shoe shopping in the Philippines

So, I was really excited for my staff date today. I was taking Sonia (she's my age - lots of fun to be around)out for lunch, but she was taking me to a couple specific places to buy gifts to take back home with me. Sonia is THE person to take shopping not only because she loves to shop, but she knows the good places to go, and knows shopkeepers well enough to get wholesale prices. She is also the best bargain/negotatior around.

For some reason I decided to ask her if she had a favorite shoe store. Ok, honestly, Sonia loves shoes - as much as my Mara does, and I was hoping I might just luck out and find something. Well, I knew the shoes would be cheap, just not sure they would have anything in my size.

Oh.My.Goodness. It was shoe heaven - so many shoes for under $5 US! I was so excited I had to sit down, then started texting Mara to see if she wanted Tom's and oh my if I don't stop I'll end up having to pay for a 2nd suitcase just for all the shoes I would buy!

The excitement turned to wonder when I followed the girl back to the counter to show her another pair to look for in my size. it turns out, there is no 'back room" where the shoes are warehoused. The shoes are kept in an upstairs room - accessible by a hole in the ceiling of the shore store. There are ropes hanging down from this hole, but instead of using the ropes to tie around some kind of contraption that would hold shoe boxes, they are thrown down onto the floor. Literally - I saw shoe boxes coming down from this square shaped hole in the ceiling. I would have laughed, but was too surprised to speak...

The girls on the sales floor speak into an old fashioned michrophone, stating the style number and shoe size; then they all wait around this area behind the counter (where the hole is located) for their shoe boxes to drop onto the floor.

Like I've said before - everything here is an adventure - even shoe shopping!

ps - turns out they did have several styles in my size