World reacts to passing of Queen Elizabeth II

By Leo Udtohan

People in Britain and around the world are mourning Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom's longest-reigning monarch and one of the most enduring royal personalities the world has known. 

She died Thursday at the age of 96. Buckingham Palace confirmed that the queen had passed away at Balmoral Castle, her official summer residence in Scotland.

With the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth on Thursday, Prince Charles has finally become king of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms, ending a wait of more than 70 years - the longest by an heir in British history.

When I visited the United Kingdom in 2017, I didn't meet Her Majesty at her official residences at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Even our Boholano friends-- Panglao’s First Lady Annie Arcay in August 2015, and Andy Digal Doria in March  2018-- who visited Buckingham Palace didn’t meet Queen Elizabeth.

I wished to have seen her in person even from afar.  I love watching and reading stories of her life and other royals. It was still amazing to have seen her (my closest encounter with The Queen) in post boxes and stamps, and of course, their pound sterling. 

The Queen was also known for her words of comforting wisdom, her stalwart approach to tough times, and ability to laugh through joyful ones. Her  speeches and quotes throughout the seven decades of her reign have provided guidance, support and happiness to an entire nation and beyond. 

Like all the best families, we have our share of eccentricities, of impetuous and wayward youngsters and of disagreements. - The Queen's speech to heads of state aboard the royal yacht Britannia, October 1989

 

While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed - and that success will belong to every one of us. - Televised address on April 5, 2020, after the outbreak of COVID-19

 

We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again. - Televised address on April 5, 2020, after the outbreak of COVID-19

 

While we’re remembering Her Majesty, provincial board member Jamie Aumentado-Villamor also shares an anecdote about The Queen: 

 

Layo ang United Kingdom, pero I feel the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on a personal level. Imagine having to rule a kingdom and lead Commonwealth of Nations at a young age of 25. Through stagnation and prosperity, I admire her ability to maintain a dignified monarchy. 

 

I have studied and learned about the Queen and her long reign. I read and watched the United Kingdom’s history, HERstory. Always been a follower since my teenage years. Always fascinated by her sense of duty, of service, steadfast leadership, well-thought of strategic decisions since at a young age of 25 as Queen, her diplomatic achievements. Worth mentioning, the Queen’s strong and enduring relationship with Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the World War II. And of course, her enduring and lasting marriage with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. And yes, mag kilig-kilig pa gani ko nila. 

 

She was also an adorable grandmom. I’ve been telling Lola Grenie, “mura jud ka si Queen Elizabeth. Kay cute kaayo.”

 

Rest in Peace, Your Majesty.

 

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Remembering Ruth, 21 years since 

On Sept. 9, 2001, my sister Ruth or "Neneng" to her friends, left us at a very young age - sweet seventeen. It was the saddest moment that we were overwhelmed with grief at that time.

Words couldn't entirely describe the pain, emptiness, and feelings of loss from her passing. 

Sometimes, we asked ourselves if she was alive, how many children would she have? She would probably be a fashion designer or with our other cousins abroad. 

Her nephews and nieces have not seen her as their "Tita" nor heard her voice.

Twenty-one years may have passed, but still, we have not forgotten her. 

Indeed, there is no time limit on coping with grief and loss. 

The family's belief in Jesus Christ and the afterlife for those who believe in Him has helped the process easily. 

 

Being a Torah observant, Jewish tradition encompasses all of life, day and night, light and dark. Even in the most difficult of situations--the imminent and then actual loss of a loved one--the Torah is there to strengthen, guide, and help us grow and see beyond our loss.

Slowly, we've overcome the pain, emptiness, and feelings of loss. 

What is death? This is best answered with another question: What is life?

May her memory be a blessing. 

 

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Most memorable lines from our newsmakers (and why we are moved, if we are moved): 

 

Gov. Aris Aumentado on the construction of SM Supermall in Bohol:  The deal is done in our meeting. Within four to five years, we will experience the services of the new mall. More big businesses will come. The economy will boom.

 

Engr. Bien Mateo, SM Supermalls senior vice president for mall operations, on the construction of an SM Supermall branch in Bohol:  We are welcome here in Bohol. We felt Bohol is business- friendly. That is important to us.

 

Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap on "PinasLakas" booster vaccination drive in Bohol: This is to continue our economic recovery. Now, there are many investors who are interested in Tagbilaran City and Bohol. Please, get boosted.

 

Dr. Jaime Bernadas, director of the Department of Health-Central Visayas during  "PinasLakas" booster vaccination drive in Bohol: Ayaw nato hulata nga ang bakuna mapildi na unya sa COVID, kinahanglan ang atong bakuna maoy makapildi sa COVID ug kana makab-ot kung atong paspasan nga macover kitang tanan para walay kabalhinan ug  kapuy-an ang kagaw.

 

Rep. Alexie Besas-Tutor of Bohol’s third district on the new face mask policy against COVID-19: Again, DOH and IATF seem to be slow. The United States is already rolling out the boosters against the old and new variants of COVID. Will the Philippines be late again? The burden of proof is on DOH and IATF. They must show that the failures of 2020 and 2021 will not repeat now or ever again.

 

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.

The enigmatic Stonehenge

The sight of Stonehenge with its broken circle of stones and mighty central trilithons standing in apparent isolation on Salisbury Plain has been mesmerising travellers for centuries. Photo by Leo Udtohan

Wake-uppers:

Scene:  The 'ber' months are here, ushering in what many call the longest Christmas celebration. Merry Christmas to all! US-based psychologist Elaine Joy Auza-Meyers has won for the first time in our high school game “Who will greet first Merry Christmas on September 1.”

Scene: A community organizer (CO) posted on Facebook that a beauty queen cum cultural worker  (BQCW) claimed that she founded a five-year-old local festival.  CO said that it was a misrepresentation.  “Hello, please do not claim that. Yes, you were one of the staff working but please do not claim such a role,” CO said. BQCW had a long reply posted on her Facebook account saying she conceived, created and planned the project. “Things I will never do in my lifetime: Eat balut, smoke, illegal drugs, and reap what I did not sow,” BQCW posted on Facebook.

Seen: Actor Richard Gutierrez and family spotted on a vacation in Bohol last week.

Scene: Will Miss Bohol 2016 Glyssa Bingas Perez be the next Miss World Philippines?  Watch the pageant tonight, Sept. 3, on GMA Network at 9:30 p.m.

Scene:  Miss Bohol 2017 Pauline Amelinckx was crowned Miss JCI Visayas 2017 held  in Bacolod City. She was also adjudged Best in Festival Costume designed by Malayka Yamas and Best in Gown designed by Bohol fashion icon EJ Relampagos.

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LONDON- After staying for a week at Kent county (province) in South East England,   it was time to explore other places.

I was very much delighted for I could finally see for myself the places where it all happened, the tales of Camelot, King Arthur and the wizard Merlin.

England has numerous marvels to offer, from the famous Buckingham Palace to the simple sight of a red fox in London and the British countryside.

 (L) Roel Catoto, Atty. Ingemar “Pinoy Aquaman” Macarine, 

your VRS and Alex Guinid at the Stonehenge, a masterpiece 

of engineering with the stones carefully arranged to 

line up with the movements of the sun.  

But the one marvel that stood out was the Neolithic monument called Stonehenge.

Our amazing host Alex Sison Guinid brought us to Stonehenge which stands alone in the vast empty tract of Salisbury plain.  Its origins date back nearly 5,000 years and it has been home to pagan religion and spiritual worship, not to be mention public debate ever since.

The entrance or admission fee for Stonehenge is £16.30 for adults (advance purchase) or £18.20 if purchased on the day. (Tip: Buying tickets in advance is essential to guarantee entrance. There is a timed ticket system in operation and advance booking is advised to avoid queues.)

Alex, who is living in London for 17 years, told us that the best time to visit the Stonehenge is during winter. The entrance is free during winter and summer solstices, but you have to contend with crowds.

Cared for by English Heritage, visitors will have a chance to understand more about the history of Stonehenge at the Visitor Center. The Neolithic houses, furnished with replica artefacts, can be found near the center. It reveal the homes in which the builders of the ancient monument might have lived. The Stonehenge Exhibition tells the story of the stones, the land and its people, with audio-visual displays and more than 250 archaeological objects and treasures from the surrounding countryside.

Your VRS discovers the gateway to mystery 

as he feels the 5,000-year-old Stonehenge 

as enigmatic, romantic and mystic.

From the Visitor Center, you will take the short bus journey to the Stones. You can walk to the Stones but it is a two- mile or 1.6 km journey and the bus runs every few minutes. For those visitors where time is short the bus offers an express two-minute journey direct to the famous Stonehenge.

There is an outer perimeter fence, but once you are through the turnstiles there is a piece of thin rope about 60cm/2feet high which keeps you back from the stones. The nearest you get is around 15m/yds away, but the view is still good.  Due to the fragile below-ground archaeology, preserved stone surfaces and prehistoric carvings, access inside the circle is possible only at certain times outside normal opening hours.

When I was closest to the Stones, I took time to appreciate and feel the history behind these huge stones.

What was this vast collection of stones intended for? Was it observatory of the moon? Cremation ground? Sun worship site? Alien landing pad? Who were the people who carried and carved these 40 ton rocks? 

Stonehenge, a mysterious circle of stones under the clear blue sky has stood like doorways to the next world on a hillside in southern England for 5,000 years.

Numerous legends have grown around the origin if Stonehenge-itself a form of almanac. Present day archaeology asserts that it was built gradually, beginning before 3000 B.C.E.

Numerous theories assert that Stonehenge was not only a temple and ancient burial ground, but also, an astronomical observatory and almanac, keyed to the summer solstice, much like the Temple of Denderah in Egypt.

Intricate astronomical computations for determining solstices, equinoxes, sunsets, sunrises, moonrises and eclipses can be derived from the relative position of the stones and their proportions.

At the center of Stonehenge lies a horseshoe-shaped group of trilithons, stone pillars standing parallel to each other with another pillar capping both to form a doorway-like structure.

Windsor Castle is one of the official residences 

of the British Royal Family. Photo by Leo Udtohan

Once numbering five sets, only three remain intact. Surrounding them is the now incomplete circle of evenly spaced monoliths, the Sarsen circle, which was once capped by a continuous ring of stones called Lintels. Like the trilithons, many have fallen into disrepute.

But the most intriguing aspect of the Stonegenge are the bluestones. The bluestones are situated between the Sarsen circle and the inner monument and much smaller than the other formations. Once numbering as many as 10 only very few remain. Each of the stones were made to increase in size towards the center. Within the blue stone horseshoe is a massive rock of a blue-gray hue and is generally known as the Altar Stone.

What makes the stones so fascinating was that the stones could not possibly come from anywhere near Stonehenge. The most likely source was from the Preseli Mountains, 320 km away in the South Wales and transporting them was a big question.  How they traveled hundreds of miles with thousands of men helping move them across England to their current resting place?

Twice a year, on Midsummers Day or the Winter Solstice (the coldest day of the year), the rising sun perfectly aligns with the Heel Stone. From within the monument, it is as if there is a great shining ball perched right on the tip of the Heel Stone. 

Its spiritual importance should not be neglected either. It is believed that only Merlin was able to move the Stones from their original home in Ireland to Britain and that it was to become a grave. So this has led it to become a frequent place for pagans to come and worship. There are also frequent pilgrimages for followers of the Ancient Order of Druids (Earth religion) since then.

I spent more than three hours at Stonehenge trying to feel the energy and reconnect my past life. I was confident that I’ve found the gateway to mystery.

From Stonehenge, Alex brought us to Windsor, a historic market town in the English county of Berkshire.

The town is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family.

Many swans and ducks live on the river at Windsor 

and it is an offence to kill one- although the crime is no

 longer treason, as it once was.  Photo by Leo Udtohan

Windsor Castle is one of the finest medieval castles in England and is the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world. It has been a royal residence for over 1,000 years and today is one of the homes of Queen Elizabeth ll.

“No trip to Windsor could possibly be complete without a visit to amazing Windsor Castle,” Alex told us while I was studying every detail of the castle.

The royal standard flies from the round tower of the Castle when the Queen is in residence.

The size of the Castle (5 hectares/13 acres) is breath taking, in fact it is the largest and oldest occupied Castle in the world and it’s where Her Majesty The Queen chooses to spend most of her private weekends.

Alex shared that to know if Queen Elizabeth II is in her residence, we just need to look at the round tower.

“Look at the flag flying from the Castle’s Round Tower; if it’s the Royal flag, the Queen is inside,” he said.

Windsor Castle offers something for everyone, and with so many areas to explore  like the magnificent State Apartments, the St. George’s Chapel, the Queeen Mary’s Doll’s House and the changing of the guard, it would take at least two to three hours to see it all.

Many swans and ducks live on the river at Windsor. Each summer there is a process known as

Swan Upping which checks the identity and health of each of the swans, and adds tags to new cygnets (baby swans).

Your VRS with the swans. 

Queen Elizabeth II attended the ceremony in 2009 in her role as “Seigneur of the Swans” and is a passionate fan of the hundreds of swans that swim and nest on the River Thames beneath the Castle walls.

All wild mute swans in Britain are considered to be property of the Crown.  It is considered an offence to kill a wild mute swan though centuries ago their meat was considered a delicacy.

“The Queen owns them,” warned Alex when he saw me feeding the swans.  

“I am sure Her Majesty will be glad to hear that someone is feeding her swans,” I said.

The birds are now protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and killing or injuring a swan used to be classed as treason under a law dating back to the 12th century.

After Windsor, we returned to London to enjoy London at night. Whether you're jetlagged, insomniac or wired, London at night is a vibrant place.

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.