Jrev night

last Jrev Night of the year in Robinson's Galleria. December 1, 2008.

bulacan sweets

tita rosie's birthday celebrated in marilao bulacan. a few bday photos (c/o raissa). and a few photos of neighbor-kids and the peaceful, peaceful swamp near their house. relaxing!

going in for the kill

a new season has begun today.

i saw eagles swooping into earth, going in for the kill. they have already been strengthened, strengthened by soaring through the storms of the previous season. opportunities shall come and in a heartbeat, they will know that these are from the Lord. for their ears have been trained to listen and their hearts have been tuned through obedience. their cries are quite loud and their eyes are especially sharp. they are alert and they are ready to conquer.

Lord, let the floodgates be opened.

tuding and baguio

sunrise. strangers. beehives. faces. peanut brittle. kids. so much beauty everywhere!

a little bit of baguio..

Nov 26, 2008: 3rd day, after the training. went to 3 places before going home. :-)

jrev nazirite training

Phase 1: HUMILITY
November 24-26, 2008
Tuding, Benguet.
Photos courtesy of John Mac

enchanted saturday

it was a very sunny all souls day. we (raissa, jessi, jm, louie and i) started off our EK adventure at the roller coaster and the ride almost succeeded in making us hurl the slurpies which we oh so joyfully drank before riding! :-D one things for sure, we are never too old to have fun!

art is life.

i was browsing through art and photography books this afternoon at a bookstore. as i was checking out the photography section, i was amazed by the selections. photography books on naked people, depressed people, poverty, hopelessness, emptiness etc. and the art section did not provide better options. browsing through salvador dali's art was totally depressing. WHY DOES ART HAVE TO BE SO DARK AND GLOOMY??!

i want to see art that brings life. i want to look at photos that will make me smile. i want to see art that encourages. art that strengthens. art that gives hope. something that will evoke good emotions. something that will leave me refreshed. i want to see art coming from the heart of God!

Artists, come out of hiding! Let your light shine!

the ripple effect

In everything we do, in every choice we make, there is a corresponding ripple effect.

 

So, it is possible that for:

 

One act of obedience, 1 soul gets saved.

Two acts of obedience, 2 souls are saved.

10 souls, 100 souls, 10,000 souls!!!

 

I choose to lift my vision higher.

 

Ephesians 1:17-21 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

taal volcano and sonya's

i broke my HDD and lost ALL my precious, precious moscow photos and all my files!! waah! grabbed these photos from my facebook account. some photos (some were in my HDD!) from last last saturday's trek to taal crater. :-) fun!

i'll rise.

u may write me down in history
With your bitter twisted lies
You may trod me down in the very dirt
And still like the dust Ill rise
Does my happiness upset you
Why are you best with gloom
Cause I laugh like Ive got an oil well
Pumpin in my living room

So you may shoot me with your words
You may cut me with your eyes
And Ill rise
Ill rise
Ill rise
Out of the shacks of historys shame
Up from a past rooted in pain
Ill rise
Ill rise
Ill rise

Now did you want to see me broken
Bowed head and lowered eyes
Shoulders fallen down like tear drops
Weakened by my soulful cries
Does my confidence upset you
Dont you take it awful hard
Cause I walk like Ive got a diamond mine
Breakin up in my front yard

So you may write me down in history
With your bitter twisted lies
You may trod me down in the very dirt
And still like the dust Ill rise
Does my happiness upset you
Why are you best with gloom
Cause I laugh like Ive got a goldmine
Diggin up in my living room

- Ben Harper

more random photos

september and october photos. atC yen, jillanne, cousins, sister, mezzanine parking space, makeup, walang magawa!!! point and shoot, 70-200 and the kit lens.

cdo photos

random photos with my 70-200

its a heart thing.

Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.  NIV

Servants, do what you're told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work. The Message

Prophetic Word and Prayer Plan for Russia

Prophetic Word and Prayer Plan for Russia

October 24, 2001

Category: Prophetic Words, Europe

By: Cindy Jacobs

For the Lord would say that Russia is at a hinge or pivotal time of history. The nation will either experience a great revival or go into a time of great darkness. This is a time to press into prayer and repentance as I am deciding now the course of events for the nation. It is my will that a great move of the Holy Spirit sweep this land that I love. For years I have grieved as I have watched the enemy bring destruction to my beloved Russia.

I am looking for a generation that will arise to break the iniquities and strongholds from ancient times. For I, the Ancient of Days, am greater than all the ancient sin of Russia.

Do not let your heart be discouraged and think that I am not able to heal this great land. In my purposes I have given a great responsibility to the nation and people of Russia. I am given you a great land mass of my earth to watch over and lasteward. I did this because I knew that within the heart and soul of the Russian people was the potential to be history makers.

It is in my plan to send missionaries across the face of the earth from Russia. Within the heart of the youth of the nation I have planted the heart to be fearless in the face of adversity. I have given them a pioneering, missionary gift. They are Holy Revolutionaries and are unlike any previous generation that has lived on the earth.

Even with all of this, there is a great dark storm that would arise against the church in the land and against the Messianic Jews. This does not have to be. But the enemy wants to take away the freedom of worship that I have given to my people and close the houses of prayer.

I, says the Lord, am calling for a new warrior generation who will stand up and fight for freedom. I have Joshua’s and Caleb’s who have been prepared for this hour. There is within the soul of my people a siege-breaking anointing that can and will withstand this onslaught if you stand up and fight in the heavens. For this warfare is not with flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers that have ruled over Russia for centuries and centuries.

You must pray for those in authority over you. Pray for the President and Duma. Cry out for wisdom. Pray for a move of the Holy Spirit in all branches of government. Intercede for the military and those in the judicial system. For I, the righteous judge will bring a new justice into the land that is of me.

Forgive those who have wounded and destroyed the nation. Begin with the leaders and the nations who have come against you and brought such destruction. I cannot move in and bring revival where there is unforgiveness.

Repent for the idolatry of the nation. Call together Solemn Assemblies across the land to pray in the public places and cry out for mercy. For I am a merciful God and desire mercy and not judgment.

From the rising of the sun to the going down, I, the son of righteousness, desire to arise with healing in my wings over my people in Russia. I will bring revival and pour out my spirit in miracles, signs, and wonders, sweep the government with my glory if you will only pray, and humble yourself before me. The breath of My Spirit will come and drive away the dark clouds and storms of adversities that are brewing to blow across the land. For you are in a pivotal time of history. There isn’t much time, but the course of history can still be changed, says the Lord.

 

http://generals.org/prophetic

ps. thank you for the link mitz!! :-)

waiting in expectancy

when i dont see anything, it doest mean that God does not see. He is in control and He is preparing everything and everyone who will be impacted by this choice to wait.

i am impatient but i will wait. because i will only move when i see my Father move.

pa-THRILLLLINNNGGG si Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahaha!

happy bday, grandma!

after the disastrous chakicks scene and the traffic caused by the Oktoberfest, went to the fort strip and had some fun - with the two mudras and beloved cousins.

happy 45th birthday raissa! labshu!!!!

moscow and wherever

view from my flat window, at 6am

some last photos in moscow. some photos in doha and some in manila.

impossible is nothing

 

breaking down walls of religiosity. those walls that confine and make one lazy, comfortable, and self-sufficient. those walls that make one not fulfill destiny and the best life imaginable. OUT OF THE BOX and into His heart.

NOTHING is impossible for those who believe.

pour it out and bring it on Lord!

 

para lang sine...

 

Setting: Walking towards the Metro after dinner at Il Patio

"Its okay we will still meet."

"No, lets not make promises. lets just live our lives as they are and we'll just see."

"Im going to miss you."

"Im going to miss you too. Lets be friends and do keep in touch."

Final train arrives. We hug. He rides the train. I walk away without looking back.

 

 

(HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA...)

 

Cebu!

Start:	Sep 7, '08 12:00a
End:	Sep 13, '08

hehehe. the suddenlies are starting! thank you Jesus for ordering my steps. hahahahahha. :-D

see you friends!!!

PS. I will be MIA starting today coz im giving back my laptop. :-) so see you nalang diha!!

since it is september...

and since in the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah [meaning the head of the year. the Torah refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar).] is near, i am doing some remembering of my own.

so the last year has been summed up with this song. ahahahaha. gotta love Jesus. He is so worth it!!!

ayiieeeeeeeeeeeeeee... year of new beginnings!! exciting 7 years ahead!!

of mullet haircuts

i can never understand the mullet hairstyle. i dont know if its baduy or baduy or just wrong!  here, it seems like THE hairstyle. their hairdressers are from another planet or are all from the 80s. i see men and women sporting this cut everywhere. the worst one i saw was one blond woman who had a pixie cut up top but at the back, her hair looked like bad poodle hair with lots of long, thin TUFTS of hair! it is just plain wrong!

after seeing a lot of pretty women with such horrible hair the other day, i was complaining to chris and he said " its the best hairstyle Claudia. business up front, party in the back" LOL! :-D


trivia: the term mullet hair was first coined by Mark Twain in Huckleberry Finn.

“the end of an era..”

..said Chris when we were making drama about how we will miss each other. I was so touched when the office threw a send-off party for me (well, not exclusively for me. hehe) today. Its been 1 year and 1 month since I arrived at the Domodedovo airport, shivering in the Russian summer. Seems like it was only yesterday.

My stay in Moscow has been one roller-coaster ride. I have experienced the most joyful of joys and the most excruciating pain, I have learned endurance, I have learned suffering. I have learned life. Best of all, I have come to know my God.

I am just so thankful to Jesus for this experience and for all the people He allowed to come into my life. Life is so beautiful!!!!!

all in a day's work.

some random photos of office life and office friends.

theres no place like home!

Start:	Sep 3, '08 3:00p
End:	Sep 30, '08
Location:	manila --> cdo --> cebu --> manila --> next is TBA but im sure its gonna be great!

going home to Pinas business class - all paid by the company! woo hoo thank you Jesus! Your favor is awesome!

see you friends!

why? why? why?

i just have to say this! i cant believe this! why do these people wear the same outfits for days in a row? my officemate, whom i have a crush on, has been wearing the same clothes (complete outfit) since thursday! and it is MONDAY today! and its not even cold, its summer! if he went out on the weekend, i imagine he wore the same clothes! yikes! turn-off. MAJOR.

sayang pagkagwapo mo. at least, i hope naligo ka! :-D

only in Russia

had a 30 minute lunch today and went to a theme park afterwards with two officemates. rode on the viking and the logjam rides. in formal office clothes. ate ice cream and walked back to work. and mind you, we were not the only office people there in Gorky Park.. what a lunch break! only in Russia!


ps. we dont know the woman in the middle.

photos this week

thin crust, mozarella, tomatoes, rucola, prosciutto, shaved parmesan and olive oil.

random photos from my week. i know most are still photos of the red square :-D but it really is pretty. and when youve gone to this place, its like youve been to everywhere in moscow. :-D

thoughts on war and rest

REST, as we know, is absolute indolence, doing absolutely nothing and thinking about nothing. come to think of it, the rest that we know doesnt really mean rest. it is just a temporary stop to some problem we have or some circumstance we dont want to face - a diversion. now, REST, in kingdom lingo, means the peace one gets after winning a WAR. the Rest that God gives is the full enjoyment and satisfaction of knowing that you have truly beaten the enemy and you have overcome.

now, what kind of rest do you want to have?

a russian wedding

my dearest friend irina got married last saturday. it was a bit different (the padlocks,the places to visit and not to mention, they were chugging champagne and vodka every step of the way). as usual, i was the only foreigner there :-D people talked to me so they could practice their english. hahahahah. really, russians are very nice people!

vorobyovi gori (sparrow hills)

i was walking around Sparrow Hills last Friday because i wanted to see the total eclipse. unfortunately, i wasnt able to see it because it was cloudy. pero okay lang because all the greenery did me a lot of good! :-)

not settling for less.

this afternoon, i was checking out one particular lens that i was going to buy at the end of the month. you see, im having second thoughts because its expensive (i mean just for a piece of glass) and its not really part of my priorities now. i was looking for some other lens that will somehow mollify my womanly shopping cravings (hey ive been planning to buy this since june!) but will not break my pocket too much. i then saw a higher and cheaper canon zoom and the reviews were all good. confusing na ang show when the Lord told me, "Michelle, what do you really want?" and then i went ANALYTICAL again and told Him the pros, cons and other humanistic stuff. the Lord just said again, "what do you want?" so i said okay of course i want the L lens (L for luxury) because its the top of the line! and He goes "then get it." no drama. period. hahahaha. i know its just a lens pero it made me realize again that i should not settle for less. mind you, its NOT perfection. it just springs from the fact that God is THE awesome God and its just simply NATURAL for Him to give His children the BEST -- when we ASK!

only in the PI

some random photos from my trips.

vigan trip

went on a daytrip to vigan -- on impulse. went with cookie, ms. eveready.

manila, manila

loved ones, food (and lots of it) and rest! thank you Jesus! :-)

ps. sorry i didnt tell everyone na i went home. i had to rest!

cebu, cebu!

7 wonderful days in cebu! :-) i only had a few pictures with people in them coz my battery ran out -_-

summer thoughts

ive just opened my window because its stuffy and i hear some drunk man playing Blue Moon on his saxophone somewhere down below. maybe for fun. maybe for beer money.

a memory from my childhood comes into mind. me, at 8 years old, playing this piece on the piano with my grandmother. it was our favorite.

its been so many years. cant believe im already this old.

makes me wonder whats next. but i just know its gonna be good.

smorgasbord

random pictures taken over the past few weeks.

Phases of Transition

taken from John Paul Jackson's blog:

DISCIPLINE: The SECOND PHASE of TRANSITION

Discipline, the second phase of Transition is the most difficult phase and, like it or not, can last months or even years. That is precisely why it takes discipline. Not only will you have to keep your eyes on the vision ahead, you will have to navigate through the land mines of discouragement the enemy will lob your way. Consequently, you will actually determine the length of the delay. Few there are who will go through this phase unscathed. Fewer still who do not end up blaming someone or something else for the delay.

The courageous will look toward themselves before they blame others and realize the peripheral issues were not the problem. The thread of truth that God is addressing lies within ourselves; no matter what the external problem might seem to be.

THE MAGNETIC PULL
In this phase the magnetic pull of our “tomorrow” seems to be contrary to the circumstances of our life and/or the situations we find our self in. These outside events may even seem to war against God’s call, but it is all a part of God’s preparation for our transition. During the Discipline stage we are taught to overcome the last of our weaknesses that will limit our success on the other side of transition. We cannot become what God created us to become if we do not let go of the baggage that will drown us in the waters ahead.

Even if we are not overjoyed at the thought of transition, we eventually begin to feel like we just want to get it over with. So many matters seem out of our control. This is just where God wants us to be – out of our control. Once we give up the need to control our destiny, God looses us to go there.

THE DISCIPLINE OF “BEING”
Here we also learn the discipline of “being” where we are. The act of “being” keeps our focus on today. In “being” we learn not to overlook the mundane of today for the supposed joy of tomorrow. The Bible calls this “occupy,” and it is hard to keep doing, but it does build leadership in us.

WHEN GOD IS SILENT
Yes, as is often the case, in the discipline phase God does seem to be silent – why? Because, we have yet to fulfill the last thing He directed us to do. It is not necessarily disobedience; it is usually a matter of timing or finishing the process needed for the transition to occur. In either case, here we learn a major attribute of broad leadership – a double dose of patience!

For the prophetically gifted – this is a true “death to self” process and there are no short cuts. For those so gifted, I empathize, it is hard to see the future and then have to wait for it to come.

The next post will be on “The Delight of Transition”

Blessings,
John Paul

God's interesting lessons

if God wants to teach you something, Hed go all out on a lesson (regardless of how much it will cost or how long it would take) as long as you will learn it good.

ive been going through one of those lessons for the past year. and the lesson i learned is. when God is doing something, GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!  Desire should be tempered by timing. There really is no substitute for being at perfect peace and freedom when it is time for you to receive it.

My God is indeed very very rich. Sosyal ng lesson ko and I just had to go to Russia to learn it. Talk about dying in style. hee hee. ;-)

spending sunday at the red square like a russian :-D

after months of bad and unpredictable weather, the sun has already started to be consistent. today, although it was cold, it was really sunny. i had to get out!

Inside the St Basil's Cathedral

So. Finally. After almost 1 year of being here, I have just started doing the touristy stuff. Meh. -_-

Just today, I had the brightest idea (after almost 1 year of being here) of getting inside just the most famous structure in Russia. Just today.

Im not really much of an artsy fartsy and I dont know what is really beautiful and what is not. pero this one, i could say that It is just BEAUTIFUL.

mark, this is for you! you forced me to do this! :-D

my birthday weekend

my birthday started on Friday night, with Jane Chris and I watching Swan Lake at the Novaya Opera. It was the start of the Ballet Festival in Moscow and this was the first show. It was very nice. the ballerina was terrific.

On Saturday, i wanted a quiet birthday, giving myself a treat at some quiet place. but that didnt happen. had to wake up early because it was a declared working day *sob* in Russia because there will be a 4 day weekend starting June 12. of all the saturdays in the year, the working day had to be on my birthday! anyways, im glad there was work. my colleague friends gave me gifts and my audit team surprised me with roses. awww.

After that, Sasha and friends informed me that they organised a birthday party for me. They invited people and planned everything. As they said, all I had to do was show up :-D I wasnt really planning on anything because I wanted a quiet day but I was pressured because they told me that if i didnt show up, they would still celebrate my birthday anyway. :-D

So we went to BB King, a jazz bar somewhere. It was a pretty cute place. and the jazz was nice. they gave a lot of toasts for me. After that place, we went to a Russian retro club. Horrible! think dancing to the wowowee song or Dayang dayang! the russians were singing and dancing along with the music. they were jumping and jig-ging! had a fun night.

On Sunday, as I did not get my quiet birthday, I decided to have a date with myself. I took out my new toy and went to the Red Square. took a lot of pictures. After that, went to a Chokoladnitsa (i think it means chocolaterie) and talked with Jesus.

and it did not rain over the whole weekend (the forecast was a rainy one). although it was cold, it was sunny!

This 26th year is going to be an exciting one! :-D

at the racetrack

last sunday, there was some sort of russian horse breeders cup. we went there to experience something new. we were actually the only women and the only young people there. most of the people were old men walking with canes!

we bet on one horse, #7 Peregrada, because it was pretty and so relaxed - as if it wasnt in a race.

after that, we went to tanya and giorgio's flat to play tennis on Wii. i am so not made for video games. i am too hysterical :-D

playing with my new toy

got me a canon eos 450D! and got it at a good discount pa. yipee! had to download the manual because i got mine in russian. :-D

trying to tinker with the aperture, shutter speed, ISO stuff. im still not getting it pero i should kay sayang ang camera!

next project: a good lens. any suggestions?

coffee talk with john paul jackson

http://blog.streamsministries.com/
hes the author of the book "Unmasking the Jezebel spirit" - sharp and wastes no words.

of crashing and burning; and God's grace

Sometimes, God's truth brings pain as it highlights a problem that we have. At this moment, pain is good; it shows you where there is a problem. Do not try to reduce the pain until you find the problem. Take heed that's God truth will also show the way to freedom. You will remember the pain you feel here, and it will help you through the rest of your life. - Rick Joyner

God is good. That is all I could say. I thank the Lord that He does not bring us to our callings when we are not prepared and without first catching the little foxes - the little tolerations that spoil our vines. He just showed me why I was having this particular problem for the past 10 months. and it was so true. its funny and sad how we sometimes set ourselves up in our own dark little prisons, when we could enjoy such things in the light of God's plan.

I am repenting of my sin and I feel the freedom coming up in degrees. I am sober and I thank you Lord for your grace.

taking pictures of old pictures

sanchia, jillanne, leah, cj and me.

i cant sleep the other night so i looked thru old yellowing pictures. hee hee.

Dmitry Shostakovich - The Golden Age (Bolshoi)

ayyiieeee! MARK! finally, ive watched a performance na of the Bolshoi Ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre! we watched Zolotoi Bek (The Golden Age). Heres the story:

http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/season/ballet/repertoire/detail.php?&id26=151&act26=info&dynid26=293&dynact26=art#dyn

They are soooo good! you would sooo love it!

ps. sorry if most of the photos were blurry. my cam was on night mode and my hand was shaky. hehe.

the man in the arena

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Teddy Roosevelt

a failed attempt to get out of town

well...my friend and i were supposed to go to vladimir (2 hours away from moscow) today. since we both dont speak any russian, we just decided to line up at the railway station booths and try to get tickets to vladimir and be at the mercy of the ticketseller with regard to departure times. it will be part of the adventure. hehe. i know. not kinda smart.

well, since we were just saying 'da" to everything that the ticketseller was saying, we ended up getting 6pm tickets to vladimir (when we were just planning on a daytrip). we decided not to go since we were not gonna see anything at night! after wasting 600 roubles on tickets we wont use, we just decided to go stroll around the Universitet area. This is where the Moscow State University and the Sparrow Hills are located. It wasnt such a waste of time for me since we got to eat at a nearby KFC (yay! after 10 months of not eating kfc, i was in heaven! i never knew that its called rostiks here) and strolling around the university grounds was good because it was sooo green and relaxing. just what i needed.

sooo, lesson learned: we will go to vladimir next friday, hopefully, with a russian person to buy the tickets for us! :-p

spring-ing thoughts

it really is spring. i went out today (to celebrate the USSR day.hehe.) wearing a short-sleeved shirt and without a coat on. after wearing coats for a long time (since last sept), going out without a coat on felt like being naked. haha. the malls are even starting to use the air-conditioning na. and people are walking around dressed like summer. it was so warm (20 degrees) today that its actually making me miss the cold! hehe.

 

          some greenery near my flat

at 1 in the morning today, after a totally manic friday, sasha and i were strolling down the streets of tverskaya. moscow and the red square are so pretty at night. its almost friendly.

tomorrow, im taking a daytrip adventure with a friend. we are going to vladimir, another unesco heritage site. i hope we get there in one piece. coz shes american and we both dont know any russian. haha.

for the first time since i came here, i feel at peace. i am at peace. and expecting good things ahead. spring outside, spring in my life :-)

its so nice to live in a country with four seasons. it adds some drama to life.

judge me.

childhood, snuffed out at its prime.



breaks my heart..

though i sleep

Though I sleep, my heart is awake Though It's night, on you I wait It's been a long night, and I am weary It's been a long time, and I am hungry So I'll wait in the stillness again I'll wait in the quiet again For when I heard your voice When you said my name My heart it yearned In the middle of the night My heart it yearns Though you're far away, still I'm here to say I am yours

in love

I will waste my life I'll be tested and tried
With no regrets inside of me to find I'm at your feet

I'll leave my father's house and I'll leave my mother
I'll leave all I have known and I'll have no other

I am in love with you

There is no cost
There is no loss
I want to take your name
I want to cling to you

I'll say goodbye to my father my mother
I'll turn my back on every other lover
and I'll press on

Nizhny Novgorod

these pictures are late. ive been soooo busy the past weeks. Unfortunately, instead of being sent to St Pete, I was told to go directly to Nizhny Novgorod for a business trip.

Nizhny Novgorod is the 4th administrative city of Russia (the other three are Moscow, St Petersburg and Novosibirsk) and it is part of the Unesco World Heritage Sites (coz it was a fort during WW2). It is home to the famous Volga River and it is where the Volga cars are manufactured.

Its a kinda-small city. when i got there with my officemate ira, it was pretty warm and dusty on the first week. Its also kinda run-down. The first thing that came to mind when we were in a taxi to Ikea was omg so Soviet! the buildings were crumbling, the streets were dusty, and there was one main street. it was quite nice for a 2-week trip and a bit laid-back compared to Moscow.

PS. forgot to reset the date so all the dates in the photos are wrong. hehe.

dining in TOTAL darkness!!!

Oh my gosh!!! i had so much fun last night because my friends and i went to this new restaurant here in Moscow. Its called V Temnote? (Dans Le Noir?) or in english IN THE DARK? The point is, well.. people dine in complete and total darkness!!! and we were served by blind waiters. could you just imagine that!!!

This restaurant first opened in Paris. it has one branch in London and in Berlin. The concept, as per the leaflet translated from russian, says that "this restaurant proves that being blind does not mean living a wretched existence. It is absolutely a new sensory experience as your other senses are heightened and visitors learn how it feels to be blind in everyday life. The blind waiters are highly skilled and the visitors feels as if he is blind during dinner time, which lasts about 1.5 hours." Its new here in Moscow and it was good that we were able to book last night!

It started off with us choosing from the menu, which consists of a 3 course meal of meat, fish, white and mixed surprise. so we cant actually know what we were eating! after ordering, we were instructed to wash our hands and leave all our things in the lockers before entering the veiled room. and then a blind waiter guided us (we were like schoolchildren, fall in line!) in the twists and turns inside the veiled room to get to our table. goodness!! it was absolute total darkness! we were so rowdy and noisy because really.. you bump into so many things/people everywhere. even in sitting, the blind guide had to assist us.

when we were all seated, it was a challenge to find our drinks and napkins and forks and knives. ohmygosh we were soooo noisy. and nobody cared coz no one recognized us anyways. when we started eating, we had to feel the plate and the food in it. hahahaha. so we had to use our hands. we gave up on the forks and knives coz they were useless. so we ate like starved children. again, no one will see so nobody cares. haha. it was so funny coz one of my friends had the gall to ask the blind waiter for pepper!! he didnt even know what he was eating and where his plate was! he was complaining like i have 6 forks around me. and another friend goes, where is my fork?? where is my drink? whose hand is on my plate???! hahahaha.

the best part was when we asked to go to the toilet. hahahaha. so the three of us, sasha chris and i were guided by the blind waiter outside. and when we finished, we got back to the locker room to wait for dimitry, the blind waiter. but it took him a long time to get back, so we were like. we know how to get back to our table. lets try it on our own. hahahahha. it was a disaster! in 3 minutes, we were like oh no, whose head was that or whose food was that! hahah. so we tried getting back to the locker room and we were like oh no theres a wall now!! how do we get back?!! hahahah. i couldve died laughing if dima didnt show up to guide us back in. bummer, the dinner was only up for 1.5 hours. so we had to bill out when we got back to our table.

seriously, it was one of the best dinners ive had in my life. although i didnt know what i was eating and someone poured sauce on my shirt and someone was throwing table napkins from somewhere (surely it was chris), it was a really really great experience. i sure am happy i could see!!

modern art exhibit.

went to a modern art exhibit somewhere in kurskaya last saturday. photos, paintings, weird stuff. something different on a saturday afternoon.

i want

im a dog person but i so want a pet cat!! in case youre wondering. hehe. got these lolcat pics from http://icanhascheezburger.com. good for no-brainer de-stressing. hehe.