ok, so i could only resist shoe shopping for so long... thought you might enjoy this section of the city. i have visited these local streets about three times now and it continually blows my mind
here's a story from an earlier time...
the sunday open market at San Blas mid september, where vendors sell paintings..oil, watercolours.. charcoal drawings .. peddled by art students of all ages... they approach with small portfolios..displaying all sizes of pictures.. street scenes, churches, people.. babies and childrens faces... often the same pictures are repeated from one artist to the next.. an assignment from a class..
other vendors display ancient weavings of blankets, belts and table covers in old worn colours made from natural dyes... something not seen in most markets...
the usual is around... silver jewellry, hand carved gourds in all sizes telling their stories... macchu picchu.. the farmers with their llamas... people in fields... the condor.. the puma...
they are the same worn out delightful faces that i see everywhere and have smiled at and talked to.....
i love these people...
i wander with gavin,down past the market into streets with no idea to where they lead .. but i am in the general direction of Avenito el Sol.. avenue of the sun... and it is safe and charming... old stone roads with sidewalks 8 or so inches higher in different stones that meander in various widths to allow one car to travel down or up... the sidewalks are banked on one side with stone or cement covered clay walls usually painted white... with coloured doors that lock with locks like Barry has at the hardware store.. it is simple ... sometimes looking in the doors open into small courtyards that reveal more doors to casas tucked away inside ..here are the real stories.. i am not there....
most streets are not as busy as the touristy streets that lead sharply to the market... they are doors to small stores...more humble and more spread out.. san blas is full of exclusive and beautiful stores.. art shops, antique stores, clothing stores.. . alpacca wool....it is total charm.. again open markets behind doors.... same stone floors...
on this one old street ... just passed the steps that drop sharply and reak of urine where we wander... down this one.. and the next... the walls are tight .. .room for a car.. a mere foot of sidewalk... i go into a little shoe store... displayed in glass his wares.... shoes of different shapes... sizes.. hmmmm.. i never packed any shoes to dance in...
i point to a pair i like.... the shop keeper is old...the space is about 8 feet square... display cases on two sides... behind me and facing the door... he stands behind a small counter working on something...i scan the shelves... most are black... high heels... low boots....the smell of leather fills the shop...i see a pair i like... he opens the case and pulls them from the glass display ... ok..salsa...jive.. perfect... but wayyyyy toooo big... cuanta cuesta? 100sols.
he takes his book motions that i step on it.. traces my foot, one then the other... measures my foot in a few different places and asks me when i would like them... tomorrow? "the Shoemaker and the Elves"? no rush. the final price is 90sols.. and i order the shoes.
love mom, me...
ps damn parasites! appearing well ,but not physically better yet...working on it..
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