Simploring 2021 (22) Soul Deep

For my simploring tour on Sunday, May 16th, I picked “Soul Deep“. I read a blogpost from Inara Pey about it: “Going Soul Deep in Second Life” that caught my attention.

Soul Deep is an adult homestead owned and designed by Kaelyn Alecto (thenewkae). And I saw and visited quite some sim’s of her before, most recently her sim “It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS)” just one year ago (read here).

Soul Deep – overview and orientation map

Kaelyn wrote in her profile “Photography is the story I fail to put into words…“. “Soul Deep” is a place to relax, a place to retreat with friends, with your loved one, or just alone. And “Soul Deep” is a place that offers countless motifs for photgraphers. There’s really a bit of everything and nonetheless the sim is still natural, all of a piece.

Soul Deep” is embedded into a mountain sim surround. It consists of several small islands. In the center is a big pond. The landing is at the shore of this pond on the terrace of a café. From here you can walk on a wooden walkway around the pond.

Impressions of “Soul Deep” (1) – around the landing point

Along your way you come across many opportunities to sit and enjoy. You even find rafts or a boat large enough for a small party. Just opposed to the landing point across the pond is the largest bilding complex of “Soul Deep“, a harbour building with a naval petrol station, a shipyard and a residential building (the blue house, which doors were locked hence I didn’t look into it). The posters, the lobster buoys, the whole set-up looks like a harbour building in New England.

Impressions of “Soul Deep” (2) – The shipyard and pier

Not far from there you can walk over a little bridge to the ruins of a church, another romantic place to stay for a while. You also find some nice motifs including birds or other wildlife. Back on the main walkway there are more places to sit and a larger event area with a stage.

Impressions of “Soul Deep” (3) – Church ruins / event area

I went or better expressed I swam to the lodge next. Acutally in Second Life you can fly the little distance. The logde is a big residential house, fully furnished. On the large terrace everthing is prepared for a bigger event, maybe an anniversary, a birthday party or a wedding. There’s also a little bar. And no sutprise there are more places to sit and enjoy. A bit off the island with the ladge is another cosy place to retreat.

Impressions of “Soul Deep” (4) – The lodge

As mentioned before “Soul Deep” offers many different motifs for photographers. Not far from the landing point is a forest, with another ruin that could be a nice background for romantic pictures, and with a camping site. If you want some higher rocks or a background witu mountains, then there are some high rocks you can climb up to and there you even find a goat.

Impressions of “Soul Deep” (5) – The forest and the high rocks

And finally there are also waterfalls and beaches – a bit of everything. And have I mentioned the many places to sit and enjoy? I think I did.

Impressions of “Soul Deep” (6) – Diomita enjoying the simploring tour

Soul Deep” is a lovely sim with a broad variety of cosy places and different backgrounds for photogrpahers: “Photography is the story Kaelyn fails to put into words…“.
Thank you for this great place to hang around, Kaelyn. I enjoyed my Sunday morning simploring tour a lot.

Landmark to Soul Deep
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Soul%20Deep/99/135/23
Soul Deep flickr
https://www.flickr.com/groups/souldeep/
Inara Pey’s blogpost “Going Soul Deep in Second Life”
https://modemworld.me/2021/05/15/going-soul-deep-in-second-life/

Simploring 2020 (39) It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS)

For my simploring tour on Wednesday, May 13th, I picked “It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS)” from scoop.it SL Destinations. IASWAS rang a bell as I had visited it twice in 2016 (read here and here) and in December 2017 as “IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut” (read here).

The version of IASWAS, that I saw this year is a residential full sim (rated moderate) private, furnished parcels which are all beautifully decorated and landscaped. The public areas are open to all to explore and take photos. You can join the IASWAS group to get updated, there are fun events on the sim for everybody to enjoy.
IASWAS is owned by Kaelyn Alecto. Kaelyn has created kind of a brand with her IASWAS sims!

It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) – overview and orientation map

IASWAS consists of a central public island where you also land when you visit. The main island is surrounded by several other smaller islands that are all contected by bridges and walkways. Very well integrated into the environment you find 8 residential homes on these smaller islands.
My tour began at the landing on the main court of the central island. Around the court you see a small concert, a stall for foot, a large recreation hall and a reception building. I started my visit in the big recreation hall, which offers games, a rodeo bull, places to sit and a bar. There is also enough space for celebrations in this hall.

It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) – around the landing point / recreation hall

I went back to the court and to the reception building. It is nicely furnished and decorated. There’s a counter with pictures of the 8 residential houses that can be rented. At the time of my visit all houses but one were occupied. IASWAS seems to be a popular place (great!).

It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) – reception building and rental office / examples of residential home

I walked through the reception building and found the first of countless nice spots to sit and enjoy right behind the building. I sat down and looked around.  To my right I noticed an open truss and a sign on the ground “Walk Down Memory Lane” and I walked in of course. It is a small gallery with just a few pictures taken at the predecessor sims of IASWAS.

It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) – Walk Down Memory Lane / starting my simploring tour beheind the reception building

From there I began my walk over all of the smaller islands. They also offer a lot to see. Most of the space is public, you just shouldn’t you into the houses themself. There are (small) sign, that mark the private plots. But no worries, you won’t intrude by accident – and the cosy spots to enjoy are all pulic. And I saw a lot of them! And the houseboat, which is laying on the inner shore is also public.

It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) – one of countless cosy places / the houseboat

My round trip also led along the waterfalls. The wooden walkway at the bottom side of the falls is quite impressive and offer great opportunities for taking picture as well as there’re more cosy spots.

It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) – at the waterfalls

I ended my tour with a visit at the coffee corner, a place with another great view on the falls. Behind the café is another court with space to meet. At least at 2 spots you can also start a tour with a bumper boat.

It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) – the coffee corner / more cosy spots

IASWAS is a nice place to live and also offers a lot for visitors. I had fun exploring and took many pictures. Thank you Kaelyn for creating this sim and for opening up most of it to the public. You definitively succeeded to bring a smil to my face!

Landmark to It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS)
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Eventide%20South/136/139/23
Flickr group
https://flic.kr/g/jNhKt

Simploring 2017 (93) New Greenland

Sunday, November 19th, I had the opportunity for a longer simploring tour. And I knew where to go to. I read Inara Pey’s blog entry “A vision of Greenland in Second Life” the day before and was already curious to see IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut. IASWAS? That rings a bell. “It All Starts With A Smile” seems to be kind of a brand for sims created by Kaelyn Alecto. In 2016 I visited IASWAS as a tropical island (read here) and in colourful Autumn (read here).

Let’s start with the landmark description:
“This is Greenland !!
With its typical colorful houses, fishing harbour, ice landscapes, frosted atmosphere and the sound of the bitter wind .. We tried to be original and as realistic as possible, while keeping a small part of fantasy of course. Have fun!”

Pictures and Information about Kangaamiut, Greenland

And this is Kangamiut: “Kangaamiut, Greenland, is located on an island off the coast of Davis Strait between mouths of two long fjords. To the south is the long and twisted Kangerlussuatsiaq Fjord and to the north is the Kangaamiut Kangerluarsuat Fjord. The mouth of the long Kangerlussuaq Fjord is located approximately 26 kilometers (16 mi) north of the island. It has a population of about 350 people (2013) (source wikipedia).
I found a lot of pictures of Kangaamiut on the internet. It looks really lovely and picturesque, I personally think – as long as you don’t have to live and to work for living there.

November 19th: Arriving at IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut

A visit to IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut (please note … Groenland instead of Greenland and Kangamiut instead of Kangaamiut) starts at a fountain in the center of the village. The first impression I had was really overwhelming – really beautiful! The village melts perfectly into the selected background. And on the first view it looks like the real village – colourful within the rough environment.

November 19th: IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut = New Greenland (1)

I spent more than an hour exploring and the more I explored and discovered the more I liked IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut. Kangaamuit provided the idea and the layout but the detail is fantasy, I think more than a small part is fantasy. Most houses are furnished and decorated into the last detail. And the decoration, some buildings and the harbour reminded me strongly of New England. There’s the New England church, the New England covered bridge, there’s the christmas decoration, there’s the furniture inside the houses, there’re the billposters for Connecticut and New England Lobster, the creels, there’s the cosy cafe and the music store and much more. But don’t get me wrong – I love it!
Because it Looks that much like a place in New England, I selected as a title for this post: “New Greenland” 🙂

November 19th: IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut = New Greenland (2)

But there’s more to discover and to do. If you walk a bit outside of the village you’ll find moose and penguins (!), you can sit by a campfire or relax in a sauna. You can go sledding or you can go up into the hot-air balloon to enjoy the view on IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut. Or you visit the station with the signpost pointing to every metropol. The beauty of Kanagmiut in Second Life unlocks with the view on it from farer away as well as with the little details, like the three puppies watching tv in one of the houses.

November 19th: Impressions of IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut (1)

November 19th: Impressions of IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut (2)

My visit to IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut was a perfect start into the Winter season in Second Life as well as in RL and into my Sunday. It conjured more than one smile in my face. Thank you so much for creating it and for providing it to the public, Kaelyn Alecto!

I took Mistress Jenny to IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut the following day and gave her a short tour. We had in particular fun sledding together. Yes, I know, we weren’t really dressed for Winter *winks*

November 20th: Mistress Jenny and Diomita at IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut

Landmark to IASWAS Groenland Kangamiut
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pryde/38/127/24
Inara Pey’s blog post “A vision of Greenland in Second Life”
https://modemworld.me/2017/11/18/a-vision-of-greenland-in-second-life/

A smile in autumn

Following Inara Pey’s blog I read her blog entry “Autumn walks all start with a smile in Second Life” and decided to visit “It all starts with a smile” myself. I was there already this summer during a Saturday simploring tour and my impressions from my last visit were confirmed. “It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) is a picturesque sim by Kaelyn Alecto … It is a group of tropical islands with many places to sit and cuddle, to have a drink, to relax and I could almost feel the sun. At least I had a feeling of vacation and laziness.”

October 8th: Visiting "It all starts with a smile" again

October 8th: Visiting “It all starts with a smile” again

What has changed is the vegetation. It is not a group of tropical islands anymore. It is a group of islands of the northern hemisphere in autumn now. Upon my landing I met Kaelyn McMahon (akelyn.alecto), who owns this sims, and her partner Gorba McMahon, who welcomed me and wished fun exploring. I walked around the main lake and visited some of the houses, barns and huts scattered around the lake. There is always something to discover like the small red hut which is used as an atelier.20161008-iaswas_014The outstanding feature of IASWAS are for sure the many places to sit, mediate and to cuddle. I enjoyed drinking a coffee at the campfire while smelling the autumn. My favourite spot is a raft just by the shore, maybe because of the saying written on the cushions “Life is like riding a bicycle: to keep your balance you must keep moving” and that is so true!

October 8th: Visiting "It all starts with a smile" again - sitting at the campfire and drinking a coffee

October 8th: Visiting “It all starts with a smile” again – sitting at the campfire and drinking a coffee

October 8th: Visiting "It all starts with a smile" again - my favourite spot to sit and think

October 8th: Visiting “It all starts with a smile” again – my favourite spot to sit and think

While I was sitting at my favourite spot, I had a chat with Vero (vero.hartmann) and I invited her over. We continued chatting and and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. IASWAS is worth a visit, in particular when you seek a nice place to wind down or to cuddle. Thank you Kaelyn for providing your place to the public.

October 8th: Visiting "It all starts with a smile" again - chatting with vero

October 8th: Visiting “It all starts with a smile” again – chatting with vero

Landmark to “It all starts with a smile” (IASWAS)
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Heavenly%20Groove/165/130/23
Inara Pey’s last blog entry about IASWAS
https://modemworld.me/2016/10/05/autumn-walks-all-start-with-a-smile-in-second-life/
IASWAS in summer 2016 in this blog
https://themaurers.me/2016/07/05/saturday-afternoon-simploring-tour/

Saturday afternoon simploring tour

Saturday afternoon, July 2nd, I spent some time of simploring and I visited 3 places, all of which were quite different. I first visited Legacy Ridge. You find a full and perfect description in Inara’s blog: “A walk through Legacy Ridge in Second Life“.
July 2nd: Simploring Legacy Ridge (1)

July 2nd: Simploring Legacy Ridge (1)

Legacy Ridge is just a little town somewhere at a coast. It has all you would find typically in such a town: Diner, Motel, park, Car dealer, restaurants, playground, shops … and spreaded among the hills nice homes for the residents. You land in a house, something like a visitor center, where you can join a group and grab a landmark and get some infos about Legacy Ridge.

July 2nd: Simploring Legacy Ridge (2)

July 2nd: Simploring Legacy Ridge (2)

I explored on foot first the little town itself, then I walked along the shoreline and then I took the big tour through the hills. From the town I noticed a modern house up in the hills with a big window from where you must have a great view. And during my walk in the hills I could take a closer look. A really beautiful house, something I’d love to have in RL. I think that is the secret of Legacy Ridge. It all looks so natural, so familiar, that you could think about moving into one of these nice houses – well I’d take the mordern house with the view over the bay.

July 2nd: Simploring Legacy Ridge (3)

July 2nd: Simploring Legacy Ridge (3)

Landmark to Legacy Ridge:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Legacy%20Ridge/174/150/24
Related link in Inara Pey’s Living in a Modemworld blog:
https://modemworld.me/2016/07/01/a-walk-through-legacy-ridge-in-second-life/
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July 2nd: Simploring It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) (1)

July 2nd: Simploring It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) (1)

My next stop was “It All Starts With A Smile” – what a lovely name for a sim. And it is really fitting. It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) is a picturesque sim by Kaelyn Alecto and Maxx (Maxxster). It is a group of tropical islands with many places to sit and cuddle, to have a drink, to relax and I could almost feel the sun. At least I had a feeling of vacation and laziness. I explored, I wandered around, I sat down here and there and I took some nice pictures. IASWAS is just lovely for a visit with your love or just for getting away for an hour without a long flight.

July 2nd: Simploring It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) (2)

July 2nd: Simploring It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) (2)

July 2nd: Simploring (or Simplorelaxing) It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) (3)

July 2nd: Simploring (or Simplorelaxing) It All Starts With A Smile (IASWAS) (3)

Landmark to It All Starts With A Smile
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Heavenly%20Groove/140/65/22
Related link in Inara Pey’s Living in a Modemworld blog:
https://modemworld.me/2016/06/29/enjoying-a-tropical-smile-in-second-life/
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My Saturday simploring tour ended at MetaLES, an art sim. Inara has a full description in her blog. Ths sim is turning 7 years, hence her blog text is titeled “MetaLES at seven in Second Life“.
July 2nd: Simploring art in SL - MetaLES (1)

July 2nd: Simploring art in SL – MetaLES (1)

I learned that the sim is operated by Ux Hax and Romy Nayar. For the 7th year anniversary it exhibits art work, virtual art form the last 7 years which was captured in pictures by Anita Witt. If I were a regular visitor of the many art sims in SL, I would recognize some of the art exhibited – well but I’m not. I just visit art installation or sims that were created by artists sometimes. But I did recognize some of the artist names mentioned in Inara’s post like Cica Ghost and Bryn Oh. At MetaLES the art is presented quite exceptional. Frames with the pictures hang in the sky, big objects and rocks holding the according hooks. The objects are huge, the pictures are huge. This way my avatar looks quite short and negligible within the art installation, that is for sure an intended effect.

July 2nd: Simploring art in SL - MetaLES (2)

July 2nd: Simploring art in SL – MetaLES (2)

For those interested in art or those who just want to see something different, virtual and temporary art, I do recommend a visit. I enjoyed my visit and the pictures I took will remember me of the particular way the art was presented here.

Landmark to MetaLES
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MetaLES/242/242/3002
Related link in Inara Pey’s Living in a Modemworld blog:
https://modemworld.me/2016/06/30/metales-at-seven-in-second-life/