quarter century old

***the last slide is being deleted

because he wants some privacy

to make the present special.

бункер 42 - на таганке

i know this is a rather random post since i should have posted this in some sequential order from my previous post about my exchange life, but i thought it will be too interesting to leave this till a later date to share with all.

на экскурсии в бункере 42 на таганке

(pardon my Russian grammar)

Bunker-42 was built for the Cold War

entrance ticket to the Bunker

inside of the entrance ticket

outside the Bunker -

it just looks like some commie deco that the owner puts on his door

if no one tells you, you'll never know there is a bunker underneath.

some write up about the bunker i guess

the bunker is 60m deep,

we walked down 18 floors to get to the bunker.

inside the bunker

- high tech bunker for cold war period.

check point, to make sure you are an

authorized personale to enter the bunker.

fighters that were used then to deliver nuclear bombs

and what not of mankind's weapon of mass destruction.

radar picture of the world's map used for military purposes.

lets launch our own nuclear bomb too!

operating machine that has to be controlled simultaneously by 2 operators to launch a nuclear bomb. of course this guy is not a trained operator, he is an exchange student, just like me *LOL*

on a side note, this machine is an empty one that the military gave them, the panels and buttons are all made up by the museum guys, so dont take that to be the real devise.

somewhere inside the bunker.

want see something real, ok, this model of the entire bunker is REAL!

we are currently at the extreme top bunker as seen from this model. according to the guide, he told us that people who worked here then, never knew how the entire bunker looked like. so we are fortunate people to get to see the entire layout of the bunker.

see this? ok the cream coloured building is the place where its door has the commi red star hung on it. if you thought its some kind of house, you are wrong. its a fake house made out of walls that are furnished to look like civilian houses from the outside. inside, you walk down hundred of steps to get to the bunker. cool yeh?

i'm showing you this because if you take a closer look, you realised how close the bunker is to the metro. while inside the bunker, you can hear the sound of the metro from time to time. the equipments inside the bunker are super heavy, many of them have been transported out before it is open to public. no prizes for guessing how they transport all these equipments out.

one of the exchange student volunteering to wear the special gear officials had to wear then before they could launch a bomb, if i dint hear him wrongly.

some equipments inside the bunker

thats a real man, not a statue, i dont know why he is there. maybe just to look out on us. kgb? haha, shan't scare myself.

posing as the 'busy' general in command.

they were laughing at him being too 'nice' to look like a general.

general's work desk.

this is where it is linked to the metro. the closed it because the guys who operate the metro trains complained that the flash from the tourists' cameras scared them.

to end it off, i shall just quote something the guide said.

this is the only bunker that is opened to public just 4 years ago. back then in the 1940s, it is a highly advanced bunker to defend against the enemies, but today 60m underground, its obsolete to protect against modern weapons. but dont worry, it does not mean that Russians have not created new more up-to-date bunkers. the Russian government have many new bunkers, and nobody knows how many bunkers there are just in Moscow alone.

be amazed by this country's defense system!

成长

《成长》

没有狂风暴雨的洗礼

蓝天怎会呈现一片清澄

没有世间人情的冷暖

生命岂能绽放一季缤纷

苦难原是一份化装的祝福

引导我们一步一步成圣

主耶稣 主耶稣

祢是我救主 是我良朋

祢的恩典够我用

虽经患难 过幽谷

祢的话语是我脚前的燈

主耶稣 主耶稣

祢是我安慰 我的牧人

祢的杖必保护我

祢的竿必坚固我

一生恩惠慈爱紧紧跟

没有熬炼人心的患难

我们怎能学习时时坚忍

没有千锤百炼的品格

我们怎能与主性情有份

因为圣灵不断浇灌的慈爱

内心盼望才会存到永恒

*****

this song was sent to me last year, just before CNY,

since then it has been my all time favourite.

this song has never failed to fill my heart with His peace and hope.

this song, you sent it to me,

i always thought of you.

yesterday we celebrated our 10th monthsary.

it was the most magical monthsary we had.

not because we did something special,

but because this monthsary was celebrated 5227 miles apart,

in the most loving way we could make it for each other.

*****

每当听着这首诗歌时，都会想起你。

从前，听着时，就会被诗歌的词感动，

特别是bold的歌词。

当时，我的心是被你悬挂着的，不着地。

这首歌常给我鼓励；

即使最后没有结果，

我都希望能默默的陪伴着你。

就算是远远的看着你，关心着你 - 我也无怨无悔。

因为，对我而言，

我和你的认识，以是从不可能到可能，

我还能渴求什么呢？

哪怕心在希望能得到你的爱，

我又怎敢期望你会爱上我？

如今，听着同一支歌， 同一个旋律，同样的诗词，

心情却是截然不同的。

我不再是那个被悬挂的心，

而是沉浸在你的爱中。

心中有无限的感恩，不可思议，

更满溢着对你的爱，及与你共创未来的憧憬。

希望我们的爱，能以他的爱为中心。

彼此扶持， 鼓励，帮助彼此成长，

但愿我们的爱能坚忍不拔，

牵手走过生命的崎岖道路。

希望你愿意与我一步一步同走，

迈向着成胜的道路， 生命！

*****

我深信，在他里面，他凡事都能，

为我们预备的，也是最好的。

亲爱的，我爱你！

***

весна

i thought winter will never end

as the temperature test waters on the tropical girl,

from -1 to -4 to -10, -12, -15, -16, -18 degree.

February 2011,

thats the darkest month i've ever experienced.

no matter how brightly the sun shone,

i could not embrace it,

because the wind will slash my face bitterly.

finally February is slowly taking its departure,

March is marching in with its grand entrance -

the warm sun, the slowly melting snow,

and the smiles on people's face.

SPRING... its finally here!

this is Russia for you!

because your presence meant you care

i know i am almost a month late in posting these pictures up,

but i hope it brings back some memories for you.

its my 23rd day in Moscow,

and i'm missing everyone at home badly!

my Uncle and his family, the first to come!

Uncle Thomas came to send me off the last time i fly to Novosibirsk too.

Such a sweet Uncle and aunt and my twin cousins (:

the twins in their CNY clothes!

with my old-time church buddies.

one thing good about this exchange,

i get to meet Eunice after so many years!

thanks Eunice and Meixin for coming!

with my darling boy!

thats the new top i made him buy though he thinks its rather gay,

and the new pair of jeans i picked for him for CNY!

so handsome!

with my boyfriend, his brother and sister-in-law.

so sweet of them to come in that wee hours to send me off.

BIG thanks! really appreciated it!

my lovely parents.

see my *pek's smile? its so cute!

miss them much much!

hope they are doing well in sunny Spore (:

everyone who came to send me off.

i really miss everyone of you!

relation-ship

it always makes me feels happy to hear

someone and someone is together, finally!

somehow, i think, love's cupid has finally decided to bless us,

almost all, this year, with someone special.

and i like it, to share this joy of yours.

a friend of mine used to tell me this;

getting into a relationship - that's easy, just find one,

but getting out of a relationship - that's tough.

such words of wisdom,

for me, and for you (who is reading my blog).

love's not just about the sweetness and lovey dovey-ness of it,

but its a journey of molding and sculpturing each other.

everyone is a unique self, but in a relationship,

its about how we each learn to give and take,

and thus slowly becoming the best fit for each other.

there bound to be ups and downs - that's life,

but don't be disheartened, believe in each other,

there is always a rainbow awaiting the rain to end.

i wish all those in love,

love deeply.

and of course,

i must say,

Thank God for the special you in my life.

you are my sunshine!

記得 - piano version

rose.

Credits:

photography by Xie Jia Zhen,

words by Joanne Chen

photoshop by Xie Jia Zhen

valentine's

bouquet of flowers delivered right at my door steps in my Moscow dormitory.

because its -15deg outside, so they wore think plastic coat all the way here.

such lovely flowers from my dearest baby!

this lovely bouquet must have a name,

and its called - JULIET

'you are my Juliet'

'i want to be your Romeo, may i?'

although i always say,

i prefer chocolates to flowers,

but seriously, this is the first bouquet

someone so special has ever given me.

and because its given to me by my most beloved boy,

i love it so much to bits!

i'm you most 幸福小女人！

5227.15 miles

this day, i used to say,

is for the business man to make a fortune,

this day, i used to say,

if 2 people are deeply in love,

everyday can be valentine's day.

then, i was free soul,

searching in the widest ocean for my missing puzzle piece.

today,

i say now, is for couples,

today, i say now,

is for you and me,

today, i say now,

is for me to say 'i love you' once again.

now,

i have found a place to anchor my heart,

and, thats in the deepest ocean of your love.

***

although we are 5227.15 miles apart,

the distance doesnt matters,

because you always live in my heart,

thats where we are the closest to each other,

your heartbeat, my heartbeat,

thats the symphony of our love.

if i were a sheet of canvas,

then you are the colours,

that painted the most beautiful rainbow in my life.

i love you dearest one.