Shoe Hunt

Several people have recently warned me that wearing sneakers—á la white athletic shoes—while abroad is apparently the equivalent of carrying a big sign that says "Look at me! I'm a tourist!" As a central Florida resident, I know there are certain fashion choices and actions that flag someone as a tourist (think sandals with socks, fanny-packs, large cameras worn around the neck, etc while roaming the theme parks), so I can appreciate suggestions of how to tone down the I'm-totally-a-tourist look. After all, I'll likely have other touristy red flags, like carrying around a backpack/daypack everywhere, constantly taking pictures, and/or consulting maps. :)

That said, I know we'll be doing a lot of walking while there, but walking shoes really aren't part of my regular wardrobe beyond owning sneakers. Thus begins my shoe hunt and the search for comfortable walking shoes that aren't ugly, don't scream "tourist," and could be worn as casual shoes here too. IPC doesn't have too many options for finding said shoes—hence the shoe hunt on a weekend—but at least there's still plenty of time for shopping.

I'm not a big fan of some of the shoe styles recommended to me (they look like the tourist sandals sans socks), but if internet searches are any indication, there are hundreds of styles and brands from which to choose, meaning that I'll hopefully be able to find a nice, non-touristy option that I can still wear when I get back home. Sadly, my first choice of shoes—available only online—are sold out, and thus, the hunt continues...