Category: Reviews

I was surprised to see that it’s been over a year since I last visited Yoyo Collas’ Homestead region of Borkum (see: Borkum’s Winter in Second Life); so long, in fact that I gather the region may have vanished for a time from the grid. However, it is now back within a new location, and I’ve been keen to make a revisit.

As I noted back in November 2023:

Drawing its name from the Lower Saxony island which forms the largest and westernmost of the East Frisian Islands as it sits alongside the border with the Netherlands, and caught between the North Sea and the Wadden Sea, Yoyo’s Borkum has always been a place that is both photogenic and a reminder of how good it is to spend time away from the bustle of life and simply be.

This remains the case now as much as it did then; the major difference being that with this iteration of Borkum, spring has once again returned, allowing it to offer a welcome promise of what is to come for those of us in the northern hemisphere as winter moves increasingly behind us and spring draws ever closer.

One of the delights of Borkum is that whilst the island many change in its overall look and feel with each iteration, it retains many elements from past designs – such ats the Apple Fall Old Manufactory -, so as to always hold the feeling that one is returning to  familiar and comfortable place.

With its central upland grasslands and surrounding beaches, this iteration of Borkum is very much a haven for both wildfowl and domesticate animals – horses, sheep, cattle, chickens. The latter are all clearly ruled over by the island’s felines (just as cats hold sway over our physical lives, whatever we might think; as the saying goes – dogs have owners, cats have staff!).

The wildfowl and birds range from geese through seagulls, cormorants, egrets, cranes and even swans. Together with the animal life they offer many opportunities for photography; but so to does the natural beauty of the region. The grasslands of the hills are awash with colour thanks to the meadow flowers, poppies and other blooms which almost completely hide the grass, whilst the scrub trees, buildings and other structures all add to the picturesque nature of the setting.

I’m not going to describe how to explore the island – it is easy enough to work out for yourself; the paths offer hints, pointing places of interest, but really, Borkum is a place to simply wander and to sit and allow the time to pass, either on your own or in company. For those so minded, there is a sailing boat slowly circling the island visitors can sit upon, but there are more than enough places on land for people to enjoy if the boat is already occupied when you visit.

The sense of solitude present on the island is enhanced somewhat by the hints that it might be the retreat for an artist, and which also happens to offer opportunities for visits dropping by, thanks to the beaches and the little café.

Rather than say anything else, I’ll close with the words Yoyo has written for the region, as they are the most fitting:

Far out in the endless northern dance,
where waves weave patterns in a timeless trance, lies an island, where winds still play,
Borkum, a gem in the ocean’s sway.
The gulls sing clear, a hymn to the skies,
of horizons that promise where the future lies. The briny air speaks bold and free,
of ventures shaped by the restless sea.

Upon the shore where stories remain,
where amber gleams in a golden chain,
an eternal symphony calling us all.
When the night lays out its starry veil,
and the breeze unfolds its ocean tale,
you’ll dream of Borkum, the boundless strand, the island of wonder, the promised land.

So, go visit and enjoy.

SLurl Details

• Borkum (Poetry, rated Moderate)

Occupying a Full region leveraging the Land Capacity bonus, Ruehaven Village is a rural setting mixing private residences with public spaces visitors are invited to explore and enjoy.

The best way to describe the setting is by using the description presented via the Destination Guide:

Ruehaven Village is a quaint, small family-owned village set in an English-style Victorian era. It features lots of beautiful scenery, functioning businesses, happy and friendly residents, and more. 

The Landing Point is located towards the south-west of corner the region, alongside the local churchyard. Before it, the paved road of road of the village runs northwards, braced to either side by village shops and houses.  The first of these is the local pub (no village in England is really complete without having at least one pub!).

A road showing signs of heavier use points eastwards from the Landing point, and has a short spur stretching to the village harbour quay sitting behind the pub and village businesses.  This is also the arrival / end point for the local railway.

The private residences are spread across the region, one within the village (and marked as such); the others along the remaining sides of the setting. They belong to the Second Life families who live within the region, and are clearly separated from the public spaces by fences and hedgerows.

Central to the setting is a lake – froze for winter at the time of my visit, the island rising from its waters the home of a cosy pavilion where afternoon tea and pasties might be enjoyed, together with music from the piano.

The dock and boat to one side of the lake suggest that trips out on the water might be encouraged when the weather is more amenable, while a carousel sits across the water to offer rides of a different kind. Meanwhile the road running east away from the village actually passes around the lake, offering a route of exploration that will lead visitors to the major points of interest.

The latter include the church mentioned above, the dance pavilion, the various stores in the village, and the local sled run (well, while the snow lasts!). Those who enjoy horse riding should also pay a visit to the local stables as there’s a rezzer there with open use, and the roads are well-suited to horse riding.

I assume the seasons with the region change through the year,  but the current wintery look and feel to the region give it a romantic look and feel, adding to its overall photogenic beauty. And when you’re done exploring, don’t forget to spend a little time relaxing at the local café.

All-in-all, a delightful and easy-on-the-eye setting.

SLurl Details

• Ruehaven Village (Fleurs bleu nuit, rated Moderate)

I’ve covered a lot of regions inspired by, or in tribute to, Lewis Carroll’s Alice books. There are several reasons for this; such regions are oft highly imaginative, for example; I also particularly enjoy much of the nonsense and quirkiness with the stories, which helped end a period of literature in which it was believed all children’s stories should be didactic rather than being entertaining, and they are rich in allusions and symbolism. So, when I came across a region with intriguing name Malice in Wonderland, complete with an equally engaging description:

Not quite Wonderland, the place perhaps where Alice gave into her Malice? This destination is a fantasy, sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, wonderland. Swim with mermaids, drink at the Cantina, and avoid the rains of the run-down streets. Secrets abound to explore.

– Malice in Wonderland Destination Guide entry

The work of July Foxglove, Malice in Wonderland more than lives up to the rich and enticing mix of of genres and ideas promised it the description; so much so that while there are clear references to Alice and elements of Carroll’s stories, the region contains so much more, such that a better description for the region might be found in July’s Profile:

Malice’s Wonderland 2.0.

Is it finished? never will be – it’s a work of my madness! Its my second avatar! But with many more attachment slots!

– July Foxglove

What is evident as one starts to explore this world sitting under an astounding night sky is that just as it has been born freely of the imagination, so too does it require an open imagination to fully appreciate all it has to offer. Surrounded by a mountainous region surround into which it blends, Malice in Wonderland is not so much a single setting as it is a series of settings – vignettes and chapters, if you will – containing their own story or stories. Many of these are in plain view and easy to find, others are hidden away and require discovery; all of of it quite marvellous to witness and photograph.

To walk through the region in words would actually be pointless simply because it is genuinely a place that should be experienced first-hand. To help people get around, the region has a Stargate-style system of ring transporters with a list of destinations. Most can be reached on foot and by keeping eyes open for ramps, tunnels, elevators and the like; however, several can only be reached via the teleporter system (such as V’s Apartment, the Tardis, the ballroom, for example), so use of it is recommended during visits (accept the system Experience) if required.

Routes (and, one might say the roots) of exploration commence from the Land Point, as one might expect. Taking the form of a subway station, this offers an obvious exit up to ground level, exiting into the rain-drenched setting of a small town which in turn anchors an interconnected archipelago of island floating overhead. However, check the tunnel mouths either side of of the portrait of Malice at the Landing Zone and you’ll discover why I reference “roots”.

A further way of getting around is using the various zip lines dotted around the settings, so its is worth keeping and eye out for them as well.

Within the ground level space it is possible to find a very steampunk Tea Party, bubbling streams, a winter scene, nightclub, a stunning model of a certain spaceship for which I have a lot of affection (and had me singing about not being able to take the sky from me 🙂 ), an X-Wing whose pilot is liable to see his or her insurance premiums go up, the rain-drenched town, to mention a few of the more obvious points of interest. There’s also a tree house and a deep quarry with another series of secrets awaiting under the surface of the water – possibly best reached via the teleport rings.

Above this, the floating islands offer multiple vignettes (including an actual Stargate), reference to popular fairy tales, a floating bridge leading to a manor house where time can be spent – and where two of the zip lines can be found, one leading down into the quarry while another provides an alternate route to the manor house from the other end of the floating islands.

When exploring, keep an eye out for the smaller vignettes, the use of art (2D and 3D) and the rich mix of genres and ideas. As noted I don’t want to go too much into specifics here, as exploring and encountering really is the best way to fully appreciate all this region has to offer, underground, on the ground and above the ground (can you find Mjölnir, for example? Or Cthulhu? How about Little Red Riding Hood?).  However, there is a slight spawn issue with the mini subs, when you find them, which means they may not allow you to sit &require resetting to Guest mode. Keep an eye out as well for the Stargates (upright and laid flat); touching one  will offer URL listing regions – enter a destination using local chat as “/d [region name]”  – without the quotes – to teleport to the region.

I do recommend using the local environment setting when visit Malice in Wonderland, and also in setting aside as much time as possible to explore – even if you split it over several visits, because it really is the kind of place where just as you think you’ve discovered everything, you find something else.

So enjoy!

SLurl Details

• Malice in Wonderland (Enchanted Woodlands, rated Moderate)