Ambeth R. Ocampo's Blog, page 197

In another time, another place, my nickname was "Nacho" not for the corn chips b...

In another time, another place, my nickname was "Nacho" not for the corn chips but for my namesake Ignacio de Loyola whose feast day we share and celebrate each year on July 31. A cousin who left the Benedictines that run St. Scholastica's to get married said in jest that my lack of perseverance was the second disappointment in our family. Some people enter religious life and stay for life, some join for a short time, either way appreciating the love for learning and the search for the Divine remains and cannot but be a blessing.

Leoncio Lopez Rizal narrated that he often heard his uncle, Jose Rizal, prescrib...

Leoncio Lopez Rizal narrated that he often heard his uncle, Jose Rizal, prescribing "Emulsion de Scott" as a tonic to his patients. This awful tasting cod liver oil is remembered by many old people who will tell you that it was NOT one of the happy memories of childhood. Children often wonder at the strange logic of adults: chocolate tastes good, it is bad for you; ampalaya and cod liver oil taste bad, they are good for you.

Gregorio del Pilar (1875-1899) is referred to in our textbooks as the "Boy Gener...

Gregorio del Pilar (1875-1899) is referred to in our textbooks as the "Boy General." The soldiers under him knew him as "Heneral Goyo." In art he is often depicted on a white horse with a surprised look on his face when the enemy bullet hit and killed him. He was handsome and popular with the ladies. When his body was stripped by the enemy for souvenirs they found love letters in his pocket as well as a perfumed handkerchief from one of his many admirers.

My Inquirer column today.http://opinion.inquirer.net/57395/rev...

My Inquirer column today.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/57395/revolutionary-tactics


Revolutionary tactics
opinion.inquirer.net
In a little more than a month’s time it will be the “ber” months (September, October, November and December), and the Philippines will begin observing the longest Christmas celebration in the world.

Mabini's funeral in Manila in 1903 made news even in the U.S. of A.

Mabini's funeral in Manila in 1903 made news even in the U.S. of A.

My Inquirer column today on Mabini and carabao milk.http://opinion.inquirer.net...

My Inquirer column today on Mabini and carabao milk.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/57219/mabinis-carabaos-milk


Mabini’s carabao’s milk
opinion.inquirer.net
Those who read or imagine ideological bias in my columns point to the fact that I write more about Rizal than Bonifacio, whose 150th birthday we commemorate this year. They may also find it significant that next to Rizal my favorite hero happens to be Apolinario Mabini, whose 150th birthday we celeb...

Took Christine Beaule of the University of Hawaii to Taal, Batangas to walk her...

Took Christine Beaule of the University of Hawaii to Taal, Batangas to walk her through the lay-out of a well preserved Spanish colonial town in the Philippines. After doing the Basilica, town market, the Apacible and Agoncillo historical landmarks we went to the 17thC shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay and were surrounded by children selling votive candles. One boy was a budding historian who rattled out the history of the image (complete with dates and names!) so I decided to buy candles from him. As a bonus he led us to the "wishing well" off the beaten path. Seeing his ancient arch made of adobe and coral in the middle of nowhere gave us a sense of discovery that the French felt when they came across Angkor Wat overgrown by jungle plants. I had been to Taal many times before but never saw this arch. This was definitely the highlight of our trip.


Travel

Second lecture at the Ayala Museum last Saturday went well. See you for the thir...

Second lecture at the Ayala Museum last Saturday went well. See you for the third History comes Alive lecture August 31.

My Inquirer column today.http://opinion.inquirer.net/56843/fee...

My Inquirer column today.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/56843/feeling-like-a-dinosaur


Feeling like a dinosaur
opinion.inquirer.net
One of the assignments my students appreciate is having to go to the library to dig up the newspaper on the day they were born and to tell me, based on their research, what the Philippines or the world was like on that day. In the course of their writing, the students compare and contrast the past w...

Many years ago I accompanied a friend to Obando and danced in the street to help...

Many years ago I accompanied a friend to Obando and danced in the street to help her pray for a baby. Hidden in downtown Bangkok is a small shrine where people leave phalluses of different sizes and shapes for fertility.