Category: Exploring Second Life

Never Ending, in its winter guise, is perhaps one of the most surprising regions I’ve visited in a while. The work of しゅにん (Syunin Arida), いお (iorri), and TefTef Violet, it not only carries a seasonal theme right now, it does so in a quite remarkable manner, one which may at first deceive the casual eye.

On arriving, you standing close to a little village deep in snow and surrounded by  snow-covered hills of almost cartoonish undulations. Bare trees are strung with lights, while bears are sprawled on and against logs and tree stumps in one corner of the village, looking well and truly worn-out by all the exertions of Christmas shopping – or perhaps by trying to catch the raccoon who is keeping an eye on them from the upstairs window of the tower behind them…

Theses are not the only furry inhabitants of the village. Just over the garden fence, Grandpa Raccoon  stands on his porch, puffing his pipe, while across the snow-blanketed village green a young raccoon reads outside the local bookshop, Mama bear sitting close at hand, baby bear in her lap. Meanwhile, and next door to the bookshop, Mrs. Raccoon is arriving home with the groceries…

If all this sounds a little twee, don’t be fooled. The little village, with its Christmas tree bearing fairy lights and candles and presents spread under its boughs, is both charming  and avoids a feeling of looking just a little too sweet. It offers a lot to see, with seats and cuddle spots inviting visitors to stay a while; but it’s not all there is to see or explore, so don’t be fooled into just taking a cursory look around and skipping elsewhere.

Just outside the village sits a Flea Circus, and wander a little further or cam around and you’ll note there are other places to explore: a frozen lake, a couple of hidden valleys and little nooks shielded from the rest of the region by the steep hills. There even a wooden lodge sitting atop a steep hill awaiting your visit. But unless you’re ready to do some serious climbing (or cheat and fly), how are all of them reached?

The answer lies in a series of teleports which have been scattered around the region awaiting discovery. Some take the form of double doors, other are anywhere doors and still others are photos mounted on display boards. Herein lies another surprise: not all the destinations on offer are at ground level; several are hidden up in the sky, and are themselves a delight to discover and explore. What’s more, quite where you’ll be taken next isn’t always clear when first exploring, which further add to the mystery and charm of the region.

Never Ending is a true delight, with surprises at every turn;, and a visit I’d suggest you not pass on the opportunity to make. Do be prepared to click on things as well; there are several quite charming poses to be found (look for the umbrellas in particular), and a couple of gift boxes on offer from the designers.

Related Links

• Never Ending, Papillon (Rated: Moderate)

With Love in Her Heart, Sounds of Silence (Flickr)

My previous travelogue featured TreMeldazis’ Salt Water, which at the time I mentioned was one of three regions in his care, the others being  Isle of Grace, which is restricted access and appears to be Tre’s home, and Sounds of Silence, a homestead region designed by Sunshine Zhangsun, which is open to the public.

Given the regions do go together somewhat, you can see one for the shores of the others and cross between Salt Water and Sounds of Silence, I thought it only fair that I also write about the latter as well.

Sunshine has called the region With Love In Her Heart, and it lies to the east of Salt Water, separated from it by a narrow channel of sea water. Rated Moderate, the region shares much in common, terrain-wise with Salt Water: beaches form much of the coastline, with low-ling grasslands just inland in places, while rocky hills make up the rest of the landscape.

With Love in Her Heart, Sounds of Silence (Flickr)

However, move inland, and things have an altogether more pastoral theme. Goats wander the hillsides, sheep and cattle graze on the higher grasslands and horse roam the lower grassy reaches closer to the sea. There is a farm here, which – possibly due to the influence of the documentaries I’ve been watching of late – put me in mind of the Australian outback.  The two houses are open to visitors and furnished, one having the appearance of a family home, the other a working studio.

Up the hill from these, lying in a shallow grass bowl with bare-topped hills surrounding it, sits a barn with cattle and sheep roaming nearby. The feeling of homestead is enhanced here by the small burial plot sitting in the shadow of a tall tree.

With Love in Her Heart, Sounds of Silence (Flickr)

From the barn, one can wander on over the hills to the east to to the beach, or turn more southwards and follow one of two paths which cut through the hills. The first of these leads back to the arrival point; so if you teleported into the region, it might be the route you followed to reach the barn and livestock. The second path leads down to a circular cove nestled between the hills and rocky cliffs, where two secluded stretches of sand can be found facing one another across the calm waters, linked by a path over the rocks to one side of the cove.

Here you’ll find places to sit, both on the sands and on the water, offering spots for quiet contemplation or a little time with a close friend / loved one. Explore the island, and you’ll find other such places and little social spots – towels spread on the beach here, a little boat sitting just off the coast there, a small camp and fire pit towards one headland, a makeshift tent of blankets and cushions looking out to the north, and so on.

With Love in Her Heart, Sounds of Silence (Flickr)

All told, With Love In Her Heart offers something of a tranquil setting; the landscape sits easy on the eye, there are places to wander and to sit, and like Salt Water, plenty of opportunities for photography (rezzing is open, but do remember to pick things up after!). As I mentioned with Salt Water, taken together, both regions are worth a joint visit.

Related Links

• With Love in Her Heart SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

Salt Water (Flickr)

Winter has drawn a snowy cloak over much of Second Life. However, for those seeking sunshine, sand and a little warmth, it can still be found.

One place were the sun does still shine is Salt Water. Once the home of Baja Norte (which relocated to a region of its own a while ago), the region is still a place of verdant green and yellow sand, albeit bathed in the light of a forever setting sun (causing me to fiddled windlight to an earlier time of day when making my visit).

Now an Adult rated region, Salt Water is maintained by TreMeldazis, and forms one of three regions in his care. The other two are Isle of Grace, which is restricted access and appears to be Tre’s home, and Sounds of Silence, a homestead region designed by Sunshine Zhangsun (who also worked on Salt Water) for the purposes of photography, and now kept open through Tre’s generosity.

Salt Water (Flickr)

There’s no actual description with Salt Water, but given it is Adult, and cuddle spots are scattered right across the region (as are dance systems), don’t be surprised if you do come across a spot of canoodling going on should you decide to wander the beaches or explore inland.

The island has an eye-catching design, with beaches forming most of the perimeter, together with low grasslands no the north side. The interior of the island is largely given over to tall rocky outcrops and plateaus, paths winding up their sides and stone bridges spanning the gaps between them. A channel of water curls inland from the beach on the west side of the island, into which fresh water tumbles from rocky cliffs rising above it.

Salt Water (Flickr)

Atop the tallest of the plateaus can be found a studio house, open to the public, its woodwork bleached and worm from exposure to the sun and the salt of the air around the island. The remaining plateaus all have their own features to be enjoyed by couples and groups, with places to sit and chat or cuddle or places to dance through the evening light. For those who enjoy the beach, there are sun loungers to be found, while a further wooden house has been built out over the water at Mermaid Cove, partially protected from the tide by a breakwater of rocks.

Needless to say, the opportunities for photography within the island are myriad, the landscape offering a rich diversity of backgrounds. Rezzing is open for those who need props for their photos – but do please be sure to clean-up behind you. With both Isle of Grace and Sounds of Silence visible from Salt Water, some great backdrops can be had for the photographically gifted.

Salt Water (Flickr)

For those wishing to extend their explorations, Sounds of Silence is a simple hop away, and offers a charm of its own. However, I’ll be saving that for another article on another day!

Related Links

• Salt Water SLurl (Rated: Adult)

Umbral Photography, Hydra Isles (Flickr)

A few days ago I had the opportunity to visit Hyrda Isles, the homestead region designed and curated by vlady Veeper and Coqueta Veeper, and a place of two very distinct parts.

The south side of the region offers Umbral Photography,  “a place created for photography, including seasonal landscapes, lakes, full house, animated bridges, free permits to rez your own poses”. The north side of the island, and notably the north-west quarter of the region, is given over to Umbral. an adult-focused environment for erotica and D/s. The demarcation between the two areas is low-key, and visitors are free to wander between both – indeed the photogenic elements of the region are evident throughout, and not restricted to just the the south side.

Umbral Photography, Hydra Isles (Flickr)

Seasons change within the region, and right now and in keeping with much of Second Life, there is a distinctly wintry feel to Hydra Isles: snow lies on the ground and atop roofs and rocky outcrops, while the water flowing between the islands has a distinctly chilly look to it, so be prepared when wading!

Where you roam first really depends upon where you arrive; use the Umbral photography SLurl, and you’ll arrive alongside a stone bridge on a narrow rocky bar connecting two of the island in this part of the region. Wall away from the bridge, through the tree, and you’ll come to the ruins of an old church in which sits a small art gallery, partially flooded, and beyond it, a outdoor seating area with armchairs, books, refreshments and a warm stove – albeit all in a small snowstorm!

Cross the bridge from the landing point, and you’ll find yourself led to the house, sitting at the end of a avenue of trees, their boughs bent arch-like overhead. As the parcel description notes, the house is open to all, and offers further opportunities for photography indoors and out.

Umbral Photography, Hydra Isles (Flickr)

The north side of the region, as mentioned above, features a large structure given over to erotica and D/s activities. As such, what you may find there is variable, and the landing point outside the building provides clear guidelines on acceptable behaviour therein.

Outside of this, and in keeping with the overall theme of the region, are a number of small islands, each offering their own opportunities for photography or for simply sitting and cuddling with a loved one. Chief among these is a rocky island to the north-east, which features a tiny lighthouse atop a rocky promontory, looking across the water towards the old church, and with seats and a cuddle spot below.

All told, an interesting region to visit and explore, with opportunities to simply sit and share time with a friend, made all the more pleasant by the friendly and warm greetings extended by  Coqueta and vlady when they are also present in the region.

Related Links

• Umbral Photography SLurl (Rated Adult)
• Umbral SLurl (Rated Adult – erotica / D/s house landing point)

Frisland, Laluna Island (Flickr)

Back in March 2014, I made my first visit to Frisland, the region Charlie Namiboo, Anna Barzane and Frislanda “Fris” Ferraris created while imagining what the mystical land for which it is named might look like, if it were to actually exist.

Given that the island was supposed to exist in the North Atlantic, it is hardly surprising that winter has come a-visiting at Frisland, and snow now lies deep on the ground across most of the region, and frost has turned the bare-armed trees a hoary white, while ice covers the ponds and some of the water of the island’s stream.

Frisland, Laluna Island (Flickr)

Frisland has always been a lovely, photogenic place, but the snowy blanket covering it now gives it an extra edge of  beauty and, frankly, romance. The layout of the region hasn’t really changed – nor should it; but there are a few seasonal additions – an ice skate vendors alongside the central pond, and if you get cold or want a little extra Christmas feel to your home, Anna offers a free Frisland winter scarf for visitors and a set of decorative candles for the home. Further down the path from the main houses is a mulled wine stall, should you need a little warming-up, and close to that, a snowman offers you his trick of doing a handstand…

Frisland, Laluna Island (Flickr)

All told, a beautiful make-over which retains all of the photogenic beauty of the island, making it a must-see of the season. Little wonder it has been in the Editor’s Picks of the Destination Guide!

But rather than me rabbit on about it, here’s a little machinima I hope you’ll enjoy.

Related Links

• Frisland SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• My Frisland Flickr set

As might be apparent from some of the coverage of events and activities in this this blog, I enjoy literature and the arts. Reading in particular is a passion of mine, and I have a voracious appetite for both non-fiction and fiction across a broad range of subjects and genres. So it’s a little surprising that it has taken me a while to find my way to writing about Luminaux and Oceanea.

Luminaux is home to the Illumination Library, founded by Librarian & Bookmaker, Farzaneh Eel. Here, set within a garden designed by Xinoxi Han, can be found an intriguing collection of in-world interactive books designed and created by Farzaneh, available in a range of languages and covering a wide range of topics – fiction, non-fiction, biographical studies, religious works, and so on.

The library is housed in two buildings, both by Xinoxi Han, and both in a somewhat 18th or 19th style. The primary (and, I would guess, older) of the two buildings offers three floors to explore, each of which offers numerous interactive books (and audio books) which can be enjoyed from the comfort of armchairs and sofas. works on offer here focus on the 19th Century, although are by no means exclusive to that time.

The annex building, facing the main library from across the region, has the feel of a more recent style about it.. Featuring three large halls, complete with gallery spaces, it is focused on religious tests, the works of William Blake and those of William Shakespeare, all beautifully bound and presented.

As well as the main library building, the gardens contain the library’s Biblio Shop, where interactive books can be purchased, and the garden gallery, a room offering visitors the chance to enjoy a game of chess or the chance to simply sit and chat.

Connected to Luminaux via a pair of stone bridges, Oceanea is the home to the Wilanow Palace and Gardens, the Royal Opera House and Ritz Ballroom.

Covering one half the the region, the palace may not be as expansive as somewhere like Angel Manor, but it nevertheless offers period rooms and a former garden for visitors to explore, and welcomes those who wish to do so – complete with opportunities to dance using the Intan systems scattered around the property.

Facing the palace across a further bridge spanning a deep cut in the land, sit the Royal Opera House and the Ritz Ballroom. Both bear the distinctive hallmarks of Kaya Angel (of Angel Manor fame), and have been positioned by Xinoxi Han, who designed the overall setting in which they are located, and who was also one of several contributors to the design of the palace and it gardens, along with Andy Loon, Xen Oller and 1Selene2012.

The Opera House is intended to “encourage, educate and support the best in classical arts (Music, Dance, Art, Opera, Theatre) throughout Second Life and beyond. To be informed of all the best classical events join Second Life”, and it is certainly a sumptuous building inside, with an imposing exterior which suits its surrounding perfectly. Productions are routinely held here, and those interested in keeping abreast of productions and performances can join the Second Life Opera Society group. The Ballroom, facing the Opera House across a fountained courtyard, presents a venue for live performances and dances.

Both Luminaux and Oceanea offering an interesting change for those who enjoy exploring Second Life, particularly if one has an interest in either literature (Farzaneh Eel’s books really are a delight – I could spend hours looking through her Shakespeare collection) or the performing arts. With the Wilanow Palace and Gardens just across the stream from the Royal Opera House, a visit to see a performance at the later can be enhanced by a wander around the former, particularly if accompanied by a friend.

Related Links

• The Illumination Library, Luminaux SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• The Royal Opera House and Ritz Ballroom, Oceanea SLurl (Rated: Moderate)