Thoughts from a Rooftop in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

san miguel de allende rooftop balloons monster garage

San Miguel de Allende is a city located on the eastern side of the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. A UNESCO designated World Heritage Site, this place is full of beauty and charm with its Baroque/Neoclassical architecture, cobblestone streets, and brightly colored buildings often adorned with decorations and flowering Bougainvillea.


Mexico seems to have a love affair with rooftop living spaces. Often referred to as terraces or azoteas, you can find them on top of many of the homes, restaurants, and bars throughout the town of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

I regularly found myself enjoying the early morning on the rooftop of our casita in San Miguel de Allende. As the sun broke over the mountains and colorful homes, the sounds of crowing roosters, church bells, choirs, and the hand-held bell of the garbage collector begin to fill the air.

The sound of propane burners filling hot air balloons could also be heard most mornings. As the sky turned from shades of purple and pink to blue with salmon-colored clouds, the balloons seemed to emerge like giant mushrooms from between homes before taking flight just to the north of our casita.

The morning continued on as the sounds of merchants selling their wares and services filled the street below. Each of them with a distinct call or song to alert potential customers to emerge from their homes. Then, there was the surprisingly loud whoosh of wings as dozens of pigeons took flight all at once.

In the coolness of the morning air, I thought about how important these sounds became to me. A stark reminder of the beauty and resilience of life.

I thought about the friendships that were made here.

I thought about how I will miss all of it.

Well… everything except for the barking rooftop dogs into the late hours of the night.

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16 Comments

    1. Hi Trish. I’m so happy to hear you enjoy the photos and my thoughts on the places I visit. I’ll keep them coming. Hope to see you again soon.

  1. I was multi-tasking while scrolling through the photos. Suddenly, I recognized the pigeons!
    Saw a beautiful sunrise myself this morning! Beautiful photos!

  2. Breathtaking images that touch the heart.
    Your words & photos capture moments & views of SMA & Mx that we love. One is transported to those very places. Thank you, Skip❣️?

  3. I Iove your description of the moments you are experiencing. As you use describe each event and I see the beauty in each of your photos, it is almost like I am right there! It is an amazing experience to see and feel the the beauty of Mexico through the eyes and body of someone else. This means so much to all of us who are reading your posts and seeing your pictures.
    Thank you for taking the time to create this site.

    1. Michelle, Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments. It is really appreciated. I try to let the photos do most of the talking. However, I am happy to hear that my thoughts add value to the experience. Thank you again for your awesome words of encouragement. They mean more than you know.

    1. Hi Rana. Thanks so much for visiting and your kind words. I agree that a picture speaks a thousand words, which is why I try not to clutter the site with too many words. I want the images to do most of the talking ?

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