Simploring 2021 (8) Dya’s little Jordan

20 Feb 2021 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , ,

On Monday, February 1st, Dya (Dya OHare) contacted me and invited me to see her newest installation called Dya’s little Jordan. As the name already gives away, Dya takes the visitor to the Jordan this time. In 2020 I had seen Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot (read here), Dya’s scent of the Caribbean (read here) and Dya’s Southern Twilight (read here). No doubt, I wanted to visit. Dya told me that for visiting you need to be member of her group this time. She had experienced attacks from griefers and haters, hence she decided to restrict access. I can fully understand her motivation, in particular as the moderate homestead is also Dya’s home. You can join the group (the group name is Velvet Soul) by visiting Dya OHare’s profile, the fee is 300 L$. To mention it right here – it is worth the money! And in this day and age where we can’t travel, 300 L$ is a real bargain to get away from it all and to immerse into another world for a few hours!
With the group membership you can even set your home at Dya’s little Jordan, you can rezz your own vehicle to explore the sim or hang around. Max. 45 prims per person are allowed – please don’t rezz huge backgrounds or buildings.

I have never been to Arabia. What a great opportunity to travel there in Second Life at least!

Dya’s little Jordan – Bird eye view and orientation map

As usual I first zoomed out to get an overview over Dya’s little Jordan. The sim is surrounded by sandstone and granite rock as you can find it in southern Jordan. The landing in on the waterfront right next to a tourist office with some information:
“The Hashemite kindgom of Jardan is a peaceful, modern and progressive Arab state in the Middle East. Jordan’s landsacap is largely desert and contains countless ancient historical sites. Some ot them such as the iconic rock city of Petra and the desert Wadi Rum are Unesco World Heritage sites.
5 Hollywood blockbusters were filmed in Jardan: Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade (1989), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), The Martian (2015) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2017).
Jordan, with its friendly people, is a very worthwhile destination. Unfortuantely, I can only show a small part of it. Enjoy!:)
Love&Peace Dya OHare“

Impressions of Dya’s little Jordan (1) around the landing point

I started my visit at the waterfront. There are some market stands and next to the tourist information is a stall with a camel – you can sit on it and explore the sim riding! I did try that later. Across the street is a store that sells everything: Water, hats, kitchen paper, shoes, baskets, vases, clothes…., just as you’d expect it on an Arab market, that is called Souk as I learned.

Walking along the promenade I came along a food stand, a coffee shop and a fish restaurant. Dya placed 2 women drinking a coffee on the promende to live up the scene. There are more NPC’s (static non-player characters) spread around the sim. I recommend to have a look into the coffee shop. At least, that’s how I fancy such a shop in Arab to be. Of course, there are also some stands of carpet dealers at the Souk. Exploring the Souk is fun as there are a lot of details to discover.

Impressions of Dya’s little Jordan (2) At the “Souk”

I went to the lighthouse, the motel and the beach next. At the beach you can sit in the sun or walk on the peer from which’s end you have a nice view on little Jordan. At the end of the peer is a bed with a tent above it, that provides some shadow. The beach houses are modern and offer some luxury. Here the tourists can relax and enjoy. Dya succeeded to give the beach a touch of Arabia.

Impressions of Dya’s little Jordan (3) The motel, the beach and the beach residences

It is no surprise that the largest building in Dya’s little Jordan is a mosque. Just take of your shoes when you go inside – I did. In front of the mosque is a Jordanian with 3 camels, for sure that’s a great motive for a picture!

Impressions of Dya’s little Jordan (4) The mosque

But there’s more …
Exploring the back country I came across an oil pump right next to a wind mill – old and new energy next to each other, or renewable engery for an oil pump? I saw a shepard with a flock of sheep blocking the road, a small group of tents (inviting for another break) and the Wadi-Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon, a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan 60 km to the east of Aqaba. It is the largest wadi in Jordan – well, it is a bit smaller in Second Life and in Dya’s little (!) Jordan *winks*

Impressions of Dya’s little Jordan (5) Exploring the back country

Almost at the sim boarder you find the renown Petra, a historic and archaeological city in southern Jordan.
“The area around Petra has been inhabited from as early as 7000 BC, and the Nabataeans might have settled in what would become the capital city of their kingdom, as early as the 4th century BC. However, archaeological work has only discovered evidence of Nabataean presence dating back to the second century BC, by which time Petra had become their capital. The Nabataeans were nomadic Arabs who invested in Petra’s proximity to the trade routes by establishing it as a major regional trading hub.” (source wikipedia)

Impressions of Dya’s little Jordan (6) Exploring the back country / Petra

Finally I went to Arab village, quite distant from the tourist areas. In the center of the village Dya has placed 3 women in full burkas. Farm animals walk around, the laundry is drying outside, I sensed here I am amoung Jordanians. The houses are by far not as luxurious as the beach residences but offer some comfort inside.

Impressions of Dya’s little Jordan (7) The Arab village / a last view from the peer to the lighthouse and waterfront.

Dya’s little Jordan is another masterpiece. Just after my visit she sent me a message and told me: “I have tried to present Jordan realistically. For example in the city all signs are original signs from Aqaba: Falafel stand, motel, street signs, fish market and supermarket. In Aqaba is also a white mosque. In the desert Wadi Rum are camps where you can stay overnight and from where tours into the desert start. At certain seasons also crocuses grow in the desert. Saffron is obtained from these crocuses. What I didn’t see, when I was there, are the balloons of course, they are just decoration.“

I enjoyed my visit, my short vacation in a foreign country, a lot. I learned a tiny little bit about culture and read about Petra, Souk and Wadi Rum, something I wouldn’t have done without my visit to little Jordan. In addition little Jordan offers outstanding backgrounds for taking pictures and camal riding (!).
Thank you for inviting me over Dya!

Landmark to Dya’s little Jordan
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Phantos/42/144/28
Dya’s Worlds flickr
https://www.flickr.com/groups/14737487@N22/

Simploring 2020 (65) Dya’s Southern Twilight

04 Oct 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , ,

Thursday, October 1st, I got a message from Dya OHare that she has redesigned her sim and opened Dya’s Southern Twilight. This time her sim is “a homage to one of the most charming places of the world. Explore the “Big Easy” and the beautiful autumn landscape with numerous animals. Some romantic Spots and various places for photographers” (taken from the landmark description).
We’re talking about New Orleans, the river Missisippi and of the state of Lousiana in the US. Accordingly you find the 2 bridges (one for each direction), the French Quartier, an old paddle steamboat an the oak alley plantation at Dya’s Southern Twilight. Dya wants to take us back into the 1930/40ies and she did quite well.
Dya’s Southern Twilight, a moderate homestead, is another masterpiece of building in Second Life.

The landing point it close to the town next to a coffee bike and a board where you can join the group to get rezz rights. The windlight is a bit hazy, the sun seems to fight to get through the fog, just like it is at this time of the year. Looking around you see the old paddle steamboat, the river and the entrance to the town. Don’t forget to turn the ambient sound on. You will here some jazz music and Louis Armstrong’s “What a wonderful life” – very fitting to this place!

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (1) – around the landing point

I first went along the river a bit away from the town. At the end of the promenade is a stage where artists show some tricks. Dya used an old picture as background for the stage to provide the 1930/40ies feeling.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (2) – the stage and the entrance to the town

I returned and walked towards the entrance of the town. I had a look at the paddle steamboat and went onboard. You can see the old steam vessels. Some rooms on the upper deck are furnished and document the luxury of these riverboats in former times. At the promenade is also the stand to buy the tickets for the a riverboat tour. Dya added a lot of details. For example there’s a board with the a tour map at the ticket booth.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (3) – the town

In the town you can admire some street scenes. A homestead is limited in prims and Dya used up almost all prims. Hence not all stores and buildings are furnished – some are, just take a look. Dya also used a nice workaround. The store at the corner is just in refurbishment, hence the windows are closed with wooden boards. Dya added old newpapers to these boards to provide the right feeling of the 1930/40ies. Great idea!
But there’s also a little oddity. The tram fits perfect to New Orleans and to the town, yet the destination sign on it “Taksim Tünel” seems to belong more to Istanbul *winks*.
The street with the scenes is a great place to take pictures.

I went to the graveyard next. It fits to the Halloween season and to the town. Yes it is a bit scary, but not more than any other graveyard and I didn’t meet any ghost. I just noticed another oddity – the grave of Martin Luther King and his wife …. just does not fit to the time setting, but it fits very well to Dya’s Southern Twilight. What caught my eye next to the graveyard was a painting on a backyard wall showing thre musicians. Dya has an eye for litte details.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (4) – the graveyard and the French quartier / the bar

I continued my simploring tour at the French Quartier. It is just like I saw it on pictures, just like I expected it to be – and very well transformed into Second Life. I’d like you to have a look at the decoration and the balconies. The bar is fully furnished and you can watch Louis Armstong live there. I recommend to have a look into the antique store as well.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (5) – the French quartier / the antique store / the harbour

I left the French Quartier and walked over the bridge to the other side of Dya’s Southern Twilight, to the other side of the river and came to the harbour. It is raining there. Behind of the harbour is a village with a few residential houses, all decorated for the Autumn season and all close to the Mangrove swamp. These houses are furnished, have a look inside. In one of them you find the workplace of a witch – I loved it.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (6) – the village

My next stop was the oak alley plantation. Again a spot that Dya has rebuilt very well and fitting to the time and the location. The ground floor of the manor is furnished and provides a feeling of luxury. From the river promenade you have a great view on the town, the paddle steamer and the French Quartier. That’s really a great place to sit and enjoy!

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (7) – oak alley plantation / river promenade / at the harbour

I ended my first visit to Dya’s Southern Twilight at the river promenade facing the the town and played with the windlight settings to get another view and atmosphere. And I enjoyed the place.

Impressions of Dya’s Southern Twilight (8) – Diomita in New Orleans

I’ve been to many places in the US in the physcial world, even in the Southern states and I’ve seen old plantations, but I’ve never been in New Orleans so far. But now, I feel as if I have been there already, much more then pictures alone could provide. Thank you Dya! You created a great place. I love it.

Landmark to Dya’s Southern Twilight
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Phantos/61/146/29

Diomita’s flickr account

03 Jun 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , ,

After publishing my post about “Dya’s scent of the Caribbean” (read here)  Dya OHare asked me to share my pictures on flickr. The picture on this blog can be downloaded but I am aware that the quality isn’t very high. I had to downsize the pictures in order to limit my costs for WordPress and not to pay even more than I do pay right now. For this reason you also see mostly 4 pictures grouped to one picture in this blog. For more than 8 years I publish the full size pictures on my deviant Art account here and over the time I uploaded more than 11,000 pictures on deviant Art.

Nonetheless I decided to open a flickr account as well for the pictures of “Dya’s scent of the Caribbean”, and yesterday I added my pictures of “Elephants by Cica Ghost” (read here). Today I added my pictures of “A Favela” as well.

Flickr is limited to 1,000 pictures. I intend to publish mainly the pictures of my simploring tours on flickr and when I reach 1,000 pictures the older pictures will be deleted. The more kinky pictures of the diary entries will be published on my dA account only.

Here is the link to my flickr account: https://www.flickr.com/photos/188414948@N07/

Simploring 2020 (35) Dya’s scent of the Caribbean

04 May 2020 1 Comment

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , ,

On Friday, April 17th, I got a message from Dya OHare. I had visited her sim “Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot :)” end of February 2020 (read here). Dya told me that she remodeled her place and invited me to get over to see it. I went there the very next day, Saturday, April 18th.

The moderate homestead, that is owned and designed by Dya OHare is called “Dya’s scent of the Caribbean” now. The landmark description gives away what to expect: “Feel the good vibes and the rhythm of Reggae. Long beaches, romantic spots and various places for photographers. Good place for biker and horseman. Everyone is welcome 🙂“

Impressions of Dya’s scent of the Caribbean (1) – the town

The landing is admist a Caribbean town, you hear the some reggae music in the background. The town itself is just how I picture a Caribbean town, a bit dirty, colourful, a bit torn down and full of life. There’re a lot of details to be discovered.

Impressions of Dya’s scent of the Caribbean (2) – Motel / Chapel / Slums / a waterfall

I left the town and followed the road passing a motel and a chapel. Up on the hill are a few shacks where the Jamaicans themself life. You sense their poverty. Did I say Jamaicans? Well, Dya’s scent of the Caribbean does refer to Jamaica. She told me that she’d been there and that she added two places from the physcial world to her sim. One of these places is the “blue lagoon”, where I went to next. Just compare the pictures from the lagoon in RL with the one in SL. I assume it is the turquoise colour of the water that is that outstanding.

Impressions of Dya’s scent of the Caribbean (3) – the blue lagoon

The other place Dya rebuilt in Second Life is Floyd’s Pelican Bar, one of the coolest bars in the world. It is located a mile off shore the only way to get there is by boat. In Second Life you can simply walk through the water to get to the bar. And it is really cool! And Dya succeeded to catch the atmosphere of it when she transformed it into a virtual bar.

Impressions of Dya’s scent of the Caribbean (4) – Floyd’s Pelican Bar

After a drink I continued my visit and explore the beach, the Surfer’s beach. You find somre really nice spots there to sit down, have a beer and to let the good vibe in. It did feel like a short vacation and that is what Dya wants us to feel – a good vibe without a long flight. The largest house on the sim is next to the Surfer’s beach and is a surf shop.

Impressions of Dya’s scent of the Caribbean (5) – Surfer’s beach and Surf shop

Dya’s scent of the Caribbean offers not only nice spots to sit and enjoy but also is perfect for taking pictures and of course I took a lot of pictures. I went to the beach villa and to the light house and was about to leave when Dya asked me if I got a joint. I didn’t get one and went back to the Surfer’s Beach. There’s a table where you can grab a drink or a joint. This way I relaxed and smoked a joint (only virtually). Together with the good Caribbean vibe, even a virutal joint can be very destracting from everyday life

Impressions of Dya’s scent of the Caribbean (6) – Beach Villa / Lighthouse / at the bar / Don’t Forget your joint my friend

Dya’s scent of the Caribbean is a great place for a short virtual trip to get in a good mood. It’s a lovely place and very well made with love for the detail. I have never been to Jamaica but this place felt just how I picture it to be. I enjoyed my trip a lot. Thank you Dya for creating this sim and sharing it publicly.

Landmark to Dya’s scent of the Caribbean
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Phantos/183/104/37

Simploring 2020 (16) Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot :)

02 Mar 2020 2 Comments

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , , ,

For my simploring tour on Thursday, February 27th, I picked “Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot” from scoop.it SL Destinations and I read Maddy Gynoid’s Simtipp (read here in German). The landmark description gives an idea about what to expect “An Abandoned Vacation Spot in the 30s. Sometimes you can still see the glamor of the past….Beaches, Romantic, Photographers…Some attractions for the whole family. Everyone is welcome. Enjoy your stay“

Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot is a moderate homestead owned and designed by Dya OHare. Lam Erin has helped designing it.

Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot – bird eye overview

The landing is in the first floor of a building named “Gatcha House”. Here you find information about the town, there’s a teleport board, information about rezzing rights with a group membership, pictures of Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot and a guest book. The 2nd floor is occupied by the Gatcha shop.

Dya gives us the background story for her sim:
“This place was a rich vacation spot in the 1930s. But a lot was destroyed in the war and the place has been deserted ever since. You can still see the glamour of the past. In this season it is raining here a lit, the roads are wet, many treed are old and partly broken. The shops and the hotels are empty. A few people left some things behind. Ivy is growing on the walls of the houses.
THe old harbour with its beautiful piers also saw better times. Earlier the fischermen and many visitors came here to go fishing. The boats are old and the fisher huts need a new coat of paint.
There used to be a well-functioning small container ship port on the left side of the alley. But since the place has left, there is only an empty tea factory.
The beaches are very natural in meantime and many animals have settled in the deserted island the past years. Some visitors are now coming to the island again. It is said that renovations are going on here to bring back the former glamour of the place. The house by the sea seems to be inhabited. Unfortunately the beautiful hotel on the slope is only a ruin. But who knows how the island looks like in Spring when everything is blooming and some houses have been renovated.”

Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot – the Background story / information and pictures at the landing in the Gatcha house

Stepping out of the Gatcha house you see the picturesque fishing habour. With the regional windlight everything is grey in grey though. Nonetheless the place has it’s very own attraction. There are many many details to discover. I roamed around the harbour and took many pictures before is followed the road that leads all around the island and started my further simploring tour.

Impressions of Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot (1) – the fishing habour

I came to a beach first. Many birds have occupied it. There’s an old boat rental that looks abandonned for the season yet not for many decades. And you find a lovely spot to sit and enjoy the atmosphere there – if it just were not that cold, wet and rainy.

Impressions of Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot (2) – the fishing habour / at the beach

On the hill almost in the center of the island is the ruin of an hotel. The hotel sign is stil partly illuminated but the rest of the builing is already quite destroyed by time. Inside it is heavily leaking through the roof respectively the rain pours down unrestricted as there’s no roof anymore. I continued walking along the road and came to the lighthouse.

Impressions of Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot (3) – the hotel ruin and the lighthouse

At the following beach there’s the above mentioned residential house that is obviously inhabited. It is furnished inside and looks as if the owner will return every minute. At the beach you find a scene with a child, a dog and a tricycle. Farer away a few seals relax on a swimming platform. The hut at the beach is used to renting loungers – but it is closed for the season.

Impressions of Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot (4) – the other beach / the residential house

The road led me to a long wooden pier with 2 benches next. From here you have a good view to the industrial harbour with the old tea factory and a submarine in the dock. At this poin of my simploring tour I decided to change the windlight to see Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot in another, more sunny light. Quite a change! Let us assume that after all the rain the sun came out *winks*

Impressions of Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot (5) – the wooden pier and the industrial harbour

And with the sun the island changes at lot. The hotel ruin looks total different and the fishing harbour with all its townhouses looks almost inviting for a walk along the promenade. I also got a nice view from the road above the fishing harbour down to the harbour.

Impressions of Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot (6) – the hotel ruin and the fishing habour when the sun comes out

Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot is a particular place. It doesn’t make you feel sad at all to see it. As opposed to the travel back in time is very enjoyable and there’s a lot to discover – way more that I could see during the one hour that I spent there. I can imagine how this spot comes to life again, how investors revive it, how people we occupy the beach again and rent boats and lounger, how the warm sun will change it. And when I understand Dya’s story right, then she plans to make this change coming true in Spring. Therefore you might have to go there soon if you want to see it like it was during my visit.

Thank you very much Dya for sharing your place publicly. I enjoyed my visit a lot!

Landmark to Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Phantos/62/72/27
Maddy Gynoid’s Simtipp: Dya’s Abandoned Vacation Spot
http://echtvirtuell.blogspot.com/2020/02/simtipp-dyas-abandoned-vacation-spot.html