Category: Exploring Second Life

North Pole at Alki, Alki – click any image for full size

“Just for fun, Zoidyn and I have built a light-hearted north pole area over Alki,” Alana Onyett informed me whilst chatting recently. “We had a little dance there, so the elves are a little busy cleaning up, poor things! But we hope you and Caitlyn can come over in your leisure time and relax. We’ll have the build up until the end of December.”

Alki is Alana and Zoidyn’s Full region which offers a lot for people to see and do. Focused on music in Second Life, it presents visitors with a rich mix of music venues, activities, a photogenic public park to wander through, rides, amusements, and much, much more (see here for notes on my last visit). It’s a place always well worth a visit, and the idea that Alana and Zoidyn were having a little seasonal fun as well have Caitlyn and I donning our woolies and jumping over to see.

“Hand over your coal and carrots, and no funny moves. This hair dryer is plugged in, and I know how to use it!” North Pole at Alki, Alki

Sitting at 1500 metres above the region, the north pole area can either be reached via a teleport portal just a few metres away from the main landing point (link above) and here is also another up on the Z&A Plateau, outside the Coffee House; or visitors can use a direct landmark. Whichever route you take, you’ll be delivered to Santa’s North Pole Headquarters, a delightful mix of the quaint and the high-tech (it would seem Santa has moved into the 21st century!).

Of course there is Santa’s toy factory – housed, as one might expect, in a snow-capped cottage, complete with bay windows, sagging roof, stone walls and all. But don’t be fooled; inside things are pretty well automated, production monitored via computer. This means that most of Santa’s Little Helpers (or subordinate clauses, as I call them) can get on with more enjoyable tasks, such as putting up the decorations, baking, and, “product testing” (spelt p-l-a-y-i-n-g).

North Pole at Alki, Alki

Along a cobbled footpath carefully cleared of snow, elf and safety first, after all (OK, I promise that’s the last of the elf puns), sits the rest of Santa’s operation: a sturdy 2-storey stone-and wood-building offering stables for the reindeer (and a sleigh prepping area), with the staff lounge and kitchen above. Further evidence of the high-tech nature of this operation can be seen in the form of the radar dishes on the roof, and the precisely laid-out sleigh runway on the far side of the building. There’s even a weather and communications station up in the hills!

Follow the footpath away from Santa’s operations and through the trees, and you’ll find the elves have been having fun within the circle of a little railway and penguins – presumably up on vacation from Antarctic – are also enjoying themselves.

“Wait. Only five reindeer? With an overloaded sleigh and an overweight, jolly pilot? Are you sure that runway is long enough?” North Pole at Alki, Alki

Fun really is the theme of this build, and Zoidyn and Alana have included a lot of little details which make exploring it carefully well worth the time (not all of them are immediately obvious). Fun can also be had by visitors, be it sledding (with an elf or alone), snowboarding, ice skating or dancing. If quieter pursuits are more your thing, there are plenty of places to sit, snuggle, relax and chat.

And when you feel you’ve seen enough of Santa’s corner of Alki, why not take the portal down to ground level? As noted towards the top of this piece, there’s a lot to be discovered – and a few things added overhead as well since our last visit – just look for the teleporters! When you visit, do please consider a donation towards the region’s upkeep.

SLurl Details

• North Pole at Alki (Alki, rated: Moderate)

L2 Studio & LHOOQ Gallery, LHOOQ – click any image for full size

I’ve been paying an annual visit to Lindini2 Lane’s home region and location for her store, L2 Studio, since 2012. She has always presented the region as a landscaped setting which changes with the seasons, open for people to explore and enjoy whether or not they are  seeking one of her house designs.

Previously located on a homestead region, Lindini2 has now expanded to a Full region, L2 Studio & LHOOQ Gallery, and for those seeking a break from the snowy scenes of winter now appearing across the grid, it could be just the ticket. The move has given Lindini the chance to really flex her creative muscle, displaying her designs in a coastal setting, beautifully landscaped, with a demo rezzing area for her buildings high overhead.

L2 Studio & LHOOQ Gallery, LHOOQ

Visitors using the main landmark arrive in the L2 Studio store in the south-east corner of the region. Just across the water from this, a set of steps lead up to a major new feature for Lindini’s land: the LHOO art gallery, currently displaying work by Jessica Belmer. To the north and west of this, the landscape becomes more rugged. Pine trees occupy rocky land cut by deep inlets, stone steps offering a way up onto their fingers, before the land falls away to a curving beach and narrow channel separating a sandy island from the rest of the landscape.

Within this setting can be found several of Lindini’s designs, set out in a manner suggestive of a small coastal community. Additional designs by Van Auster and others add to the natural feel to the setting, assisted by sheep grazing up on the craggy hills and horses wandering narrow trails, Cats can also be found here, keeping their eye on things, while a gentle, ambient soundscape completes the sense of immersion.

L2 Studio & LHOOQ Gallery, LHOOQ

The landscape is designed to encourage exploration – getting from A to B sometimes isn’t as straightforward as might first appear; diversions around inlets and across beaches are required. This further adds to the feeling of this is a place, rather than a showroom, as does the way all of the houses have been carefully furnished.

Throughout the region there are places to sit  – indoor and out , on the ground and in the trees – little places to discover and a lot to photograph and enjoy. If I have a quibble at all, it might be that there’s perhaps a little too much; at times my system struggled mightily with rendering.

L2 Studio & LHOOQ Gallery, LHOOQ

Nevertheless, L2 Studio and LHOOQ Gallery offers a pleasing and eye-catching break from the wintry destinations we might otherwise drop into;  the only wintertime concession can be found on the beach to the north-east – and even that is made of sand rather than snow 🙂 .

SLurl Details

• L2 Studio and LHOOQ Gallery (LHOOQ, rated: Moderate)

Fris’ Land, Liebe – click any image for full size

In 2014 I, like many other Second Life users, paid my first visit to Frisland, the region designed by Charlie Namiboo, Anna Barzane and Frislanda “Fris” Ferraris which was based on the phantom island that appeared on virtually all of the maps of the North Atlantic from the 1560s through the 1660s.

The region became an instant hit with visitors, changing its face to match the seasons, and drawing people back time and time again. So much so, that when it did finally come time to say goodbye, it was obvious many would miss it.

Fris’ Land, Liebe

It seems that Charlie and Fris also found it hard to leave their beloved creation behind, because they’ve just opened up Fris’ Land. While in no any way intended to be a replica of their original vision, it nevertheless offers those of us who miss Frisland with the opportunity to recapture memories of its wintertime look.

Occupying the eastern half of a Homestead region, Fris’ Land presents a snowbound landscape in which familiar pieces from Frisland – the little church, the horses and their little barn, the deck sitting over frigid water – sit alongside barns and houses not seen with the original, offering as new setting to explore and enjoy.

Fris’ Land, Liebe

From the landing point, located near a large barn offering indoor seating, complete with pot-bellied stove and fireplace to ward off the cold, visitors can wander north or south across the snow, to where either the little red church sits at the north end of the region, or to where a large timber-frame house occupies a study wooden deck on the southern side.

Along the walk to the church, visitors will pass a small deck extending out over the waters between the islands, chairs arranged alongside another pot-bellied stove, just as they did in Frisland (do, as well, keep an eye out for the little black kitten on the deck – he’ll certainly be keeping both eyes on you!). When heading south, be sure follow the stone-line track which meanders past the horses and their hay shed.

Fris’ Land, Liebe

Throughout the region, there are plenty of places to sit, indoors and out, including an old greenhouse frame sitting on a small dock behind the main barn. However, when exploring, and while there are bridges leading to them, do please keep in mind the island to the west are private residences, and not open to the public.

It’s a delight to see Fris and Charlie sharing their creativity again – and my thanks to Charlie for sending the invite for us to visit. Firs’ Land will remain open for “a couple of months” – so enjoy it while you have the chance!

SLurl Details

• Fris’ Land (Liebe, rated: Moderate)

I first visited Luane’s World in April 2016 thanks to Owl Dragonash. A beautiful, mystical realm, home to Luane Meo’s store, it offered a serene and romantic setting for visitors.

A lot has changed since then. Winter now grips the region (although summer retains a hold over the store), and the landscape has changed with the arrival of snow – but none of the romance, beauty or mystery of the region has been lost. Rather the opposite, in fact: it has grown, spreading itself across the adjoining region of Luane’s Magical World, presenting visitors with a genuine winter wonderland to explore.

This is a landscape that is so expansive, it’s hard to know where to begin. The two regions are both linked physically and by winter’s touch (with a little exception in the case of each one: Luane’s store, and a sandy, cliff-hugging beach), but each is entirely unique, representing shared work by Luane and Kaelyn McMahon (Kaelyn Alecto). As such, they genuinely need to be experienced rather than written about.

Just across the covered bridge from the store landing point, Luane’s World offers a setting that is largely rural: a cottage overlooks a frozen pond and fenced grazing for horses, a windmill turning slowly in the breeze, a small cabin close by sitting amidst frosted beech and oak trees. Stone slabs lift their white-dusted, flat heads above the deeper snow covering the ground, inviting visitors to wander further into the region.

Those who do will find there is much to see and do, be it wandering the Gothic ruins, climbing the hill to Santa’s playground, skating on a second, larger pond or watching the world go by from the railings of the bridges that cross frozen streams. Indoors, the cottages and cabin offer warmth and respite from the cold for those who need it.

Across a shallow channel of water spanned by more of the  stone slabs, and around a curve of beach, sits Luane’s Magical World. This is a more mysterious realm, where a ruined castle sits top the beach cliffs and glittering, frozen water separates the land into islands and flooded scenes. Frost clings to trees, and light flickers and twists between branches and trunks. The Polar Express sits at the water’s edge, perhaps waiting to whisk passengers off on an adventure to the North Pole, while out on the ice, unicorns frolic and now-white deer leap.

Climb up to the castle ruins and you’ll find one gate guarded by a portal and the other by a dragon. Travel far enough along the stone footpaths below the hill and you’ll either find your way back to Luane’s store or perhaps you’ll find a hidden cavern. One thing is sure: whichever route you take through Luane’s Magical World, you will find yourself enchanted by all that you find. You’ll also find plenty of places for sitting and cuddling while Romany caravans offer shelter from the cold.

This time of year always bring forth may winter-themed places to visit in Second Life, and all of them have a certain attraction. However, Luane’s worlds offer something very special with their joint seasonal setting. Be sure to add them to your list of places to see this Christmas!

SLurl Details

• Luane’s World (Slice of Heaven, rated: moderate)
• Luane’s Magical World (Morning Glow, rated: Adult)

La Digue du Braek, Muppets Island – click any image for full size

“The warehouse at the back is fun,” Cube Republic told me, when passing me the landmark to La Digue du Braek last week – and it is. Sitting at the “back” of the region (in terms of how you reach it if you follow the road), it’s a veritable curiosity shop, stacked with bric-a-brac and topped by a chandeliered club house.

La Digue du Braek is the work of Serene Footman, responsible for the stark beauty of Furillen (which you can read about  here and here), and his SL partner, Jade Koltai. Like that design, it is based on a physical world location, in this case the 7 kilometre long headland sitting between the English Channel and the working port area of the Dunkerque grand littoral intercommunity in Hauts-de-France.

La Digue du Braek, Muppets Island

It is on the seaward side this headland, known for the long road running along it, that visitors arrive in the region. The air is heavy with haze, and a short walk up and over the dunes is required to find the road. This brings into view the Canal de Bourbourg, which runs between the headland and the busy port, the shadowy bulk of which can be seen through the haze. The road itself sits at the foot of the dunes, running east from the maw of a tunnel before turning south to enter the port via a metal bridge. A ruined house and ageing pillbox, reminders of Dunkerque’s physical history, watch over the road.

Like the sky under which it sits,  the port is grey and tired looking, colours muted by years of work, the drabness seems only relieved by the bright colours of the containers stacked in their three wall-like rows. Ships are berthed alongside the wharf, their tired engines belching oily smoke up through their funnels to add to the haze of the sky. Tall cranes stand against the skyline like giant one-legged stick figures with oddly disproportionate arms, while the rounded bulk of oil storage tanks squat around their feet.

La Digue du Braek, Muppets Island

This is a busy place – but it is also one with certain incongruities which offer interest spiked with a little intrigue. It may be a working port, but the local power substation  appears to be in a state of disrepair and no longer connected to the main power grid. Further along the wharf, near the bulk of the warehouse, sit the wrecks of crashed trucks and vans, their broken and damaged remains apparently ignored; then there is the curiosity shop of the warehouse itself, complete with television eyes watching all who come and go.

But perhaps the most unusual part of the region lies close to port entrance. It is a great iron frame which rises into the sky to rival the tallest of the cranes. Metal stairways connect its multiple levels, within each of which sits at least one old mobile home or prefab. It forms a vertical trailer park, a place anyone who has read Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One will doubtless recognise.

La Digue du Braek, Muppets Island

La Digue du Braek is another atmospheric build; one rooted in the physical world but with interesting twists of the unexpected. It stands both on its own and as a companion to Furillen, and I’ve little doubt those who have enjoyed the latter will enjoy a visit here – and if you’ve not visited either La Digue du Braek or Furillen, now is the time to drop into both!

SLurl Details

• La Digue du Braek (Muppets Island, rated: Adult)