Regions

 Alternate Metaverse Regions - Add YOURS!

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If you like to walk and listen to country music, RidgeWay Falls is heaven. I dropped in to this region and Merle Haggard & The Strangers were doing, "Today I Started Loving You Again". Perfect. 

And I wandered down to the beach and as I gazed out to a wrecked ship, I had that feeling that I belonged here, sitting watching the waves without a distraction or worry in the world. A lot of thought went into building this region.  It's worth spending a good bit of time in RidgeWay Falls, especially if you're feeling disconnected and in search of something you've lost. 

I sat by a boulder for awhile and was consoled.  And then I got up and walked and walked.  Sometimes that is good balm for the soul, too.  I came on a weekday and I was the only one here -- or was I?  I met myself, so maybe not.  As I crossed The Long Bridge Lorrie Morgan was singing "Don't Go Changing" on the audio feed. I thought (grinning) about being a bit lost in Natchitoches, Louisiana, years ago and finally finding my way across the Red River on that town's Long Bridge.  My brother got a laugh out of that, telling me that it was named after a long gone governor of Louisiana.  

Oh, if you walk around RidgeWay Falls long enough, you might come upon an old abandoned truck.  Why not sit down amid the flowers there and "waste" some time. You might even want to have a can or two of Pixeltown Beer and thank the stars you're here. That sure beats the alternative! 

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Welcome Center - by Xenon Darrow, photos by Doc Nolan

When you first come to AMV, you pop into our illustrious and vibrant Welcome Center, where there are usually people to help you get oriented. One of the distinguishing factors that made me jump to be an AMV resident was the stellar community and technical support. People are there to HELP. And the Welcome Center is certainly indicative of that. 

There are plenty of places to just hang out and talk to people. There is a lovely cafe with coffee and snacks, as well as other drinks. You can drink your coffee, listen to the AMV radio stream, and even look for opportunities to help newcomers. 

There are some of the basic supplies needed to get started, as well as tp boards and links to shopping and social areas. There is far more here than I can reasonably fit in this description.

Another event of note: there is a Greedy game at Welcome every week, early Friday evening, before the Trance Explosion at Prana Mountain. Come play some Greedy, and then go get your trance on!

AMV Street Party is adjacent to the Welcome Center. The street party is always ready for a fantastic music festival! And every Wednesday night, you can find our very own DJ Maia spinning some amazing trance there! It's a well known hypergrid event, and the very best peeps from all over the hypergrid and AMV look forward to it every week.

Welcome to the Welcome Center. 

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Illusions - by Xenon Darrow, photos by Doc Nolan

For those old enough to recall, Joni Mitchell wrote a song called Both Sides Now. There is a line in that song: It's cloud illusions I recall; I really don't know clouds at all. 

The virtual world is an illusion. We are pixels on a screen. And yet...the immersive experience seems so real. 

Illusions is Chris McCracken's own 5x5 region. The best way I can describe it - a smorgasbord! It is a literal buffet of wonder and fun. The ground level is primarily a beach theme, with a variety of sports and vehicles, surfing, kayaking, and more. There is a boardwalk with an arcade, a bowling alley, and two movie theaters, including one of the more adult variety. 

There are some beach clubs as well, where you might be able to find Mr. McCracken spinning tunes on any given day, when he is not doing so at Traxxx or Prana Mountain as a wizard of EDM and trance. Or he might be relaxing at his post modern mansion. Who knows?

There is a water park with two gargantuan slides, a lovely spa, a volcano, and many many large ships you may explore. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. (Except it is far too tropical to have an actual iceberg - but one may appear after Chris reads this!) And don't miss the romantic cabanas over the lagoon. 

One of the wonders of Illusions is Moonlight, a glorious nightclub in it's own surround up in the sky hailing back to the roaring 20s through the fabulous 40s, playing a variety of jazz, crooners, and bossa nova. Feel free to contact Chris to book out this amazing and unique venue. Or just go up there and check it out. Dance with an NPC - you can even choose Mr. McCracken himself. Or take your honey on a magical gondola ride in the moat. 

Illusions may be just that - an illusion. Or is that a reference to the mysterious and quiet Mr. McCracken himself? I cannot answer the last question, but I can recommend going to Illusions and having some fun! I give you to....Illusions. 

Both Sides Now

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Southern Living - by Xenon Darrow, photos by Doc Nolan

It's time to sprinkle in another resident's region - Southern Living by Hope Lives. The majority of Sourther Living is dedicated to the farming lifestyle. You may find three homestead farms there, all lovely and well tended, with beautiful homes, barns, and green houses. It is tranquil, and you get the feel of small farm life. 

The SW corner of the region is dedicated to more tropical living - perhaps reminiscent of old plantations in the Bahamas or perhaps a laid back estate in the Florida Keys.

Be sure and check out this lovely and tranquil region. 

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AMV Town Hall - a Center of AMV Community by Xenon Darrow, photos by Doc Nolan

AMV is rich with community activities and settings. We have so many "hidden" regions - amazing places forgotten and unused. And we have many places that are currently popular and active. 

Then, we have those places I consider "in between" - beautiful functional spaces that are utilized with specific purpose. They are often underutilized, IMO. I consider AMV Town hall is one such place. 

We have an amazing region with its own gorgeous conference center. As someone who used to be in the business of third party conference booking and brokering, I would have loved to have somewhere like this to show my clients. Only very high end hotels and conference centers sport this sort of environment in RL. I would have no issue showing this to corporations and universities for conferences and events. I hope I get that opportunity soon. 

I present to you - AMV Town Hall. 

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The Transcedence of Prana Mountain - by Doc Nolan

A story:  I fell asleep and woke up at the foot of a mountain.  I knew I must ascend it, but I could not tell you what drew me there.  As I clambered over rocks and roots, the colors around me changed.  I did not know why.  I still do not.  

Near the top, I realized I was dreaming but didn’t care.  One reality or another was not important.  What mattered was climbing.  

At the top, I found a cave illuminated by a distant sun and holding an image of a Buddha.  He did not speak to me.  How could he, since he was a statue (though I’ve had other dreams in which images did talk to me!)  I sat, looked around, listened to the beating of my heart, and wondered if it was a real heart or an imaginary one.  And after a second, I didn’t wonder.  

Music enveloped me (or was it my avatar listening, and was I just observing it all from a distance?) I closed my eyes.  The shapes and colors vanished, and there was darkness.  I opened my eyes, and everything had changed, but I couldn’t figure out how.  It was time to wake.  

Two hours later, drinking my coffee in my kitchen, I wished to return to the mountain but knew I could not.  Reality is like that.  It is a shapeshifter.  Nothing remains except images.  As for the Buddha, perhaps I had not been looking at a graven image of him.  Maybe I was looking at myself in a mirror.  Maybe the coffee was a dream.

Meditation Chanting - Enjoy

NOTE: Every Friday, there is a Trancedence Trance event on Prana Mountain. To learn more, see Events. 

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Follow up on Lyrics - by Xenon Darrow    

If you read the blog post on Chant Lyric's region, here are some more photos that give a bit more flavor. Lyrics has many sections, most of which represent international locations. Go to Cuba and see all the shops. Get a flavor of downtown Havana. You may also peruse all things Asian. There is a luxury hotel/resort, as well as a beautiful chapel. 

You might want to check out the Ballrooom. It is the same lovely building as Chris McCracken's Moonlight, but clearly set up for events. The classical Latin music playing in the background lends itself to an immersive experience. I guess you could reach out to Chant Lyric to have an event there or bring your special someone to dance and have an amazing private evening. 

One unique experience you will have on Lyrics are all the NPCs. They are exceptional looking, and they are everywhere. Doc worked hard to find an area in the Asian part of the region where there were none for these photos. But in the main blog post, you can get an idea of what things look like. It's quite an experience! 

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Daur Anarie - by Doc Nolan

Daur Anarie is a central island surrounded by eight smaller islands, each with its particular character.

Mystery is the theme, at least to a casual visitor. What are the circles? Why the strange houses at the base of that enormous enchanted rock? And what does the beacon on top either summon or tell? The emptiness is, in a sense, comforting since it imposes no obligations. It simply is. I suppose you could bring a blanket and a lunch basket and lie in the grass looking at the clouds. Would you ask someone to accompany you who likes to chatter -- or would it be best to be alone, savoring the emptiness. I'd go for the latter, but this is a large enough region to wander away from other interlopers, so it wouldn't be a problem like that faced by Odysseus sailing past the Sirens. 

No need to bring wax to stuff your ears. Just pack a thermos full of coffee. And baguettes. And cheese.

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Paradise Cove - by Doc Nolan

The Hampton’s Paradise Cove is a nice collection of islands (one large, two medium, and one very small), populated with various animals. You’ll find horses, rabbits, cows, dogs, and even deer. No mastodons or alligators, however. 

If you’re a mariner, you’ll love the ships anchored here, including a small one-mast single-masted sailboat for one built by Valkyrie Sanngrior. Two slightly larger one-mast craft made by Edison Rex are here. And two one-mast SC-40s built by Satyr Acon anchor nearby. Most impressive, however, is an enormous two-mast sailing ship (the Mary Celeste) that dominates the harbor. 

If you like boats or photographing boats, this is a great place to spend time. I don’t know if picnicking is appreciated here, but I imagine no one will demand you clear out as long as you don’t bring in ants or leave any leftovers amid the flowers. I would not advise feeding the animals picnic scraps since they all seem happy munching on pixels and bits. (I never saw a single one take bytes of anything else!)

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Love Islands; It's a Long Way to Tipperary - by Doc Nolan and Xenon Darrow

Welcome to the region Love Islands. In his travels, Doc found this reminescent of Tipperary. He shares this:

Peel back the layers of history and myth and underneath you find dreams and nightmares. Both are distorted images of life which is about as unreal as they are. 

"What is yonder island, sir?"

"Ay, mi lad, it's the land of dreams upon which I was raised. It's a bonnie place, but its a long row to get there!"

"I'll try, sir!"

"I rather figured you would. I'll stay here on the land. May you find what you're looking for over there."

This all happened long ago. The young man died in the crossing; the old man died on land. I remember both of them well.

It's a Long Way to Tipperary

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Welcome to Alfheim - Photos by Doc Nolan

Note from Xenon Darrow: Doc has begun to sprinkle private regions in between the grid ones he has been photographing and sharing. These images are all from Jimmy Olsen's impressive moderate region (ALFHEIM - NORWEGIAN SIM).  He said it is a photographer's dream.

Jimmy's gorgeous sim is an architectural wonder, with means of travel and beautiful landscapes and seasons. The city is blissful order, with ordered stacks of buildings, impeccable streets, and many levels. 

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The Desolation & Spirituality of the AMV Sandbox - by Doc Nolan

What's the difference between a sandbox and a desert?  I am not sure.  I would sometimes wander out into the desert in my short time in Fabens, Texas, though careful to keep The Valley in sight.  And that's the only time I ever encountered a dead cow (it smelled to high heaven!).  I often log in to Second Life on a sandbox since I'm ignored even if anyone's there.  

The attached photos captured my feelings about the desolate aloneness one finds in deserts.  And despite my lack of "faith," I always kinda liked the idea of John The Baptist hanging out in the desert eating locusts and honey.  (As a kid, I thought that sounded super cool!).  And then there was that gaggle of losers spending years crossing Sinai looking for The Promised Land and eating manna.  (I always thought of manna as related to marshmallows somehow).  They were a bunch of whiners, though.  Moses had the patience of Job (ha ha ha) to put up with them.

P.S. I used to regularly visit The Great Sand Dunes National Park in the San Luis Valley of Colorado on my treks to the mountains.  Maybe that's why finding a vehicle in the middle of nowhere didn't strike me as odd. 

YouTube: Camel Drivers at Sunset with Middle Eastern Music for Relaxation and Stress Relief

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Castaways - Doc Nolan

On a forgotten sea, a small collection of islands survive.  White sand beaches, craggy mountains, palm trees and treacherous reefs abound.  You’re alone.  There must have been inhabitants at one time since the evidence of their occupation survives, but any humans are long gone.  Since this is a virtual world, wandering around the sandy bottom 16 meters beneath the waves is not a problem.  It’s a wonderful way to hide away from the hustle and bustle of a world on steroids. Or if you prefer, soar like an eagle and chase the blue hot air balloon. Yes, if you’re quick you can hop a ride and let it carry you along. It’s not hard to do.  If you’re in the mood you can even listen to music (ahh, the wonders of virtual reality!).  Here’s a 1962 song by The Drifters that fits the mood – Up On The Roof.  

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Tuscany: Memories of Italy - Doc Nolans

Italian sunsets are different. The light! Under the filtered lighting of dust-laden wind that comes from the Sahara, the scirocco is usually associated with heatwaves. Our version of Tuscany doesn’t include Siena, Pisa, Florence – or San Gimignano – but it captures the light. Those who have memories of visits to the Uffizzi Gallery or the Ponte Vecchio in Florence might feel very much at home here. (No Leaning Tower in sight but maybe next year!) If you wander around Tuscany and have a cup of espresso with anyone resembling Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raffaelo, or Leonardo da Vinci, let us know. They are most likely impostors. You can’t trust guys from the same town as Machiavelli, Lorenzo de’ Medici or Savonarola! But it’s still a region well worth visiting. Don’t forget the Lombardy poplars, Italian stone pines, or olive trees -- and bring a copy of Dante’s Inferno to read at your leisure, too. Where else?

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Prana: A Rare Jewel - by Doc Nolan

I listen to Hindu temple music as I type these words. I see numbers in front of me. They say 4:01 PM, and underneath them it says 3/1/2023. Those are my real-life x,y, and z coordinates. I must be flying through time since they constantly change.

Exploring the world of imagination and wandering in the metaverse are forms of dreaming. Sometimes we escape from the nightmares of ‘real life’ into another less horrific one. Sometimes we jump from a mundane and flat life of ‘reality’ into a richer one. What’s real? Perhaps looking at a human brain is less informative than peering out from our bony skulls into what’s outside our craniums. We are on an adventure from the day we emerge from the birth canal until our ashes rest in the soil. Reality is what we find along the road circumscribed by time and space, and it’s not an evil fate – unless we choose to see it as such. I fly through AMV, listening to music and filling my head with silliness. It’s not a bad exchange.

Kama Sutra Soundtrack

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Seven Seas - by Doc Nolan

If you haven’t been to Seven Seas, you’ve missed one of the largest and most complicated builds anywhere in AMV.  It’s no ‘ship in the bottle’!  And if you’ve ever taken a RL cruise under the tropical stars, the multiple ballrooms and musical entertainment facilities are impressive.  One drawback is the buffet items are all made of pixels and fairy dust, so unless your avatar has a digital digestive system, you’ll just have to look and not taste of the delicacies.  Oh, if you are looking for icebergs, you’ll have to book on some other ship.  (I was talking to a good friend named Leonardo DiCaprio and he tells me that the ship he’s sailing on – a new one name ‘The Titanic’ is great, but I haven’t booked on it, so I can’t vouch for it.)  The Seven Seas is not a bad substitute, especially if roast sucking pig, coconuts, and pineapple are more to your taste.  Bon voyage!

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Indigo - by Doc Nolan

Immediately after arriving in Indigo I decided to set my Windlight to Plum Sunset – and then I fiddled with my Personal Settings.  Objective?  To make Indigo a shade of indigo.  It worked!  Everything jelled.  And as I flew about (why walk when you can soar?) I saw why it was described as “A dream that I once lived…”   I was exploring a part of my mind I hadn’t visited in a long while.  I am not psychotic, but there are dreams that seem real – and often reality seems dreamlike. And visiting Indigo I realized that I was wandering in a Third Realm: one of Purple Palaces and Royal Majesty which blended the other two.  Is my vision in sapphire, violet, plum, lapis, and cobalt “true”?  Well, think of this: Is a red ball truly red at midnight in a coal mine?  And what color is the sun?  And what does your color-blind friend see when he looks at a green light?  I think indigo as I perceive it is my personal possession (mine! mine! mine!) and as for this region, I’m sure when you visit it you will see it differently than I did tonight. 

Yes, my thoughts are unclear, meandering, and poorly organized. Life is sometimes like that.  And so are many dreams!   

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Meridian - by Doc Nolan and Xenon Darrow

Meridian is a crazy quilt of environments. It is fun and mind bending to explore. You may want to put on your best merperson outfit and head down into the ocean! Enter into a beautiful and alien world...enjoy Doc's take on this amazing region. 

"You have to wander around Meridian to fully *not* understand it, 
but here are some confusing images that will help you to be bewildered."

I flew across the empty seas of Meridian and spotted this protruding from the water.  

It resembled a bishop from a chess set; I ignored the island.  And then I decided to dive into the sea...

Sometimes you stumble on a neon world of corals and sealife on journeys beneath the waves. 

 And sometimes, you see a mermaid lost like me in Meridian.

I wandered underwater in Meridian and found an empty room I decided to name The Pink Ballroom. 

I looked for Venus on the Half Shell.

 She was gone -- perhaps home to Kithera? 

I didn't wait for her to return. I resumed my Odyssey.

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Manipura - by Doc Nolan

Within the human body, very near the solar plexus, an invisible spinning disk resides. It is gold and powers us, much as fire does. Its name is the Third Chakra, and is one of seven, arrayed vertically within each human. It is symbolized by a ram. The manipura chakra regulates 10 dangerous elements: spiritual ignorance, thirst, jealousy, treachery, shame, fear, disgust, delusion, foolishness, and sadness.

If you visit the region of Manipura, do not look for this chakra. It is within you and even if you could peer inside yourself, it would not be visible. Relax, wander around and simply know you’re in good hands.

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A Follow - up to The Elizabethan Garden  - by Doc Nolan

The Elizabethan Garden is a pretty region, presumably named after Elizabeth I of England, whose life was not nearly as calm and nurturing. He mom was executed by King Henry the Eighth when she was three. She was 21 when her half-sister (Queen Mary I) had her locked up in The Tower of London. She became queen at age 25, but three years later was seriously ill with smallpox. It gets worse. When she was 37 she was excommunicated by Pope Pius V and was the target of an assassination plot the following year. Somehow she survived to age 69! 

So, as you wander around The Elizabethan Garden,you might want to “smell the flowers” (not easy since they’re digital!) and chill. Your life is probably a lot quieter than Elizabeth’s and this is a great region to quietly be very thankful you avoided becoming a monarch!

Oh, if you visit The Elizabethan Garden they do have a Tower. Be advised that the door doesn’t open, though. Also, no Rapunzel inside. Fly in via the windows if you’re determined to emulate our dear late Regent!

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The Elizabethan Garden - A Tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II

Who loved gardens, castles and the majestic life she lead from 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022

The Elizabethan garden is open to all at alternatemetaverse.com:8002:Elizabethan Garden

 

 

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Enchanted Nights Winter

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Magic - Blog Post with photos - Photos and post by Doc Nolan

 Asked to write a bit about Magic (the region, not the skill), I replied, “Sure.”  Never having visited, I decided to just share my impressions with y’all.  I hope I get you interested in doing your own exploring! I arrived at Magic and found myself in a room.  Not being heavily into chairs, I left – magically. Lie. I tp’d out and, as I fell, realized I’d been almost 1,000 meters up.  Ignominious descent, so I returned and, this time, used the teleport board.  The first stop was somewhere called Club Stellar. Cool! It occurred to me to see if there was a music feed in this place. Yes! I was a bit nervous when the group was called The Stranglers (what?!), but their rendition of Walk On By seemed kinda normal (well, sorta!).  So I kept walking. (Never ignore direct commands!)  I then decided to check my map, and a bit unhelpfully, it told me, “You are here!” I kinda knew that already since I always seem to be here no matter where I go.  At some point (after accidentally walking at the bottom of an ocean for a bit, I decided to cam out and get ‘the big picture.’  

 

 By now, a trance version of Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy” was playing tricks on my brain as if the psychedelic colors of Magic weren’t enough to trip on. (Do not drop acid before coming to this sim.  In fact, don’t ever do so but especially not when you visit Magic!) So I climbed a mountain (a legacy habit rooted in my RL) and looked out over this region.  I made a decision. If I ever start dating in AMV, I’m gonna borrow a picnic basket from Alice (remember Alice in Wonderland?) and have a romantic lunch with my date here amid Audrey and her friends.  If my date freaks and teleports out, I’ll have the complete contents of the basket to myself.  If she stays, it means she’s as crazy as I am.  A promising sign unless The Queen of Hearts shows up. Then we’re in big trouble!

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Mythos Exists - Photos and Post by Doc Nolan

Mythos is a bit like Santa or leprechauns: it exists but mostly in your brain.  The rest is in the innards of a server farm.  Before I visited Mythos, I found ancient Greek music to put me in the mood.  I have no idea if this music was authentic; a lot that we think we know is mythical and maybe the music was not historically accurate.  But I wasn’t interested in reality today.  I wanted to visit strange places in my mind – and Mythos fit the bill. (I set my Wind Light to Rot[WL] to darken the mood. I was feeling somber.)

If you really want to navigate the structure of Mythos you can always use teleport hubs. Personally I just love to fly around.

After flitting around like Tinker Bell, I found a terrestrial perch. I was impressed by the statuary.  Some looked familiar.  When greeted, however, none chose to introduce themselves.  (Statues are like that!  Very closed mouth!)  I had hoped to find my favorite Greek friends, Sisyphus and Cassandra, but they weren’t there.  Maybe they’re mythical and maybe I just invented them though I doubt it.  I wanted to watch the pointless exercises of Sisyphus and maybe lend him a hand.  As for Cassandra I could tell her that I believed her!   How was my visit? All in all I rather enjoyed myself.  I think I’ll go back sometime soon.  Perhaps I will learn how to become invisible or maybe I will find a shallow place across the River Styx so that I won’t have to pay Charon. 

One can always dream!  Of such things myths are made.

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