Sol Farm – click any image for full size
Sol Farm, Story of infinite, is a gorgeous, rural build by Show Masala, which really has to be visited to be appreciated. Given this Full region is almost exclusively built on the one level, with only two significant changes in elevation, and a good portion of it is flooded, it looks and feels far bigger than the single region it occupies.
This is a largely rural setting, centred around Sol Farm, complete with thatched farmhouse, fields of crops and livestock, outbuildings, and many of the mechanical accoutrements of a working farm. However, there is much more here than may at first be apparent. South of the farm sits a house with decidedly Mediterranean looks, complete with whitewashed walls and shutters for the windows. While it may at first seem to be another farm, flanked as it is by fields, the terraced pool behind it overlooking the region’s encircling beach suggests it is perhaps a holiday home.
The Mediterranean feel continues westward as well, where a Tuscan style villa can be found, also overlooking the beach on one side. This, however, would appear to be a working farm, with livestock grazing in the grounds, produce from the garden on sale on tables and trestles and a tractor parked to one side. This smaller farm has a slightly incongruous neighbour: a long-deserted and broken fun fair. It strikes a different chord to the farmlands, without actually appearing out-of-place. A little open-air café sits within it, served by a converted tram sitting on tracks leading to a disused tunnel.
It is the flat-topped hill over the tunnel which offers one of the regions two elevated points. It is the home to a squat lighthouse as it keeps a revolving set of eyes on both the land below it and the sea surrounding it. A set of stone steps offer the easiest route up to it, while it the graceful form of a glass pavilion keeps it company.
North of all of this sit two islands. The first is connected to beach by a wooden board walk, which invites visitors out to the island. Two decks can be reached from the mid-point in the broad walk. The first provides space for a carousel, perhaps rescued from the old fun fair and restored; the other offers an over-the-water dining spot ready to entertain a small party. Beyond these sits a tall house with a folly guarding the steps to its gabled gate. While unfurnished, it’s hard not to picture this as an upmarket bed and breakfast, offering a unique dining experience down on the board walk.
The second island is entirely isolated from the rest of the region. Designed by SUNAO (hasunoahana) and YURU (yururikaze), it is in fact private property, and not open to casual visitors. It sits across a narrow channel from another of the region’s little incongruities: a small Japanese village, complete with Torii gates and festooned with lanterns. While this may also appear to be a separate environment, a rocky wall sitting between it and the farm fields, it is in fact a part of Show’s landscape, and can be freely explored.
South of this, sitting behind an old stone wall, is an open space of wild grass and trees, with a rocky pond. Held as a separate parcel by Powder Grau, this also appears open to explorers, seamlessly blending with Show’s landscaping and the surrounding beach.
Nor is this all. Throughout the region are lots of little touches and spaces which both encourage wandering and offer places to tarry, be they the little coffee shops, or the picnic blankets or shaded and open cuddle spots. Should you prefer flying to walking when exploring, you might want to touch the barrel in the back of the little truck next to the coffee shop I’ve used for the SLurls in this article; it’ll give you a soap-bubble to fly around in. And do keep an eye out for the occasional tornado which seems to appear in the fields!
Caitlyn and I enjoyed our time visiting Sol Farm – and once again, our thanks to Shakespeare (SkinnyNilla), for the pointer. Should you decide to visit and find you also enjoyed your time there, please consider making a donation towards its continued presence in Second Life, via the tip urn at the coffee shop I’ve used for the SLurl in this review.
SLurl Details
- Sol Farm (Story of Infinite, rated: Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 