It has been a tradition in our family (mother side, LAT-TAPIA) to have a reunion on May 1st. Whenever we gather, there is a common similarity among us.. Most of us are fair skinned and chinito-eyed. Later did I know that our great great great grand parents came from a far far away land (wink wink).. My great great great grand father was Capt. Von Lat, a "soldier of fortune" who came all the way from Flanders, Belgium. He was in India in 1772 during the Spanish-Britain war and was sent to the Philippines with Capt. Mayo for the Spanish gold. Capt. Von Lat who is a "mestizo" lived somewhere in Lipa/Malvar and married a Filipina. Capt.Von Lat had a son, Lucero Lat (Isidro Lat) and married Cristina Recio and had 6 children, and had 5 with his second wife Maria.
To cut the loooong story short. Lolo Isidro and Lola Cristina, my great great grand parents had a son named Mariano Lat, my great grandfather. Lolo Mariano married Fernanda Liangco Tapia, a Chinese mestiza, and they both lived in Tanauan at Lola Fernanda's hometown. It's so amazing to know my family history, kaya pala most of my cousins are fair-skinned/mestizo, chinito, and very oriental hehe... No wonder my kids especially Alfonso has the genes..
.jpg)
the eyes..
