Los Zapatos

Over the course of our trip, we have walked a total of almost twenty miles already. Although it is a city of 55,000 people, all stores, businesses, and schools are all located within walking distance from one's own home. Apart from our field trips, we make our way to every destination, whether it be the school, our homes, the bank, or even the post office, on foot. Because the streets here are made of cobblestone and designed only to fit one car, the amount of walking is sure to take a toll on anyone's feet. Combine this need for comfortable transportation and the high fashion sense of Europe, and you can understand why Spain is, out of all things, famous for its shoes.

When I stepped foot onto Spanish soil with my Payless brand flip-flops, I immediately felt inadequate. Walking past the airport and to our taxi, I found myself looking at peoples' feet rather than their faces; their shoes were breathtakingly beautiful. While I am used to cheap sandals and old muddy running sneakers, shoes here are about quality and style, and nothing else. Even children under the age of two wear penny loafers and leather boots that match their coats and scarves as well. All along the Calle Real, the main street in Segovia, shoes of every kind, boots, heels, flats, peep-toes, loafers, sneakers, high-tops and more glisten under the lights in the well-lit display cases outside of every store. And it works of course, because every time, the gleaming zapatos pull us inside.

All but Sam have bought at least one pair of shoes during our stay here. And how could we not? Every time we put them on it's like slipping elegance onto our feet and standing on pride; because the bottom of the shoes make no reference to China, but rather, they say "Hecho en España." Maddie bought electric blue heels made of suede, that will raise her height so high she will float like a supermodel. Jovanna, half of whose wardrobe is in shades of gray, could not resist the urge to splurge on a pair of snake skin gray pumps to match almost every outfit she has. And Cassie and I both got open-toed black heels with straps that we agreed to share, because finally, we have found someone with the same miniature size feet.



Spain has always had a tradition of great handmade shoes. Dr. Shaw even admits that when she studied abroad in the late 70s that she went a little out of her budget just to get those special pairs. One could even attend shoe-making school in Spain at La Escuela de Diseño y Artes Aplicadas in Palma de Mallorca. And to get by here in Spain, not only do we need to talk the talk, but we have to walk the walk as well.