We are days away from embarking on the next leg of our Journey – Panama. But that will be another story. For the last 4 weeks we have been guests at Denise’s parents home in The Villages, FL. They have been tremendous in putting up with us, especially me. Guests after 3 days start to be like old fish…Anyone who has watched at least the Golf Channel has seen commercials for The Villages. The weather has been wonderful – low 90s each day and barely any rain. I do agree there is no place like this anywhere else. It is a 55+ community. Some call it Paradise, Heaven’s Doorstep, God’s Waiting Room, Florida’s Friendliest Hometown, …. I have a like/dislike for the place. It has many amenities and is well maintained. It currently has 3 town squares, 11+ Country Clubs, 30+ executive golf courses, every neighborhood (Village) has its own maintained swimming pool like a Mormon neighborhood has a church. there are community centers and, I am told, a club for every interest. Every town square has multiple restaurant/bars with patio seating. They all seem to have ALL day EVERY day happy hour of $2 draft, $2.75 wells, etc…and 7 nights a week there is live music on the square(s) with dancing if you wish. Most everyone has a golf cart they can drive everywhere on special cart paths and under-road tunnels as well as some streets. Some of these carts are really laid out and cost more than cars. See my pics below. Everyone will tell you it is great here, say hello, wave, almost as if everyone is on Oxycodone.

OK so now you say, what is there to dislike? Well to me something seems off. It is very possible that it is me and not the place. There are approximately 114K residents and growing. It is one of the fasts growing communities in the country. I grew up in the Youngstown, Ohio area and this place is 2X the size of Youngstown today. Everyone here is old and it seems everyone has 1+ dog(s). There are dog parks and most everyone has their dog’s name hanging from their light post (see pic). Did I say everyone is old?

I feel like I am in a cross between the movie Pleasantville and The Truman Show. Everything is just so, every home is dress-right-dress. Everyone has at least their one obligatory palm tree, their dog sign, their golf cart, everyone says Hi, waves….if you haven’t watched Pleasantville, rent it on Redox (if you can). Everything seems a little too Pleasant, a little too perfect. Over the weeks I have observed some of the ‘underbelly’ of The Villages. If you go into a town square in the morning you can watch some of the patio bars begin to attract some folks as soon as they are open. Did I say they are old? Of course if I was 70+ maybe having a cold Yuengling for $2 instead of morning coffee would be where you would find me. Some folks go dancing ‘at the ‘square’ or go to watch those that do, many of the folks are up doing the same line-dance step to fast, slow, rock, jazz, country, etc….the same same, all in a row. a perfect line dance. Did I say they are old? Yes I feel like I am in Pleasantville or Truman, living in a fake world as an experiment.

Oh, also if you are a guy and want a date I guess this is where to go. If you hang around long enough a (cougar is way to young of an age to use) older female will be on the prowl. I am not saying there aren’t guys prowling either but males expire earlier so the population is swayed a bit. Did I mention everyone is old? Did you know that the Villages has the highest incidence of STD in the country. Some might see all this as an attraction but yes ‘Pleasantville’ has a ‘colored’ underside to it. If you saw the movie you would know the reference to ‘colored’ vs non ‘colored’. For all you liberals reading this, this has no racial reference – though this place does look awfully anglo but coming from Seattle many places might look that way. Did I say everyone is old?

All in all it has been a very ‘Pleasant’ visit. We were able to spend time with our parents, yes my mom lives here also. We saw my sister, Arlene, who was visiting my mom on Mom’s day. We visited with my Aunt Rita and Uncle Danny – yes they live a ‘Pleasant’ life here. And finally we were able to spend a rather not so ‘old’ night with Bob and Wendy McFadden, great friends from back home in WA who have a winter home just outside of the ever ‘pleasant’ Villages.

So like/dislike. I certainly would rather be here than where it is cold, rainy and grey most days. Maybe if I were old? Some say i am old-er (57) but I guess it is a matter of perspective. I can’t image even 20 years from now that I wouldn’t rather want to be at a beach with a mixed community but then again maybe ask me again in 20 years. That cold $2 Yuengling is actually sounding pretty good right now as a pre-lunch cocktail.