Where I live, in southwest Germany, there are a bewildering number of shoe stores that specialize in barefoot-style footwear. I’ve counted at least four Barfußschuhläden within a mile of my home.
I’ve asked my local friends about this, and they shrug and say things like “Freiburg is an eco-city” or “People here like to feel close to nature.”
I’d noticed. Last weekend, my kids and I were walking in the Black Forest when we passed a woman hiking barefoot. My eight-year-old is an inveterate gawker, and he stopped and stared at her as though she were insane. Patiently, smilingly, she explained to him the pleasures of walking barefoot, especially outdoors.