Barcelona Plaza Real

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Greetings from Barcelona.  Having a great time – wish you were here!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tumotiko%20East/69/136/0

I’ve not been to the real Barcelona, so I can’t say if this sim is similar to the real deal or not, but I can tell you that it’s gorgeous, very well designed, appealing to the eye, and a great place to hang out in general and meet folks.  It’s good if you know a bit of Spanish as there are many Spanish-speaking people around.  It offers a cozy cafe to share a latte with friends or to have a dance.  There are assorted shops and art galleries.  And in addition to the city feel, the edges are beach covered and offer sights to see, boating interactive activities, and more hang out spaces.  The music is a soothing Latin station, good for chatting with friends or dancing.

Here’s a tip…do visit sims that have a majority of non-English speaking residents.  Don’t be afraid!  It’s a wonderful way to experience another culture without a passport or even leaving your home.  There are translation devices easily found in SL, many of them free.  There is a bit of a learning curve, but it’s well worth it.  Its a terrific way to learn a foreign language or practice your rusty skills in a language you are semi-literate in.  I’ve had many non-English speaking friends do this very thing in order to practice their English and I’ve seen them become remarkably proficient by the exercise and rather quickly too!  Overall, it’s a great way to expand your world and your skills while having a great time.

Insilico

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http://slurl.com/secondlife/INSILICO/189/181/3602

When I first arrived, I was dazed and disoriented.  It was difficult to know which direction to go…with each step into the blackness I uttered a silent prayer that I wouldn’t plunge into the cityscape below.  As I tried to make sense and direction out of the lights, buildings, and chaos about me, I came upon a platform where a sleek motorbike was parked.  I jumped onto it but was immediately repelled by the security system.  I had to continue walking.  I stepped once again into the darkness, only to find myself falling.  It was a short fall and I landed on the platform landing of a stairwell.  As I picked myself up, I noticed a movement in the darkness…on the stairs above me.  I was startled, but couldn’t make out the shape.  My heart beat faster…and I decided to keep walking.  Out of the corner of my eye the shape took form.  It was a man in a dark leather coat.  And he had a gun… pointed at me!  I suddenly realized how careless it was for me to try to take the bike…it must have sent an alarm to the owner.  And now, the owner was here.  Tracking me with his gun.  “Keep walking” I told myself.  I inhaled deeply and took two steps.  “Oh my god!” he said.  “You’re Leeloo!”  I turned around, smiling at him.  “Yes” I answered.

True story, by the way!  The man put the gun away.  His name was Jaco.  We chatted a bit.  I learned that he resides on the sim and he invited me to join him as he docked his ship.  He told me to hop onto the back of his bike and we jetted off.  His ship/residence was a dome-shaped structure with AMAZING textures…really, the whole sim is absolutely incredible!  Bladerunner, The 5th Element seem to inspire the look of the sim.   Jaco sat in the pilot seat and I sat next to him and he carefully maneuvered the ship to the docking station.  After a perfect dock, I thanked him for showing me about.  He was a real gentleman, that is after he put the gun away :)

Some serious RP goes on here, but don’t let that intimidate you.  Visitors are welcome.  This sim is a MUST SEE destination.  Truly, one of the best sims in SL.  I strongly urge you to visit it!  You may meet a new friend like I did.

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Landing the bike at Jaco’s residence

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Jaco piloting his ship towards the dock

Tiki Tattoo

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http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tiki%20Tattoo%20Cove/34/168/22

“I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts…”

Kick off those shoes, get your sunscreen and sunglasses on and head over to Tiki Tattoo.  They’ve got everything, from land rental, to island clothing, tattoos, beach furniture, landscape plants, to even prefabs.  Tiki Tattoo has the most exstensive and authentic looking, top quality Polynesian items I’ve ever seen in SL.  Not only is the sim beautiful….(do kick off your shoes and try out the items for sale), but the genuine feel, down to the laid back and relaxing music, makes this a wonderful place to shop, hang out, and pull together an island look.  I’ve got my look all together, see?  Now, all I need is a Hula dance!