I read on my Google News feed that IslamOnline.net recently established a two-sim estate in Second Life to educate people about Islam (Click here to teleport.)  I found that the estate consists of four areas:

1. An education center
2. An amphitheater
3. A Palestinian Holocaust Memorial Museum
4. and a Virtual Hajj

The virtual hajj was particularly interesting to me because it's one of those profound experiences that a non-muslim will never get to go through.  The hajj, for those that don't know, is an elaborate pilgrimage to mecca that every able-bodied muslim is supposed to do at least once in their lives. 

I spent an hour and a half there tonight, and I have to say it is well worth a visit for anyone who wants to learn more about this ancient faith.  Here is a brief description of what the virtual hajj is like.

Arriving at the sim, I ran into an avatar who professed to being a muslim and chatted with him for a bit. I immediately felt that I was being disrespectful in my dragon avatar wearing a samurai sword. Weapons of any kind are not allowed on the premises. I quickly switched over to my human avatar and ditched the weapon.

Upon arrival at the Haj Information Center, you are encouraged to change from your clothes into more appropriate pilgrimage attire -- basically a set of white robes.  I already felt different just from the wardrobe change.

The various stages of the hajj are well-described with information kiosks that deliver notecards to you in various languages.  Along the way, you are instructed to give a particular prayer, to throw a stone, and of course to walk seven times around the Kaaba, pictured below. 

Most of these steps are animated (you are cautioned to avoid throwing stones at other pilgrims and animals.)  The ritual slaughter of an animal that is part of the hajj is not included in the animated activities.

During one part of the hajj, pilgrims are instructed to shave their heads.  This is a bit easier for avatars, who just have "right-click-detach" their hair. 

Other parts of the hajj include a night spent in a tent, ritual drinks and cleansing, and more prayer.  Even in this very truncated virtual form, it seems like an exhausting, elaborate and profound set of rituals.

I was surprised to find no music, video, photo or other multimedia content to help contextualize the experience for you.  It's a very simple and largely text-based simulation, though told in a very beautifully designed setting.  Perhaps since Islam is a "text-based" faith, that makes sense.

Overall, the Virtual Hajj is a simple but well-designed virtual experience, giving the participant a sense of what it might be like to go on a real hajj.  While there is probably much more that could have been done to integrate multimedia and more 3D implementation of the real world mecca, it still works as an educational and even spiritual experience.

Here's a short video taken by my friend Will of me doing some solo charleston and a little bit of breaking at the Moondance last night at Pier54. Look for my signature "Rusty Dusty" move toward the middle.

Thanks, Will!

Here's my review of the nerdalicious Casio 53W digital watch that I posted to Amazon today.  Could I be a bigger dork?

I had a lovely Sunday, starting with Quaker meeting, then brunch with my sister for her birthday, followed by some breaking practice at home. 

In the evening, I headed out to Pier 54 on the Hudson River to catch Dave Berger and the Sultans of Swing playing swing music for the masses, sponsored by Dance Manhattan Studios.  It was simply a gorgeous evening, a cool breeze coming off the Hudson, the light fading into darkness, hundreds of dancers and music fans crammed onto the pier.  I got some really fun dances in with friends and strangers alike, and just enjoyed absorbing the happy vibe in the air.

After the concert, I had a relaxing bike ride home on my roommate Swifty's sweet mountain bike that he has lent to me while he is traveling the next few weeks.  That should give me some time to figure out what I'm going to do about replacing my Brompton.

Alain Wong posts to his blog that he and his fellow hardy bike riders just completed their epic bike ride from Toronto, Canada to Tijuana, Mexico.  They were riding to promote the cause of microcredit as a way of fighting global poverty. 

I've been following their trip via Alain's blog with a mixture of admiration and envy as they got to see such a beautiful region of the United States up close and personal. I need to do one of these long bike tours one of these days.

Congrats to the team on an amazing achievement!  Enjoy the Mexican hospitality and hope you heal up quick!