The Real Deal

I have a hard time walking by post cards and not stopping to browse. It drives my husband crazy, as he is one of those men that's always in a hurry! I liked this particular card for several reasons. 1. The men are enjoying cider, 2. the men are wearing madreñes. 3. The horreos are authentic. 4. This is real life in Asturias. Puxa Asturias!

The Asturian Shoemaker.

I tried something different today. I am posting a video,(sure hope it works for everyone as I shrunk it down as far as I could for faster downloading.) ANYWAY... The madreñe is a wooden shoe worn for centuries by the Asturian. I have never tried to walk in a pair of these as I am a "flat lander" accustomed to sneakers or tennis shoes. People really do wear these, my in laws each have a pair that they wear in the garden( its a really big garden) Work madreñes are very plain and usually mud covered. Sunday or dress madreñes are polished and painted and carved quite beautifully. I purchased a pair of these shoes in a shoe store sold right alongside 200 euro Spanish leather shoes. I took this short video when Fernando and Chari took me to a mountain fiesta so high up in the mountain's that my ears popped for hours! FYI these shoes sell for about $20 Not bad for handmade eh?