Longest Coaster Ride in Second Life

Tortuga Shops and Amusements

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Last night, I received an invitation from my friend Adrian Harbinger to attend the grand opening party of Tortuga Shops and Amusements. Tortuga is an amusement park and shopping area designed and owned by another friend, Annabelle Babii. Annabelle is one of the great builders in Second Life. I have heard said that she is among the top 5 builders, if not the top, in technical expertise and creativity. Her Tortuga is named for the Caribbean island that was the base of operations for the buccaneer pirates known as the Brethren of the Coast during the Golden Age of Pirates, the mid-seventeen century. Naturally, this sets the theme for the sim and its wonderful amusement park attractions. I enjoyed the dancing and the music but I took leave of the party as I was eager to see and ride the amusements.

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Annabelle Babii, Creator and Owner of Tortuga.

My Good Friend Adrian Harbinger
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Oh what fun I had. Among the amusements are bumper cars and bumper boats, a Tunnel of Love, and a swinging pirate ship which actually made me queasy and dizzy. But the main attraction is the Pirate's Gold Mine which claims to be the longest coaster ride in Second Life. This is a thrilling ride that must be experienced. Some of the fun highlights of the mine are pictured below. Setting midnight is recommended for the ride; but I found that setting sunrise works very well too. I highly recommend Tortuga Shops and Amusements. Its a great place to take a date or to go on a field trip with a group of friends (in which case everyone must ride the bumper cars and boats and go at it). I will surely go back. I've been through the Pirate's Gold Mine twice already, and I still want to do it again.

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Climb Aboard for the Pirate's Gold Mine Adventure
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Off We Go
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This is going to be fun
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OMG ... Barbecue Mariko
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Now I know how it feels to be a steak on a grill
.After that, I could use a cool drink of water
.One cool drink of water coming up

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Splash Glub Glub
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What Next?.

YIKES! - I think I left my stomach behind
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Nearing the End of the Ride
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Back to Dancing at the Grand Opening Party

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Tortuga Shops and Amusements:
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http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tortuga/151/165/23

Adrian made a video of Tortuga, and its available on YouTube:

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDPueKgnnDU

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Happy Birthday Kaja

Kaja Lurra, The Birthday Girl

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Today, I hosted a very special event at Opar; a birthday party for my dear friend from Sweden, Kaja Lurra. Knowing how Kaja loves horseback riding, I planned to have all the guests arrive on horseback at the Wild Flower Meadow, and everyone would ride to the party site at the Hidden Forest. And it was a glorious gathering of horses and riders. Kara was strikingly beautiful on her white horse. And I couldn't help but notice that men look so handsome and masculine on horseback. I laid out a trail that highlighted the gardens and took the party up into the mountains that cross the length of Opar. Crossing Opar, we descended and followed the shoreline past the crashing waves of the Wild Shore to the Hidden Forest.

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The Hidden Forest was magical. I filled the forest with japanese lanterns suspended in the air. Its marvelous how the laws of physics do not apply in Second Life. With the tall oaks, the misty lilly pond, the mountains and the sea, the effect was mesmerizing. Kaja and the party were delighted. We dismounted from our horses and toasted Kaja with champaign. It was wonderful meeting Kaja's friends and the mix of people worked perfectly. We danced until late in the night. I hope we created a special evening for Kaja, one that leaves a warm glow and lasting memories. Happy Birthday, Kaja.

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Gathering on Horseback at the Wild Flower Meadow
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Kaja's Oldest Friend, junivers Stockholm
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Kristian Ordinary looked Dashing
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Lone Ranger and Tonto? No, its Rocko and Tricia
.The Magnificient Three: Stig Tiratzo, Leesa, and me.
Riding Out
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Party Site at the Hidden Forest
.A Birthday Toast
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Kaja's Cake Walk
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The Dancing Begins
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And Goes On Into the Night
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Relaxing after the party
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Tired but Happy Hostess
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Leesa was the official photographer for the party and has a great post on her blog:

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http://leesadonner.wordpress.com/2009/05/28/happy-birthday-kaja-lurra/

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Kaja was interviewed by Tweet TV on their Designing Worlds program. The interview highlights the extraordinary talent and special person that is Kaja Lurra:

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http://archive.treet.tv/designing-worlds-matanzas

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Cheesecake Mariko - Japanese Lanterns

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A scrumptious slice of cheesecake served up with a hot cup of coffee for a late evening dessert.

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Samba in Al Andalus

Samba Dancing at Al Andulus

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Last night, Jaysun teleported me to the sim of Al Andalus to hear a live performance by Joaquin Gustav, a fantastic guitar musician from Argentina. For over seven centuries, from 711 to 1492, regions of Spain were ruled by Muslim conquerors from North Africa who gave the Iberian peninsula the Arabic name of Al Andalus. Moorish Spain was glorious. The Moorish city of Cordoba was the most cosmopolitan city in Western Europe at the time of the Muslim domination of Al Andalus and famous for its great Jewish philosophers. The fabulous Alhambra, built by the Moors in Granada, is one of the world's great architectural treasures. Naturally, Al Andalus is one of my favorite sims. Its sights and sounds are redolent of the Moorish culture in Spain at the time of Al Andalus.

Joaquim’s concert was marvelous; his music, lovely; his artistry, a delight to appreciate. After the performance, Latin and Arabian music filled the air, and their rhythms were too inviting. I had to do some serious dancing. Jaysun was also in a dancing mood, and I wanted to Samba. The Samba is Brazilian and the most complex of the Latin ballroom dances. It is joyfully rhythmic and so sinfully flirtatious and exuberant. And the Samba’s fast movements are visually arresting. It is a crowd pleaser. Jaysun and I were certainly drawing attention with our Samba. After the Samba, Jaysun choose to dance the Paso Doble. Paso Doble originates from Spain and is based on movements performed by the matadors during the bull fights. In Paso Doble, the man, as the matador, is highlighted more than in any other dance. The lady plays the role of the cape. Paso Doble is one of the most dramatic dances you will ever see. That evening, we were a fantastic dance couple. I didn't know that Jaysun was such an accomplished dancer.
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.Al Andulus:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Al%20Andalus%20Generalife/219/134/40

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Photomatic Fun

Photo Booth Fun with My Sister Dawson

.This morning, I was out shopping and sightseeing with my sister, Dawson. We each bought a colorful skirt from a Japanese store called Slow Kitchen and found appropriate tops, hair styles, and jewelry from our inventories to wear with them. We certainly were two Hot Asians. Wandering around a very colorful and whimsical sim called Tableau , we came upon a Photo Booth. Daw immediately jumped into the booth and dragged me in after her. Both of us love being in front of a camera. Get a camera on us and the fun begins. Daw goes kenetic, and I become a Diva. Dawson's rapid fire mugging for the camera was hilarious. And I got some great pictures.

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Jaysun's Greek Island Dinner Party

Greek Island of Scorpios

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Last night was one of my more memorable nights in Second Life. Jaysun invited Leesa and me to dine with him on one of the Greek Islands. Jaysun had the evening planned, and I knew it would be magical. He had chosen Greece because of my upcoming trip to Crete and Santorini in real life. And he also wanted to celebrate with me the end of my school year. He is so thoughtful and sweet. We went to the island of Scorpios to an open-air restaurant called Nemesis. From our table, we had a sweeping view of the island town across the inlet. Scorpios is named after the island of Skorpios in the Ionian Sea. Skorpois was the private island of Aristotle Onassis, where he enjoyed trysts with his long-time mistress Maria Callas and where he later married Jacqueline Kennedy. Scorpios in Second Life is colorful and very Mediterranean. It’s a delightful place to stroll, shop, and dine while enjoying the Mediterranean ambiance. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

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A Magnificent View of the Town

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My dinner companions were the best of all company. Leesa wore a lovely blue Grecian dress. She looked fantastic. And Jaysun certainly was handsome in his causal but correct jacket, black shirt and jeans. Our mutual friendships are among our oldest, closest, and dearest in Second Life. So when we came together for this special evening, it truly was special. The dining was ever so much fun. The menu provided a selection of courses that were nicely rezzed. The repast began with a most heartfelt toast offered by Leesa on the meaning of our friendship that echoed all our feelings. And the glow from dining my friends in such wonderful surroundings still remains with me. For an after dinner walk and coffee, we would travel to the island of Santorini.

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We are off to Santorini for an after dinner stroll
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We teleported to the highest point on Santorini and walked down a winding road to view its famous caldera. Santorini is the remnant of the ancient island of Thera and the site of one of the largest volcanic explosions in human history. The falling ash and devastating tsunamis unleashed by the explosion are said to have lead to the collapse of the Minoan civilization while at its height 3600 years ago. The explosion formed a water filled caldera surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs almost 1000 feet high. Startling white towns and villages sit densely on top of the massive cliffs. Santorini is the only inhabited volcanic caldera on the planet; its volcano still active. The view of the caldera is said to be breathtaking. And so it is also in Second Life. From the caldera, our party found a small roadside café where we had our after dinner coffee.

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View of the Caldera

After Dinner Coffee
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Our evening ended in Milan, Italy. We sipped wine and relaxed in the Piazza del Duomo, the great square of Milan’s magnificent Gothic cathedral, the third largest cathedral in the world. Opposite us was the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a wonderful arcade with an arching glass and cast iron roof that connects the Piazza del Duomo with the square opposite the famous La Scala opera house. While relaxing and chatting in the square we met the delightful Veronica Ysabel who comes from Rome in real life. So the evening ended perfectly, being with old friends and making a new friend.

. Relaxing in Milano, Italia

Veronica Ysabel, my new friend from Roma
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Thank you Jaysun for making the evening possible. And thank you Leesa for your gracious company. My love and affection for both of you is beyond my ability to describe; but God knows as you both are in my nightly prayers.

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Scorpios

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Centaurus%20Isle/36/201/24

.Santorini, Mykonos, Greece:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sweet%20Mermaids/44/104/88

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Milano, Italia:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Italia%204%20Milano/26/32/33

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Leesa has a wonderful account of the evening on her blog:

http://leesadonner.wordpress.com/2009/05/17/an-evening-out-with-jaysun-and-mariko/

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This site has a live video cam of the caldera at Santorini

http://www.santorini.net/caldera.html

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The Island of Santorini