Liliw: Shoe Capital of Laguna

After stopping by the beautiful Liliw church, walk on down the street until you find a giant slipper. No joke, a giant slipper, displayed atop a tower – a signal to all people that you have just entered THE place for people who could just be thinking about buying a new pair of shoes. Liliw. This is, without exaggeration, more than a street-ful of shoe stores. Shoes, slippers, sandals, anything you put on your feet. And not just any shoes, these are quality shoes sold at low, low prices. Our group, maybe more especially the girls, had a grand time shopping.

Men, watch out. This could be the female-shoe-shopper’s heaven, or the there-she-goes-again site for the boys. This is Liliw, the shoe capital of Laguna. Bring her for a walk and you’d know seeing her walk in a straight line down that shoe store-filled street is close to impossible. Every few meters she’ll snatch you off the road into one of those shops, and in no time she’d be trying out one of those shoes or slippers asking you “how does it look? Does it look good on me?” and before you could open your mouth to answer she’s over on the other side trying a new one, or looking at the mirror turning round and round or twisting her legs this way and that to see every angle of her feet. No worries, it does look good. That’s what we saw anyway.
For most females this could be great. But for the males, there’s no reason to be scared of this so-called shoe capital. There are lots of stores for the boys. I was surprised to know the shoes here are just as good as the shoes you’d find anywhere, even better. But that’s not what caught my attention most. Not the volume of the shoe stores all stuffed in this part of the Philippines for the shoe-shopper’s ultimate fancy. It’s the prices. Tremendously low, and in our group of seven (five were girls) even the boys couldn’t help looking around. You’d see that special smile you see on a girl’s face – the kind of smile that could only be seen if she just came from the mall shopping on a super sale.

When you stop by Laguna, or anywhere near Liliw, drop by here. This is one way to make anyone’s tour extra special – a tour that brought you cool new shoes. Sure us, we just don’t get it. Shopping has just been one of those things about the opposite sex that we just don’t, or dare not, comment or think about. But like I said, bring that special smile on a special girl’s face (they’re all special) and if you haven’t seen what I’m talking about yet (the smile and/or the shoes) more reason to bring them here. Shoes everywhere, bargains everywhere, an ultimate shoe-shopper’s heaven especially for bargain-hunters. Tip for the boys, grab a random shoe… no, make sure it at least looks good – then tell her “try this one.” Just to show you’re paying attention. But she probably doesn’t care - so many shoes to deliberate on buying, so little (there are still other places in your trip itinerary) time! Make the shoe-shoppers happy, bring them here. Don’t worry, if you’re not a fan of shopping there’s always that one part of the shoe store (way inside) they probably made especially for people like you – the seats.