An Escape Route

Assalamualaikum wbt

Since I was in the 1st year of study, I have this so called secret bench where I used to come and spend time with during my hard times, just to escape myself from the routines. I noticed that most of the times when I've been there were during winter time.

Today, I left home at 7.30 am. With happiness accompanying me to the fullest. Guess why. Noone could. After the previous entry I posted, what happened this early morning was totally a good cure, a perfect remedy. And above pic was taken outside the hostel building. The hostel system here is the same like apartment in Malaysia (apply only to my hostel, not the Kahovskaya neither RSMU hotels). We either have 2 or 3 bedrooms, completed with the living room, kitchen, toilets and shower. The symbolic of the pic are actually the darkness of the dawn that was still around and the snow flakes dropped heavily this morning.

After class, I went to Akhodny Ryad, at the Manezh Underground Shopping Complex, to survey something and the most important was to escape myself from the routine at my secret bench there. Just in front of the Kremlin. And this is the pic of Main Universal Store or GUM (ГУМ, pronounced as goom, in full Главный Универсальный Магазин, Glavnyi Universalnyi Magazin). The 2nd most prestigous shopping complex in Moscow after TSUM.

The Red Square, a part of the Kremlin territory. I promised myself to come here on the very 1st day of heavy snowing. Since I was there (eventhough initially it wasn't because I wanted to go to the Kremlin), and today was the very 1st day Moscow was heavily hit by snow, I spent almost 2 hours there - walking, snapping some pics, eating (not to forget) and writing 2 new poems of mine. I tried capturing Kremlin wall from far, but the results were a few blurry pics and I was extremely tired to go closer. And lazy, too.

The St. Basil Cathedral. But I call it Hansel and Gratel Candy House. Eventhough I once wished that there would be an eternal spring in Moscow for its lovely flowers all around, but deep inside, I always want to see this candy house wrapped in the white snow for it most beautiful and captivative sense. Oneday, I wish to spend time here with my beloveds for hours. But not in winter, for sure. Freezing cold windy Moscow.

While passing by the GUM again on my way heading to the metro, I saw this. Men's outwear at the Jil Sander's. What attracted me was the design which is super smart and the purple colour of course (it's not blue but in pic it potrays bluish). The women's outwears are superb gorgeous but you know, only in my dream. Hihi. That's why I don't want to upload the pic here because it might get me drooling for the winter coat which was the 2nd main purpose of coming to Akhodny Ryad today. Anyway, I'm not into branded stuffs. I'm just a so-so girl.

And here is an agency who provides a world tour trip. What a cool. It suits the agency to be in the GUM since only the very rich people who go and shop there. I, too, want to go touring the world, one day, Insya Allah.

Last but not least, this is the place where I spent almost 2 hours sitting on the bench in front of the Kremlin. It's actually the rooftop of the Manezh Underground Shopping Complex. The dome (as you can see in the pic) is a transparent roof to let you see people walking and shopping just beneath you. My secret bench is just near the fountain at the center of this garden.

One day, if you all can't find me in my world neither at my place, you should have known where to find me, right? :)

Note: Sometimes in life, we will face hard times and the only thing we want to do is to give ourself some space and time. But for some, they prefer to share it with people they believe in. I wanted to do the same but I'm way too secretive, I guess. Plus, I always worry that I'll be apart of other's burden. I am facing it right now. So don't want any to face it too. Find your escape route. Insya Allah you'll feel better.

Forgive me for all my wrong doings since I started blogging. Wallahu a'lam.

HAPPY 22ND BIRTHDAY TO MY BESTEST SWEETEST CLOSEST COUSIN, KHAIRUNISA AHMAD AFFANDI (16 NOVEMBER). MAY ALLAH BLESS YOU FOREVER, DEAR.

Sarah Mohd Shukor
Moscow City
14 November 2007