Big shoes

Having lived in Spain since 1994, I still find it incredible that it´s virtually impossible to buy a pair of women´s shoes in a size 8. Ok it may not be the average shoe size but neither is it so unusual - particularly among ex-pats who tend to be a big larger in general to the locals. I blame my mother - she always had big ´plates of meat´ as my dad so charmingly puts it, and she would have been as frustrated as I am trying to buy shoes in Spain. In fact ´big foot´ shoe shop may be a great business idea. I normally have to troop off to Gib to buy shoes at Marks and Spencer´s or wait until I go back to the UK and stock up. If you do manage to find the odd pair of ladies shoes on the Costa del Sol, they are either so wide, that they resemble a circus freak´s footware, or they are designed with older grannies in mind who want some comfortable loafers to shuffle round town in. Come on shoe shops - start to stock something trendy, modern and stylish in a size 8. It shouldn´t be too difficult as most most of the upmarket (and not so upmarket) shoe shops in the UK, Scandinavia and Germany all stock larger sizes. Spain is renowned for its fine leather goods and shoes - it´s time to look after us big foots, and to start stocking them in all sizes.

Hidden Gems Near Dunnes Stores

At the risk of sounding like a shopping bore, has anyone been to the part of Myramar, Fuengirola where Iceland and Boulanger are situated? Not that I normally get excited over DIY style shops, but AKI is fantastic - they sell allsorts of lighting, rugs, garden furniture and barbecues. Ok ok they do sell tins of paint too (yawn) and those fiddly bits of taps and tubes that never seem to fit anything, but apart from that, this is a really great shop. Iceland is also great for your frozen British goodies and now does a good range of fresh meat and vegetables too. Marinated ribs, steaks and chicken are great for the barbie and the prices are reasonable. Boulanger Electrical Store is another favourite of mine - even if I only go in to look longingly at the 40 inch flat screen tellies (how sad is that?) But being on a tight budget, the real jewel in the crown for me is Lidl - yes really. Marks and Spencer's food hall it ain´t, but there are some great bargains to be had. Wine lovers - try the Albariño white at €3.50 a bottle - it is superb, and costs nearly double the price in other supermercados. You can also bag six large bottles of mineral water for just over €1.10. Oh and if you have any money left after stocking up on the wine, they sell food too!