I started the new year with a trip to two connected sims,
Belegaer and the Island of Armenelos.
Both are part of the award-winning Calas Galadhon Park. Belegaer, located at BELEGAER, BELEGAER
(32, 75, 21), is an open water retreat that has a number of hidden surprises within
its borders. While exploring there, I
saw a nearby villa. It was so beautiful
that I knew I had to visit it, too.
The villa is located at The Island of Armenelos, ARMENELOS (146, 106,
21).
I found these two
jewels of SL when I visited the main sim, Calas Galadhon Park in December. Created
in January, 2010, by SL residents Tymus Tenk and Truck Meredith,
Calas is an 11 region estate. My
friend and fellow reporter Gemma Cleanslate reported about this magical place
in “A Wintery
Favorite: Calas Galadhon Park”, published
December 13, 2013. During my visit
there I saw posters for Belegaer and the Island of Armenelos. Unlike the active and busy winter sims,
Belegaer and the Island of Armenelos are warm weather sites with an emphasis on
quiet beauty.
At the landing
point for Belegaer I found the “Blackspot”, an ancient sailing ship that may be
haunted, and a small kayak that is available for anyone to use. The “Blackspot”, like many places on
Belegaer, has dance balls ready for couples to use. But I didn’t want to spend any time
exploring the ship. I was eager to try out the kayak and see the
other sights.
The kayak was a
perfect fit, and I was soon out in the open water. The
ambiance is wonderful here. Sea gulls
and pelicans call out as they fly by.
The sound of crashing waves alerts you to the danger of getting too
close to the rocks. I’m sure I heard a pair of humpback whales,
too.
Although
kayaking on the water was serene, the outcropping of rocks near land was more
inviting to me. Ignoring the danger, I headed toward them. At one point I was hung up on a reef, but I
quickly floated free. I guided the
kayak through an arch and was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful garden
near the shore.
I left the kayak
and waded ashore. At first all I saw was
the garden, but I kept exploring. On
the other side I found many hidden treats, like benches for relaxing and great
places to snap pictures. Bird watching
is great here, too.
Tucked away on
the far side of the garden is a private pool that would be perfect for couples.
Nearby I found a picnic blanket with a
basket of goodies and a nice vintage wine.
Dance balls are located in many spots, often concealed in statutes of
birds or sea lions. Although the area
seemed small at first, the path winds up and around in a way that makes it feel
bigger.
When it started
to get dark I stopped exploring and tried to find my way back to the
kayak. By the time I found my landing
spot, the kayak was gone. While I was scrambling over the rocks, I
slipped and fell into the water. What a
happy accident that turned out to be!
Under the water is another beautiful park. I swam with some fish and looked around a bit. Because it was now very dark, I opted to
teleport out and come back another time to visit the villa.
When I returned to explore the Island of
Armenelos, I teleported in at The Island of Armenelos, ARMENELOS (146, 106,
21). At the landing point I was greeted
by Shelly the sea lion, who was looking for a treat. After I fed her, I walked up the stone
steps toward the villa.
At the first
landing I came to a dance area near a colorful fountain. The opulence and beauty of this sim is
evident immediately. As I continued up
the long set of steps, I found a number of decorative mosaic tiles on the
landings. There are scenes of dolphins,
turtles, a swordfish, and other marine life.
At the top of
the steps are apartments that are open for exploring. There are no rentals here. Visitors are free to walk inside the villas
without worrying about invading anyone’s privacy. There are many apartments connected by narrow
passages and stucco stairs. I had a
great time exploring in and around the many villas.
Outside many of the apartments and on some
larger patios are chairs where visitors can relax in the sunshine. I met resident DowJones Fullstop when I
stopped to have a cup of coffee. Fullstop
often comes to this and other Calas sites.
He told me about the skating and other activities that can be found
here.
I was
impressed by the unique and detailed interiors that can be seen inside the
apartments. When I was talking to
Fullstop, he had remarked about how realistic the site looks. I agree with his observation. Tenk
and Meredith have added many unique items that make this site special. For example, in one apartment a small
oscillating fan sits on a table and cools the room. Other villas have pet cats inside while
birds chirp on the ledges outside.
On their website,
Tenk and Meredith state that these sites are their gift back to the residents
of SL. Although they accept donations
to help with the operational costs, the donation boxes are limited and located
only at the entrances to the sims. Tenk and Meredith have created a perfect place
for anyone who wants to enjoy some quiet time on the sea or relax at a seaside
villa.
Grey Lupindo
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