So Mother’s Day was good except that I got off at the wrong metro and then had to walk about two miles to the hotel. By the time I got there my feet hurt so I changed shoes to go walking in the Tuileries Gardens and then to the Virgin Megastore as I needed a plug for my laptop. By the time I got there my feet hurt again and so I had to hobble around looking for a shoe shop. A taxi would have been more sensible but I was determined to get some exercise.
I found a rather bling pair of torquoise flip-flops and heaved a sigh of relief as I put them on before I started my long walk back to the hotel.
Of course half-way there my feet started hurting in different places due to the bling flip-flops. At this stage my husband called me to tell me he was getting on the train from London. I told him about my feet.
“How many years have we been coming to Paris and how many times have I told you to wear sensible shoes?” he said. Really helpful.
Sensible shoes is not something I do. I never have done and really can’t imagine I ever will. Along with matching underwear I find nothing determines your mood quite as much as a pair of shoes. That is why women will spend £300 on Jimmy Choos and then not eat for several months. I remember living off tinned tomatoes on toast when I was saving to buy a flat, but show me a pair of Tods in a sale and I was a gonner. Just think about how many tins of tomatoes you can buy for the price of a pair of Tods, even in the sale.
The tennis was really annoying. First of all my feet hurt, but there were other downsides too. As my husband said when I asked him if he was enjoying it:
“Not really, it’s bloody hot, these seats feel like they were designed by Ryanair and there’s some stupid Aussie playing who can’t hit the ball over the net.”
But apart from the tennis we had a really lovely time. My sore feet and I are now headed to London while Rupert heads home to look after the babies. I am looking forward to getting there and finding some more comfortable less than sensible shoes. The only question is, how will I get from the train to Harvey Nichols without walking?
Copyright: Helena Frith Powell 2007
Ah I really feel for you..I have just returned from a day in London and I have 40 different blisters; I did Exactly as you did, but just could not buy yet another pair of flip flops, hence a fluttery pair with ribbons – just look at my photo compared to yours; still, I love my new fine wedges..Shame about the tennis , but you have to just do these things , and doesn’t it sound wonderful – ‘I went to Paris to watch…’
Forgot to say there is a very good sale in a shop In Marylebourne High St near the White Shop…bit of a walk though