Tribute to Rizal

In my travels overseas, among the most pleasant surprises I have encountered, particularly in Europe, are the memorials or markers paying tribute to a Filipino, Jose Rizal.

- ANA MARIE PAMINTUAN

At the Parque de Santander in Spanish capital Madrid, there's a replica of the Rizal monument in Manila. Even more impressive is the four-kilometer "heritage trail" in honor of Rizal in the Czech Republic.

Today, Rizal Day, I am reprinting portions of the article that I wrote about the "citizen of the world" on Sept. 24, 2015: LITOMERICE - In this picturesque little Czech town, there are three busts of our national hero Jose Rizal, a Rizal Park, a four-kilometer Rizal "heritage trail" and a four-story "bastion" or memorial in honor of Rizal and his Czech friend Ferdinand Blumentritt.

Rizal, an early Pinoy citizen of the world, was here for only four days, from May 13 to 16, 1887, and it's impressive that details of his visit, including his sampling of local beer, have been well chronicled by the city.

One of the busts is set against the medieval town wall in Jose Rizal Park, which has a terrific view of Dome or Cathedral Hill. It also overlooks a section of the city that includes the train station where Rizal and his traveling companion Maximo Viola arrived at 1:30 p.m. from Germany and were met by Blumentritt and his family.

A second Rizal bust stands in front of the elegant medieval Salva Guarda Hotel in the city square, where the restaurant serves traditional Czech cuisine. Rizal did not dine there so he missed the succulent roast duck like the one that I had for lunch, but he was treated to a Filipino meal cooked by Blumentritt's wife Rosa at their home.

A third bust greets visitors at the entrance to the office of the town's mayor of 12 years, Ladislav Chlupac. The office also has a copy of Rizal's Noli Me Tangere, prominently displayed behind a glass case. Chlupac, a founding member of the Czech Republic's Knights of Rizal, has visited Calamba and Dapitan where Rizal was detained before his execution.