Two things are certain with me when traveling; I will visit coffee shops and I will take pictures of street dogs while telling them how precious they are. When those two things happen at once, I’m having my best day. In my search for good coffee around the world, I've been lucky to enjoy my cup with a variety of animals.
Vietnam
The top spot for cute street dogs and amazing coffee, has to go to Vietnam. Hanoi is my favorite city in the world for coffee and it just happens to have lots of adorable street pups, too. On one of the many days I spent searching Hanoi for the best egg coffee in town, I followed a coffee sign with an arrow pointing into a back alley. Here I found delicious coffee, in a courtyard next to the motorbike parking lot. It wasn’t until I finished the coffee and went to pay the bill that I noticed there was a dog with a bandaged ear attached by a chain to one of the bikes. I did not attempt to pet him because he seemed a bit scared and was eating his breakfast. I did, of course, send him some words of love and encouragement, and I think he understood.
While sipping an iced coconut coffee on a Cộng Cà Phê balcony, I spotted something that’s fairly common in Vietnam: a pup on a motorbike with its family. People watching at cafes was a favorite activity in Hanoi and I saw this many times during my two week stay. I am thoroughly amazed at all the things Vietnamese people are able to expertly transport on their motorbikes and scooters!
My nearest local coffee spot in Da Nang had a sweet little girl who was sometimes on a chain out front and would hang out on a red scooter. Other days she was in a crate inside the shop. She loved attention and would stand on her hind legs smiling at me until I would pet her, so I would give her love each time I stopped for coffee. I often wondered if she rode to the shop with her owner on that scooter every morning.
On my last Hanoi coffee outing, I had the pleasure of being welcomed up the stairs to a lovely coffee shop by a seriously adorable cat. Once I got inside, I was even more pleased to discover my second favorite egg coffee in Hanoi. I was so sad to have discovered this spot on my last day in town, but the cuteness of the cat cheered me up on my way back down the stairs.
Costa Rica
On my first ever journey into a Costa Rican coffee shop in Monteverde, I was greeted by a handsome street dog with a wiry face. He happily followed me right into the cafe and laid down next to my table. This would happen many times in my future travels, but it was such a new experience for me to see a dog inside the cafe and not one person trying to shoo it back outside. I definitely think the USA could stand to be more pet friendly when it comes to cafes. There’s just an extra bit of joy when you combine cute pups and your daily brew!
If there are two things Costa Rica is known for, it’s coffee and sloths. There’s so much more to this beautiful country, but fortunately I was able to find sloths and coffee in the same place during a visit to La Fortuna! We walked the jungle trails at Bogarin Trail with a guide who helped us spot sloths, frogs, owls, and more. After viewing some amazing wildlife, we sat at their cafe and had coffee and the sweetest sloth cookie.
Not all animal encounters are happy ones, even if they involve coffee. One morning during our housesit near Nuevo Arenal, I was enjoying my pancakes and coffee with an amazing view when I heard a bird strike the window. I went to check it out and saw a rufous-tailed hummingbird laying on the ground stunned. I kept an eye on him and after what seemed like an eternity, he was able to fly away. Crisis averted for the bird, but a stressful morning coffee session for me.
Thailand
On my first morning in Bangkok, I visited a cat cafe. Having been allergic to cats since childhood, it was risky but I took my allergy meds and made sure I had my inhaler with me. Thank goodness I didn’t pass up this opportunity because the cats in here were so adorable! I wouldn’t recommend the overpriced drinks and snacks, but spending time with the kitties was fun. When you get to see a cat that looks like he’s curled up in a latte cup, you forget that you aren’t sipping a delicious latte.
Laos
During my homestay with a wonderful host in Luang Prabang, I had the pleasure of having a furry morning coffee buddy. He would sit at the table with me while I had coffee and worked on my computer. I can’t remember his name (I never quite mastered the pronunciation, either) but I sure do miss his adorable face!
Enjoying a delicious coffee in the company of a furry (or feathered) friend is always a good way to pass time and I can’t wait to see who I run into on my next outing! Share some of your favorite animal encounters in the comments.
What a joyful post! Loved it!