Where the soft breeze of the sea wind touches your face, where you smell the fruits of the trees. Where in the evening the flowers spread their smell, where life is simple and slow, and your glass of wine always filled.
– From Lemon Trees Mediterranean About Land
So reads the description for Lemon Trees Mediterranean, a Homestead region design by Lian (LiandavK) that I’ve hopped into a couple of times over the course of the last month or so, and have finally managed to sit down and write about.
As the name suggests, this a public setting with a lean towards the Mediterranean, although it is distinctly a place of two halves. Lemon Trees Mediterranean refers to what might be regarded as the main part of the setting, offering a high landing point amidst aged ruins on a plateau top, with a pair of villas sitting below it, reached by a long stairway that descends the finger of a hill pointing south.
The first of the villas sits bounded on two sides by water, one of which is actually a bay that cuts into the landscape. The villa, with bell frame raised to one end, has the look of a converted chapel about it; a long, single-floored building with what might have once been the priest’s room alongside. Now it forms a simple house, the courtyard outside given over to a place for music and dancing, the far end of which forms an open-roofed bar.
The second villa sits half way up the hill, tucked into two shoulder of rock, one of which forms the base of the landing point plateau. It is more suggestive of a private home (but one open to the public rather than an actual private residence), with a light snack set out on the table on the terrace, the house simply but comfortably furnished. Modest rows of vines are growing on the slopes below it, suggesting this is a working home, whoever occupies it taking the time to produce their own wine – so perhaps the bar at the second villa is their means of selling their produce to any visitors who drop by.
Both villas have views to the south and east, the latter looking out over the waters to where the sea has carved the rocks of a ribbon islands, and the view more directly sough looking over the bay to the southern end of the region.
This southern end of the region can be reached via a tree-shaded path that runs due south from the steps leading down from the landing point. It sits as a somewhat different location to the villas, being set out as a spa complete with its own landing point bounded on three sides by coastal waters. Most immediately facing the walk leading to it is the main swimming pool, its waters warm and inviting, wooden decking stretching out from one side around an aged tree to form a place set for music and barbecues.
Beyond the pool, and setting between it and the southern beach, sits the main spa building, complete with further decks on its beachward side. The building offers a mix of environments: the main section providing lounges, a bar and dance floor; the smaller section presents what appear to be private bedrooms / treatment rooms.
This is an interesting setting in that the spa area is signed in different places as “PG” and “Adult”, although the region itself is Moderate. As such, the signage may appear to run counter to Second Life maturity ratings, but it is intended to give fair warning that some of the furnishings to be found within the smaller section of the spa building and out on the south deck include Adult animations and poses. The spa also has its own group (free to join), but this doesn’t appear to be a requirement for access to any of the areas within it, or to the “Group Access” elements of one of the sets of teleport discs found throughout the setting.
There are also various activities available as the spa – the smaller of the two swimming pools has poses (including dives into the water), there is a sign that can be touched for swimming in the Linden water, a jet ski rezzer. All of which add to the spa setting. For those who want a little more privacy, the north-west corner of the island offers a secluded sing sitting over a rapidly flowing stream that drops away from the local waterfalls.
All of which makes for an engaging visit with some excellent opportunities for fun and photography.
SLurl Details
Auto 1 is rated Moderate.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 