year of the medical course in the University of Santo Tomas, Jose Rizal, being
disgusted with the antiquated method of instruction in this Dominican-owned university and the racial
prejudice, discrimination and hostility of Dominican professor against Filipino students, decided to
complete his studies in Spain.
At that time the government of Spain was a constitutional monarchy under a written constitution which
granted human rights to the people, particularly freedom of Speech, freedom of the press, and freedom
of assembly.
Rizal’s Secret Mission
Observe keenly the life and culture, languages and customs, industries and commerce and governments
and laws of the European nations in order to prepare himself in the mighty task of librating his oppressed
people from Spanish tyranny.
This secret mission was likewise disclosed by Paciano in his letter to his younger brother dated Manila,
May 20, 1982
This secret mission was kept secret to avoid the detection by the Spaniard authorities and the friars.
Only with these people knows his departure.
- Paciano (older brother)
- Antonio Rivera ( his uncle and father of Leonor Rivera)
- Neneng and Lucia (his sisters)
- The Valenzuela family ( Captain Juan, Capitana Sanday and their daughter Orang)
- Pedro A. Paterno
- Mateo Evangelista ( the Ateneo Jesuit father)
- Jose M. Cecillio (Chengoy, intimate friend)
The kind Jesuit priest gave him letters of recommendation to the members of their Society in Barcelona.
He used the name Jose Mercado, a cousin from Binan.He wrote a farewell letter for his beloved parents
and another one for his sweetheart Leonora Rivera – both delivered shortly after he sailed away.
Jose Rizal Journey to Spain
May 3, 1882
On board the Spanish steamer Salvadora
Bound for Singapore.
● During the voyage to Singapore, he carefully observed the people and things on board the
steamer.
● There were sixteen passengers, including himself – five or six ladies, many children and the rest
gentlemen.
● He was the only Filipino. The rest were Spaniards, British and Indian Negro
● The ship captain, Donato Lecha , from Austrias, Spain, befriended him. Which he described in
his travel diary as affable man.
May 8, 1882
Approaching Singapore
● Rizal saw a beautiful land – he remembered “Talim Island with the Susong Dalaga” ]
May 9, 1882
Docked at Singapore
● Rizal registered at Hotel de la Paz, and spent two days on a sightseeing soiree of the city, which
was a colony of England.
● He saw the famous Botanical Garden, beautiful Buddhist temples, the busy shopping district,
and the statue of Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles (founder of Singapore).
May 11, 1882
Transfered to another ship Djemnah, a French Streamer
From Singapore to Colombo
● Among these passengers were British, French, Dutch, Spaniards, Malays, Siamese, and
Filipinos (Mr. and Mrs. Salazar, Mr. Vicente Pardo, and Jose Rizal).
● French was mostly spoken on board because it was a French vessel and the majority of the
passengers were French-speaking.
● To communicate, Jose Rizal, used mixed Spanish and Latin with gestures and sketching on paper.
● By conversing daily with the French passengers, he was able gradually to improve his knowledge
of the French language.
May 17, 1882
Djemnah reached Point Galle
● a seacoast town in southern Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
● Rizal was unimpressed by this, town. On his travel diary, he wrote:
"The general appearance of Point Galle is picturesque but lonely and quiet and at the same time sad.”
May 18, 1882
Resumed the voyage towards Colombo, the capital of Ceylon.
● After a few hours of sailing, she reached this city on the same day.
● He delightfully scribbled on his diary:
"Colombo is more beautiful, smart and elegant than Singapore, Point Galle, and Manila.”
First Trip Through Suez Canal
Djemnah continued the voyage crossing -
Indian Ocean to the Cape of Guardafui, Africa
● For the first time, Rizal sighted the barren coast of Africa, which he called an "inhospitable land
but famous".
First Trip Through Suez Canal
Next stopover - in Aden -
● He found the city, hotter than Manila.
● He was amused to see the camels, for it was the first time he saw these animals.
First Trip Through Suez Canal
City of Suez, the Red Sea terminal of the Suez Canal.
● Rizal disembarked and went sightseeing, like an ordinary tourist.
● He was impressed to the beautiful moonlight, which reminded him of Calamba and his family.
● It took the Djemnah five days to traverse the Suez Canal.
● Rizal was thrilled because it was his first trip through this canal which was built by Ferdinand de
Lesseps (French diplomat- engineer).
● It was inaugurated on November 17, 1869.
First Trip Through Suez Canal
Port Said, the Mediterranean terminal of the Suez Canal
● He was fascinated to hear the multi-racial inhabitants speaking a babel of tongues - Arabic,
Egyptian, Greek, French, Italian, Spanish, etc.
June 11, 1882
Rizal reached Naples
Naples and Marseilles
● This Italian city pleased him because of its business activity, its lively people, and its panoramic
beauty.
● He was fascinated by Mount Vesuvius, the Castle of St. Telmo, and other historic sights of the
city.
June 12, 1882
The steamer docked at the French harbor of Marseilles
Naples and Marseilles
● He visited the famous Chateau d'lf, where Dantes, hero of The Count of Monte Cristo, was
imprisoned.
● He stayed two and a half days in Marseilles, enjoying every day of his sojourn.
June 15, 1882
On the afternoon, Rizal left Marseilles by train for the last lap of his trip to Spain.
Barcelona
● He crossed the Pyrenees and stopped for a day at the frontier town of Port Bou.
● Here he noticed the indifference accorded by the Spanish immigration officers to tourists.
● After the passport inspection at Port-Bou, Rizal continued his trip by rail, finally reaching his
destination - Barcelona on June 16, 1882.
Barcelona
Rizal found Barcelona to be a vibrant city characterized by freedom and liberalism, with open-hearted
and hospitable people. He enjoyed strolling along Las Ramblas, the city's famous promenade. Upon his
arrival, he was welcomed by fellow Filipinos, including former schoolmates from Ateneo, who hosted a
party for him at their favorite cafe in Plaza de Cataluña.
“Amor Patrio”
Jose Rizal wrote a nationalistic essay titled "Amor Patrio" (Love of Country), which was his first article
composed on Spanish soil. He sent this piece to his friend Basilio Teodoro Moran, the publisher of
Diariong Tagalog, the first bilingual newspaper in Manila. "Amor Patrio," published under the pen name
Laong Laan, appeared in Diariong Tagalog on August 20, 1882, in both Spanish and Tagalog. The
Spanish text was the original version written by Rizal in Barcelona, while the Tagalog version was
translated by M.H. del Pilar. In this essay, Rizal urged his compatriots to love their homeland, the
Philippines. Following "Amor Patrio," he wrote a second article for Diariong Tagalog entitled "Los
Viajes" (Travels). He also composed a third article called "Revista de Madrid" (Review of Madrid) on
November 29, 1882; however, it was returned to him because Diariong Tagalog had ceased publication
due to financial difficulties.
Manila Moves to Madrid
Rizal received distressing news about a cholera outbreak in Manila, which was causing numerous deaths
daily. In a letter dated September 15, 1882, Paciano informed him that the people of Calamba were
holding novenas and processions to San Roque, praying for relief from the epidemic that Spanish
authorities were unable to control. Additionally, Rizal learned through a letter from Chengoy about
Leonor Rivera's sadness due to his absence. Paciano also urged Rizal to complete his medical studies in
Madrid. Following this advice, Rizal left Barcelona in the fall of 1882 to establish himself in Madrid.
Life in Madrid
On November 3, 1882, Rizal enrolled in the Universidad Central de Madrid, pursuing courses in
Medicine and Philosophy and Letters. Alongside his studies, he attended the Academy of Fine Arts of
San Carlos for painting and sculpture, and took private lessons in French, German, and English. He
practiced fencing and shooting at the Hall of Arms of Sanz y Carbonell. Rizal also deepened his musical
knowledge by attending operas and concerts, visiting art galleries, and reading extensively on various
subjects, including military engineering, to broaden his cultural understanding.
Rizal lived a Spartan life in Madrid, focused on his studies and preparing for service to his country. His
only indulgence was buying a lottery ticket for each draw of the Madrid Lottery. In his free time, he read
and wrote at his boarding house, attended Filipino student reunions at the Paterno brothers' home, and
practiced fencing and shooting at the gym. He also socialized with students from Cuba, Mexico, and
Argentina at the Antigua Cafe de Levante during summer evenings. On Saturdays, he visited Don Pablo
Ortiga y Rey and his family, who had notable political connections in Manila.
Romance with Consuelo Ortiga y Perez
● Rizal, being a lonely young man in a foreign country, far from his natal land, was attracted by
Consuelo's beauty and vivacity. He even composed a lovely poem on August 22, 1883 dedicated
to her.
● In this poem titled A La Señorita C. O y P (To Miss C. O. y P.), he expressed his admiration for
her. He found solace and joy in her company.
Backed out for two reason:
1. He was still engaged to Leonor Rivera and
2. His friend and co-worker in the Propaganda Movement, Eduardo de Lete, was madly in love with
Consuelo and he had no wish to break their friendship because of a pretty girl.
“They Ask Me For Verses”
● In 1882 shortly after his arrival in Madrid, Rizal joined the Circulo Hispano-Filipino
(Hispano-Philippine Circle), a society of Spaniards and Filipinos.
● He wrote a poem entitled "Me Piden Versos" (They Ask Me For Verses) which he personally
declaimed during the New Year's Eve reception of the Madrid Filipinos held in the evening of
December 31, 1882.
● In this sad poem, he poured out the cry of his agonizing heart.
Rizal as Lover of Books
Rizal's favorite pastime in Madrid was reading, as he preferred it over gambling and flirting, often staying
up until midnight. He economized on living expenses to buy books from a second-hand store owned by
Señor Roses, building a substantial private library. Influenced by Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin
and Eugene Sue's The Wandering Jew, he developed a deep sympathy for the oppressed.
Rizal's First Visit to Paris (1883)
During his first summer vacation in Madrid, Rizal visited Paris from June 17 to August 20, 1883.
Initially staying at the Hotel de Paris, he later moved to a cheaper hotel on Rue de Rennes. Captivated by
the city's attractions, he admired sites like the Champs-Élysées, the Opera House, and Notre Dame.
However, he found Paris expensive, remarking in a letter that it was "the costliest capital in Europe."
Interestingly, Parisians mistook him for Japanese. Despite the high costs, Rizal enjoyed his time exploring
the city and its culture.
Rizal as a Mason
Rizal was impressed by how Spanish Masons openly criticized government policies and the friars, a
freedom not allowed in the Philippines. In March 1883, he joined the Masonic lodge called Acacia in
Madrid to seek support against the friars. He later transferred to Lodge Solidaridad, becoming a Master
Mason on November 15, 1890, and received his diploma from Le Grand Orient de France in Paris on
February 15, 1892. Unlike his active peers, Rizal played a more subdued role in Freemasonry,
contributing only a lecture titled "Science, Virtue and Labor" in 1889.
Financial Worries
After Rizal left for Spain, conditions in Calamba worsened due to drought and locusts, leading to failed
rice and sugarcane harvests. The Dominican hacienda manager raised rental prices on the Rizal family's
land, exacerbating their economic struggles. In Madrid, on June 24, 1884, Rizal faced a difficult day
without breakfast but still won a gold medal in a Greek language contest at university. That evening, he
was able to eat dinner as a guest speaker at a banquet honoring Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion
Hidalgo.
Rizal’s Salute to Luna and Hidalgo
On June 25, 1884, the Filipino community hosted a banquet in Madrid to celebrate the victories of
Filipino artists Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo at the National Exposition of Fine Arts, where
Luna's Spolarium won first prize and Hidalgo's Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace took
second. Rizal praised both artists as glories of Spain and the Philippines, emphasizing that genius
transcends borders. His eloquent speech received wild applause, as it was rare for Spaniards to hear such
oratory from a Filipino.
Rizal Involved in Student Demonstrations.
From November 20 21, 22, 1884, Madrid erupted in riots led by students from the Central University,
including Rizal and other Filipino, Cuban, Mexican, Peruvian, and Spanish students. The unrest was
sparked by Dr. Miguel Morayta's speech advocating "the freedom of science and the teacher" during the
academic year opening. This liberal stance was condemned by Catholic bishops, who excommunicated
Morayta and his supporters, prompting the students to protest violently against the bishops and demand
academic freedom.
Studies Completed in Spain
● Rizal completed his medical course in Spain. He was conferred the degree of Licentiate in
Medicine by the Universidad Central de Madrid on June 21, 1884. The next academic year
(1884-85) he studied and passed all subjects leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
● Rizal also finished his studies in Philosophy and Letters, with higher grades. He was awarded the
degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters by the Universidad Central de Madrid on June
19, 1885 (his 24th birthday), with the rating of "excellent" (Sobresaliente).
Reflection
Truly, this chapter was only describing the sunny journey of Rizal to Spain. There's nothing intense about
to his voyage, as if it was only showing us his experience as a tourist, and also the life of the foreign
student.
However, behind the scene and the reality that was not captured by these pages.
The four years of living and studying in Spain was an eventful and eye opening to Rizal,
He work more than everyone else and also experiences hardship like everyone else. I believe his journey
to Spain was really for the services of his fatherland.
AND EVEN IT WASN'T FOR THE SERVICE - A PART OF US WOULD TELL, ALONG THE
WAY, WE CAN'T DENIED THAT THE LIFE IN SPAIN OF RIZAL HELPS HIM TO HAVE AND
BECOME THE PERSON HE WANTED TO BE.
