The excitement and the entertainment of SL14B has come and gone – but the regions still there for a while, and there’s still a fair amount to see, if you haven’t taken the time to do so before now. What’s more the regions are all now a lot quieter, offering more chances to see things, enjoy the rides and take photos. This being the case, I thought I would, as with previous years, share a handful of the exhibits I enjoyed just in case they appeal to you as well.
I’ve already covered some of the art exhibits I particularly enjoyed in the regions in The Art of SL14B, so consider this a companion article to that piece 🙂 .
Cassini’s Grand Finale – Diamond Marchant / Leeward Cruising Club
Location: SL14B Beguile
Regular readers of this blog can perhaps guess one of the reasons I’m selecting this exhibit – my love of space exploration (and a tenuous “personal” connection to the Cassini mission). But there are other reasons as well.
One is the use of connections between the Cassini mission, the SL14B theme and the sailing. NASA’s Cassini probe has been revealing the secrets of Saturn and his moons to us for the last thirteen years, in a mission which goes back two decades to its launch – and then a further 15 years prior to that. So now, as the mission draws towards its final conclusion in September 2017, is the time to celebrate all that it has revealed to us. At the same time, Cassini ventured forth into the great ocean of space just as mariners her on Earth have put to sea under sail, navigating its way via Venus, Earth and Jupiter to reach its eventual destination.
With links to NASA’s video and website on the Cassini mission’s Grand Finale, as well as to information on Leeward Cruising Club, this is a clean, elegant display – and one where you can catch a ride on Cassini itself. And that’s another reason to visit – Diamond’s recreation of the Cassini spacecraft is simply stunning in its level of detail.
You can also learn more about the Cassini mission in my Space Sunday series, which features regular updates on the mission, including an overview of the Grand Finale, and the first pass between the planet and its rings.
Virtual Railway Consortium – Qie Niangao
Location: SL14B Beguile
Second Life offers many means to travel – teleport, walking, running, driving, boating flying. One of the most fascinating ways to travel the Mainland is via the network of railway lines which cross-cross the lands. The Virtual Railway Consortium do much to promote and support this infrastructure, and Qie’s display at SL14B is a celebration of their work, presenting visitors with and opportunity to visit VRC locations across the mainland continents, visit their website and discover more about rail travel in SL.
Bay City Caranvanserie – Marianne McCann
Location: SL14B Spellbound
Bay City is one of the most active Mainland communities in Second Life, with Bay City itself a vibrant place to visit, with lots to see and do. Marianne McCann is one of the leading lights of the community and works tirelessly to promote it, and in bringing people together to host events from the Bay City anniversary parties through the Christmas and New Year events to the annual Mole Day – a festival focused on the Moles of the Linden Department of Public Works (LDPW).
At SL14B, the Bay City exhibition invariably offers a rich insight into the community, its events and its members, and this year is no exception. Located in a design that encapsulates the community’s 1940s through 1960s theme, it’s a definite stop on any tour of SL14B. Step inside to discover more!
Venetian Masks Gallery – Shayla Sideways
Location: SL14B Spellbound
Occupying an original build by Shayla, the Venetian Masks Gallery is not alone at SL14B in celebrating the use of the mask at festivals and celebrations, but it is an informative look at the role of masks in Venetian carnivals. Inside, it encapsulates the importance of the mask, and offers some intricate examples used at carnivals and festivities, from harlequin style half masks through to intricate, full-face items. It’s another simple, elegant display set within a gorgeous design of the building which draws inspiration from the architecture of Venice.
The exhibit is doubly fitting for SL14B: not only does it celebrate the use of masks in carnivals, it also reminds us that within Second Life, we have the mask of our avatar to offer us the freedom to express ourselves and our desires and creativity free from the demands of the physical world, allowing our imaginations to take flight as they will; unfettered and – often times – in full career!
Roller Coasters and Rides
What is a carnival without rides? SL14B has a fair few, but enjoying them when the regions are busy can be pot luck, and often interrupted as people teleport in and out of places; so visiting the rides when things are quiet is often preferable.
Two roller coaster offerings people might enjoy are Torgon’s Ride by Torgon Woodget or Captain Squid’s Water Roller Coaster by LULU (LULU6kat). Both are best viewed in Mouselook to get the full experience, with Torgon’s Ride offering a night-time environment for those using viewers supporting viewer-side parcel windlight (if not, set your viewer to midnight on boarding the ride). Both also take a dive under water, so be prepared to get wet!
In fact, you might want to take two rides – one in Mouselook and the other an a free-flight 3rd person camera position, so you can appreciate where you’re going and what’s happening.
And when it comes to runs and fun – don’t miss a visit to Max Mystery Land, where there are go-karts, bumper cars, pedal boat, sky rides and more…
Blue Lotus Okiya – Etsu Niseru and members of the Blue Lotus Okiya
Location: SL14B Spectacular
Second life is a veritable melting pot of cultures, traditions, role-play and historical recreation. Almost anything from any period can be designed and shared here. One of the more popular periods for a wide range of culture celebration / role-play / recreation is that of the Edo period of Japan. Blue Lotus Okiya is perhaps one of the oldest communities celebrating this period of Japan’s history, having originally formed in 2007.
Set at the time when the The Tokugawa shogunate sought to make Edo (Tokyo) the centre of political and cultural life, Blue Lotus Okiya offers a doorway to that period through the setting of geisha education and entertainment environment which offers an opportunity to engage in role-play, witness arts from the period or simply enjoy the setting. At SL14B, the okiya similarly offers an oasis of calm away from the hustle and rush of trying to see everything across the celebration regions, where visitors can relax and catch their breath.
Cheeky Tiramisu Cafe by Yasyn Azemus
Location: SL14B Spellbound
I’ve always enjoyed visiting Cheeky Tiramisu in Second Life, and so fining Yasyn has built a delightful little corner where it’s again possible to escape the rush and relax – and maybe let your camera do the walking to the surrounding exhibits.
This is just a scratch of the surface of SL14B – there’s much more to see and discover. However, the regions will be closing at the end of Sunday, July 2nd (SLT) – so if you haven’t paid a visit yet, be sure you do so before the weekend is out!
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 
Reblogged this on Through Owl's eyes… and commented:
Inara pay shows a few exhibits she enjoyed … go check out Sl14B.. the exhibits are still up but not for long…
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