Category: Exploring Second Life

Update: Syx contacted me to assure me the villa in the north region is indeed open to the public, and encourages people to pop in to witness Bryn’s interior design!  

Ilha do Sol (literally “Sun Island”) is an estate comprising three regions designed by Syx Toshi and with touches by his SL partner Bryn Toshi (Bryn Bulloch), that between them offer a touch of Mediterranean sunshine and Californian surf in a contiguous setting that runs south-to-north through the estate.

While teleporting is open, perhaps the best place to start explorations is the middle region, the home of the little town of Ilha Do Sol itself. This huddles itself around a small bay and climbs the shoulders of the hills that cup the bay’s waters. Here, visitors are placed down within the small praça that sits on the landward side of the bay, separated from the water by a narrow ribbon of grass and sand on to which have been drawn a number of rowing boats, while a couple more sit out on the water.

Featuring a traditional fishing boat of times past, the praça is home to a  modest open market that is proving popular with tourists and locals alike (the familiar static NPCs that are to be increasingly found across many public regions). The majority of the buildings bordering the square and climbing into the hills of the bay are façades, although a couple do have interior décor for those who wander the waterfront.

A tunnel sits to the rear of the praça, providing a subterranean route to the southern region, of which more anon. Passing over this tunnel is the main north-south road, which ends in a small car park overlooking the south region whilst also running north into the open country beyond the town.

The north side of the town sits back from this main road, and offers more to see with little houses sitting along narrow streets, one of which forms a little cycle shop where bicycles can be rezzed and used by visitors. The local church can also be found here as well, tall and slim and with it doors open to visitors. Beyond it, the paved road twists around an upland shoulder of rock and quickly turns to a dusty track that winds into the northern region of the estate. Here, just across the region boundary is a small stable and field where visitors can rez a horse and go for a ride.

This northern region is largely open – there’s the sables, a small orchard and, climbing further into the hills, the steps of a vineyard, each held in place by a tile-topped wall, the vines fed water from sprinklers also mounted atop the walls. Having petered out prior to reaching these terraces, the track resumes to curl around them and climb up to pass close to the wall of a large villa before continuing on to the edge eastern cliffs that drop away to the sea.

The villa sits within its own parcel, and while there is no sign or other indication this is the case, it gives the impression of perhaps being a private residence. As such, I didn’t pass through the gates as I didn’t want to invade privacy.

Returning to the southernmost region of the estate, this takes the form of a sweeping sandy bay facing open waters where whitecaps periodically roll into the shallows, offering the opportunity for surfing and swimming. The beach itself is home to a surf school that has its own lounge and swimming pool, while on its eastern side the sand runs between the blue waters and a number of private residences in the form of RVs, trailers and tents that sit along the edge of the region.

Rezzing here is open, allowing people to use their own surfing and swimming gear, while for those who don’t have any surfing kit, board rezzers are also available. I confess that I didn’t ride the waves during my visit – but I did use the open sands to take my horse for a good gallop around the bay! Those who enjoy their surfing experiences might like to climb the sandy slope at the back of the beach to Syx’s shop as it sits with a commanding view over the bay and connects back to the town’s car park via a board walk.

There are many attractions to be found around Ilha Do Sol, and it lends itself well to photography, particularly if you take the time to try different EEP settings. However, for me, what really makes this as a setting is the time Syx has taken in order to blend traversable region with off-region surrounds to create a natural landscape. This rises from the sea to slow hills and scrubby plains and then to grass-topped foothills that join with the surrounding mountains that gives the setting a depth of design that is eye-catching.

SLurl Details

• Ilha Do Sol (Norton, rated Moderate)

A quiet calm and stillness will comfort your soul as you wander beneath a canopy of trees and explore the spellbound forest at Cloven. Enjoy photography, horseback riding, the stone circle, hot springs and more.

So reads the description of Cloven Forest, the Full region design by Nova Murray that lies surrounded by mountains and offers a wooded landscape suggestive of great age, and where feet (and hooves can wander freely.

Naturally set beneath a night sky – I’ve opted to use daylight settings in the images here – the region may include the LI bonus available to Full private region, but the setting doesn’t in any way feel overloaded. Instead, it presents a landscape that undulates gently beneath that canopy of trees, shadowed avenues passing beneath their cover.

These avenues are largely natural in nature, broad swathes of grass unburdened by track or paved surface. Periodically lit by by flower-shaped lanterns, these natural trails are easy to follow on foot and ideal for riding if you have a wearable horse.

Towards the centre of the region there rises a gentle hill, crowned by mature oak trees, and from which the two streams that cut through the land issue, presumably sourced by an underground aquifer. Whilst spanned by bridges, neither of these fast-flowing streams presents a real hazard to navigation, although the splashing waters of one has attracted a small family of black bears, a small sample of the wildlife scattered throughout the forest.

The sense of age to be found here is not only offered by the great height and maturity of many of the trees, but also in the ruins to be found as one explores. These range from the remnants of what might have been a fortification crowning the flattened top of a hill to the west and what is left of an  old church and grave yard occupying the lowlands below, to an inner garden where the trees have been draped in lights, and a stone conservatory and fountain stand, both carrying a hint of fantasy to them that contrasts nicely with the more medieval look to the ruins.

Marked by a drystone wall with a single circular entrance guarded by two aged trees, this garden is just one of a number of places within the forest offering places to pass the time. Another such space come with pagan elements in the form of tree trunks craved into the form of a couple joining in matrimony, the fire and circle of seats nearby bracketed by barrels of wine or mead to one side and a small natural alter to the old gods on the other.

Other places to sit lay scattered throughout, with one of them carrying a more modern vibe to it: a small camp site that almost borders on glamping, sitting on a table of rock rising from alongside the aforementioned garden space.

The one path that is to be found within the region runs alongside the north side of the island, passing through an area of younger woodland (going by the height of the trees) among which is hidden a wooden watch tower that overlooks the waters beyond the region. Passing beyond the tower, the path eventually branches, its two ends eventually delivering those who follow them to the old church ruins.

With the landing point tucked into the north-east corner of the setting, balanced by a ring of standing stones in the south-east corner, Cloven Forest has a lot for visitors to discover throughout, both inland and along the shorelines. To the west, a stone bridge spans a channel of water into a second region – Clovenhearth, a homestead – but as the sign at the bridge notes, that region is a private residence, so explorations should be curtailed without crossing over the water and intruding on privacy.

Atmospheric under its night-time sky and highly photogenic by almost any daytime EEP setting, Cloven Forest makes for a relaxing visit and opportunity for exploring.

SLurl Details

• Cloven Forest (Cloven, rated Adult)

Designed by Syna Kiyori / Sônge (SongeFireflies), [ Dispersion ] is an atmospheric Homestead region that offers a lot to take in and appreciate, as  I recently discovered courtesy of another pointer from Shawn Shakespeare.

Syna/Sônge describes the region as a meeting place for lovers of sensuality, inviting them to dance and explore and allow their creativity free reign as they enjoy opportunities for photography. And the truth is, the region offers all of this and more.

Sitting under a twilight sky where the Sun is dipping towards the horizon, and the heaviness of sky and cloud give a sense that we’re already in the last light of day, the region is intriguing in its mix of setting and home for art.

From the landing point in the north-east, the region immediately suggests something of a post-apocalyptic / disaster setting: the main bridge leading away from the landing zone is broken and partially collapsed – as is the road beyond. What appears to be a decontamination crew is warning people away from the far side of the broken bridge.

Nevertheless, the bridge can be crossed; and despite looking cold, the waters washing over the old road are not deep, allowing the road to be followed to a pair of blocky structures linked by a glass and wood gazebo. This is the home of the La Boite Noir (The Black Box), a gallery space that at the time of my visit was featuring the art photographer Hilaire Beaumont, whilst outside are places to sit and enjoy the view back over the region.

But to return to the landing point a moment. This offers something of an event space, what appears to be disused parking lot (despite the warning it is a tow away zone ) now partially overgrown, a tree having long since taken over the centre of the tarmac. Old televisions hang from the branches of the trees and from another to one side of the the tarmac. Together with the wrecks of old cars and the carcass of an old low-loader for a stage, they present place where the promises dancing can be enjoyed.

A gap in the fencing on the west side of the landing access a path leads the way between an old wall and tall trees, passing a long-abandoned swimming pool complete with Cyrillic writing on the roof. Here, and along the path itself, are further displays of art: the old pool house contains images by Syna, and the path is home to sculptures.

Further west, the land opens out a little, home to a domed pantheon. Despite the fact that nature is taking control inside, this is home to a strangely cosy and engaging club-like setting. Chandeliers hang from the branches of the old tree, armchairs and couches scattered beneath its branches and lit by spheres of light.

To the south sits an island connected to the rest of the region by two wooden bridges.  Rugged and home to fir trees, an old barn sits just across the bridge, but the island’s delight lies in the orangery standing amidst the trees to the south-west. Again partially reclaimed by nature, it also offers something of a romantic setting, one framed by the westering Sun and with places indoors and out to sit and appreciate the many views to be had.

The eastern end of this island looks back towards the art gallery, close to where another wooden bridge offers a route back to the landing point. A tractor sits on this bridge which, when added to the presence of the barn and the goats, gives the suggestion that a farm once existed here.

What may have happened to flood the land and leave it partially broken and with sunken containers washed against the shore, or why a team in hazmats is needed is open to the imagination. However, what cannot be denied is the fact that [ Dispersion ] is a picturesque and captivating  setting and one thoroughly deserving on a visit.

SLurl Details

• [ Dispersion ] (Cherokee Taslagi Vally, rated Adult)

A perusal of the Destination Guide recently brought me to an entry for another region design by Valarie (Zalindah) and dedicated to Bambi (NorahBrent), whose hand can also be seen in a couple of places within the region, and with whom Val has worked with in the past to create virtual spaces.

Adored – For Bambi is another enchanting setting, described as a “Japanese inspired Zen garden”, but which is so much more: a landscape that mixes garden and wilder spaces, water with land, the natural and the fanciful in a marvellous mix of ideas and settings that flow together perfectly and achieve Val’s stated desire to boost spirits, inspire the mind and relax the heart.

The landing point sits within a Japanese pergola located on a short finger of land that extends out into the bay that cuts into the island to form the focal point of the zen garden. A path from the pergola leads to a pair of Torii gates standing guard on either side of the garden’s path as it set out to follow the curve of the bay’s edge and to a small koi house on the shore.

This house offers a charming / romantic retreat, a place to be enjoyed at the end of a visit, especially if accompanied by a loved one. But before turning to it, there is much more to see, as a second path extends beyond the two Torii gates of the garden, pointing the way to northern grasslands.  Here the land is in sharp contrast to the woodlands around the garden and bay: the trees are few, the grass long and turned to gold under the Sun.

The remains of a single, once massive and elm-like tree rises from one side of these grasslands, its few remaining branches still sprouting leaves, the top of its truncated form smoothed and levelled into an elevated platform, tree bark acting as a natural wind break on one side and a set of wooden steps spiralling around the broad trunk to reach it. The nominal shade of this tree and the sea of grass around it has been claimed as the home of a small herd of fallow deer, complete with offspring, that wanders and grazes peacefully.

Across a narrow channel of water cutting into the grasslands, stands the remnants of a stone building, now little more than a pair of incomplete walls. Paired lines of trees close by give the impression the land here may once have been an orchard. but if this were once the case, the denuded and withering state of the trees and the tumbledown nature of the building would suggest that time was long in the past, and building and trees have been left to fade; even the little greenhouse that someone had built into the ruined building has been deserted, the area now home to a frolicking Kitsune.

And this is just scratching the surface of the region’s secrets. Off to the north is a little island with a shelter of its own, whilst back in the woodlands there await more discoveries along the lanterned path that sweeps around the land under the trees to return to the koi house on the shore.

Along this path lie woven arches, Torri gates, places to sit and, hovering in greeting, three little flying monkeys. Such creatures are often not found to be friendly in literature and tale, but visitors have nothing to fear from these three, as they watch the comings and goings quietly and present a small taste of the more fanciful elements of Adored – For Bambi.

The latter is more keenly to be seen just beyond the landing point, where a rocky hill forms a small promontory to one side of the bay, balancing the koi house on the other side. A carpet of fluffy grass offers a way up to the crown of the hill, passing between tall growths of bamboo to reach a bridge that stretches out into the air to where clouds await those seeking a place to sit and watch the orca playing below.

With domesticated dogs, stags and wolves helping to round-out the animal population, and with lanterns floating on the water and through the air, Adored – For Bambi makes for an engaging and restorative visit for the weary of eye or soul.

SLurl Details

• Adored – For Bambi (Adored, rated Moderate)

About a week ago, I bumped into Hera (zee9), creator of the ever-popular Drune series of region designs  and during the course of our conversation, she mentioned that while the last (at that time) iteration of the city – Drune Diesel (see: Drune’s diesel-deco delight in Second Life) – had now gone, she was nevertheless working on a smaller-scale redux of the more dystopian versions of the city.

The result is Drune Sleazy Street, and at the weekend, Hera extended an invitation to visit and explore.

As the name might suggest, the new build only replicates the main street of the dystopian Drune. Given the design is sitting within a Homestead, it’s a little hard to reproduce all of the city; but what Hera has produced is nonetheless engaging and rich in detail, both echoing the older Drune builds and offering some touches of its own.

Awash with the neon that always gives Drune a pulse of life, the street is home to the passage of hover vehicles along the main carriageways, the adult-themed emporiums and the eateries, all overseen by hovering bots, quietly parked police spinners, and elevated walkways.

Among the buildings that line the street are two clubs, one with the familiar Alien-esque theme, the other offering a more grunge feel (and called appropriately enough, Biohazard). Also awaiting discovery is opulent delight of the Shanghai Dragon. While for those who seek it, an elevator will lift them up to the Exotic lounge.

But rather than being written about, Drune Sleazy Street – like the various iterations of the full-scale Drune – is a place that should be seen and savoured while it lasts and which will appeal to anyone with a love of sci-fi (the Blade Runner references are clear in the design, and really don’t need mentioning alongside those of the Alien franchise). As such, I’ll just leave images here as encouragement (I hope!) for you to hop over and take a look for yourself.

My thanks to Hera for the invitation to visit!

SLurl Details

• Drune Sleazy Street (Starlight Shores, rated Adult)