Anna's First Morning in Lisbon

Anna woke up early on her first morning in Lisbon.

The sun was already coming through the thin curtains of her hotel room, and she could hear birds and the sound of a tram somewhere outside.

She had one plan for the day. She wanted to find a famous viewpoint at the top of the hill and take photos of the city in the soft morning light. But first, she needed coffee.

She put her camera in her bag, checked her phone, and went downstairs. Her phone battery was at fifteen percent. "That's fine," she thought. "I'll charge it later."

Just around the corner, she found a small café with three tables outside. An older man was behind the counter, cleaning cups.

"Good morning," Anna said with a smile. "Could I have a coffee, please?"

"Of course," the man said.

A minute later, he put a tiny cup in front of her. The coffee was dark and strong, and it was gone in two sips. Anna laughed.

"That was very good," she said, "but very small. Would it be possible to have a bigger coffee, with milk?"

The man smiled. "Here in Lisbon, if you ask for a coffee, you get this one. If you want a big one, ask for a coffee with milk in a glass. Everyone does."

"A coffee with milk in a glass," Anna repeated. "I'll remember that."

He made her a tall glass of coffee with warm milk. Anna sat outside, held the glass in both hands and watched the street wake up.

A woman was walking her dog. Two children were running to school. A delivery man was carrying boxes of fresh bread.

Anna took a few photos without thinking. This was her favourite part of travelling: the small, quiet moments that nobody plans.

When she finished, she went back inside to pay.

"How much is it?" she asked.

"Two euros twenty, please."

She paid, said thank you, and stepped back into the street. Then she took out her phone to find the viewpoint.

The screen was black.

She pressed the button. Nothing. The battery was completely dead.

For a moment, Anna felt a little nervous. She didn't know the name of her hotel's street, and she had no map. But then she smiled. "Okay," she said to herself. "Let's do this the old way."

She walked to the end of the street and saw a woman waiting at a bus stop.

"Excuse me," Anna said. "Sorry to bother you. I'm looking for the viewpoint at the top of the hill. Could you tell me how to get there?"

The woman pointed up the street. "Go straight up this road until you see a small church.

Then turn left. Keep going up the stairs, and you'll see it. It's about ten minutes on foot."

"Straight up, left at the church, then the stairs," Anna repeated. "Thank you so much."

The road was steep, and Anna was soon out of breath. She found the small church and turned left, but then she saw two sets of stairs. One went up. The other went down, then up again. She wasn't sure which one to take.

A young man was painting the front door of his house.

"Sorry," she said, "which way is the viewpoint? Is it this way or that way?"

"Up this way," he said, pointing with his brush. "But take your time. There are a lot of stairs."

He was right. There were so many stairs that Anna stopped twice to rest. But when she reached the top, she forgot about her tired legs.

The whole city was in front of her. Orange roofs, white walls, the wide blue river, and the morning sun shining on everything.

Anna took out her camera and started taking photos. She stayed there for almost an hour.

On her way back, she didn't need any help. She remembered every turn: down the stairs, past the painted door, right at the church, and down the road. When she saw the little café again, the man behind the counter waved.

"Did you find it?" he asked.

"I did," Anna said. "And now I need another coffee. A coffee with milk in a glass, please."

He laughed. "You're learning fast."

Anna sat down at the same table and smiled. Her phone was still dead, but it didn't matter. It was the best morning she'd had in a long time.

That's all for today. See you next time on Study Brew!