Wales Harbour

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This sim is fantastic, and well worth the strain on my antique graphics card to run the "high" settings and wait for textures to load.

Wales Harbour has it all. Dancing, romance, exploring, scenery, art, and maybe even a little piracy. The place is large enough to actually keep us busy exploring for more than one day to see it all.

The Paradise Falls are beautiful in a fae sort of way, glowing and sparkling. The sim is in a constant state of sunset with soft lighting and pink clouds.
At the base of the falls are an assortment of couple dances, I couldn't ask for a better spot to take pictures.
Vanity shots... I'm so vaaaaaaiiinnnn....
Oh look, a bunneh!
There are little hideaway spots for conversation and/or snuggling throughout the sim, it's a delightful place for romance.
This scene reminded me of a fairytale castle.
This, on the other hand, reminded me of some hikes I've taken in RL that are this steep, and made me very happy that it was my avatar climbing it and not me. Going up?
More scenic views.
A magical little pond with crystals and bright water was a nice surprise (and sent me into a flurry of trying to build one for myself).
Seriously, you just never know what you will find here... ship ahoy!

This view was absolutely breathtaking. A still snapshot doesn't do it justice.
Heading down into the waterfall mists...
At the bottom we found a sweet little secluded gazebo...
And a nice spot for a picnic.
I had visited this sim a year or so ago, and I remember that there are quite a few things that I didn't get to on this trip. I think I'll let this be a teaser and let you find the giant cat, art museum, wild animals, and space alien for yourself. :)

Enscharys

SLURL

Enscharys is a sim with a story, which you discover by means of notecards, and a quest to find the Obelisk. The castle and grounds are really beautiful, and there are some lovely places to just relax and enjoy some quiet time, for those who are not quest-minded.

An excerpt from their welcoming information:

"The castle is the ancient home of the Enscharys elven race who held a secret obelisk which, it was said, allowed them to travel from place to place through time and space in the blink of an eye. Adventurers who complete the puzzles here may find their way to the secret room which still to this day houses the obelisk."

This glass castle in the air is a transportation device. There was also another really fun transportation device there, little floating stones that fly you along to your destination, which I enjoyed much more than the usual TP.
Me having a little time-out to relax, in a tree.
The throne room is extremely impressive, even if one is wearing sneakers.
Searching for clues in the Library.
In the planetarium I could even float among the stars... which I did for a long time before I figured out the clue!
One of the sights hidden inside the Maze.
The burning forest... hot hot hot!
Taking a skyboat ride while hunting for clues
Do I dare touch the magic book?

"There are three keys which allow you to enter the Obelisk room and clues how to find them are hidden in the rooms and grounds of the castle."

"The Obelisk will show the bearer of these keys alone the magic of the Enscharys elves. Good luck with your quest............."

Free Shells Tide Pools

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Note: The parcels change names, but all seem to be part of Free Shells and open to the public, according to the notecard I received there.

At Free Shells Tide Pools, the first thing you see is tide pools with an assortment of - you guessed it - free sculpty shells lying around to be collected. Free, my favorite kind!

Just beyond the tide pools is a dock where you can borrow a motorboat, which is fun to zip around in. Even I could drive it with a minimal amount of skidding across the sand and rocks.
In the motorboat, we found some little islands with different themed recreation areas, such as drumming, meditation, and a swing for two.
Walking a bit along the beach from the dock, there is a small gazebo that sells 7Seas Fishing equipment. I caught two fish and an old tire.
In the gazebo, there is also a free set of scuba gear, and nearby is an option to take a snorkeling tour for two.
I saw lots of fishies...
And went back for a little manta ray ride, just cause I could.

Alchemy Immortalis

SLURL (Note: you can also walk there from Empress and Hierophant.)

Alchemy Immortalis is a dark, rainy valley that is home to a shop. Even with the surrounding hills mostly barren, it was worth visiting just for the weather! The cold and rain is actually a nice change since most SL places are always perfectly sunny. On the neighboring Empress and Hierophant sim (see yesterday's post), you can pick up some foggy Windlight presets they have created specifically for these sims.

The arrival point is just outside the shop, and the glowing spiral text is about the creators. I made myself dizzy spinning around to read it.
Looking at the entrance of the shop. Impressive, isn't it?
The view from a little distance away:
Sneaking out the back door... ooh, it looks a little intimidating...
Eeek, who is buried here? Dissatisfied customers?
(just kidding)
Rain, rain, and more rain. Love it.
By the time we reached the standing stones, the rain had stopped. Beautiful spot for a picnic here.
Did I mention that the stones all over both sims have Intan couple cuddles and dances in them?
♥

Empress and Hierophant

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This gorgeous sim is the neighbor to the Alchemy Immortalis sim, which is also on my list of sims to explore. It's a like a piece of the Old Country, only the sheep seem to be more adventuresome here.
The arrival point is on a central island, from which one can explore outward. We began by exploring the outer loop, which is mostly along the ocean. The single lane dirt road is a bit muddy, making my choice of footwear all wrong, but the views were worth the blisters.

True to the Old Country, it was foggy and rainy. A refreshing change from all those balmy, tropical sims.
Along the border, we found these signs which were quite amusing, since both sims are more beautiful than most, even during a "transition".
A wonderful way to explore this sim is by rowboat, since there is a waterway all the way around. It was a liesurely (and romantic) way to enjoy the views of the beautiful landscape. The rowboats are provided free.


Be careful when getting out, though. Ours sank when we got out of it!
When rowboats are left adrift, the sheep can get themselves into trouble...
There were strange and playful sheep everywhere. Soccer, anyone?
Perhaps some karaoke?
Rock climbing?
Hmmmm, could this be the source of the famous Golden Fleece?
That is one BIG golden sheep...
Honey... I think those sheep are WATCHING us....