Jump to an alternate timeline

Yesterday, I saw a really different place. perhaps a parallel universe. Although the signs were in English, the people appeared to be a mix of Asian, European, and African. These mixed people were not "black" or "white", but brown. There were some lighter and some darker. All had black hair and brown eyes. the lightest being darker than a Southern European, like maybe a person from Tunisia.

There were no big box stores like Walmart, but small shops like third world bazaars or maybe a rundown "dollar store". There was a mid sized grocery store called Universal Garden Service UGS. Also a smaller Garden Foods GF. The restaurants were all different than here. Strange looking, but small. Very few fast food, most were luxury upscale types.

The people dressed different with wild tropical colors, like gold and green. No blue jeans and a T-shirt. The clothes were loose and frilly. Men had hats with plumes. Women long dresses, but that looked tropical.

Streets seemed full of people walking and also there were people on bicycles. The cars had the high pitched whirrrr of a golf cart. Every single car seemed small and cramped, like those fiats from Italy. Traffic lights were not common except on big streets, but there seemed to be a stop sign on every corner. Did not see any highways but many long narrow winding roads. People drove slowly with windows rolled down and arms hanging out. It seemed there was no air cond in the cars.

In parking lots there was no charge, but wildly dressed security guards watched over the autopark. They seemed like clowns who escaped from a circus.

The buildings were covered with bright flashing neon signs. Houses appeared small with flat roofs made of poured concrete instead of wood. The houses were bright white, but the windows were tiny. Yards were small and houses packed close together with tiny "euro" cars in front.

Schools were tiny, less than 100 students and I did not see any parks or rec areas. Bus was a small minivan. The industrial area was called a processing polygon. It looked very strange.

Building architecture was very different than here, as there were no "towers" taller than four stories. The structures were big and boxy concrete slabs, but with tiny windows. There were many art galleries, but the type of art was surrealistic, like Dali.

Also the music was like a religious chanting sound. Seemed sad and tearful, like a lament.