Most mornings, I get up around 7:30 AM, when our dogs decide to make it known that they would like breakfast now, please. Typically (assuming I don’t have a ton of early deadlines) I take an early walk with one of them after they eat. Our older dog is VERY anxious and does not actually enjoy being away from home for any length of time, so I usually take the younger one – a Vallarta street dog for her first 6 months of life – who can benefit more from the exercise (you & me both, doggo).
I have special Dog Walk Shoes that I don’t wear for anything else. This is because 1. I walk REALLY fast and flip flops don’t cut it, 2. I am a champion toe-stubber and these protect my dumb feet from hurting themselves, and 3. I can wear these without socks and still be comfortable. Because screw socks, amirite?
I like to walk on Aquiles Serdan, along the river; it’s typically pretty quiet in the mornings, and the doggo likes to sniff around the little park there by the bridge to the island.
Crossing the river into Centro, it’s always so weird to see the street along the big flea market so quiet. Any other time of day this strip is something of a gauntlet, with people shouting at you from the shops, trying to lure you in to buy their goofy souvenir stuff, while the candy shops and tequila stores practically force samples on you to try to get you inside. But this early, it’s a ghost town.
Emerging onto the Malecon, there are a few more people around, mostly joggers and walkers, some bike riders, and of course more people with dogs. I find most of this crowd to be pretty good about wearing masks. I’ve heard reports saying otherwise, but in the mornings it’s really not bad at all.
I love to walk on the Malecon in the mornings. There’s always a nice breeze coming off the water, the waves crash onto the rocks and make the most satisfying clacky sound as the big loose stones are moved around and hit each other. I always check for clusters of boats out on the water, because it often means whales are nearby. I once even caught a turtle finishing up burying her eggs and dragging herself back to the water, which was so cool to see. And it’s also much calmer this time of day, as most of the shops and restaurants are still washing the sidewalks and getting ready to open. The most recent addition to the sculpture collection on the Malecon is a huge dude with his arms spread out. I think its name is Lluvia, but I just call him The New Guy. His little pants are delightful and cannot be overappreciated.
I always go at least as far North as the Hotel Rosita, sometimes go up and around Hidalgo Park, sometimes a ways into Cinco de Diciembre. It depends on how bad I want to get home and have coffee.
On the way back South, that arm-getting-pulled-from-its-socket feeling means we are approaching Vitea, and more importantly, the water bowl they are kind enough to set out each day. This furry monster with whom I’ve agreed to share my home doubles her speed as soon as it’s in sight, rushing to get a little drink and see who else has been there.
After sniffing every square inch of the planters and the surrounding area, she will finally have a bit of water. This bowl is always clean and I know it’s fresh water every day, so this is one of the few public spots where I let my dogs drink.
Thirst quenched, we usually continue along the Malecon for a bit, crossing the Cuale on the footbridge, and head inland at some point. By this time, I ABSOLUTELY require coffee to continue to function, so we get home where most of the time it’s ready and waiting for me to pour, just like a miracle.
Over coffee, I check emails, reply to any messages on Fiverr (the freelance platform I use), and decide what to do with the day.
Thanks for coming with me on my morning dog walk. Try not to be jealous of my very fashionable shoes. I understand it’s hard, that’s ok.