Shoes

Women in Costa Rica are very fashion conscious. OK, maybe not in the sense of what Gringos find to be fashionable, but they certainly have their own style and they stick to it. When left uncertain if a woman is local or foreign, I take a quick look down, to her feet. If she is springing about the streets in sensible walking shoes, for sure, she is not from around here. You see, even if forced to walk the boulder laden back roads of the campo, local women are very faithful to their high, platform or even stiletto heels. I have no idea how they manage, but they do, rain or shine.

I own a pair of heels. They are cute, black leather ones with a thin layer of green mold that I carefully wipe off when I have a chance to wear them. It's not often. I much prefer to get up the hills with all of my bones facing the same direction when I am done with the day. I completely lack talent for navigating the tremor scarred sidewalks in town, and to be honest, the only occasions when I choose heels in Costa Rica, are the ones when I know I will not face jumping mud puddles or a steep hike to the top of someone's driveway. So, no matter how tight I wear my jeans, or how well I can roll my rr's, my shoes are always the give away that I am not from around here.

Lately, however, I have noticed young girls sporting flashy sneakers. I can only imagine how great it must feel for them to suddenly have shoes that compliment the rugged landscape they live in. This new fashion trend does not help me to blend in though. You see, the look for these sneakers is best pulled off with super short shorts and mid-drift shirts. This I don't do. I'm afraid I am beyond looking like I just stepped out of a hip-hop video. Nevertheless, I can't help but imagine that the practicality of all terrain shoes will catch on, and that all of the ladies dedicated to current trends will feel a lot better at the end of the day.