Second CVL Travelogue Tour Visits the Past

In a previous blog, I wrote about the fun and entertainment sims that the CVL Travelogue featured on their first tour. On July 17, the CVL Travelolgue group conducted a second tour of historical sims. The places visited included the First World War Poetry Digital Archive, Virtual Harlem, and Virtual Montmarte. The First Wold War Poetry Digital Archive tour was led by Csteph Submariner and the Virtual Harlem and Virtual Montmarte tours were led by Bryan Mnemonic.

The CVL Travelogue Group and guests at the
 WWI Poetry Digital Archives

Touring the Trenches

The first stop on the historical tour was the World War I Poetry Digital Archive where the group and guests, led by Csteph Submariner (Christopher Stephens in RL) of the University of Oxford, visited the camp and trenches.  Since time was limited and there is a vast amount of very detailed historical information to see and learn about, it was suggested that participants visit again on their own.  A free HUD is available to teleport between sites.  Videos and notecards highlight the immersive historical experience.  At the campsite, there are realistic illustrations of wartime living conditions on the front down to scary, animated rats. The group and visitors agreed that this is an important and very well-created build.  We later learned that funding for this project was discontinued in 2009 and that Submarinar is in need of keeping it going.  He wrote an email to the head of the CVL Travelogue group asking her help in sending an email in support of the WWI Poetry Arachive to

stuart....@oucs.ox.ac.uk -- Director: computing Services
katharine.lind...@oucs.ox.ac.uk -- Project manager: WWI Poetry Digital
Archive

CVL Travelogue tour group at the Cotton Club

The Virtual Harlem tour led by Bryan Mnemonic (Bryan Carter in RL), Associate Professor of  English at the University of Central Missouri, began at the Dark Tower mansion, the office of Dr. Menemonic.  After a brief introduction, Menemonic gave a tour of several sites in 1920's Virtual Harlem, the famous Cotton Club jazz club and two locations that featured student art exhibits.  Afterwards, he led everyone across the bridge to France where we visited Virtual Montmarte, a very authentic-looking French village with some nice shops and sites. 

Virtual Montmarte

A slightly larger number of people joined us for the history tour, and we hope that more will come to the next one which may possibly focus on roleplay sims.  There are so many places to visit in SL, and the CVL Travelogue is a great way to learn of them and become introduced to the different location themes.  The group is always in need of volunteers and has its own Google as well as SL group to communicate its meetings and events.

Pets are the Best Friends in RL and SL

I am amazed at the number and variety of Second Life pets. After purchasing two Amaretto horses last year, I recently picked up two Kittycats that were being given away free in honor of SL8B.  As a cat lover in RL and one who even created a SL pet memorial center (Rainbow Gardens Pet Memorial Center) when my own cat died last year, I found that one can really form an attachment to virtual pets.  I nearly lost my boy cat, Magic, to a SL inventory glitch but was relieved when the great folks at Kittycats were able to retrieve him for me in less than 24 hours.

I found a cute milk carton house for my kitties and then added some other virtual pets -- a bunny, free Fourth of July Biobreeds Beagle, a blue jay (I keep in a cage), and an aquarium.  Not all of these pets need to be fed and most are relatively low prim, but, as in real life, there is still a cost to keeping them (but no vet bills except the fee for some medicine if they do get sick).  The best thing, of course, is that they don't die.  However, Amarettos can be sent to "Horse Haven," and Kittycats can go to "Happily Forever," if you don't want to sell them or keep them for some reason. 

I have to say I enjoy my SL pets, and they are somewhat easier to care for than RL pets.  I'm glad SL offers this option for pet lovers.