On The Write Path

🇵🇹 Nearer My God to Thee on the Elevator to Glory

SantaBee and Ẃeβ࿚ẂỉԎḈĥ 2025 This is the 4th entry for

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The Bard's Hall Contest  (13+) DECEMBER is HOLIDAY RUSH: Shape Poetry Prompt! #981150 by SantaBee

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🇵🇹 Nearer My God to Thee on the Elevator to Glory (Lisboa)

I planned well. Get of the plane. Sweat going through customs and covid protocols. Find an ATM, look for the signs to the Metro, take the red line to San Sebastiao, the blue to Restauradores, Get in line for the funicular Ascensor da Gloria that goes up to Bairro Alto, cross the street by the miradouro at the top, take a right, The Independente is on the left... right where it was years ago.

It was wise to stay in the same place as before. Traveling can be tiresome.

Bit of a wait for a bed, but up I went... two flights of stairs (thankfully there's a lift used for luggage and old geezers... and old geezers with luggage). A lower bed as requested. This place is known for its breakfast and three-tiered bunks.



The guy above me only fell out of bed once...

...that I knew of.

I'm a landlubber and floorhugger meself.

I wish I could say that I enjoyed Lisbon. I have in the past. No energy and not feeling 100% = less-than-enjoyable.

I did meet Tyla&Zak, a young duo from Kiwiland and Felix from Goteborg, Zoia from Russia, a Romanian, Bulgarian, Norwegian, French, Canadians, the usual motley crew, plus a Manx! (Isle of Man).

I also stayed two days on the way back and met more travelers from Taiwan, Korea, Denmark and Ireland (Matthew with his gift-of-the-gab).

But breakfast. Breakfast was the usual: ham, cheese and bread, coffee and orange juice. But also cake and fruit, croissants and cereal. I had hot-milk with cocoa-flakes a couple times.

Lourdes, the goddess of the kitchen, deserves her own entry. She's heavy set but light as a cloud, dances and sings in English and French. She's Brazilian.

Lisbon. I did walk around... just a tad. Found a great bifana (sliced pork), a good stuffed pita, pasteis, Pão de Ló (sponge cake). I didn't eat much (hint: big breakfast )

The weather when I arrived turned cold, rainy and windy. I did visit the overlook (miradouro) across the street. Smelled a rose. Took pictures of the street art.

I even got to ride the elevator twice (both times going up).



Lisbon is hardly heaven (the hills and cobbles resemble hell...) but it's a great place to visit. I hope to be there next spring and stay at The Independente again. There'll be new travelers to meet; Afgani will be working the desk; Lourdes will have breakfast ready at 8 a.m. sharp. Of this, I'm sure.

~430 words

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