From what I understand, The Villages is some sort of concept town for white retiring folks in the Sunshine State.  It's one of those new developments that started springing up in the late 90's that has the same architectural style required in the buiilding codes.  Many of the developments look the same and the new businessess have to conform to the geometrically same theme, which I can't really describe, other to say that the buildings are peach-colored.  The CVS Pharmacy as you enter the town has a giant colorful message painted on the side:  "Welcome to The Villages!"

I also know from Bush II's visit here that The Villages are a Republican Stronghold, which makes sense given that the area central/north of Tampa is pretty hardcore wingut-land.  I don't think they allow progressives to live there.  Driving through there the other day, I got the creepiest feeling all over.  It's the strange creepiness of conformity.  Conformity in building style, landscaping, traffic flow, political ideology.  I know that the main developers of The Villages were interviewed last year and they talked about how they envisioned it as a retirement community, and as a republican fortress.

I was only in the perimeter of The Villages for about fifteen minutes, and I think I wasn't spotted because I was able to slip out of there without anyone staring at me too much or offering me a yellow ribbon to place on my car, just like all the other cars.  I'm not sure why I felt so creeped out.  Maybe it was my perception of it being unfirendly to my kind.  I dunno.  Have you ever driven through a town and felt that if you chanced to stop for a cup of coffee, you just might find yourself sitting next to Rod Serling or something like that?

Strange.