Rizal
Rizal’s Journey in Hong Kong and Macao
Hounded by powerful enemies, Rizal was forced to leave his country for the second time in February 1888. He was then a full-grown man of 27 years of age, a practicing physician, and a recognized man-of-letters. • February 3, 1888 - after a short stay of six months in his beloved Calamba, Rizal left Manila for Hong Kong. He was sick and sad. To aggravate his discomfiture, he was sick during the crossing of the choppy China Sea. • February 7, 1888 – their ship made a brief stopover at Amoy and for three reasons he did not get off (1) he was not feeling well, (2) it was raining hard, and (3) he heard the city was dirty. • February 8, 1888 - Rizal arrived in Hong Kong. He was welcomed by Filipino residents, including Jose Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio, and Manuel Yriarte (son of Francisco Yriarte, alcalde mayor of Laguna) In Hong Kong, Rizal stayed at Victoria Hotel. He was welcomed by the Filipino residents, including Jose Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio, and other exiles of 1872. A Spaniard, Jose Sainz de Varanda who was a former secretary of Governor General Terrero, shadowed Rizal’s movement in Hong Kong. It is believed that he was commissioned by the Spanish authorities to spy on Rizal. “Hong Kong is a small, but very clean city. Many Portuguese, Hindus, English, Chinese, and Jews live in it. There are some Filipinos, the majority of whom being those who had been exiled to the Marianas Islands in 1872. They are poor, gentle and timid. Formerly they were rich mechanics, industrialists and financiers.” – This is how Rizal described Hong Kong on his letter to Blumentritt dated February 16, 1888. • February 18, 1888 – Rizal accompanied by Basa, boarded the ferry steamer Kiu-Kiang for Macao. And on that same ship, he was surprised to see among the passengers a familiar figure – Jose Sainz de Varanda.
“The city of Macao is small, low, and gloomy. There are many junks, sampans, but few
Hounded by powerful enemies, Rizal was forced to leave his country for the second time in February 1888. He was then a full-grown man of 27 years of age, a practicing physician, and a recognized man-of-letters. • February 3, 1888 - after a short stay of six months in his beloved Calamba, Rizal left Manila for Hong Kong. He was sick and sad. To aggravate his discomfiture, he was sick during the crossing of the choppy China Sea. • February 7, 1888 – their ship made a brief stopover at Amoy and for three reasons he did not get off (1) he was not feeling well, (2) it was raining hard, and (3) he heard the city was dirty. • February 8, 1888 - Rizal arrived in Hong Kong. He was welcomed by Filipino residents, including Jose Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio, and Manuel Yriarte (son of Francisco Yriarte, alcalde mayor of Laguna) In Hong Kong, Rizal stayed at Victoria Hotel. He was welcomed by the Filipino residents, including Jose Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio, and other exiles of 1872. A Spaniard, Jose Sainz de Varanda who was a former secretary of Governor General Terrero, shadowed Rizal’s movement in Hong Kong. It is believed that he was commissioned by the Spanish authorities to spy on Rizal. “Hong Kong is a small, but very clean city. Many Portuguese, Hindus, English, Chinese, and Jews live in it. There are some Filipinos, the majority of whom being those who had been exiled to the Marianas Islands in 1872. They are poor, gentle and timid. Formerly they were rich mechanics, industrialists and financiers.” – This is how Rizal described Hong Kong on his letter to Blumentritt dated February 16, 1888. • February 18, 1888 – Rizal accompanied by Basa, boarded the ferry steamer Kiu-Kiang for Macao. And on that same ship, he was surprised to see among the passengers a familiar figure – Jose Sainz de Varanda.
“The city of Macao is small, low, and gloomy. There are many junks, sampans, but few