#also to clarify it’s been ruins since the earthquake

[leroibobo]

ruins of the white mosque of ramla, palestine. construction was initiated by umayyad governor sulayman ibn abd al-malik in 715-717 ce, but was completed by his successor umar ii in 720.

an earthquake in january of 1034 destroyed the mosque, and reconstruction was completed 200 years later. it since had several destructions, restorations, and expansions, including one restoration by saladin. the last took place between 1844-1918; since then, it has been mostly destroyed, with only its minaret still intact.

the mosque is reputable in muslim tradition; its minaret is referred to as the tower of forty martyrs, after the belief that forty companions of the prophet muhammad are buried under it. within local muslim tradition, it's believed that the prophet salih was also buried here, and a maqām in his honor is located nearby. a religious celebration of salih used to take place here annually before the nakba.

below the mosque's courtyard also exist three large cisterns (last two pictures) which provided water for worshippers, including for a former pool for wudu.

[imagining-supernatural]

Tomorrow

Summary: Just angst and depression, bruh. Remember, I let you guys vote for either this fic or the fluffy one and... well...

Platonic!Reader & Dean & Sam

Word Count: 1583

TW: Hospitals, ed, cancer, avoidance

-----

“That was the hospital,” Sam said once he hung up. He ran his fingers through his hair and looked at Dean with tired eyes. “Y/N’s there again.”

It hurt, but it wasn’t a surprise. “What happened?”

“She collapsed. They’re running tests now to see why.”

Y/N had been getting worse for months now. She hid it, but after it got to a certain point, to the point where the hospital got involved, she couldn’t hide it any longer. Dean grabbed his jacket and keys. “Let’s go.”

The ride was silent and familiar. It was the third time in as many months. The first time was just to pick her up. Y/N had gone to get a sleeping pill prescription, and the doctors wouldn’t let her get behind the wheel, saying that she would be a danger in her current state. The second time, she’d been so sick that her roommate insisted she go. Sam and Dean had been called because they were still on file from the first time.

And now she collapsed.

If only she would tell them what was going on with her.

*****

“They shouldn’t have called you.” I hated seeing Dean and Sam here. They shouldn’t have to take care of me. I was an adult. I could do this on my own.

Well, theoretically.

The Winchesters shouldn’t have to worry themselves about me. Sure, we grew up together, but that doesn’t mean they need to watch my destruction.

“They said you collapsed,” Dean said, pulling over a chair beside the hospital bed. God, I hated hospital beds. I hated everything about the hospital.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. I use to hate hospitals. Now though, I found a strange sort of comfort.

“I had them remove you as my emergency contacts last time. They shouldn’t have called.”

“Well, they did. Why’d you collapse?”

Why does anything collapse? Governments, buildings, organs… too much pressure.

At my lack of an answer, Sam sighed and came to sit on the edge of the bed. “We’re worried about you, Y/N.”

“They shouldn’t have called you,” was all I said. I’m an adult. I don’t need people looking after me. I should be able to do that myself. They could worry about their own problems.

“Why not?”

So far, my favorite part about living on my own was the independence. I could do whatever I liked. Whatever I wished. I just wish people would stop worrying about me because of it. I was on my own, so I should be on my own. I hadn’t talked to either Dean or Sam since the last time I was here. That was a whole month without any Y/N problems hanging off their shoulders. Now the hospital ruined that streak by calling them.

“I took you off my contact list. It’s unprofessional, really. And probably against HIPAA.”

“Why did you take us off your list?” Dean clarified Sam’s question with a sigh. He knew that I’d understood the first time. So he should also know that I wasn’t going to answer this time.

“They said they’re keeping me here overnight. You guys should go back to whatever you were doing. I’ll be fine.”

They shared a look and Sam stood up. “I’ll go find a nurse.”

He shut the door behind him. It was just me and Dean now.

“He’s going to get answers, Y/N. You might has well just tell me why you collapsed.”

Dean was raised right. Sam too. I suppose I was also raised right, but the lessons just didn’t stick for me like it did for them. The three of us. The fearsome threesome. A force to be reckoned with back in high school. Back when life was simpler.

“Have you seen the news? All those hurricanes and earthquakes? Man, I would hate to be there.”

He knew I wasn’t going to give him a real answer, so he just sighed heavily, pulled his baseball cap down over his eyes, and slid down the chair until he was comfortable enough. He was going to have to go to the chiropractor if he fell asleep like that.

“Dean, go home. Get some sleep in your bed. You have a game tomorrow that you need to be ready for.”

“Surprised you even know about that,” he mumbled, not moving.

The school sends out weekly emails about all of the events happening on campus I still get them even though I dropped out a month ago. Of course I know about the football games.

I’m not very good at being a real person lately. There’s just too much happening. Too many strings to keep track of. A to-do list that keeps getting longer and longer. More failures that keep piling up in the corner of my closet. I can’t do it all, so some things had to go. Dean and Sam just couldn’t see how much more free they were without me.

I guess they would figure that out soon enough.

“I forgot to eat,” I finally say out loud. It’s not completely the truth. I knew that I had to eat, but I just… didn’t.

Dean peeked at me from under the bill of his hat. “What?”

“That’s why I collapsed. They’re going to give me whatever I need then send me home. That’s it, okay? Nothing to worry about. You guys can go home now.” I closed my eyes, knowing that Dean was going to blow this completely out of proportion. If I had to hear it, I didn’t want to see it too.

“How do you forget to eat?”

It’s a lot of work. You gotta figure out what you want to eat, then see if you have everything to make it, then if you don’t you have to go to the store and spend money and time and be around people. And if your roommate is home, then you run the risk of having to be in the kitchen with her too and small talk is just something that I can’t do. Then, after all that hullabaloo, there was no guarantee that I wouldn’t just puke the food up in a few minutes.

It’s just easier to… not.

“Y/N, c’mon, what the hell?”

This would have been so much better if the hospital hadn’t called them. Dean was all about eating right. He cared about his body. It got him his athletic scholarships. It was his future. He was going to be in the NFL. He had to worry about that shit. And Sam? His future was all about being a personal trainer. It was his job to figure out the right way to eat and exercise and all that crap.

I was the brains. Well, I used to be. I used to think I was.

Funny how fast things change.

“Go home, Dean. Take Sam with you. The hospital’s got my back now. You have a game tomorrow.” I settle further into the bed.

“When was the last time you ate?”

The worst part of hospital beds was getting comfortable in them. It was impossible on a good day, but with wire and tubes sticking out of you? It was better to just resign yourself to a very uncomfortable night.

“Y/N.”

“And it’s not just the hurricanes and earthquakes. There was a giant tsunami too. It’s like the earth is trying to tell us that we’re not welcome anymore. Crazy.”

“I don’t care about that right now. Y/N, when did you last eat?”

I was so tired. And all this probably wouldn’t matter in a few weeks anyway. Dean had a game tomorrow. “If you don’t leave, I’m gonna call security.”

His mouth dropped open. I couldn’t stand to look at him anymore, so I stared straight ahead at the door instead.

“Y/N, what the fuck is going on with you?”

The door opened and Sam returned with a nurse and a doctor. It was never good when the doctor came back in. Especially with a nurse. I addressed them, rather than my friends. “Can you get them out of here, please? I don’t want them here.”

“Y/N, I don’t think that’s a good idea given—”

“Get them out of here!” I yelled suddenly, finding some hidden reservoir of energy to protect my friends from the ugliness that the doctor was about to tell me.

Dean and Sam protested, but they were too nice to fight against the nurse as she pushed them out the door. As soon as they were gone, I slumped back against the pillow.

“It spread, didn’t it?” I asked weakly.

The doctor nodded sympathetically. “The tumor in your brain that we found a month ago is growing faster than we thought, and the cancer has spread to your spinal cord.”

It didn’t take ten seasons of Grey’s Anatomy for me to know what that meant. “How long do I have?”

“It’s hard to say, but…” the doctor flipped through a few pages on my chart. It was just a stalling technique. It couldn’t be easy to tell a twenty-two-year-old girl that she was going to die soon. “I would say somewhere between three weeks and four months.”

“I can go get your friends, if you’d like. You don’t have to go through this alone,” the nurse offered.

I just shook my head. A single tear trailed down my cheek, but other than that I was able to keep all of my emotions buried deep. “No. They need to go. Dean has a game tomorrow.”

*****

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[musicprincess655]

Atsushi can’t believe his eyes when they finally get clear of the rubble that used to be the Correctional Facility.

The wall that surrounds No. 6 is gone.

Atsushi doesn’t know what kind of disaster could have destroyed that wall. It has withstood typhoons and earthquakes and storms of all kind, and never even looked scratched. If this is Elyurias’ doing, he shivers at the weight of her power.

“It’s all gone.” Akutagawa at his side is just as transfixed. “No more No. 6, no more West Block.”

“Just people,” Atsushi says. “Come on.”

He grabs Akutagawa’s hand, and Akutagawa lets him, holds his hand back, even. Atsushi isn’t sure exactly what happened, but he thinks…he died. He was dead. And then he heard Lucy singing, and he wasn’t dead anymore. He was awake, and Akutagawa wasn’t hurt anymore, and Akutagawa nearly looked like he’d been crying, but that didn’t make sense, because Akutagawa isn’t the kind of person that cries.

Except he isn’t supposed to be the kind of person that lets Atsushi hold his hand, and here they are, and his hand is so warm that Atsushi can’t feel any chill of death. They walk together in silence, but it’s companionable, and slowly approach the ruins that were once No. 6.

Atsushi notices Gin first. Or, more accurately, Gin notices them first, because she comes flying in at a speed that astounds him, flinging herself at both of them so hard they fall on their backs. Her arms tighten around their necks until Atsushi can’t breathe, but he never once lets go of Akutagawa’s hand.

“Come on, don’t kill them again.” Chuuya is here, too, and pulling Gin off them. He extends a hand, pulling them both easily to their feet. “Glad to see you both.”

“He was totally going to cry, you know,” Dazai says. “It would’ve gotten ugly.”

Chuuya slaps his arm, but it’s not without affection. Atsushi can see Dazai wouldn’t have cried for him, but he would’ve mourned the way Dazai mourns, with alcohol and harsh words and isolation he needs to be slapped out of, and he’s glad they don’t have to go through any of that.

They’re close enough to the remains of the city that Atsushi can see people crossing the rubble, looking around with curiosity at a world they’ve never seen before. Most of them are wandering slowly, taking it all in, but a few are running, and Atsushi focuses in on them.

A grin splits his face.

Atsushi pulls Akutagawa along with him as he runs to meet them. Akutagawa protests, tugging at Atsushi’s hand, trying to get him to slow down, but Atsushi won’t hear of it, not now. He skids to a halt at the same time the man in front does.

“Hey, Fukuzawa-san,” Atsushi says. “It’s good to see you again.”

He goes for a respectful bow, but before he can even start the motion, Fukuzawa sweeps him up in a hug. Atsushi only hesitates for a moment before returning it.

“You caused quite the commotion with your absence.” Kunikida is here too, and Atsushi never thought he’d long to hear Kunikida’s nagging. “Paperwork’s been piling up, morale has been down, and-”

Yosano slaps him on the back, and Kunikida adjusts his glasses.

“Never die again!” Kunikida finishes lamely.

“Yeah, it’s boring without you,” Ranpo adds. “Who’s that, by the way?”

Atsushi doesn’t believe for a second Ranpo doesn’t know who Akutagawa is, so this is clearly him trying to turn this situation interesting.

“I am Akutagawa Ryuunosuke,” Akutagawa says stiffly.

“So you’re Akutagawa,” Fukuzawa says. “I don’t know what you did, but it did one hell of a number on the city.”

“It wasn’t me,” Akutagawa says, and Atsushi realizes they’re going to have to find a way to explain Elyurias, and they’ll have to do it in a way that keeps the past from repeating itself.

“Hey, Sensei.”

Atsushi has the privilege of seeing Fukuzawa look rattled when he sees Dazai. He blinks once, and then again, as if he can’t believe his own eyes.

“Dazai-kun?” Fukuzawa shakes his head. “So you’re not dead after all.”

“The rumors of my death were vastly overexaggerated,” Dazai says. Chuuya elbows him.

“Stop being an ass and go say hello like a normal person,” he says.

Atsushi gets swept up in the reunion, Akutagawa’s hand falling out of his, as the entire group starts walking towards the bunker. Atsushi is so caught up in telling his friends everything he’s gone through in the months since he left that he nearly forgets what should be waiting for them. Chuuya and Dazai nearly jump out of their skin when they find the child Atsushi sent this way sitting in the bunker.

The child, whose name is Kyusaku but prefers to be called Q, has been here for hours, patiently waiting for everything to be safe. They seem perfectly content to sit quietly and watch everyone with their huge eyes, already at home.

Atsushi watches as his old friends mix with his new, laughing at the explosive pair that is Dazai and Kunikida, sighing as Ranpo tries and fails to talk to Chuuya, shaking his head as Tanizaki tries to make friends with Gin around his sister’s reach. It’s comforting, this new group, almost like a family reunion.

But it’s also stifling in the bunker, and Atsushi has to leave for air.

He can’t stop looking at the place where the wall used to be. It became such a constant in the skyline that Atsushi can’t get used to the new lack so easily. The sun sets, going down on what has been an interminably long day, and he can’t help but think he’d like to sleep for a few days. He did die, after all. He should be allowed.

“Nakajima.”

Atsushi turns, and Akutagawa is there, cupping his face in his hands, bringing their lips together. This kiss is nothing like the first one. That was for all the wrong reasons, for Atsushi leaving Akutagawa behind, but this one is hungry, Akutagawa’s mouth slipping open, Atsushi’s tongue slipping in, Atsushi’s hands on Akutagawa’s hips, pressing them flush together.

When they part, Atsushi’s lips sting from the pressure, and Akutagawa can’t seem to catch his breath.

“You’ll be okay,” Akutagawa says.

“What?”

“In this new world,” Akutagawa clarifies. “You’ll be okay.”

“You make it sound like you’re leaving.” Atsushi narrows his eyes when Akutagawa doesn’t answer. “You don’t get to leave.”

“Nakajima-”

“You definitely don’t get to kiss me like that and call me anything but my given name,” Atsushi says.

“Atsushi-”

“And you’re the one who said no more goodbye kisses.”

“Can I finish?” Atsushi rolls his eyes, and he doesn’t let go of Akutagawa’s hips. Akutagawa lets go of his face, rests his arms on Atsushi’s shoulders, and continues. “There’s still a lot I don’t know about Elyurias, and I promised I’d take care of her legacy. So I have to go find answers.”

“Okay,” Atsushi says. “I’ll go with you.”

“But you-”

“I’ll go with you,” Atsushi says, more forcefully this time. “And then I’ll come back with you, and maybe we can find a place to live where I don’t have to sleep on the floor. I think they’ll need the space for Q anyway.”

“You say that like Gin will be thrilled about sharing with them.”

“She’ll figure it out,” Atsushi says. “And so will we. So no running away now.”

Akutagawa sighs, and he’s still close enough that Atsushi can feel it brush his lips.

“Fine,” he says. “You can come with me.”

“And who’s going to look after Q?” Chuuya has climbed up after them, Q tagging along behind him. “You two found them, they’re your responsibility now.”

“Well, Chuuya-san, this is kind of important,” Akutagawa tries. Q grabs the back of Chuuya’s shirt, almost as if agreeing.

“I already did two kids,” Chuuya says. “Three, if you count Nakajima.”

“You probably shouldn’t count Atsushi.”

“I’m not doing another one.”

“Oh, come on, Chuuya, it could be fun.” Dazai has joined them too. “Besides, it’s not like they can cart Q along with them. And you wouldn’t really turn a kid out, would you?”

Chuuya stares at Dazai like he’s grown a second head.

“Your habit of picking up strays is getting inconvenient,” he says. “But fine. We can look after Q for a while.”

Atsushi bursts out laughing, burying his face in Akutagawa’s chest. He just feels full to bursting, still reeling from the kiss, from Akutagawa’s promise. He has his family back, and intact, and later, he’ll mourn Lucy, not truly gone, but also no longer here.

“So where are we going?” he asks. Akutagawa looks around, as if testing directions.

“I guess…anywhere we want,” he says. Atsushi lets go of his hips, but grabs his hand again.

“Sounds like a plan.”

[seehonduras]

seehonduras_history_onthisdate

SEPTEMBER 20, 1855 DEATH OF JOSE TRINIDAD REYES

José Trinidad Reyes Sevilla was born on June 11, 1797 in San Miguel de Tegucigalpa. A deacon, priest and poet, he was a polemicist defending the rights of women and the poor. Hero of Honduras, he founded the Autonomous University of Honduras. He is a relevant figure in the field of dramaturgy and is considered the initiator of Honduran poetry. He is also the author of texts of political content that honor or denote the memory of various characters. He died on September 20, 1855 in Tegucigalpa.

José Trinidad Reyes Sevilla (San Miguel de Tegucigalpa, June 11, 1797 - Tegucigalpa, September 20, 1855) is the legitimate son of Felipe Santiago Reyes (music teacher) and María Francisca Sevilla. In his childhood and adolescence he learned reading, Christian doctrine, Latin and drawing classes. In 1819 he entered as a novice in the Convent of the Recoletos de León (Nicaragua) and in 1822 he began his religious career as a deacon and priest. In Guatemala he studied Spanish playwrights and Greek and Latin classics, as well as some Mexican dramatic pieces.

José Trinidad is considered a hero of Honduras and founder of the Autonomous University of Honduras, which had previously been used as a Government House "The Society of Entrepreneurial Genius and Good Taste". He organized the first Library in Honduras - called "Biblioteca de la Academia" - and also operated the country's first printing press - "Imprenta de la Academia".

The poetic work of José Trinidad offers a dichotomy between poems of neoclassical influence and texts with a popular and romantic air. He is a relevant figure in the field of dramaturgy; although his legacy in lyrics is very meager, he is considered the initiator of Honduran poetry. He wrote several pastorelas, which are the first theatrical manifestations in Central America. He also produced texts of political content that honor or dent the memory of various characters.

Reyes defended women's rights, from a position very close to the Enlightenment. He fought poverty and its causes, helping the poor and insisting on their right to education not only in matters of faith, but also in more mundane matters such as culture and science.

BIOGRAPHY

He is the legitimate son of Felipe Santiago de Reyes —an honored music teacher, who instructed him in the basics of the subject— and Doña María Francisca Sevilla.

He was baptized on June 14 of the same year, 3 days after his birth, by the Reverend Father Fray Nicolás Hermosilla, and his godmother was Doña María Josefa Araurrenechea. On his baptismal certificate his full name is read; Juan José Sahagún de la Santísima Trinidad.

In 1804 she entered a private school in Tegucigalpa and began to learn the reading and doctrine of the Catholic faith with Miss Gomez, one of the so-called "teachers". In 1812, at the age of fifteen, he learned the Latin language thanks to Friar Juan Altamirano, from the convent of Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, he also received drawing lessons under the direction of Don Rafael U. Martínez, a Guatemalan painter based in Honduras, as well as music classes.

On January 20, 1815, he left Tegucigalpa for the city of León (Nicaragua), in order to advance in his studies, under the guard of a labrador from the neighborhood of La Plazuela, named Miguel Álvarez, and accompanied by the devotees who went on a pilgrimage to the town of El viejo, in the city of León. While there, he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law and, while studying, a position as assistant to the Maestro de Capilla in the cathedral of León, where he perfected his knowledge in music.

Life as a deacon and priest

"What was a disgrace for the religious communities, was a great fortune for Honduras."

—Ramón Rosa, referring to the banishment of Father Reyes to Honduras

In 1825, due to the civil war in Nicaragua, the Recoletos were expelled and forced to go to Guatemala. There, Reyes studied the Greek and Latin classics; to the Spanish playwrights Lope de Vega and Calderón de la Barca and recognized some theatrical pieces brought from Mexico, especially from Oaxaca and Chiapas, in addition he also finished his humanist and religious training. In 1828, with the permission of his superiors, he returned to Honduras to spend a season close to his family; passed through the city of Chiquimula and stopped at Esquipulas; where it is said that he lost his sense of sight, although he was healed a few days later. On the afternoon of July 13 of the same year, he arrived at the neighboring town of La Concepción, or Comayagüela, and the next day celebrated his first Mass in the church of La Concepción. Unable to return to Guatemala because of the war that then existed between the conservatives led by Mariano de Aycinena y Piñol and the liberal troops of General Francisco Morazán, he settled in the unoccupied Convent of Nuestra Señora de la Mercedes, located in Tegucigalpa, "which was to be until his death, his usual residence".

In 1830 he wrote in verse a birthday greeting to General Francisco Morazán, then president of Central America and in 1835 he rebuilt the chapel of the temple of La Merced and the temples of San Francisco and El Calvario. He also built the small temples of Las Casitas, the temple of Soraguara and suyapa, the latter famous for its little virgin. He also assisted Mr. Antonio Tranquilino de la Rosa in the repair of the Parish Church of Tegucigalpa, which was in ruins due to earthquakes of 1809.

In February 1837 he delivered a panegyric sermon on the occasion of the restoration of the Parish Church of Tegucigalpa, where he premiered his Mass El Tancredo; the same year, due to the help and comfort he provided to the victims of the Asian cholera that ravaged neighboring Guatemala,2 he suffered an attack from it, but managed to save himself after "being between life and death".

In 1838 he wrote his second pastoral, called Micol, dedicated to misses Juana and Rafaela Robelo. He had previously written Naomi which, according to reliable sources, is the oldest of all, written between 1828 and this year.

In 1840 he wrote his self-Adoration of the Holy Magi, divided into three acts, and in 1841 he premiered in Tegucigalpa his pastoral Micol.

Alleged imprisonment

In his biography of Father Reyes, the liberal writer Ramón Rosa states that Father Reyes had been proposed for bishop of Honduras. When priest Jorge Viteri y Ungo went to Europe in 1840 to visit Pope Gregory XVI, General Francisco Ferrera, then president of Honduras — supposedly suspicious of Reyes' independent ideas — sent Viteri the news to the Vatican that Reyes had died, so the pope appointed priest Campoy y Pérez as bishop of the Diocese. ,7 and that when he returned from Guatemala to Comayagua, in 1845, Father Reyes was there, as a detainee by order of General Ferrera.7 However, in a critical edition of the work in 1891, José Vicente Martínez explained that he carried out detailed investigations to clarify these facts, since Rosa did not explain the sources he used.

Portrait of Father José Trinidad Reyes, made by Teresa de Fortín, located in the National Gallery of Art.

Martínez's research shows that Viteri and Ungo were not in Rome in 1840, as it was not until April 6, 1841, that the government of El Salvador informed the government of Honduras that, authorized by Congress, it had appointed Presbyter Viteri and Ungo as its representative to the Holy See to request the creation of the diocese of San Salvador. , and that invited Honduras to send its candidates to the Diocese of Honduras, and thus take advantage of Viteri's trip. Honduras accepted and on February 18, 1842 issued an agreement providing that the shortlist of candidates be sent to Mr. Viteri; among the candidates was Father Reyes. The agreement was communicated to the coadjutor vicar of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Guatemala, Antonio Larrazábal, who chose the ones to be proposed.

Viteri and Ungo represented the governments of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica before the Pontificate, and was received in public audience by Pope Gregory XVI at the Quirinal Palace on August 26, 1842. After the meeting with the pontiff, Viteri and Ungo sent two communiqués to the government of Honduras: on September 1, 1842 he reported that the new Bishop of Honduras might be recommended in November and that the only serious obstacle was the lack of the seven hundred pesos necessary to pay for the issuance of the Bulls. And on October 19, he indicated that the bishop had already been elected —without mentioning the name— and that funds were urgently needed for the preaching in November.10 Meanwhile, on September 13, the Provisor José Xicolás Irías died in his retirement, who before his death conferred the appointment of interim Provisor of this Diocese to Campoy y Pérez. This appointment was approved by the Government and confirmed by the governor of the Metropolitan Church and by The Lord Archbishop Fray Ramón Casaus.

The new Provisor moved to Comayagua on December 9, 1842. On September 31, General Ferrera ended his presidential term, and left power to his Council of Ministers. He received Viteri's communications and approved the required payment. Some of the candidates had already died, and the Council considered that the ideal candidate was then the priest Paula Campoy. The Diocese of San Salvador was erected in the Bull of October 4, 1842, and Lord Viteri was appointed its first Bishop. On January 29, 1843, he was consecrated as such in Rome, and then began his return to Central America. While in Paris, he received the new shortlist that the Honduran government had sent him and immediately sent it to Rome with the attached file; the pope approved the canonical process, which Viteri communicated on August 6, 1843 upon his arrival in Trujillo. The Bull in which Mr. Campoy was appointed bishop of Comayagua was issued on February 8, 1844, making the appointe the grace to dispense him the degree of Doctor, which was then an essential requirement to be a bishop at that time.

As for Reyes' alleged imprisonment, the documents that Martinez investigated showed that there was no arrest of the priest. However, in 1845 he did travel to the city of Comayagua, where he treated the newly consecrated Bishop of Honduras, Campoy y Pérez.

Foundation of the National University of Honduras

Main article: National Autonomous University of Honduras

"Wisdom not only distinguishes man from the beasts, but also gives him superiority and preference over his fellow men."

—Jose Trinidad Reyes

On December 14 of this year, the so-called "Society of Entrepreneurial Genius and Good Taste" was installed in the Government House, the birthplace of the National Autonomous University of Honduras and of which Father Reyes was rector and founder. Reyes, in his capacity as rector, delivers on this occasion an eloquent inauguration speech, the text of which has been rescued by the teacher Esteban Guardiola in his History of the University of Honduras.

In 1846 he met again in Comayagua, where he wrote on May 23 his Elegy to General Don Francisco Ferrera, on the death of his son Fulgencio. This composition shows, relatively, that there was no enmity with General Francisco Ferrera, on the contrary, the text proves a recognized familiarity.

In June 1847 his mother died in Tegucigalpa, for which Reyes returned to that city. On September 19, Reyes inaugurated the University of Honduras, presiding over the ceremony with Head of State Juan Lindo and Bishop Francisco de Paula Campoy y Pérez. That same year, he organized the first Library of Honduras, called the Library of the Academy, and ran the first printing press in the country, also called the Printing Press of the Academy, which was brought to Honduras by General Francisco Morazán in 1829 after confiscating it in Guatemala. Also, Reyes brought the first piano to the city of Tegucigalpa, which is believed to be in the municipality of Ojojona, and was owned by the Díaz Zelaya family, as it is not historically proven.

Later life

In 1847 Reyes wrote one of his well-known When..., satirical compositions full of familiar humor. Of these compositions only two copies are preserved, written in tenth octo syllables and ending with the exclamation "when". In 1848 he wrote, in an invitation made by the students to the society of Tegucigalpa, his well-known: Invitation for the walk to the lagoon, dated February 9. In 1849 his father died, the victim of mental alienation.

On April 16, 1850, Reyes wrote his poem Honduras, which consists of six octaves in deca syllables and is dedicated to the lords generals Don Gerardo Barrios, Don Trinidad Cabañas, and all the soldiers, officers and chiefs of El Salvador and Honduras. On September 29 of the same year he wrote his poem To Independence, consisting of seven octaves in deca syllables, and a quartet by the same author, as an epigraph.

On February 2, 1851, candlemas day, he premiered his Pastorela Elisa, dedicated to MissEs Juana and Jerónima Godoy. It was premiered by Teodora González, after Vigil and Don Juan Ramón Pereda. By then he had already written and premiered his Pastorelas: Neftalia, Selfa and Rubenia. The first was dedicated to Misses Maria and Isidora Reyes, who was chosen for the role of Sephora. The other two pastorelas were dedicated to misses Manuela Vega, after Ugarte; To Juana Velásquez, after Bonilla and to Maclovia Bonilla, after Dávila. This year he also prepared his Pastorela Albano, which he dedicated to Miss Raimunda Milla, whose premiere was announced for 1851, but which was finally only rehearsed. "It was not represented because it was announced that the pastors would be stoned because of the allusions to certain political figures. Others claim that despite the threat, representation was given."

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Top 12 Things to do and Places to Visit in Taal, Batangas

Out of Town Blog Top 12 Things to do and Places to Visit in Taal, Batangas

Travel Guide: Things to do and Places to Visit in Taal, Batangas

Taal is a small municipality in Batangas province. Contrary to common belief, the internationally renowned Taal Volcano and Taal Crater Lake is not actually located in Taal, Batangas, but in the neighboring town of San Nicolas. Despite this, Taal town is a hidden gem that is known for its well-preserved culture and buildings.

Minor Basilica of St. Martin of Tours – Visit in Taal

In fact, the central business district has been designated as a National Historical Landmark by the National Registry of Historic Sites and Structures in the Philippines. Aside from the peaceful streets and ancestral houses, here are the top things to do and places to visit in Taal:

1. Minor Basilica of St. Martin of Tours

Inside Taal Basilica

More known as Taal Basilica, this is the largest church in the country and in the whole of Asia, with a height of almost 90 meters and a span of 48 m. The construction of this old church began in 1575 and was renovated several times within the span of 1642 to 1990. It had been damaged by natural calamities through time, but it continues to stand proudly.

2. Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay

Our Lady of Casaysay By Eric Jam – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

The coralline arches of this shrine that houses the Our Lady of Casaysay have been around since the early 1600s. Aside from the bright, intricate designs of the shrine, the San Lorenzo Ruiz steps, which total to 125, are also a must-see. They lead to the church from the center part of town and vice versa.

3. Galleria Taal

Galleria Taal

The Galleria Taal is the first vintage camera museum to open in the country. The collection is owned by a local named Manny Inumerable, who started out as a simple camera enthusiast. Also in the museum are photos of the winners of the Ginoong & Binibining Taal, an annual pageant held in the municipality.

4. Buy Balisong

Batangas Balisong Photo credit: permanently scatterbrained via Foter.com / CC BY

The Balisong is a weapon that resembles a butterfly knife. It is invented by a local during the early 1900s. If you can’t buy one for fear of being apprehended in the airport on your way back, then you can always watch the locals craft one instead. After all, Taal is the Balisong Capital of the Philippines and the authentic ones are produced here.

5. Eat Lomi

Batangas Lomi

If the Ilocos Region has the pinakbet, Batangas has its Lomi. And you can get the best of the best only in Taal. Lomi is a noodle dish that has Chinese roots, which the locals have modified to create a whole new dish. The noodles are flavorful because they are sautéed with meat and vegetables, and the broth is thickened with cassava flour.

6. Eat Tawilis

Fried Tawilis Photo credit: mobile247 via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Tawilis is the only species of sardines that lives in freshwater environments, and it can only be harvested from the nearby Taal Lake! This is why it is a delicacy in most parts of Batangas, including Taal. Locals like to eat this whole with tomatoes, onions, and unripe mangoes.

7. Try Tapang Batangas

Batangas Pork Tapa

Tapsilog Taal

We’re not done with breakfast meals yet. Taal has more to offer for this one. Tapang Batangas, interchangeably called Tapang Taal, is an oh-so tender pork tapa that is loaded with garlic, soy sauce, and a bunch of other ingredients. Not having this while in Taal is equivalent to not visiting Taal at all!

8. San Nicolas Ruins

San Nicolas Ruins in Taal – By Ramon FVelasquez – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

This church goes by several names, including the “First Taal Church” and the “Old Taal Church Ruins”. In 1754, the nearby Taal Volcano erupted, damaging the nearby towns, including Taal’s St. Martin of Tours Church. Although the basilica is still intact today, much of the original parts of the church, such as these, remain, and they serve as memorable tourist destinations.

9. Casa VillaVicencio

Casa Villavicencio By Eric Jam – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

This house, which was built in 1850 during the Spanish era, is located in Gliceria Marella Street. It is owned by Don Eulalio Villavicencio, and has been the location of secret meetings of nationalists during the social unrest. Today, it stands as a heritage house.

10. Villavicencio Wedding Gift House

Villavicencio Wedding Gift House Visit in Taal

Located next to the Casa Villavicencio is the Wedding Gift House, which visitors can stay in. Like its neighbor, this house dates back to the same era, and its interior is decorated with heritage.

11. Agoncillo-Mariño Ancestral House

Agoncillo-Marino Ancestral House By Eric Jam – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

Another must-see museum is the Agoncillo-Mariño Ancestral House, which was also built during the Spanish Colonial Era. It is one of the oldest houses in Taal and serves to commemorate the contributions of Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo, the wife of Felipe Agoncillo, a significant figure in Philippine history.

12. Healing Wells of Sta. Lucia

Healing Wells of Sta. Lucia

A huge earthquake struck Taal, Batangas in the 18th century and severely damaged a church so that it sank halfway, and has rendered renovation or reconstruction impossible. However, after a while, spring water gushed out of the two doors of the sunken church. Since then, it was called a well, and this miracle is believed to be caused by the Virgin of Caysasay, whom the church was dedicated to.

Visit in Taal Batangas Basilica

How to Get to Taal, Batangas from Manila

Taal is just at least three to four hours away from Manila.

Public transportation

If you plan to commute, JAM Liner is one example of a bus line that has stations in Cubao and Buendia. These trips can take up to 3 and a half hours long and costs Php 200 per head. Ask the driver to drop you off at “Taal Town” or “Taal Municipality”. Make sure to clarify that you are going to the town, not to the volcano or the lake.

Via the SLEX

On the other hand, if you plan to drive to get there, you can take the shortest route via the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

1. At the end of SLEX, turn to the “Lipa Exit” lane. Turn left when you see the Taal National Highway and drive straight. 2. Turn right before the road where the Phoenix Gas Station is. 3. Follow the road until you see Alitagtag’s welcome arch. There will be another gas station on the left, where you should turn right. 4. Drive for approximately 3 km straight until you see Sta. Terisita’s welcome arch. Drive straight until you reach the National High way Junction. Turn right. 5. You will see another gas station after 5 km. Keep left, the town proper is just 2 km away.

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Top 12 Things to do and Places to Visit in Taal, Batangas Melo Villareal