Rizal traveled extensively through Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, the United States, and various countries in Europe from 1888 to 1891. Some key experiences included meeting O-Sei-San in Japan who became his lover and tutor, observing racial inequality in the US, and developing relationships with other Filipino expatriates. However, he also faced challenges like family troubles back home and disagreements with other Filipino leaders over the direction of propaganda efforts. Throughout his travels, Rizal continued advocating for reforms in the Philippines through his writings.

1. G. Rizal’s second
travel abroad

2. Hong Kong and Macau
• He sailed to Hong Kong through
steamer “Zafiro” but had an
emergency stopover in Amoy on
February 7 because he was not
feeling well, it was raining hard and
heard that the city was dirty.
• On the next day, he landed in
mainland Hong Kong and stayed at
Victoria Hotel where he was
welcomed by his Filipino friends like
Jose Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio
and Manuel Yriarte.

3. • Rizal once visited Macau with Jose
Ma. Basa (February 18) through the
ferry steamer “Kiu-Kiang.”
• The two chose to stay at the home of
Don Juan Francisco Lecaros.
• After visiting casinos, churches,
botanical garden and witnessing a
Catholic processions for two days,
they retuned to Hong Kong.

4. Rizal’s experiences in Hong Kong
• to see a Chinese New Year
• to watch Chinese theatre
• to be with the Marathon Lauriat party
• to observe the Dominicans in Hong Kong
• to go to Hong Kong cemeteries
Rizal left Hong Kong on board the
Oceanic, an American steamer on February
22, 1888 to his destination, Japan.

5. Japan
• On February 28, 1888, he reached
Yokohama, Japan and registered at the
Grand Hotel.
• From March 2-7, Rizal stayed in Tokyo
Hotel.
• Then, he met Juan Perez Caballero,
the secretary of Spanish legation, he
decided to live in a Spanish legation in
Tokyo with Caballero. He knew that
Spanish diplomatic authorities from
Manila were monitoring his movements
in Japan.

6. • Rizal was embarrassed during his first
walks in Tokyo because he did not know
the Japanese language.
• He experienced to hear a Tokyo band
that plays European music, and he
discovered that some of its members
were Filipinos.
• Rizal’s impression in Japan: the beauty
of the country, the cleanliness,
politeness and industry of the Japanese,
the picturesque dress and simple charm
of the Japanese women, there were very
few thieves in Japan and beggars were
merely seen in the city streets.

7. • Rizal met O-Sei-San (Usui Seiko). This
lady taught him different Japanese
words, acted as the hero’s tour guide
in different shrines and villages,
interpreter and tutor.
• Later, became lovers but Rizal left her
to fulfill his required travel to Spain in
April 1888. Rizal quoted on his diary;
“Japan has enchanted me. The
beautiful scenery, the flowers, the
trees, and the inhabitants, so
peaceful, so courteous, and so
pleasant. O-Sei-San, Sayonara,
Sayonara!”

8. • Through the vessel “Belgic” Rizal met
and befriended Tetcho Suehiro, a
human rights fighter who, requested
by the Japanese Government to
flew.
• During the trip to United States
until the end of his tour in the US,
Rizal acted as an interpreter to
Tetcho.
• On December 1, 1888 the two
parted their ways and Rizal remained
in London to conduct his historical
researches at British Museum while
Tetcho returned back to Japan.

9. United States
• Rizal first saw the soil of United
States on April 28, 1888 at San
Francisco, California through the ship
Belgic but quarantined for a week
because of Cholera outbreak in Asia.
• In San Francisco on May 4-6, 1888,
Rizal registered at the Palace Hotel,
a first class hotel in the city.

10. • On May 6, Rizal visited Oakland and
ate supper in Sacramento. Next day,
he took breakfast at Reno, Nevada,
the “Biggest Little City in the World.”
• From May 7-11, Rizal visited the
states of Utah, Colorado, Nebraska,
Illinois (Chicago) and New York where
he saw the famous Niagara Falls.

11. • He stayed in New York from May 13-
16 and visited historical places like
the memorial of George Washington
and the Statue of Liberty.
• Rizal’s impression to US:
-material progress of the country
-the drive and energy of the American
-the natural beauty of the land
- high-standard of living
- the opportunities for better life
offered to poor immigrants
- racial inequality

12. United Kingdom
• Through the ship “City of Rome” on
May 16, 1888 he left for London
• On May 25, a day after docking at
Liverpool, England and staying at
Adelphi Hotel, Rizal went to London to
stay at Antonio Ma. Regidor’s house.
• But days passed, he transferred to
Beckett Family’s boarding residence at
No. 37 Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill.
The eldest of the four daughters of
the owner, Gertrude (Gettie or Tottie
to his friends) became his girlfriend
afterwards.

13. • He befriended Dr. Reinhold Rost,
a Malayan language expert. The
linguist’s personal Filipiniana
library was visited by Rizal.
• Dr. Rost called Rizal as “Una
Perla de Hombre” (A Pearl of
Man) because of his perseverance
in studying.

14. Rizal received several bad news such as;
1. persecution of the Filipino patriots who
signed the “Anti-friar Petition of 1888”
2. persecution of Calamba tenants
3. attacks on Rizal by Senators Salamanca
and Vida in Spanish Cortes and by
Wenceslao Retana and Pablo Feced
4. the exile of his brother-in-law, Manuel
Hidalgo to Bohol and the arrest of his
friend Laureano Viado

15. • Only one good thing he received from
Mariano Ponce; the defense of Father
Vicente Garcia on his novel against
the attacks of the friars.
• From May 1888 to March
1889 Rizal to annotate the
work of Antonio de Morga
in 1609, “Sucesos de las
Islas Filipinas” at British
Library Museum.

16. • He had frequently visits to Paris and
Spain. In September 1888, Rizal
visited Paris to search for historical
materials in Bibliotheque Nationale.
At this moment also, he met Juan
Luna, his wife and they little son,
Andres at French Metropolis.
• In December 11, 1888, he visited
Barcelona and Madrid to meet
Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Mariano
Ponce for the first time.

17. • Rizal’s Christmas in London (1888) was
a memorable one together with the
Beckett family. He gave a Christmas
gift, bust of Emperor Augustus to
Ferdinand Blumentritt and a bust of
Julis Caesar to Dr. Carlos Czepelak.
Then, Mrs. Beckett gave Rizal about
a British magician.

18. • He became the “honorary president”
of the patriotic society, “Asociacion
La Solidaridad” in Spain on December
31, 1888 together with his fellow
Filipinos like Galicano Apacible
(president), Graciano Lopez Jaena
(vice president), Manuel Santa Maria
(secretary), Mariano Ponce (treasurer)
and Jose Ma. Panganiban
(accountant).

19. On February 15, 1889, La Solidaridad,
the “organ” of the Propaganda Movement
in Spain was founded by Graciano Lopez-
Jaena.
It’s aims were:
1. to work peacefully for
political and social reforms
2. to portray the conditions of the
Philippines
3. to advocate liberal ideas
4. to champion the legitimate
aspirations of the Filipino people.

20. • Rizal also wrote many write-ups in
London such as “La Revision del Fray
Rodriguez” using his pen name
“Dimasalang” and
“Letter to the Young Women of
Malolos” in February 22, 1889.

21. • As mentioned, Rizal and Gertrude
Beckett became lovers. The lady
helped Pettie (Rizal’s nickname for
Gertrude) in mixing colors for painting
and assisted him in preparing the clay
for sculpturing.
• But on March 19, 1889 Rizal bade
goodbye to the lady and left London
for Paris.

22. France
• Rizal went to Paris but experienced
difficulty of finding quarters but he
lived in the house of Valentin Ventura
at No. 45 Rue Maubeuge where he
polished the annotation of Sucesos de
las Islas Filipinas.
• Further he transferred to the house
of Filipinos Captain Justo Trinidad
(former Gobernadorcillo of Santa Ana,
Manila) and Jose Albert (student from
Manila).

23. • He visited his friends like Trinidad,
Felix, Paz and Joaquin Pardo de
Tavera, Valentin Ventura, Juan Luna,
and the Boustead family.
• On June 24, 1889, Rizal became the
baptismal godfather of Juan and Paz’s
second baby which he gave the name
“Maria de la Paz Blanca Laureana
Hermenegilda Juana Luna y Pardo de
Tavera.”

24. • Rizal was fascinated on the Paris
Exposition which was opened on May 6
of the same year because he saw the
Alexandre Gustave Eiffel’s work,
Eiffel Tower. Together with his
friends, Rizal attended the opening
ceremonies of the
event which was
also seen by almost
200,000 persons.

25. • Besides, the exposition also held an
international art competition were
Felix Hidalgo won second, Juan Luna
and Felix Pardo de Tavera both
settled for third, but Rizal did not
won.

26. • On March 19, 1889 he organized the
group “Kidlat Club” as a social society
aimed to bring together the young
Filipinos in the exposition like Antonio
and Juan Luna, Gregorio Aguilera, Julio
Llorente, Pedro Roxas, Fernando Canon
and Lauro Dimayuga.
• “Indios Bravos” replaced “Kidlat Club”
that aimed to excel the intellectual and
physical prowess in Judo, sword and
pistol to win the admiration of the
foreigners. This was inspired form the
American Indians who were featured in a
Buffalo Bull show.

27. • Redencion de los Malayos was also founded
by Rizal
• It was a secret society mentioned only in two
letters; “Rizal’s letter to Marcelo H. Del
Pilar in Paris, dated November 4, 1889” and
“Rizal’s letter to Jose Ma. Basa in Paris,
dated September 21, 1889.”
• It aimed the propagation of all useful
knowledge in the Philippines in order to gain
freedom not in the Philippines but possibly in
Borneo. Likewise, it was pattern after
Freemasonry.
• Rizal’s trusted friends became its members
like Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Mariano Ponce,
Gregorio Aguilera, Father Jose Maria
Changco, Julio Llorente and Jose M. Basa.

28. • Rizal allegedly published the annotated Morga’s
book in 1889 based on his letters to
Blumentritt, Roxas, and Ponce.
• Other than, he became a “historian” during his
stay in Paris as he wrote several write-ups that
depicts Philippine history:
-“Mayi” (December 6, 1888)
-“Tawalisi of Ibn Batuta” (January 7, 1889)
-“Filipinas dentro de Cien Años” (December 1889),
-“Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos” (September
1890)
-“La Politica Colonial on Filipinas”
-“Manila en el mes Diciembre, 1872”
-“Historia de la Familia Rizal de Calamba”
-“Los Pueblos del Archipelago Indico”

29. Belgium
• Rizal probed Belgium as
accompanied by Jose Albert when
he moved to Brussels. The two
lived in a modest boarding house
on 38 Rue Philippe Champagne
which was run by Jacoby sisters
(Suzanne and Marie).
• Later, Albert left the city and
was replaced by Jose Alejandrino,
an engineering student in Ghent.

30. • Rizal was busy writing his second novel,
articles in La Solidaridad, and also he
established a medical clinic and a
gymnasium
• Rizal also busied himself in advocating
the Filipinization of its orthography as
he wrote the article “Sobre la Nueva
Ortografia de la Lengua Tagala” in La
Solidaridad (April 15, 1890).
• Rizal mentioned that the Tagalog letters
“k” and “w” should be used instead of
Spanish “c” and “o.” (e.g. salakot-
salacot/ araw-arao)

31. • On the time also, the Calamba Agrarian
trouble became worse as the
management of Dominican hacienda
continually raised the land rents until
such time that Rizal’s father refused to
pay his rent.
• Further, the Rizal Family was
persecuted; his brother and his
brothers-in-law Antonio Lopez and
Silvestre Ubaldo were deported to
Mindoro. Besides, Manuel Hidalgo was
exiled to Bohol. Then, Rizal planned to
go home.

32. • Paciano related that they lost the
case against the Dominicans in Manila,
but they appealed it to the Supreme
Court in Spain, hence a lawyer was
needed to handle it in Madrid.
• Rizal wrote to Marcelo H. Del Pilar on
June 20, 1890 retaining
the latter’s services as
lawyer.

33. • After several moments, he went back
to Madrid to seek help for Marcelo
H. Del Pilar about their family
problem in July 1890.
• Rizal also heard the news about
Leonor Rivera’s marriage to Henry
Charles Kipping.

34. • On the other hand, during his summer
time in 1890 at Brussels, Rizal fell in
love with the niece of Jacoby sisters,
Petite Susanne despite being engaged
to Leonor Rivera. Then, Rizal chose to
go with faraway in Madrid
in July 1890, Suzanne
could not forget him.

35. Spain
• Rizal experienced “Misfortunes”
First, the failure to get justice for
his family even called on the Ministerio
de Ultramar but his pleas were not
heard.
Second misfortune happened was
the death of Jose Ma. Panganiban when
Rizal wrote a great eulogy expressing
how great Panganiban was and how
unfortunate Philippines because of his
death.

36. The third disaster happened was his
aborted duel with Antonio Luna. It was
happened during a social gathering, Luna
became drunk and uttered bad remarks
against Nellie Boustead for he was bitter
that time. Rizal heard it and because he
does not want women to be disgraced, he
challenged Luna to a fight.
Rizal was better pistol shooter while
Luna was superior swordsman. Yet, when
Luna became sober, he realized how
foolish he did. Immediately, he apologized
to Rizal and the latter forgave making
them good friend again.

37. • The fourth misfortune was when
Wenceslao Retana, wrote an article in La
Epoca, an anti-Filipino newspaper in
Madrid that declares Rizal’s family was
ejected from Calamba because they did
not pay their rents.
• Rizal, after hearing the insult was
enraged and challenged Retana to a
duel.
• Further, Retana published a retraction
and an apology in the same newspaper.
Eventually, he developed a great
admiration for Rizal and made the first
biography of the greatest Filipino hero.

38. • The last misfortune happened was the
unwanted rivalry between Rizal and Del
Pilar because of Del Pilar’s editorial
policy of La Solidaridad
• December 1890, Rizal and his colleagues
objected to the periodical’s editorial
policy that contradicted Rizal’s views in
political aspect.
• Almost ninety Filipinos met on January
1, 1891 and it was agreed to have an
election to elect the “Responable” in
order to determine the editorial policy
that will be guide the entire publication.

39. • To win, they would need two-thirds of
the participants vote, then, Rizal won
the first two elections but did not
reach two-thirds of the participants
vote.
• With the exception of, Rizal declined
the leadership because he knew there
were Pilaristas who didn't like his
views and personalities.

40. • In February 1891, Rizal visited
Biarritz, France and welcomed by
Boustead family. He also visited
different beaches from Atlantic
Ocean.
• Rizal fell in love with Nellie, one of
the daughters of Mr. Boustead as he
saw this girl like a real Filipina,
intelligent and vivacious.

41. • Unfortunately, the seems to be a love
story of the two ended because
Rizal’s marriage proposal did not
materialize for two reasons;
1. he refused to give up his Catholic
faith and be converted to Protestantism
and
2. Nellie’s mother disapproved of Rizal
as his son-in-law.

42. • His second novel was finished in the
same place on March 29, 1891. Then,
after a day, he bade farewell to the
Boustead family and proceeded to
Paris via train. By middle of April
1891, he went back to Brussels,
Belgium to visit Jacoby sisters.

43. • In January 1891, Rizal retired from
the Propaganda Movement because of
the intrigues that he may encounter if
he continued his presence.
• Rizal also stopped his writing in La
Solidaridad. On the other hand, Del
Pilar wrote Rizal on August 7, 1891
begging forgiveness for any
resentment and requesting him (Rizal)
to resume his writings in the
publication. However, Rizal refused
and explained that he wants to focus
on his writing of the second novel

44. • May 30, 1891, the final revisions for El
Filibusterismo was done in Brussels but
he wrote to his friend Jose Ma. Basa
that the novel was ready to go to press
but encountered financial problems in
terms of very costly printing presses in
the city.
• On July 5, Rizal left Brussels to live in
Ghent by means of two reasons: the
cost of printing in Ghent was cheaper
than in the Brussels and another reason
was to escape from the attraction of
Petite Susanne.

45. • In Ghent, he met Jose Alejandrino
and Edilberto Evangelista who were
students in the University of Ghent.
• Rizal and Alejandrino shared in a room
with a box of biscuits as part of their
“merienda.”
• In Ghent, Rizal found a printing press
that offered an installment basis but
only half of the El Filibusterismo was
printed, the F. Meyer Van Loo Press
located at No. 66 Viaanderen Street.

46. • Rizal wrote a letter to Jose Basa in
Hong Kong about his frustration of
lacking of funds.
• Basa offered some money and his
friend Rodriguez (amount of P200).
On August 6, the printing had to be
suspended because of the required
necessary funds to further.
• Valentin Ventura in Paris learned of
Rizal’s predicament and immediately
sent him the necessary funds.

47. • Finally, the novel came off the
press on September 18, 1891.
• Rizal generously sent the original
manuscript to Ventura and other
two copies to Hong Kong, one for
Basa and other was for Sixto
Lopez.
• Other than, Rizal decided to go
back to the Philippines because of
agrarian issues in Calamba.

48. • Rizal bounded to Hong Kong through
the steamer SS Melbourne in
November 20, 1891 and welcomed by
Jose Ma. Basa.
• Likewise, he established his residence
on No. 2 Rednaxela Terrace, Hong
Kong where he opened also his medical
clinic.

49. • Rizal wrote to his parents, asking
permission to go home, but his
brother-in-law Manuel Hidalgo wrote
him and revealed the despair and
sorrow of Rizal family because of the
deportation of twenty-five persons
from Calamba including his family.
• Subsequently, even being deported to
other place, Rizal family including
Silvestre Ubaldo (Rizal’s brother-in-
law) had a family reunion on Christmas
of 1891. This was the happiest
Yuletide celebration in Rizal’s life.

50. • As he practiced Ophthalmology on his
clinic in Hong Kong to live with his
family, he befriended Dr. Lorenzo P.
Marques who helped him to build up a
wide clientele. He operated his
mother again and he had foreign
clients like British, Chinese,
Portuguese and Americans.
• Through his Ophthalmic excellence, he
was commended by Dr. Ariston
Bautista Lin, Don Antonio Vergel de
Dios and Dr. Geminiano de Ocampo.

51. • At the start of January 1892,
Rizal visited Sandakan, Malaysia
through the ship “Menon.”
• This journey was for his plan to
establish a Filipino colony in
North Borneo (Sabah) after
Governor Valeriano Weyler
persecuted Calamba men. He
negotiated to British people about
the plan in March 7, 1892.

52. • This mission was successful as the
British authorities were willing to give
the Filipino colonist 100,000 acres of
land, a beautiful harbor and good
government for 999 years, free for all
charges. On April 20, he went back to
Hong Kong.
• The project was supported by his
friends like Luna brothers, Lopez Jaena,
Blumentritt and Bautista Lin. But his
brother-in-law Hidalgo did not agree
because he believed that they must not
leave a beautiful country like the
Philippines and because of other people
that might say.

53. • Through a letter, Rizal asked the
new Governor General Eulogio
Despujol about the proposal in
Borneo Colonization project. But the
governor did not recognize his letter.
• After three months, Rizal wrote a
second letter dated March 21, 1892
requesting the governor.
• The governor general notified the
Spanish consul general in Hong Kong
to tell Rizal that he could not
approve his request because he said
that “Philippines lacked laborers.”

54. • Despite being busy as a doctor and
advocate for Borneo project, Rizal
wrote several write-ups such as “Ang
Mga Karapatan Nang Tao” (translation
of French “The Rights of Man”), “A
La Nacion Española” (depicts wrong
doings of Spaniards in Calamba) and
“Sa Mga Kababayan” (explained the
Calamba agrarian issue).

55. • For the third time, Rizal wrote a letter
to the Governor General Despujol on
June 21, 1892 informing the official
that he will go to the Philippines and
requesting the Spanish government to
place him under protection.
• Yet, after Rizal’s departure to Hong
Kong in June 21, 1892, the Spanish
consul in Hong Kong sent a secret
telegram to Governor General Despujol
saying that the “Rat is on trap.”
• Moreover, a secret case was filed in
Manila against Rizal and his followers for
“anti-religious and anti-patriotic
agitation."

56. • Rizal went to the Philippines with his
sister Lucia carried a special passport
or “safe-conduct”
issued by the Spanish
Consul general in
Hong Kong.

57. Thank you!
Yosef Eric C. Hipolito,LPT, MA
Bachelor of Arts in History
yosefhipolito19@gmail.com