Category: Reviews

Isla Enchanted is a charming Homestead region designed by Isla Nebula and currently open to exploration by visitors. It comes with a simple description:

A charming village, nestled in the mountains and beside a peaceful lake, calls for exploration. Wander the area to discover its magical, hidden gardens.

– Isla Enchanted About Land description

Surrounded by mountains, if separated from them by water, the region sits as two contiguous but separate parts. The larger area of the region, mostly low-lying and shouldered by walls of rocky cliffs, is home to the village mentioned in the About Land description. Encompasses the region’s Landing Point, the village comprises little cottages and cabins scattered between fields both cultivated and rich in wildflowers, the way through the landscape marked by a meandering gravel track.

These lowlands are overlooked to the west by  a large plateau topped by two rocky peaks, the larger of which is in turn capped by a large abandoned house. Reached via the track from below switch-backing its way up one side of the plateau, one of these rocky peaks is surrounded by an ouroboros-like stream which, if not exactly eating its own “tail”, is very much chasing its rushing, bubbling self around and around never losing tempo.

Spanned by two bridges – neither of which connect to the outer path as it skirts around the lip of the plateau – the stream’s endless circling is the first aspect of mystery to be found atop the plateau. Two more can be found in the caverns under the two peaks, both connected one to the other by the bridges.

One of the caverns offers a hint of magical goings-on, whilst the other appears to be as mysteriously deserted (outside of stone fireplace and its rising flames) as the house above, perhaps prompting questions as to what might have gone on within both , and why they now appear abandoned. A further hint of magic is to be found tucked behind the two rocky peaks, in the form of a peace meadow with a fairy garden.

Unlike the house up on the peek, the cottages and cabin down in the village are far from abandoned, instead offering themselves as cosily-furnished little retreats, their gardens presenting photogenic vignettes alongside of the fields, all of which – gardens, fields and footpaths are dotted with little touches of details to bring them further to life.

To the east, cliffs throw themselves across the land as a tree-flanked wall seeking to repel invaders, a single arched pathway allowing passage through their bulk. It leads to a marvellous enclosed garden quite magical in its presentation. Here, just past the arch, a rowing boat floats on a sea of flowering grass, mooring lines holding it close the a tree-shaded dock as swans stand guard around it, a shoal of fish pass overhead and taller flower throw their leaves and tendrils upwards like plumes of water frozen as time around them stands still.

Close by, and on the same sea of flowering grass, carved creatures, perhaps a mother and youngling, cast ripples outwards across the flowers as their moss-covered forms appear to swim past another tree. Rich in multi-hued leaves, this tree also appears to offer the perfect hide to which the floating blue jellyfish drifting through the air might retreat, should danger threaten.

Facing these vignettes is a delightful outdoor tea room offering tempting delights whilst surrounded by its own garden. Elsewhere, topiary horses guard a shaded piano and candles burn before a mirror while swings and cup-seats add their own attractiveness to the setting.

Designed in a way to be attractive under a range of environment settings, Isla Enchanted could perhaps benefit from a little more in the way of ambient sounds (bird song from the trees, perhaps?). But that aside, there is no mistaking its tranquil beauty and opportunities for exploration and relaxation.

SLurl Details

• Isla Enchanted (Honeycomb Hills, rated Moderate)

In classical Chinese mythology it was said that immortals dwelt within the Penglai Palace, a place built of gold and silver, surrounded by trees on which jewels grew and within which lay the elixir of life – and thus the goal of explorers sent by Emperor Qin Shi Huang to “recover”. But where, exactly, was this palace?

According to the Shanhai jing (“Classic of Mountains and Seas”), the palace sat atop Mount Penglai, one of three “godly mountains” set within the gulf of the Bohai Sea. However, the Xuanhe fengshi Gaoli tujing (“Illustrated Account of the Embassy to Goryeo in the Xuanhe Era”), Mount Penglai sat on an island “across thousands of league of shallow water” within the Changguo Prefecture, and loosely thought to possibly be the location of modern-day Zhoushan City. Or perhaps Zhoushan Island might have been the point from which those seeking the palace and elixir set off across those many leagues – perhaps as far as Japan, where, according to legend, Xu Fu mistook Mount Fiji to be the fabled mountain of the immortals.

Scholars have debated the likely root of the legendary palace and mountain’s location down the ages, and it has spread its presence to Japan (where it is known as Hōrai), Korea and Vietnam. Fortunately for those of us in Second Life, we don’t have to puzzle mysteries of the Palace; instead we can visit a place that takes its name from the legend. And while it might not be intended as the home of immortals or to location of any marvellous elixir. Rather, it presents a place of tranquil retreat, Tai-Chi, contemplation, Chinese-inspired music and even mixes a little Japanese touch.

Designed by Polees, Peng Lai offers a sense of the legends of Penglai both as a mountainous location as as being on an island, presenting as it does a small complex of buildings surrounded by the peaks of distant mountains as if the rocky islands on which they sit are themselves mountainous peaks, and as if they are built upon rafts of rock floating upon a sea of white cloud. Located within a Mainland parcel of just 2048 sq m, this is an elegant setting, small in size and with a sense of detail that is enticing.

Peng Lai is a fairyland above the clouds, where you can see ancient Chinese art and Taoist culture with architecture, furniture, paintings, decorations of China. You can relax, enjoy music, meditate … and have tea here.

– from the Penglai About Land description

The Landing Point sits as a a literally gateway which, although high in the clouds, is actually the lowest level, a wooden stairway climbing from it to give the impression of ascent further into the heavens, thus presenting the sense of rising into the realm of gods.

At the top of this stairway stands a great carved wheel of stone; a crossroads, if you will on the journey through the setting. To the left as one reaches the stone, a walkway and short set of steps rises to small single-roomed building wherein sits a small curtain-draped shrine facing the door and music and seating to the left and right. Facing this across the rounded stone, and reached via an angled walkway is an open-air railed platform where communal tea might be shared and trees bloom.

The stone wheel offers Tai Chi for up to four, whilst facing the gateway, a  further stairway slopes gently upwards and outwards to where the largest island of rock floats serenely, water tumbling from one side to provide a backdrop to the tea platform. Here stands a grand building, a home to three side-by-side shrines awaiting prayers or meditation, as with the single shrine in the smaller building. Heavy drapes to either side of the shrines, together with lighter curtains help to divide the building into smaller spaces, although these are bereft of furniture, instead offering a shelter place where thoughts might be contemplated in silent pacing along the enclosed corridor.

With trees and shrubs clinging to the rocks to give them both a sense of life and the feeling they are linked – if invisibly – to the surrounding mountains of the enclosing sky sphere, presenting a sense of unity and space as well as that of location. This is further increased by the fact this is a veritable tour de force of work by Deo Rain, Polees’ SL partner.

Deo specialises in historical Chinese architecture,  furnishings décor, and more, and Peng Lai really brings them together and to the fore as to how they might be combined to create a memorable setting, complete with elements from other creators specialising in pieces from the same eras (or close to them) helping to further entice and enhance. Further, those who have Autoplay enabled will be treated to a media track of suitable music playing periodically.

Beautifully presented and with the air of a modern take on a Chinese watercolour painting, Peng Lai is a highly engaging and picturesque visit (with one or two little nods towards the influence Penglai has had on Japanese legends), offering more than the small size of the parcel over which it sits might suggest.

SLurl Details

• Peng Lai (Tyta, rated Moderate)