Simploring 2022 (10) Grauland June 2022

12 Jun 2022 Leave a comment

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

Wednesday, June 8th, JimGaranad told me that he had remodeled Grauland again. He also told me that this iteration would stay only a few weeks – and I should just enjoy. Well, I did enjoy exploring and as I made quite some pictures once again and as it is another different and interesting sim design, I will report about my visit and keep my impressions for the blog.

I have visited Grauland in 2019 the first time (read here), three times in 2020 (read here, here and here) and twice in 2021, in April 2021 (read here), in November 2021 (read here), in January 2022 (read here) and in May 2022 (read here). Grauland of June 22 is a strategic military base on a remote, rocky island.

Grauland June 2022 – bird eye view and orientation map

The landing on Grauland is on a pier that leads to a high stairwell built into a steep rock. I walked up the stairs and from there you have a first overview over the sim. Stairs lead down again into the rock. Actually the rock is hollowed out and contains a quite complete infrastructure for soldiers to live. I first explored the headquarters, a building with a control room, a cafeteria, conference room and a lounge.

Impressions of Grauland June 2022 (1) – Landing, the stairs, the headquarter building

Impressions of Grauland June 2022 (2) – Entertainment, Lounge, conference room, control room and cafeteria

Grauland is an adult sim owned by JimGarand. Jim owns a shop for poses, the M-1 Art Poses. At the landing pier you find a teleport board to the M-1 Art Poses shop, that is located in another room of the headquarter building. I had a look at the store and stepped out of the building. If you walk along the wooden pier there you reach a seperate island with just 4 chairs and a campfire.
If you walk along the rock though, you come to a big gate. This gate is the entrance to a tunnel, that leads through the rock to the other side. The tunnel has also a connection the the headquarters.

Impressions of Grauland June 2022 (3) – M1 Art poses store, campfire and tunnel through the rock

Next to the headquarters are the team quarters. You can reach it from the headquarters or through a seperate entrance. The teamquarter building has a glass roof to provide some daylight.

Impressions of Grauland June 2022 (4) – Teamquarters and bridge to the hangar

I continued my simploring tour and went over the large bridge that leads to an hangar. Inside you find a futuristic combat aircraft. I could even sit in it and look at the instruments – yet I couldn’t fly it 😦

Impressions of Grauland June 2022 (5) – Hangar with combat aircraft

On all strategic point of the military base you find canons. But in peaceful times and when not working, the soldiers can relax. Besides the campfire, you find loungers in front of the headquarters, some air mattresses and a large floating rubber boat. Although I wasn’t dressed for it …. I could not resist to try out some poses…..

Impressions of Grauland June 2022 (6) – One of the canons / Diomita posing

I had fun simploring. JimGarand created another interesting place. I like the hidden headquarters and teamquarters – and I had great fun posing. Thank you, Jim, in particular for sharing your place with the public.
If you want to see Grauland June 2022, then you might have to do it soon. I look forward to seeing the next iteration.

Landmark to Grauland
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Liberia%20Isle/74/204/26
Grauland flickr
https://www.flickr.com/groups/4560078@N24/
JimGarand’s store M-1 Art Poses on the marketplace
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/204042

Simploring 2022 (7) Grauland May 2022

18 May 2022 Leave a comment

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

Sunday, May 15th, I had some time in the later morning and went simploring. I read in Susann DeCuir’s blog “Mein Zweites Leben” that Grauland has been refurbished once again (Simtipp: Grauland wurde umgebaut (Adult) in German).

I have visited Grauland in 2019 the first time (read here), three times in 2020 (read here, here and here) and twice in 2021, in April 2021 (read here), in November 2021 (read here) and in January 2022 (read here). And every time it was different. Each redesign was worth a visit, as is this one!

Grauland May 2022 – bird eye view and orientation map

Grauland is an adult sim owned by JimGarand. Jim owns a shop for poses, the M-1 Art Poses. The landing at Grauland is in front of a little shop for Jim’s poses. Jim’s former iterations of Grauland were often filled with a lot of art objects. This time the architecture and design of Grauland is one main focus.

Impressions of Grauland May 2022 (1)

Right upon landing you have spectacular views. The sim is surrounded by high mountains and spatially confined by high rocks on two sides. A path leads from the landing along a waterfall, over a bridge and under an aqueduct to a modern villa. The aqueduct leads the water of another waterfall over several segments down into the sea. The modern villa is for sure one of the highlights of Grauland in May 2022. From here you have a good view on the whole sim as well as on a field of menhirs, the only art object of this iteration of Grauland.

Impressions of Grauland May 2022 (2)

I continued my simploring tour and my woalk along the path. It led me to a large parking area and a festival area with a huge stage and stands, For sure a place to watch great concerts.

Impressions of Grauland May 2022 (3)

Close to the parking and the festival area you find a camping side, the place where festival visitors stay overnight, where they celebrate before and after the event. You should try out the seats there, they offer nice and unique poses for celebrations. Quite realitic are the portable toilets, the public showers and the garbage tons. There’s really all you need for a festival.

Impressions of Grauland May 2022 (4)

Next to the festival area is the beach and it is a fun beach with a large playground. The main attraction at the beach is a huge orange King Kong figure with a skid that leads from King Kong’s chest down to the beach. You can slide down actually (and I did). A more quiet area is at the end of the natural bay where a pier reaches out to the bottom of another waterfall. You can sit there and watch the world go by. Or you face the other direction and look over the festival area, the beach and the long aqueduct.

Impressions of Grauland May 2022 (5)

As I wrote in the beginning of my simploring report, it is the desgin, the waterfalls, the aqueduct, the villa and the festival area that makes Grauland May 2022 so outstanding. In my personal opinion that is art. Thank you Jim, you made another great iteration of Grauland and I enjoyed my visit a lot.

Close to the beach you find some water fun. A skid and several tubes and inflatable mattresses float in the sea. Spontaneously I stripped (it is an adult homestead) and tried them out. I had fun posing.

Diomita posing at Grauland May 2022

And this ends my simploring report. Well done, Jim!

Landmark to Grauland
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Liberia%20Isle/74/204/26
Grauland flickr
https://www.flickr.com/groups/4560078@N24/
JimGarand’s store M-1 Art Poses on the marketplace
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/204042
Susann DeCuir’s blogpost “Simtipp: Grauland wurde umgebaut (Adult)”
https://mein-zweites-leben.blogspot.com/2022/05/simtipp-grauland-wurde-umgebaut-adult.html

Simploring 2022 (1a) Grauland January 2022

22 Jan 2022 Leave a comment

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

After publishing my post about “Grauland January 2022” (read here) I had a conversation with JimGarand, owner and curator of Grauland. He told me that we both, Inara and I, have missed a part of his newest iteration. I added this part now at the end of my post …

Following Inara Pey’s blog I came across “Grauland” again. Inara just had published a new blogpost about “Grauland“: “Graulands’s tropical beauty in Second Life”
I have visited Grauland in 2019 the first time (read here), three times in 2020 (read here, here and here) and twice in 2021, in April 2021 (read here) and in November 2021 (read here) . And every time it was different. Each redesign was worth a visit, as is this one!

Grauland January 2022 – overview and orientation map

The landing is in a quite big building that is built into the ground. You can walk outside and start your exploring tour. Right in front of the building you can get a jetski and have fun cruising around the island. I for my part went further inside first. Stairs lead you up into a hallway that is illuminated like a red light district and has a few benches to sit on. At the end of the hallway and after a few more steps upstairs you are in a Zen garden. The whole structure of the building is intriguing as you wonder about its purpose. Nonetheles ti fits way better into the environment as one might think on a first glance.

Grauland January 2022 – entrance building and Zen garden

I continue exploring Grauland and walked out of the entrance building to the agglomeration oc concrete blocks. These blocks became quite of an identifying element at Grauland in almost all iterations. Jim like to play with contrete elements and to place them into the landscape using them as a  landmark, as central element of landscaping. The blocks are located above a natural cave the the sea has carved our from the rocks.

Grauland January 2022 – the concrete blocks

Walking over the island is fun, there are plenty opportunities to sit, the palm trees and the vegetation offer nice views. I walked to the residential house that is fully furnished with style, has a lovely sun terrace and a pool and again nice places to sit and hang around either at the house itself or at the gazebo. I went to the beach and tried out some of the places to sit and watch the time pass by – very relaxing and enjoyable.

Grauland January 2022 – residential house, gazebo and beach

But there’s more to see and I’m not sure if I really saw all. The telephone booth at the beach with the single lamppost  is for sure outstanding. Birds have occupied it. And of course it makes no sense there, that’s the art – to place something and unexpected into the beach environment. The shark signs at the beach conjured a smile on my face. I saw all the empty inflatable mattresses on the sea and asked myself if the visitors have become shark food. Funny!

Grauland January 2022 – more impressions: the telephone booth, the shark sign, the Zen garden

What I missed during my fist visit was that the empty inflatable mattresses actually are a hint that the sun bathing visitors had become shark food. Good news is, that in Second Life you survive even being eaten by a shark *winks*. I returned yesterday for a second short visit….

A second visit to Grauland January 2022

I swam farther out in the bay and dived. There’s a quite colourful underwater world to be seen. And of course quite some sharks swim around peacefully, they must be sated. In the ship wreck I found a room with a bed, but I had not enough oxygen with me for a sleepover. So when you visit Grauland, don’t miss the sharks!

Grauland January 2022 – diving in the shark bay

JimGarand has once again re-invented Grauland and has returned to a design that reminds more of the former iterations of Grauland. It feels warm and sunny (great when it is grey and cold outside in RL) and offers great places to sit, fun activities (the jetski), art, wit and sharks. I enjoyed my visit again. Thank you Jim.

Landmark to Grauland
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Liberia%20Isle/89/216/25
Grauland flickr
https://www.flickr.com/groups/4560078@N24/
Inara Pey’s blopost “Graulands’s tropical beauty in Second Life”
https://modemworld.me/2022/01/12/graulands-tropical-beauty-in-second-life/

Simploring 2022 (1) Grauland January 2022

20 Jan 2022 Leave a comment

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

Following Inara Pey’s blog I came across “Grauland” again. Inara just had published a new blogpost about “Grauland“: “Graulands’s tropical beauty in Second Life”
I have visited Grauland in 2019 the first time (read here), three times in 2020 (read here, here and here) and twice in 2021, in April 2021 (read here) and in November 2021 (read here) . And every time it was different. Each redesign was worth a visit, as is this one!

Grauland January 2022 – overview and orientation map

The landing is in a quite big building that is built into the ground. You can walk outside and start your exploring tour. Right in front of the building you can get a jetski and have fun cruising around the island. I for my part went further inside first. Stairs lead you up into a hallway that is illuminated like a red light district and has a few benches to sit on. At the end of the hallway and after a few more steps upstairs you are in a Zen garden. The whole structure of the building is intriguing as you wonder about its purpose. Nonetheles ti fits way better into the environment as one might think on a first glance.

Grauland January 2022 – entrance building and Zen garden

I continue exploring Grauland and walked out of the entrance building to the agglomeration oc concrete blocks. These blocks became quite of an identifying element at Grauland in almost all iterations. Jim like to play with contrete elements and to place them into the landscape using them as a  landmark, as central element of landscaping. The blocks are located above a natural cave the the sea has carved our from the rocks.

Grauland January 2022 – the concrete blocks

Walking over the island is fun, there are plenty opportunities to sit, the palm trees and the vegetation offer nice views. I walked to the residential house that is fully furnished with style, has a lovely sun terrace and a pool and again nice places to sit and hang around either at the house itself or at the gazebo. I went to the beach and tried out some of the places to sit and watch the time pass by – very relaxing and enjoyable.

Grauland January 2022 – residential house, gazebo and beach

But there’s more to see and I’m not sure if I really saw all. The telephone booth at the beach with the single lamppost  is for sure outstanding. Birds have occupied it. And of course it makes no sense there, that’s the art – to place something and unexpected into the beach environment. The shark signs at the beach conjured a smile on my face. I saw all the empty inflatable mattresses on the sea and asked myself if the visitors have become shark food. Funny!

Grauland January 2022 – more impressions: the telephone booth, the shark sign, the Zen garden

JimGarand has once again re-invented Grauland and has returned to a design that reminds more of the former iterations of Grauland. It feels warm and sunny (great when it is grey and cold outside in RL) and offers great places to sit, fun activities (the jetski), art and wit. I enjoyed my visit again. Thank you Jim.

Landmark to Grauland
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Liberia%20Isle/89/216/25
Grauland flickr
https://www.flickr.com/groups/4560078@N24/
Inara Pey’s blopost “Graulands’s tropical beauty in Second Life”
https://modemworld.me/2022/01/12/graulands-tropical-beauty-in-second-life/

Simploring 2021 (33) Grauland November 2021

12 Nov 2021 Leave a comment

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

following Inara Pey’s blog I came across “Grauland” again. Inara just had published a new blogpost about “Grauland“: “Grauland’s Lights in Second Life“.

I have visited Grauland in 2019 the first time (read here), three times in 2020 (read here, here and here) and the last time in April 2021 (read here). And everytime it was different. Each redesign was worth a visit so far.

Grauland is an adult homestead owned by JimGarand. He runs a shop for poses (M-1 Art Poses). Inara reported in her post that JimGarand had been away for a few month, and that he moved to a new (adult) homestead. And he created again something different from what I saw from him before. As far as I could find out, Jim’s shop for poses (M-1 Art Poses) is not (yet?) located in the skies above – at least I saw no teleport point to it.

Grauland is a modern town. The landing point is in an older part with a red light district. In the background you see the skyscrapers of what might be the business district. It you use shared environment, it’s night and a bit hazy. You can sense that you’re not in the best district of the the town. The facades are used for big paintings, racelights lead to nightclubs and other stores like a laundry or a cinema. Public toilets are not far from the landing point.

Impressions of Grauland November 2021 (1): Around the landing point

I walked towards the promende first, had a short break at a bar, then walked all along the promenade with its modern light art objects. The promenade ends in a tunnel.

Impressions of Grauland November 2021 (2): Promenade with its modern light art objects

I walked back and used the stairs to enter the largest building at Grauland. I named it “Modern Art Building”. In the court you find more light art objects. The building itself seems to have no purpose. It is just empty. The glass facade offers great views on the skyscrapers inthe background. I left the Modern Art Building on the other side and came to a huge Arch of Victory, obviously a protected landmark in the heart of the town.

Impressions of Grauland November 2021 (3): Modern Art Building

I continued exploring the redlight district and found more hidden backyards, bars, a garage amd even a furnished flat, which you enter through a door teleporter. The atmosphere of Grauland is very dense and feels authentic. Jim selected the textures, the all paintings and racelights very well and I’m pretty sure that I missed many details. It is very well made!

Impressions of Grauland November 2021 (4): The redlight district

Finally I visited the beach and the pier. That’s quite a contrast to the town. At the end of the pier is a hut where you can sit inside like in a sailor’s club and outside you have a nice view on the sea or backwards to the town with it’s skyscrapers in the background. At the beach you also find a nice campfire.

Impressions of Grauland November 2021 (5): pier, beach and campfire

JimGarand has once again re-invented Grauland and surprised me with a totally different design. The setting and the atmosphere of Grauland are very fitting. The art is not too dominant, yet present and the Modern Art Building gives enough reason to speculate about its purpose (if any). Thank you Jim, in particular for sharing your sim with the public again.

Landmark to Grauland
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Liberia%20Isle/92/221/27
Grauland flickr
https://www.flickr.com/groups/4560078@N24/
Inara Pey’s blogpost “Grauland’s Lights in Second Life”
https://modemworld.me/2021/10/28/graulands-lights-in-second-life/

Simploring 2021 (17) Grauland April 2021

07 May 2021 Leave a comment

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

I came across Grauland again when I scrolled through scoop.it SL Destinations. I have visited Grauland in 2019 the first time (read here) and three times in 2020 (read here, here and here). Each redesign was worth a visit so far. And I was not disappointed this time once again.

Grauland April 2021 – Bird’s eye view and orientation map / at the landing point

Grauland is an adult homestead owned by JimGarand. He runs a shop for poses (M-1 Art Poses) in the skies above the sim. You can reach the shop by a teleporter right at the landing point.

Impressions of Grauland April 2021 (1) – Stonehenge, Easter island stone heads, the tropical forest, panarama house

The current setting consists of two tropical islands that are connected by a bridge. The island on which you land has a circle of stones – Stonehenge – on a high plateau, the famous Easter Island stone heads nearby. It has several nice beaches, a tropical forest and a large spacious modern bungalow overlooking the sea. I called this island “Stonehenge island”

Impressions of Grauland April 2021 (2) – The villa island

The other island, which I named “Villa island”, is the homeplace of someone rich. It is a paradise created in Second Life. A place you’d dream to call your home. THe good news it: in Second Life such a place is affordable.
How would someone rich live? In a large mordern and very individual house – it is there.
There would be a garden, nicely layed out with a gazebo, maybe a bit enclosed for privacy – it is there.
There has to be a pool, a large pool, maybe with a fountaine and also providing some exclusivity – it is there.

Impressions of Grauland April 2021 (3) – The villa island with garden, pool and motoryacht

What else? Yes, a pier with a yacht. It is not there *winks*. But there’s one of these old motoryachts that are used by the super rich people at the Cote d’Azure just to drive around a bit. And there is a seperate helicopter landing point.

On the villa island is also the wreck of a plane, hidden under trees and bushes. A perfect place to take pictures. And of course you find also a few opportunities to sit and watch.

Impressions of Grauland April 2021 (4) – The villa island – plane wreck, helicopter landing, Diomita enjoying the view

I went back to the Stonehenge island and amde a tour with a jet ski. That is always fun and provides other views on the island. I also tried some of the nice opportunities to sit and watch and enjoy the environment.

Impressions of Grauland April 2021 (5) – Stonehenge island – Diomita enjoying jet ski and being lazy

Once again Jim (JimGarand) created a nice and outstanding new place. I did enjoy my visit. I appreciate it a lot when shop owners combine their business with a place to visit. Thank you Jim for creating Grauland and sharing it publicly. Great work!

Landmark to Grauland
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mobile/38/169/21
Flickr group Grauland
https://www.flickr.com/groups/4560078@N24/pool
Landmark to M-1 Art Poses
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mobile/205/131/2028

Simploring 2020 (82) Grauland December 2020

12 Dec 2020 Leave a comment

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

Once again I came across Grauland when I was scrolling through scoop.it SL Destinations. My last visit was in August 2020 (read here). And yes, Grauland was fully redesigned once again.

Grauland is an adult homestead owned by JimGarand. He runs a shop for poses (M-1 Art Poses) in the skies above the sim. You can reach the shop by several teleporter signs spreaded across the sim.

Grauland December 2020 – birds-eye view and orientation map

Again the current version is not comparable to any of the previous designs. And this time the name “Grauland“, which is a German word combination and translates to “Greyland”, does really fit as all buildings and structures are made of grey concrete. The main objects are:
– a tall high building that looks like a horizontal mill with 4 wings, I called it “The Mill”
– a villa with pool and garden, which I named “The Residence”
– an strange building on a hill, I named it “The Octagon”
– 5 artfull memorials

Impressions of Grauland December 2020 (1) Landing point, a room above The Labyrinth, The Mill, inside The Mill

The landing is on a pier and through a arc walkway you enter “The Labyrinth”, a complex with many walls and some dead rooms. It’s not really a challenge to find the exit as that is not the intention of it.
If you ever have been to Berlin you might know the “Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe” (see wikipedia entry). You find 5 different memorials on Grauland. I named them: The Labyrinth, The Blocks, The Hollow Blocks, The Walls and The Waves. As The Blocks looks quite similar to the Berlin mermorial, my first idea was that all 5 memorials might be drafts for this memorial. I don’t know .. what I know is that they are all quite impressive, offer great backgrounds for pictures and it is fun to think about their meaning.

Impressions of Grauland December 2020 (2) – inside of The Mill

I went to the building that looks like a horizontal mill, The Mill, first. You can walk up in the center and find 4 different rooms, each of them is special and each offers a great view on Grauland. What a cool building!

Apropos cool… The Residence is another cool building, not only because of the cold contrete that is used to build it and to build the surrounding garden. I found several nice spots in the garden, even a nice and cosy room. The building istself is furnished with style, a bit minimalistic with a touch of Bauhaus.

Impressions of Grauland December 2020 (3) – The Residence

I have no idea what purpose a building like The Octagon might have. Is it the welcome center for aliens? Is it a leftover from aliens? Is it a temple? No purpose can be seen, yet it is impressive from ourside as well as from inside, where the light comes in and throws shadows by the walls, that are folded like paper. Intriguing!

Impressions of Grauland December 2020 (4) – The Octagon, The Blocks, The Hollow Blocks

I enjoyed scrolling through the 5 memorials, making pictures, playing with the light and the shadows and I walked up to the scenic outlook, which is nothing else but an open hut built of concrete.

Impressions of Grauland December 2020 (5) – The Hollow Blocks, The Waves, The Walls, scenic outlook

You find quite some places to sit and watch and to literally inhale this outstanding different design. Chapeau, Jim (JimGarand), you created once again something impressive. I did enjoy my visit. I appreciate it a lot when shop owners combine their business with a place to visit. Thank you Jim for creating Grauland and sharing it publicly. Great work!

Landmark to Grauland
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mobile/28/161/22
Flickr group Grauland
https://www.flickr.com/groups/4560078@N24/pool

Simploring 2020 (56) Grauland – Summer 2020

22 Aug 2020 1 Comment

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

For my simploring tour on Sunday, August 16th, I picked once again “Grauland” from scoop.it SL Destinations. I had visited Grauland the first time in Summer 2019 (read here), then again in February 2020 (read here). What I saw at scoop.it SL Destinations indicated that the sim has changed again.
Grauland is an adult homestead owned by JimGarand. He runs a shop for poses (M-1 Art Poses) in the skies above the sim. You can reach the shop by a teleporter right next to the landing. Jim seems to change Grauland quite regularly.

This time Grauland is something totally different. It is a half island used as a bi- or even trimodal logistic center. The landing is on a beach, next to a beach volleyball field. Not far away is a motel. The rooms are furnished. Well, it looks as this motel has had its best days already, yet the pool behind the motel is quite nice and there seem to be at least 2 rooms occupied as cars park in front of them.

Impressions of Grauland in Summer 2020 (1) – Beach volleyball and motel near to the landing point

I explored the beach first. There’s a long promenade with 3 art objects: “Marching On Sculpture” by JimGarand, “Angel” by Wiona (dx61005) and “Tiki Head Statuette” by ChiMia (chimiastore). The art is a bit out of place with the long wall of the logisitc center with all its graffiti as a background. But then it makes it even more outstanding. The beach is nice and invited to take a bath in the sun.

Impressions of Grauland in Summer 2020 (2) – Art promenade and beach

I visited the little event area on a wooden platform not far from the landing and then went towards the logistic center. On my way I came across a scrapyard – and saw more graffiti.

Impressions of Grauland in Summer 2020 (3) – Event platform and scrapyard

The logistic center is for road and railroad transport. Both can be loaded at the center, goods can be stored in the storehouses. There are two large tanks for fluid goods, maybe petrol at the logistic center. The railroad and the trucks transport the goods away from the center through seperate tunnels. A bit aside is a pier and a ramp. There’s no ship but it looks as if goods could also be transported with ships, making the logistic center not only bimodal but trimodal.
Again I admired some graffiti, this time on a railroad waggon.

Impressions of Grauland in Summer 2020 (4) – The bi- or trimodal logisitic center

Besides the beach, there’s still more to explore and enjoy at Grauland. There’s a lighthouse and the house next to it is furnished. On its porch you can sit and enjoy the view over the sea and the beach. I also had some fun using the jet ski, that can be rezzed at the beach again quite close to the landing. And I dared to speed along the concrete bricks protecting the shore.

Impressions of Grauland in Summer 2020 (5) – Diomita enjoying the Summer

Grauland offers some different backgrounds for taking pictures, it offers fun (jet ski for example) and the combination of beaches and a logistic center is quite outstanding. Once again I enjoy my visit.
I appreciate it a lot when shop owners combine their business with a place to visit. Thank you Jim for creating this place and sharing it publicly.

Landmark to Grauland
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mobile/168/189/26

Simploring 2020 (9) Grauland / Okinawa Islands

04 Feb 2020 2 Comments

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

Inspired by posts on scoop.it SL Destinations, I revisted Grauland. I had visited it half a year ago and had written a simploring report about it (see Simploring 2019 (89) Grauland). What caught my attention was the changed name “Grauland / Okinawa Islands” and pictures of a destinctive rock formation.

The landing is close to a heap of stones that reach into the sea. I immediately recognized it again and knew where I was. This heap of stones and the horseshoe form of the islands are the only similarities to Grauland back in 2019.

Grauland / Okinawa Islands 2020 – overview

Grauland / Okinawa Islands is an adult homestead owned by JimGarand. It is also home to M-1 Art Poses, a shop for poses that is located on a platform in the skies above. M-1 Art Poses is also owned by JimGarand. On Grauland / Okinawa Islands you find several teleport pads to the store.

Impressions of Grauland / Okinawa Islands 2020 (1) – the heap of Stones at the landing Point / exploring with a jet ski

Close to the landing point is a jet ski station and of course I had to try it. The jet skis are fun and the work up to 700m off sim. I drove all around the islands before I continued my simploring tour on foot and explored the Japanese park that occupies the largest of the 3 connected islands. It is a peaceful place, the park is quite simple with a huge stone in the center.

Grauland / Okinawa Islands 2020 (2) – the Japanese park

I visited the bath house and the residential house, both clearly Japanese as you would expect on Okinawa Islands. The furnishing is very neat and stylish, the garden around the residential house has also a Japanese touch and there’s a little greenhouse that contains a small canabis patch, a little reminder of the large canabis greenhouse at Grauland back in 2019.

Grauland / Okinawa Islands 2020 (3) – the bath house and the residential house in- and outside

I climbed on the destinctive rocks that are besides the heap of Stones at the landing point a second landmark of Grauland / Okinawa Islands. At several places, in particular at the beach, you find places to rest, to sit and enjoy alone or as a couple and I tried out some of them. And finally I visited the M-1 Art Poses Store and tried some poses there.

Grauland / Okinawa Islands 2020 (4) – the rocks / the small greenhouse

Grauland / Okinawa Islands 2020 (5) – trying poses on the Islands and at the M-1 Art Poses Store

I appreciate it a lot when shop owners combine their business with a nice place to visit, to take pictures or just to enjoy like JimGarand did. Instead of donating to the sim I bought something at his store. Thank you very much for creating Grauland / Okinawa Islands and for sharing it with the public. I enjoyed my visit.

Landmark to Grauland / Okinawa Islands
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mobile/60/150/24

Simploring 2019 (89) Grauland

17 Aug 2019 2 Comments

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

For my simploring tour on Tuesday, July 30th, I selected Grauland from scoop.it SL Destinations https://www.scoop.it/t/second-life-destinations. Grauland is an adult homestead owned by JimGarand. The landmark description doesn’t reveal much “Photogenic sim and home to M-1 ART POSES“.

Grauland – overview

The landing is right next to a piece of art, a fist (Fist Statue – Marble inWorldLight) made by Korazen. Also close to the landing is an auditorium, but it has no stage and the audience looks at a painted wall. Let us imagine that in the case of an event, there’d be a screen installed. I began my exploring tour looking at the heap of stones which is also close to the landing point. The heap looks a bit like a breakwater wall. It is for sure a very interesting motive for pictures. And because of the magic of Second Life it is not covered with bird droppings although there’re lots of birds at Grauland.

Impressions of Grauland (1) – around the landing point and the heap of stones

I crossed the bridge that connects the landing island with the main island, that has the form of an hoof. I visited the cannabis greenhouse first. There’s also a pier for ships with a petrol station. Obviously the cannabis yield is very high so that they use ships for transport *winks*.

I continued my tour at the beach. It is a lovely large beach and the waves in the background are impressive. Again you find a lot of birds here and some places to sit and relax and to enjoy the beach. The beach has a very natural atmosphere.

Impressions of Grauland (2) – the cannabis greenhouse and the beach

I visited the old factory building, that seems to be abandonned for many years already. There’s no roof nor a door but it might be still a bit more protected from wind inside. You can see that someone is living here, there’s a sofa, a few pictures, garbage, a shopping cart and a litte cage (yes we’re on an adult sim). Continuing my simploring tour I sat down at another abandonned hut and I walked to the other end of the island, where you can enjoy a lovely view over the whole island from a rock. On the top of the rock is another little hut, that looks a bit like a bus station from outside. But inside there’re two chairs and a few pictures and it looks like someone really loves being here.

Impressions of Grauland (3) – at the beach, the old factory, the abandonned hut

But the most outstanding piece of Grauland is the field of concrete blocks that covers around a quarter of the whole island. The concrete blocks are also in the bay and on a small island in the center of the hoof. This island is connected with a wooden footbridge with the main island. The concrete blocks did remind me of the holocaust monument in Berlin. I have no idea what they express here or if there’s any intended interpretation. On the fist view the distribution of the single blocks seem to be random. I managed to jump on one of them and to have a better view. The field seems to be endless … does it continue under water?

Impressions of Grauland (4) – the field of concrete blocks and the outlook

On my way to the outlook I found a teleport sign for the above mentioned M-1 Art Poses shop and I came across a single modern bar stool, that stood in the midst of nothing and almost screamed “Try me”. Ok I had to try it. The stool has some really nice and tempting poses and I ended up makieng a seflie photo session. I had fun.

 

Impressions of Grauland (5) – at the outlook, the tp board to the M-1 Art Poses shop, and Diomita in a spontaneous photo session

And the spontaneous photo session was reason enough to have a look at the M-1 Art Poses shop that is located on a platform in 2000m height. I tried the poses with the bike and got two other great selfies.

A quick visit to the M-1 Art Poses shop at Grauland

I appreciate it a lot when shop owners combine their business with providing a place for the public to enjoy, like Jim did with Grauland. The sim is outstanding in it’s own way. The enviroment is meagre, but still beautiful, the field of concrete blocks offers a lot of different interpretations and for sure a great background. And the beach is just great being that natural. Thank you Jim, for providing Grauland to the public. I had fun exploring the island, the art and last but not least trying out the poses.

Landmark to Grauland
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mobile/102/197/23
M-1 Art Poses inworld shop
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mobile/193/132/2028
M-1 Art Poses on marketplace
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/204042