In 1927, a young aviator named Charles Lindbergh set out in his custom airplane built by the Ryan Aeronautical Company of San Diego. This young pilot and his plane, which he named, “Spirit of St. Louis”, flew solo across the Atlantic and into the history books. The city that produced this famous plane also has its own unique spirit.
Blessed with a year round Mediterranean climate and miles of white sand beaches, San Diego epitomizes the California lifestyle and the American dream of living life to the fullest. With it’s blend of cultures and ethnic groups, San Diego is a melting pot that celebrates diversity and tolerance. This atmosphere encourages an appreciation for all sorts of music, art, food, languages, religions, and lifestyles. People are naturally drawn to this place of both natural and manmade beauty. San Diego shines like a jewel on the coastline perched at the southwestern corner of the continental U.S.
To be raised in such an environment is to live a life known to a lucky few. And yet, sometimes it is not until one has moved on to other pursuits and towns that a true appreciation of the place can be achieved. To return to San Diego as a visitor is to relive childhood memories and enjoy the contemporary amenities of a town that seems to be on an endless vacation. It is, after all, a premier tourist destination, and for good reason. Folks just naturally seem to relax in San Diego, as if the city is a seductress, enticing them to put aside their worries and cares, to let themselves become one of the native “San Diegans”.
Diegoland was created to capture this “spirit of San Diego”, and in essence, enable anyone in the world to share in the San Diego experience. Diegoland has become a familiar place for hundreds of “Diegolanders”, many of whom are regular participants in events at virtual clubs, venues, shops and museums there. Created with loving care and a fine attention to detail and authenticity, Diegoland is designed to be aesthetically appealing and historically accurate, but it is more than just a “pretty face”. It is essentially a thriving community of individuals who choose to spend their most precious resource there, day after day, week after week: their time.
There seems to be a certain atmosphere to the place; it’s as if Diegoland were a real town, with real buildings and trees and roads. And in this town, there are familiar faces, those of the staff, the artists and performers, the shop owners, and the Diegoland “regulars”. In a sense, this “town” embodies the best of what we all strive for in our lives: a safe, fun loving, quality experience… a place that feels a lot like home, with friends who seem like family, sharing pleasant times , creating happy memories and relationships to enjoy for many years to come. Close bonds develop between people, bridging socioeconomic, language, cultural, and other conventional barriers of communication and understanding.
One can come home after a hard day in real life, log into Second Life and walk the virtual “streets” of Diegoland, and within a few minutes, experience a sense of peace and calm. Before long, one is engaged in lively conversation or a pleasant activity and generally having a good time. There is something to be said for that. Maybe it’s the way life used to be, or maybe it’s how life ought to be. At least now there is a place where life is that way, where a person can enjoy themselves with people they know, like, and trust, a place that everyone seems to love: Diegoland, embodiment of the true spirit of San Diego!
Champion Valiant, owner of Diegoland, December 21, 2007
