Historians frequently disagree on the actual number of Imelda Marcos' much-prized shoe collection - those Gucci, Charles Jourdan, Christian Dior, Ferragamo, Chanel, Prada shoes - brands most women would definitely die for. When she fled Malacanang Palace with her husband, Ferdinand, in 1986, rumors surfaced that she left behind a total of 3,000 pairs of shoes and slippers, all of which she allegedly acquired and owned during their 20-year reign. Out of those 3,000 pairs, it is said that almost 800 pairs of these are on display at the Shoe Museum in Marikina City, located east of Manila -- a repository Imelda inaugurated herself after her return from exile in later years. Marikina Shoe Museum When my wife craved on going to Marikina City one morning, I jumped at the chance. I looked forward to witnessing firsthand the mythical shoe collection that had become the worldwide symbol of the Marcoses' lavish lifestyle. The ride to the country's shoe capital was bumpy,...