Waterpark At Bellisserian Fairgrounds

 

 By Gemma Cleanslate

August is always a quiet month since so many in real-life and Second Life go on vacation. It is sort of the wind down of summer. August however the every year the Bellisserian Hammies create a fun place for everyone across the grid to come enjoy their summer toys at the Fairground. It is a huge Waterpark with everything you would want for a vacation.
 

The site opened with a huge party where dj, The Bellisseria Hamster (JessycaJayne Resident) entertained with her tunes and Varistentia Varriale, wearing the meme tag the beach Hampter hosting and dancing along. 

There will be parties often and here is the schedule if you would like to attend.

https://community.secondlife.com/forums/topic/525983-big-splash-adventure-oasis-waterpark-2025-opening-saturday-august-2nd/#comment-2948678

Not only are there huge water slides , enough for many to use , but games for adults and kids. Many sunning areas are set up for those who just want to relax and enjoy the sun.

A game room offers several opportunities to get out of the sun in case you are too fair to stay long. 

 

 The food court had a great choice of lunch with a mouthwatering Barbeque food truck, a Taco and Quesadilla stand, Pizza and all sorts of drinks and ice cream to top it off. Beer and pretzels are available at the Stage!

Families will enjoy the whole area. The kiddies playground offers many games and toys to occupy the children while the parents lounge under covered resting areas. The Hammies always take care to have engaging events that satisfy all the visitors. All are invited to come participate and have a great time.

It will be here until August 30 so put it on your calendar. You can arrive by plane, or take the ferry, or

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bellisseria%20Fairgrounds/163/238/24

Gemma Cleanslate

A Tuscan Summer

         If you’re looking for a romantic vacation at an Italian villa, visit “A Tuscan Summer” at Cap Estel (13, 16, 28).   This site is another wonderful creation by Maurice Messmer, who is known for his beautiful landscape destinations.     His other creations include Cap Estel Goes Safari, reviewed on February 21, 2011, and Cap Estel Natural Lake Park, reviewed on November 24, 2010.   This time he has re-created the Tuscany region of Italy, a RL area known for its beautiful landscapes, villas, and artistic history.

At the SL entry point, a meandering path leads you past golden grasses and grazing Blackface sheep.   Be careful where you walk--the sheep and donkeys use the path, too.     Where the path split, I chose to follow it up the hill.   Either way makes for a beautiful journey since the path loops around the site.

Take your time at this destination because a Tuscan summer is made for strolling.   The lush landscape is filled with wildflowers, lavender, poppies, and a vineyard.   Bales of hay dot the hillside.  In fact, the bales are so big you can sit, lean, and even hide behind them.    Mountains with fog covered valleys are visible on the horizon.     You can hear the sounds of summer birds and insects, too.  

The highlight of the site is the grand Tuscan villa at the top of the hill.  Polished marble and Italian art combine to create the perfect ambiance.   Messmer has provided every comfort for his guests.   Inside are complimentary appetizers and drinks, including fine wines.     Chairs surround the fireplace, and there’s a grand piano to play.    Three terraces extend off of the main villa, all of which have great views of the countryside.  One terrace has chairs and a table where you can relax with a friend.  

At the doorway there is a guest book that you can sign as you enter or leave.  On the day I visited, over 168 residents had already left comments about the villa.  Many residents thanked Messmer for creating and opening the site to all of SL.      

RL Italy is known for its fountains, and SL Tuscany has two.   The formal one contains a reflecting pool, stately topiary, and the Sacred Sisters Wishing Well Fountain.   On the other side of the villa is the Gargoyle Wishing Well.   This informal area has a picnic blanket and goodie basket available for couples who want to linger.              

Another romantic area can be found at the bottom of the hill behind the villa.   There is a patio for dancing and a nearby stone ruin to explore and enjoy.   The ruin is situated on the coast so watch out for the sea gulls.   The sounds of the crashing surf, however, are wonderfully relaxing.  

            A Tuscan Summer feels so real I expect to meet Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci on my next visit.

Grey Lupindo

Camp Hardknock

Marianne McCann and I were talking during a lull in SL9B and she told me she was getting ready to go away for a sleepover camp soon. Every summer 100 SL kids pay 1000L to attend Camp HardKnock, a  camp in Second Life where there are activities 24/7.  As Marianne put it , “That is *the* best SL kid event out there. They've been doing this since 2007.  That is some of the best Lindens I can ever spend in SL.” 

Immediately I wanted to visit. The SL kids have lots of fun everyday in Second Life, but this is the first time I heard of camp other than the boy scout camp. I learned there is a summer session and a winter session.  Jill Caldera, Gattz Gilman & Quincy Dyrssen are the camp directors. Right away I wanted to visit since I love to see the SL kids in action. When I first arrived, the children were sleeping in their cabins. I visited with Miss Jill who explained that they would be having activities later in the day. Of course  Linden Lab decided to restart the sims at that time so I had to leave, promising to be back again. 

Next time I visited, I found several kids playing Greedy. One brought me to the Events board so I could see all the activities for each day. The board was filled with many. I  went to visit the cabins where they slept. Each cabin had it’s own flag with its own logo. I learned that most of the kids make and decorate their own bunks. Nancy Chatterbox shared her cabin with me, and showed me the logo she had created as well as the sweet bunk she made. 

Several of the kids told me how much fun they had all day long and how much fun it was to try avoiding going to the showers and to bed. That seemed to be the favorite activity. Nancy told me, “Miss Jill and Mister Gattz and Miss Quincy and Miss Kendra, them all put lotsa time into camp to make it lots of fun for us and all the other counselers too, them all werks hard. This is my 4th time at camp." 

I had time to attend two events that were going on. One was a water balloon fight. Each kid grabbed a water balloon and got ready. I sat to watch but also grabbed a balloon. So dumb! Right away I was an easy target for balloon, but fought back! Some sneaky kid crawled around behind me and saved herself behind hay bales set out, but I was in the line of fire. All had a great time. 

I also went to the beach to check out the shell collecting. Everyone had a bucket full of shells they found and they did not go to waste. Most kids took their shells to the picnic tables outside the mess hall where Miss Kendal was waiting with a great craft. She gave everyone a frame to decorate with the shells and all settled down to do it. 

That is just a sample of the activities going on in the camp. The events board is full of things to do all day long. I looked at some of the other events listed on the board... cabin fights ..trivia..story telling..water activities. The kids will be walking the relay track this weekend. I look forward to visiting the winter camp to see how that goes! 

Gemma Cleanslate

Take a look at one of the kid's past visit: