Month: June 2021

I’ve been a little preoccupied with various things of late, which means some of my blogging has been slipping. I’m not sure when the preoccupations will decrease to a point where I’m back to a more regular cadence of posts (the usual two a day at least), but in the meantime I am still trying to chug along with reports and articles on art and places to visit.

All of which brings me to Bluebell Coast, a Homestead region designed by Christina Riolz (Christina Hammerer) and John Dee Riolz (JohnMcFluff), which takes as its full title: A Touch of Scotland – Bluebell Coast, which the couple describe thus:

The Ayrshire Coastal Path- Be ye Man or Bairn or Wumman, Be ye gaun or be ye comin, For Scotland’s Pride no Scotland’s shame, Gether yer litter and tak it Hame!

In other words, whoever you are, whether you’re coming or going, here’s a part of Scottish pride to be enjoyed and photographed – just make sure you take your litter home with you!

Split by a stream running out to sea from a rocky pool that is  in turn fed by modest falls that drop from an upland area (and which are mirrored on the seawards side, this is region that captures some of the lowland coastal regions of western Scotland, wild and grassy and – here at least – rich in bluebells.

With the main landing point a little off-centre to the region, this is a place that is easy on the eye and easy to explore. dusty paths offering the key routes over the grass. Typical to the Scottish lowlands, this is a place with dry stone walls, the ruins of ancient fortifications and ruins – one of which is suggestive of a former religious centre.

To one corner of the region sits a thatched crofter’s cottage. A nearby tractor suggests it is a working house, but the views across the region offered from from its windows and grounds are picturesque and more than make up for any daily chores the owner(s) may have to perform.

With beaches lying along its borders, this is a haven for wildlife and wildfowl – seals rest from fish hunting, watched over by a pelican, for example; whilst seagulls keep an eye on everything.

Getting around on foot is easy enough, the majority of the land undulating gently but not enough to make walking around tiring. But for those who prefer, horses and bicycles are available, with the horses capable of carrying two. Those of a romantic disposition are also welcome to make use of the many dance systems awaiting discovery, one of which is awaiting discovery within The Cave Inn – which is not your typical pub.

Rich in subtle detail, with plenty of opportunities for photography, A Touch of Scotland – Bluebell Coast makes for an easy, engaging visit.

With thanks to Shawn Shakespeare.

Slurl Details

• A Touch of Scotland – Bluebell Coast (Chandrakala, rated: Adult)

So this is going to be a little different to my usual offerings under the Exploring Second Life tag in this blog, as it is not exactly about a “typical” region visit, nor is it a product review. However, a photo posted by Loverdag at the end of May sent me scurrying across the grid to pay a visit to a commercial build by creator Del-ka Aedilis (karport).

I say “scurrying” because I’ve been immersed in all things Tolkien since the days of my childhood, firstly via having The Hobbit read to me as a bedtime story, and then discovering The Fellowship of the Ring when I was a (very precocious) 12 (I would pass a pun here about Tolkien’s writings being Hobbit-forming, but I’ll leave that to one side). This being the case, I was hardly going to pass up the opportunity of dropping into the community of Men laid low by Smaug the dragon: Esgaroth – or Lake-town – on the waters of the Long Lake east of Mirkwood and south of Erebor, the Lonely Mountain.

This Laketown (to use the name given to the rezbox-enabled build) appears to be based on the visualisation of Esgaroth as seen within Peter Jackson’s (overly drawn-out) film trilogy of The Hobbit, rather than anything based on Tolkien’s own drawings of the town (which were more akin to neolithic pile dwellings than anything, whereas Jackson’s visualisation allowed for a far more adventuresome setting).

From the watchtowers overlooking the pier and drawbridge linking the town with the shore, through to what appears to be the  house belonging to the Master of Lake-town, this is an exceptionally creative and flexible build that utilises both original mesh by Del-ka Aedilis and incorporates full permission kits from the likes of IvanBenjammin to fully capture the tone and spirit of lake-town as seen in Jackson’s films.

Set within surrounding mountains that are both too numerous to be foothills of Erebor and too close to the the flanks of the Grey Mountains or the Iron Hills but which are nevertheless a perfect setting in which to show of the town, this Laketown is ideal for photography – as Loverdag demonstrated. Even moreso, for those with the space (the build tops out at around 1,736 LI out-of-the-box and covers an area of 196 x 107 metres), this is a build ideal for any medieval or fantasy role-play, whether or not any gold, kings-under-the-mountain, dwarves or dragons are concerned.

Materials enabled, the build is supplied partially dressed with reeds and (I believe) various waterside items – boxes, barrels, etc.). Even tho the buildings are all unfurnished, its hard not to wander the boardwalks around an connecting them and here the sounds of commerce and domestic life going on along the wharves and behind the wooden walls.

I’m not sure how long this demonstration version of Laketown will be available – the build is apparently available at an introductory price of L$7,499 until the end of June, so perhaps it might poof after that, I’ve no idea. However, for the photographer among us, it does make for an engaging and photogenic visit!

SLurl Details

• Del-ka Aedilis Laketown (Lumilux, rated Moderate)