Shoe shine? Who has their shoes shined anymore? As a child, I watched my grandfather and father shine their good shoes. The polish, the brush, the shine cloth…I’m sure those aren’t the proper terms. But, who shines their shoes now? Doesn’t everyone where Keen boots and sneakers?
When we were in San Migel de Allende, we saw our first shoe shiners (not sure that is the correct term) in the main square. There wasn’t one shoe shine station, there was one on every corner, of every square…and they were busy. So, to answer my own question…I guess the people of Mexico still shine their shoes.
Darrin is a bit particular about his shoes, not how they look, but how they fit, feel and function. A few months ago while visiting Salt Lake City, Utah, he found a new pair of leather boots and they have become his new favorite shoes. Traveling south from Utah, they have met their match with the rocks and dust and have changed color depending on where we were camping. By the time we reached San Migel, and our first shoe shine stations, the boots were quite “broken in” and several of the shoe shine gentlemen tried to coax Darrin into having his shoes done…he declined, much to their dismay.
Today, wandering around San Cristóbal, Michelle finally convinced Darrin to have his shoes shined…perhaps because she offerred to pay the 20 pesos ($1 USD)! Twenty minutes later, the boots look like new.
