Knowing I'd be doing tons of walking in Europe but wanting to pack light (i.e. few socks), I decided none of my shoes or sandals were adequate to the task. This meant I'd need to acquire new footwear, which is actually a challenge for me. See, I never buy my own clothes, though I have lots. Nearly all of it came from women in my life - mom, sisters, exes. I wouldn't really even know how to go buy a shirt - I don't even know what size I wear! The only thing I really buy on my own is shoes for sports: cleats for softball, basketball shoes, etc. So I know very little about how to by clothes, and on top of that, I have the hyperactive conscience about where products come from.
I got a friend to help me (thanks!), and I ended up with this sandal-shoe hybrid thing. The company claims that they're doing noble things, but who knows. If they're full of shit, they got me. But I was very pleased with their performance. Aside from a small blister the first time I wore them, they were very comfortable. I probably walked 10 miles some days with no problems. I was worried about sweat-stink wearing them without socks, but I found this was actually only a problem when I was sitting or standing around. When I was walking, air got through and there was no sweat problem. So I started wearing socks (I brought 3 pairs) only on days I knew I would be sitting around a lot, and all was good.
My shoes actually helped me find a happy resolution to a confrontation with some old demons. On my last night in Brussels I noticed a casino a few blocks away from my hostel. I figured I'd go in and just see what the poker scene looked like. After a surprisingly invasive security/registration process, I went in and found a small poker room with 3 games going, all no-limit hold'em. The games looked soft! I considered playing, but it was late and there was a long waiting list. Plus I'm a bit conflicted about poker these days anyway (sitting around with strangers for hours trying to outsmart them for their money just doesn't seem like a good use of time any more), and my cash on hand was limited. Eventually I decided that I didn't come to Europe to play poker and wanted to be fresh for the next day, and headed back to the hostel to call it a night, feeling good about the decision.
After restlessly tossing and turning in bed, I got dressed and went back to the casino. So much for the decision I felt good about! I guess that rush of excitement that comes from walking in a casino door demands fulfillment, careful consideration be damned. I stopped at a cash machine, planning to sit in a 2-2 (euro) NL game for an hour or two. Only this time the burly security guy stopped me at the door and told me I'm not allowed in because of the dress code, pointing at my shoes! I could have argued, perhaps successfully. Or I could have gone back for some socks. Instead I immediately walked back to the hostel and fell soundly asleep, pleased with my choice of footwear.
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