My So-Called Retirement: My Feet in France
July 15th, 2010 © by Susan Swartz
There were 64 worn wooden steps on the charming narrow circular stairs that climb to the fourth floor apartment we rented in Paris. Every day I said to myself, “Feet, don’t fail me now.”
I’m a walker. I dance. I do cardio. I’m in pretty good shape. On some vacations I get accused by my lagger companions of doing a forced march. I expected to walk equally strong on this two week trip to France, striding with purpose and vigor, like those chirpy leaders of tour groups stabbing their umbrellas in the air and urging all their chickens to keep up.
But this time my body was forced to do more strolling and stopping. My feet hurt. I grew blisters. I should have packed my trusty tennies, as I was reminded by my husband, the man who covered France in hiking boots. But who wants to take on Paris in tennies?
The stylish French sported complicated gladiator sandals and tall boots to go with flirty tunics over skinny pants and tights. Their legs looked good. Their feet seemed to work fine. They clicked along sidewalks and galloped up and down Metro stairs without wincing.
I wore Moleskin and Dora the Explorer bandaids from my granddaughter’s stash that I found in my purse.
Before the trip I shopped at a healthy shoe store in California for the ideal walking shoes. I asked for something that would be good for walking cobblestones as well as city streets and the clerk said “you mean our go-to-Europe shoes” and produced a pair of dusky green Mary Janes (Clark’s) that were in the dorky-but-hip category. I wore them for a week before I left, in order to break them in.
But by the second day on vacation they were not my friend. Yet I pushed on. We walked up Montmartre and back down. We walked through cheese markets and art stalls, through museums and churches. In Notre Dame I gratefully collapsed in a seat where I could prop my tootsies on one of the giant stone chiseled pillars.
French women use their feet and ride bicycles. I watched a Parisian peer in stylish dress and no helmet point her bicycle into the chaotic traffic of the Bastille round-about. And she did it in high heels.
I came home recognizing two things. I have a body that still works, albeit one that better keep going to dance exercise, yoga and lifting weights. Also, if I want to keep seeing the world I have to put up with some discomfort. No pain, no Seine.
But I ask my sister travelers, what do you put on your feet to trek the world. And still look fairly chic when it’s time for an aperitif?
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Tags: Europe, Juicy-Tomatoes, shoes, susan, Travel
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July 15th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Sorry, Susan, I’m with your husband on this one. I’d have taken my best athletic shoes, to heck with fashionable. I walked Florence, Italy in high heels because everyone did, but I was in my twenties then. At 66, with a reconstructed foot & ankle from an auto accident, I’m just happy I can walk for hours — as long as I’m wearing my Asics!
Joan Price
Author of Better Than I Ever Expected: Straight Talk about Sex After Sixty and the upcoming Naked at Our Age: Talking Out Loud about Senior Sex.
Join us — we’re talking about ageless sexuality at http://www.NakedAtOurAge.com
July 15th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Hmm. I see the problem; Not enough shoes! Why buy something special (and kinda just okay looking) for the trip and have this as your only option? I know, it is tough to lug to and fro; shoes can be heavy. Shoes are a necessity way more than other things we needlessly bring. I alway bring a selection of my loved shoes and will often carry a change in my bag if I think they’ll fail after a certain amount of time out and about. You have to mix it up with your feet and not put the same stress on them day after day, and plus….way more options not only feels better on your feet you feel better on the inside for being so hip as you know you are. When I travel I don’t dress any differently than I would at home head to toe!
July 15th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Walk & stand in those shoes for 5-6 hours before you decide they are “comfor-table” & take them on a trip. Don’t just wear them – be on your feet.
Go to a podiatrist. Maybe you need a different size shoe or orthodics. Problem with orthodics – they don’t fit in high heels or even sandles. But they help a lot.
Vanity be gone. It sucks. Do blisters count as “juicy?” Hmmm.
July 15th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Hey Susan,
Sorry to hear about your pedi-betrayal. For my part, I think the problem is in trying to look chic. Once I gave that up, my feet were much happier, and, thus, more cooperative. The brand that works for me is Merrell (sp?). Their mesh clogs are wildly comfortable, especially fine on cobblestones and in airports where you have to put shoes through the x-ray. Merrell also has some little leather lace-ups that are wonderful. I use one-half size smaller than usual.
I have gradually removed my feet from the chic trap. The rest of me still works in that direction, and I have discovered that if I feel cool from ankle to neck the shoes can be whatever.
Suerte,
Dee
July 16th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Dear Susan:
I have to say that I’m sorry you suffered so much in Paris! Of all places. Too Bad.
I do not worry about looking “chic”. I wear walking shoes for trips.
The ones I buy are either New Balance, Patagonia, or Salomon.
In the past I’ve had Adidas too.
For Semi-Chic, I have Keen Sandals.
I just wore these to Berkeley to my niece’s PhD Graduation.
My sister looked and said: Are you going to wear those shoes?
I replied, “Yes, they match my dress!”
COMFORT over Chic! That’s me.
By the way, the walking shoes are Gore-tex for rain.
And ALL my shoes are Vegan.
Warmest wishes,
Judith
July 17th, 2010 at 6:16 am
what a good reason for beach vacations
July 17th, 2010 at 8:19 am
All your words true to life. Wish I’d brought my Merrell walking shoes, kind of cross between heavy hikers and tennies, on my recent trip to the east coast but vanity, translate that as beyond stupidity at my age, kept me from packing them. I, also, had good enough healthy flat shoes that I thought passed inspection in the city, but they just weren’t comfortable enough for pavement, got the blisters, hobbled around, regretted not bringing the stand bys. If I weren’t going to wear heels, which I no longer can walk in, why not be entirely comfortable and race ahead painfree? Next time. I always say that.
July 18th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
My two cents worth–I generally go for Ecco brogue lace up type of shoes for my travels. They are slim line, light weight, good soles and to my mind, you’re not looking like a tourist. My latest pair, bought on sale in New Zealand look pretty cool. They’re tan colored with silver and orange stripe down the sides. May sound weird, but they’re sort-a cute. I know they’re going to be good for my next trip to Spain where I plan plenty of city and country walking/hiking. When I dine out in Barcelona or one of those other fashionable cities, I’ll probably wear my only other pair of shoes that I take, perhaps a little black sandal or something similar. Shoes are a bug bear and take up way too much room in a suitcase, but I manage with two pairs and have never found sore feet a problem.