Ahnu, Nike, Rieker, Ecco, I love you!!! (Comfortable shoes can save your marriage)

I used to have a daily goal of walking 10,000 steps.  Thanks to my desk job, this was often (annoyingly) a challenge; even when I'd go 3 miles at lunch with coworkers, I would sometimes have to add an after-dinner walk before my pedometer would reach the magic number.

But I felt like I had pretty good walking legs - ready for all-day adventures!  The first couple of weeks after arriving in Europe, my dogs were barking by mid-afternoon, and I often came perilously close to violating our "no whining while in Europe" agreement a few times - such a travesty would surely have resulted in a hasty divorce.  I remembered to put on my pedometer after a week or so, and imagine my surprise when these numbers appeared on the display, again and again:

  

In Europe, you just walk.  A lot.  Even taking public transportation involves plenty of foot power: a half mile from your hotel to the metro station; 300 meters down to the train; 1/4 mile to change from the red line to the yellow line; 100 steps back up to street level; then three blocks to the castle where, of course, you'll be on your feet for the next couple of hours touring the structure.

Big cities like London, Dublin, Munich and Paris are veritable outdoor museums.  So, too, are the small hamlets.  You have only to make your way into the "old town" area to be surrounded by historic buildings, ancient architecture, famous monuments, gorgeous gardens.  And, of course, the best way to see it all is on foot.  And if you don't have the right footwear (like I didn't), you might really suffer for it (like I did).

Early on in our European journey,  I mostly wore a pair of Naturalizers flats, but the arch support broke down and they began to give me blisters after only three weeks of wear.

Ready to roll in my Ahnu boots

I'd also brought with me a really excellent pair of Ahnu hiking boots: lightweight, uber comfortable, perfect for tromping through vineyards. But they look pretty dorky under a skirt or khaki slacks in the city.  Also in my suitcase are my black Nike Free running shoes.  Again, comfy, but I'm not Punk Girl enough to look cool wearing them with a dress.

So I had a good excuse to indulge in a bit of shoe shopping.

Among his many travel tips, travel guru Rick Steves recommends Ecco walking shoes, a fact I conveniently remembered as I was hobbling past the Ecco shop.  Todd and I each bought a pair (no, not the same model!) and we both agree they were an excellent investment.  I wear my black patent leather Ecco "Mary Jane's" with just about everything, in all-day comfort.

Rieker flats

For variety, I later picked up a pair of Rieker flats.  They are so comfortable and light, I hardly feel them on my feet.  Plus, they are easy to pack because they're very low-profile.  But the thin sole is scarce insulation against hot pavement, so I wear these shoes only in moderate temps.

Even on a long European trek, you don't need to be Imelda Marcos in order to keep your tootsies happy.  Just wear comfortable shoes, and you'll enjoy all the fabulous sights Europe offers you, without worrying (or whining) about how far you might walk to see them.  And your marriage will be intact.