u/Traditional_Face_984

Heidelberg is incredibly famous in Germany (known as the most beautiful city), but few people know about its deep connection to Philippine history.

Following in the footsteps of José Rizal, I came across many interesting things in Heidelberg.

For example, he wrote the world-famous novel Noli Me Tangere here, which later sparked the Philippine Revolution. He also trained in ophthalmology here to save his mother from going blind.

Today, many monuments stand in and near Heidelberg. I summarized the whole story in a 23-minute documentary. Maybe you're interested in learning more about his short but intense time here.

The video was made with the help of the great-grandson of Pastor Ullmer, who gave Rizal a home, and the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt. I hope you like it ♥

https://youtu.be/NoTX6vuK--c

40°C in the shade today. Still worth it. ♥

Most people walk past these places every day without knowing.

José Rizal was a Filipino student. His novel Noli Me Tangere, published in 1887 in Berlin, exposed Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines and helped spark a revolution. He was executed at 35. Today, June 19th, is his 165th birthday.

And he spent a significant part of 1886 in Heidelberg.

The eye clinic on Bergheimerstraße where he trained as an ophthalmologist. The plaque at Ludwigsplatz where he lived. The riverbank that now bears his name: Rizal Ufer.

What most people don't know: from Heidelberg, he traveled to Wilhelmsfeld every day (16k Steps), where a German pastor gave him a room and the quiet he needed to finish his novel.

I've spent the last month retracing his footsteps through Heidelberg, Wilhelmsfeld, and various archives.

https://youtu.be/3fvyg-RnDJw

Special thanks to the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt and Dr. Fritz Hack Ullmer.

This is Wilhelmsfeld, Germany. A village near Heidelberg. Rizal spent 3 months here, hiking the hills (16k Steps and back) during the day, writing his Novel "Noli Me Tangere" at night.

Rizal arrived here as a foreign student trying to save his mother from blindness. He left with a manuscript that would ignite a revolution. A German pastor's quiet house in the middle of nowhere became the birthplace of Filipino nationalism.

Today is his 165th birthday. I've been retracing his footsteps through Germany for the past month and made a documentary about it.

https://youtu.be/3fvyg-RnDJw

Special thanks to the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt and Dr. Fritz Hack Ullmer.

I received a DM today that included racist, homophobic, and abusive insults. And I am absolutely shocked!!! I already took screenshots and I am planning to report the account.

what is the best way to report someone like this (in Discord?) and, if relevant, in Marvel Rivals too? I don´t know what guy this is. I don´t know him.

I am not looking to start drama. I just want to know the proper reporting process and whether there is anything else I should do besides blocking the person and submitting a report.

Has anyone dealt with this before? And why is hatred so prevalent in this game? In my experience, I am very often insulted during matches just like here.

In Celestial Lobby Season 7.5 (13-05-2026)

"CHEATER DETECTED - Game canceled"

The cheater has been punished, and the match is invalid. Nothing will be recorded on the career page.

I spontaneously decided to spend 24 hours on Apo Island - no pre-booked tour, no agency, just figuring it out as I went. Here's the honest breakdown so you don't have to.

Info about me: I am from Germany, solo, vegetarian, so for me it was a special adventure. ♥

If you don´t want to read my Guide, you can also watch my Video: https://youtu.be/EKqLMmjzWAo

🚐 Getting there from Dumaguete

Take a tricycle heading south toward Malatapay (also called Zamboanguita pier) - that's your jump-off point. The ride takes about 1 hour. I paid ₱800. Budget option: take a Jeepney or bus to Malatapay market and walk to the pier.

⛵ Boat: The Joiner Trick

At the pier you have three options:

• Private boat – expensive
• Public trip – wait and hope
• Joiner boat – this is the move ✅

I arrived around 9am, the coordinator told me a group had one spare seat. I paid ₱500 each way, swapped WhatsApp numbers with the group to sync the return - and it worked perfectly. The crossing takes about 40 minutes. Wear earplugs or headphones. Seriously. The engine is brutal.

🏡 Accommodation

There a few Hotels for staying overnight. Just know: no AC, no Wi-Fi, electricity only in the evenings for a few hours - just enough to charge your gear. No frills. That's the island.

Nobody asked me for the ₱120 environmental fee so I didn´t pay for it.

🐢 Turtles & Snorkeling

I arrived and a local guide named Jerome knocked on my door. ₱300 for a snorkel tour, mask and fins included - you can keep the gear until 5pm. No planning needed.

Two turtle species here:

• Green turtles - shallow water, chill grazers
• Hawksbill turtles - deeper coral, sharp beak

I saw two turtles at the same spot at one point. For me personally this beat anything I'd seen snorkeling before. The coral has some typhoon damage in spots but is recovering, and reef fish are everywhere.

I also booked a private boat tour for ₱1500 (about 1 hour around half the island with drift snorkeling). Totally worth it. The current was warm and visibility solid.

Scuba dive costs ₱2500 (gear + guide) if that's your thing.

🍽️ Food & Water

There's no 7-Eleven, no Starbucks. But there are sari-sari shops - water is ₱30 per bottle. The guesthouse had vegetarian food when I asked (I don't eat meat or fish). Choices are limited, so manage expectations.

☔ Rainy Season Warning

I was there in October - is still rainy season. I got lucky with decent visibility but: mosquitoes are intense. Pack spray. December–January is peak season and reportedly much calmer water - but also more crowded.

🚮 The thing nobody posts on Instagram

There's litter. On the beach, in parts of the water. I noticed this in several places across the Philippines - from Manila to El Nido. It doesn't kill the experience but it's real and worth mentioning. The island is remote, resources are limited. Just be conscious about your own waste.

💸 Full DIY Cost Breakdown (solo, overnight)

Item	Cost
Tricycle Dumaguete → Malatapay	₱600–800
Joiner boat (each way)	₱500
Accommodation (1 night)	₱1200–1500
Environmental fee	₱120
Snorkel guide + gear	₱300
Private boat tour	₱1000–1500
Water/Food	~₱200–400
Total	~₱4500–5000

Is the overnight worth it vs. day trip?

If you're on a tight schedule: day trip is fine. Hotel pickup from Dumaguete, back by evening - easy.

But if you want the quiet magic of an early morning swim before the day-tripper boats arrive, or just want to actually be somewhere for a night instead of racing through it - overnight wins. The island is tiny and very real. No performance, no polish.

I made a full video about it if you want the visual breakdown: https://youtu.be/EKqLMmjzWAo

Happy to answer questions. 🤙

This City has DAILY Firework!

Do you know which city in Vietnam?