Portugal vs. U.S.

 No... this is not a soccer (or more correctly futebol) match that I am describing. It is a fundamental difference between the U.S. version of coffee lovers and Portugal.

A bica or "coffee"

Here, a "coffee" is just a single shot of espresso. Often referred to as a "bica", that is what you get when you simply order a coffee. You may drop by your local cafe and have a bica any time of day and sometimes have several in a row. The other morning, just before our language class, the lady at the table next to us was just finishing her 4th coffee. 

However, I was recently informed of another unique difference, when attending assemblies of Jehovah's Witnesses. For many years, now, food service, which had been a staple of conventions in the past, have been discontinued and each attendee brings their own food. It has allowed more time and effort to go into providing "spiritual food", rather than taking time to prepare meals.

Portugal, however, being the coffee loving country that it is... has provided a coffee service, at it's assembly hall.There, during the breaks in programming, brothers and sisters line up to get a coffee provided by barristas in the common area of the hall. Here is a photos of two of these barristas and notice the aprons they have... And check out the professional coffee machine in the back...

Our barristas in action

Viva la difference!