THE RIZAL SHRINE IN FORT SANTIAGO

28th AUGUST 2017 ~ Jose Rizal is the national hero of the Philippines. He has a special place in every Filipino's heart. After visiting Jose Shrine and another museum, I believe he is a true warrior and deserves the honour bestowed upon him. 

Here are some interesting facts you should know about this great figure, gathered from Wikipedia:

• Jose Rizal was an ophthalmologist by profession - something like an eye specialist.
• He first studied law but quickly switched to medicine when he got to know his mother was going to be blind. He himself operated on his mother's eyes.
• When he was 21 years old, he traveled alone to Madrid to study medicine without his parents' knowledge.
• Rizal was a polymath - someone who was multi-talented. Not only he was good in Science, he was also good in sketching, painting, wood-carving and sculptures making.
• He could write well too - he wrote poems, novels and essays. 

• He was a well-known sculptor, painter, educator, farmer, historian, playwright and journalist.
• He was an expert in architecture, cartography, ethnology, economics, anthropology, sociology, dramatics, martial arts, fencing and pistol shooting.  
• People working on his biography had difficulties in translating his writings like his diaries and letters as he had the habit of switching from one language to another, because he was a polyglot. He mastered 22 languages.

• Rizal sparked the idea of revolution against the Spanish in the Philippines in his writings. The pen is definitely mightier than the sword.
• Rizal was labeled as enemy of the state because of his novels.
• Because of a revolution movement that was going on at that time, Rizal was accused of being the mastermind. He was later pun on trial for rebellion, sedition and conspiracy.
• Sadly, he was executed for the crime he did not commit by the Spaniards at the age of 35.

How everything is just heart-breaking. Even though he was dead, his spirit lived on among the Filipino fighters and Jose Rizal was the one who inspired for the country's independence.

I am truly amazed and inspired by Jose Rizal, and I salute you!

[MY MANILA TRIP MAIN PAGE]

CRUISING ON THE LEGENDARY LAKE TOBA

31st JANUARY 2017 ~ When I was younger, in the 80's, one's greatest achievement could be their ability to travel to Medan and Lake Toba. Lake Toba would be THE must-visit place at that time, when not everyone could fly. I was finally cruising on the legendary lake many, many years later and I still considered it as an achievement for myself.

We were taking the boat cruise on the lake at about 9:00 a.m. to get to the island in the middle of it, called Samosir Island.

Here are some interesting facts about Lake Toba from Wikipedia:

• Lake Toba is actually a large volume of water filling in a supervolcano caldera (crater) after a very huge explosion when the content (the hot magma) had been emptied.
• It is the largest volcanic lake in the world.
• It is 100km long, 30km wide and 500m deep.

We were a bit unlucky as the sky that morning was cloudy and the surroundings were foggy. I bet the photos would turn up more beautiful if there was sunshine and blue sky. However, the air was cool and pure, and this would be the place to live healthily without any pollution.

[MY MEDAN TRIP MAIN PAGE]

VIDEO: WHERE DOES A GIRAFFE GET ITS DRINKING WATER FROM?

This was what we saw when we were in the Singapore Zoo - a giraffe drinking another giraffe's urine. Although it was not a pleasant sight, it sure had created curiosity for me to find out more. And I googled for information regarding the giraffe's strange behaviour. 

There is always something new to learn from the zoo.

And here's the answer found in Wikipedia: "Male giraffes assess female fertility by tasting the female's urine to detect estrus, in a multi-step process known as the Flehmen response." If you want to know more about giraffes, click HERE.

AN EXPAT'S HOUSE IN SINGAPORE

expatriate - (abbr. expat) a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture than that of the person's upbringing. 
~ WIKIPEDIA ~

I was feasting my eyes on the beautiful house of my friend who is now residing in Singapore. It is the kind of house you would love to have but that is not going to happen even in your wildest dream.

There must be something wrong with the house. I did not feel living in Singapore at all, except for the heat.

 

At least, there were a few plants in the garden which I also have at home, and that could be the only similarities found. One of these days, I am getting a fish pond for my house.