Flight to Solaria Part II

x
First stop on our expedition was this little temple in the pines.

I just had to take a selfie here at this beautiful shrine in the Pine Forest of Shremm, quite near the start point. You can almost see the incredible Trans-Dimensional Portal behind me in the snapshot.

I always like to take my selfie so that you can see at least part of the background, otherwise why go anywhere?

x
Ganesh Temple in the Pine Forest.

Our next stop was this temple & pool dedicated to Ganesh, where, on any Sunny Sunday, you’ll find many devotees and picnickers out on the front lawn entrance to the temple.

x
The architecture reminded me of Classical Roman style.

We had a great walk over to the Roman Sector, where many ancient Romans landed after the Big Crash that ended with the collapse of the Roman Empire, the successor to the earlier Roman Republic which, like most republics, didn’t last long, due to internal conflict.

Nighttime at the Parthenon
Nighttime at the Parthenon

Isn’t it typical? Somewhere in or near a Roman architectural landscape, you’ll always find something that reminds you of the Greeks, who were captured by the Romans and taken as slaves and teachers for the wealthy young.

Yes, even back in those days, they had Trust Fund Babies, and they were just as much a pain in the ass as they are today and, in the end, they wind up with nothing.

voyage169
Solarian Temple just before dawn.

You can stop in at any Solarian Temple — a temple dedicated to the Goddess Solaria — along the Avenue Promenade, and expect to find it filled to the max with petitioners, especially at the Midnight Mass, which is a Particle Celebration and soccer match in Higgs Field, a favorite of first-time visitors.

Of course, a native Solarian wouldn’t be caught dead in one of those things.

Phoenix Rising over the Solarian Hall of Records.
Phoenix Rising over the Solarian Hall of Records.

Dawn in Solaria is always spectacular, because the Solarians totally control the weather in ways that always reflect their awesome and expansive sense of aesthetic.

In short, everywhere you go in Solaria, you’ll find an abundance of art, music, theater, dance and literature.

Literature means something in Solaria. It doesn’t refer to paperbacks written to the market, or “get rich quick” or “get well miraculously”. It refers to actual literature, written for the literate — a point easily lost in today’s trash culture.

The Wheel of Karma and the Slide for Life are in the background.
The Wheel of Karma and the Slide for Life are in the background.

No visit to Solaria would be complete without a few hours’ worth of exploring at the Magic Playground, located somewhere in the Fifth Plane — easily found with your Portable Ankh.

My favorite rides are the Haunted Houses, of which there are plenty, enough to satisfy the most serious of ghost-hunters, and as for ghosts, they’re all real. Why fake it, when there are so many out-of-work spirits everywhere.

Back to Grampa Henry's Diner for some hot coffee on a cold high-desert morning.
Back to Grampa Henry’s Diner for some hot coffee on a cold high-desert morning.

Nothing like a hot cup of Mocha Java Coffee to take the chill off the morning air, eh? But I don’t drink coffee, so for me, it’s a cup of boiling hot water with a touch of lemon, just the ticket for those slow morning bowels.

I don’t often dwell on the subject of morning bowels — it just occurred to me that you might not know the beneficial effects of a few sips of hot lemon water to awaken the intestines just before you break your nighttime fast, which is what “breakfast” actually means, just as “holiday” originally meant “Holy Day” before it was corrupted by the Church of Hallmark.

x
Monty Hall was built in a single day, just like Rome.

I stopped off to take a selfie in front of Monty Hall, the medieval home of Sir Robert the Unready, the pretender to the exchequer, a frightfully boring job if ever there was one.

Inside the hall you’ll find many meeting rooms, all of which are, as you’d expect, catered. You get the meeting room free when your party rents 50 or more of their guest rooms.

On the steps of Central Asia
On the steps of Central Asia, the best bed & breakfast spot in town.

I always stop at Central Asia, partly for the spatial experience, and partly for the great food. You’ll find the very best pizza in Solaria right there at their home-style pizza factory.

The upstairs meeting rooms are pretty small, so if you plan a large event, you’ll want one of the downstairs ballrooms.

downstairs ballroom is easily accessed from the main hotel lobby stairway
downstairs ballroom is easily accessed from the main hotel lobby stairway.

Actually, the ballroom IS the main lobby. You’re expected to ignore the check-in and check-out counters and personnel.

Most of the activity in Solaria centers around the arts. There’s a poet’s corner upstairs in the main building of the hotel — ask any bellhop or clerk to point the way.

The theater shows all the best films.
The Empire Theater shows all the best Solarian films.

Naturally, as you’d expect, the Solarian film industry is very high on the list of aesthetic occupations, and the film offerings are spectacular and well-done, mostly because the film industry is driven by appreciation rather than money.

Of course, without competition, with everything paid for in advance, with no pressure on the film-makers to come up with a good product, it could be a disaster, but it isn’t, because the audience is the final arbiter of any theatrical event.

Time to return to my Home Dimension.
Time to return to my Home Dimension.

I took the selfie above in front of Grampa Henry’s, because the sunrise was so beautiful. I just wish there was room for it in the photo.

x
Sunrise at Grampa Henry’s, Solaria.

Our little voyage to Solaria is coming to an end, as we return to the airfield, to take our flight back to our Homeworld, which in this case, happens to be Planet Earth, a destination to which I know you’re looking forward.

See You At The Top!!!

gorby