In my short-timed experience as a barefooter (three scarce years) I noticed how many strange reactions people I met have. In my opinion the main reason of this wide range of reactions, rarely unoffensive, is the deep truth a barefoot human being represents. He shows up and demonstrates to everybody a biological evidence: We were born barefoot and then for a lot of different, unvaluable reasons in the latest centuries we decide to wear shoes. But our biological and evolutive path says for two millios years we've been planned and adapted to live barefoot. So, when a shod person meets a barefoot one can hardly tolerate to be reminded something he knows well: I put my feet in a cage and I can't remember why. Is anyone out there who wants to carry on this thread?
That's pretty much it. It's easier to be led than to lead. Welcome, Stefano! I noticed you joined us in 2015, but didn't post until now. Glad to have you in the discussions.
Goodmorning TJ! I joined you in 2015 when I decided along with my wife to run barefoot, but as soon as I did it I forgot it. (To have joined, not to run.) Then a couple of weeks ago a dear friend of mine lent me the bible-book from Ken Bob and I visited this site once again and I discovered that I already was a member of it. Funny! This Sunday I won't run. I'm in my yearly week-off. The family goal is a long, quiet hiking uo to the top of Monte Piglione in the wonderful Alpi Apuane range, an underappreciated natural park placed at the back of our seaside hometown. Our Love to All of You, Stefano
My dear TJ, unfortunately I don't know the way to post here some pictures of our last sunday hiking. It was a very misty day and we've been walking always through the clouds. My wife and me wore very minimalist sandals and that was a wonderful sensation of freedom. Somethnig truly invaluable.
Hi Stefano, I visited Italy in 2014, walked barefoot on the streets of Florence, San Gimignano and Siena, ran barefoot on roads of Elba. People mostly looked very strange at me. Then I read on TripAdvisor: "In Italy being barefoot is usually accepted in the hottest days in big open spaces like big parks, not at all walking down the street." It is 2017 now so I would hope that has changed a bit but now reading your observations I am still wondering why Italians are not accepting barefooters "walking down the street" more? Greetings from Oregon
Hi Paraganek, nice to meet you. It ain't changed a bit since you were here. I live in Tuscany, not the part you toured, but on the north coast. We have lots of sunny days and plenty of open spaces but except for the beach, being barefoot is a distinguished sign on miseducation. If you then run barefoot, well... that is a clear evidence that you are halfway beetween a freaky, out-of-his-mind, poor thing and an exhibitionist bastard. Greetings from Lido di Camiore May I ask you where did you take the picture you posted above?
That was taken on Elba, Marciana in the background. I was just running to a rental place to pick up a scooter https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/537401643 That bring up another story from the rental place in Marciana Marina , they were refusing to rent me a scooter stating I am not allowed to ride one barefoot. After some convincing they took pity on me realizing I really do not have any shoes on me to wear and I could drive away on a scooter enjoying wind blowing through my toes
All you have to do is click on Upload a File to the left/bottom, and then drill to where you have the pictures stored.
In Italy you can drive and ride everything barefoot. Unfortunately very fews know that. Drivers and policemen ignore it. I guess it's a matter of freedom, something outer of mainstream mentality.
Greetings from Oakland California. I've been running barefoot here for a bit over two years. Not many people do here but occasionally you will spot them. Walking around the neighborhood barefoot will bring with it stares sometimes with casual inquiries about "why"?? - with a quizzical expression. Often, the summation is a "be careful" or "that's cool". We have to be ourselves and enjoy life. Be different.
Good morning, bare_ftazn. The last words of you message bring along with them what is more significant to human life. Be ourselves. Enjoy our (only) life. Be different, when necessary or recommended. Behaving that way in Italy seems to be harder than in California, a place I hardly can think about without falling into a long series of cultural day-dreams, as the summer of love, the music of that period (Deads, Jefferson Airplane and many more), the feeling of an incoming new, different era. Unfortunately that was (but still resists as) a dream and we know how the story ended up, but I guess it remains the highest point in hte curve of good will men's freedom of being themselves. A seed that I hope had left deep and strong roots in your land and whose fruits are still tasty and valuable. As going barefoot.
Thank you, Stefano! Each of us push along progress in our own way. Sometimes the effect is big but more often than not, the progress is incremental. Be happy. Make others happy. Be barefoot.
Another thought. Maybe it's being in Oakland California but most people here don't appear to dislike seeing a barefoot person on the street, or a barefoot runner, as much they seem to express perplexity. They don't quite understand why someone would be barefoot. If I am not running, I stop and give them some thoughts to which they usually respond, "it makes sense." On rare occasion though, even I have met someone who yells "put on shoes!"
This last one has surely italian ancestors. 'Put on your shoes and feel ashamed!' is the usual reaction I cause when I run.
Anyway that is not a problem to me. I will keep on running barefoot and free. What is sad is the sensation of sharing my life along with a flock of brainless sheep.
