Something for the weekend after an intense week of heat for most, and fires for some. I hope this finds you well. Do have a great weekend, a 'bom fim de semana', and please do not encourage this sort of behaviour! And just in case you don't know your #PdN history, just pop over here. Would YOU eat the Dubai edition pastel?

Portugal Resident: "News came this morning that legendary singer, Bonnie Tyler, 75, died in Faro hospital last night, where she had been since life-saving surgery for a ruptured appendix over two months ago. The message on the singer’s official Facebook page said: 'Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for. We will issue a further statement shortly but for now ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy.' Fans of the star - known all over the world for hits like 'Total Eclipse of the Heart', 'Holding out for a Hero' and 'It’s a Heartache' - will be in deep mourning after so many weeks of, quite literally, holding out for a miracle." More --- 📍 Bonnie Tyler (born Gaynor Hopkins) was a Grammy-nominated Welsh rock singer famous for her distinctive raspy voice and anthems like 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' - and one of the Algarve's most beloved adopted residents, who passed away in Portugal on 9 July 2026. 🎂 Born 8 June 1951 in Skewen, Neath, Wales, to coal miner Glyndŵr and homemaker Elsie Hopkins; she fell in love with the Algarve on her first visit in the mid-1970s and soon bought a property near Albufeira. 💡 Bonnie first visited the Algarve in the mid-seventies and described it as a magical place she never wanted to leave. She and husband Robert Sullivan owned a five-bedroom home near Albufeira for decades, splitting time between the Algarve and Wales. She was a patron of the Guia-based animal charity AAG and famously performed for 40,000 fans on Albufeira beach alongside neighbour Cliff Richard. In May 2026 she underwent emergency surgery at Faro hospital for a perforated bowel and passed away there on 9 July 2026, aged 75. 🍽️ Stream 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' (1983) and read Tomorrow Algarve magazine's in-depth interview with Bonnie for a warm portrait of her life in Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo hasn't retired from football altogether, but he has confirmed the end of a major chapter.... Ahead of Portugal's Round of 16 clash with Spain at the 2026 World Cup, the 41-year-old told reporters this would be his last World Cup appearance, saying he wanted to enjoy the tournament as much as possible while hoping it wouldn't end too soon. He confirmed on July 5, 2026, that the World Cup was his final international tournament, arriving at it with Portugal's all-time records of 232 caps and 146 international goals, having appeared in a record six World Cups and become the first player to score in six different editions. Portugal's tournament ended on July 6, when Ronaldo's run finished after Portugal lost to Spain 1-0 😭in the Round of 16 in Dallas. It was an emotional exit - he told reporters afterward that he was sad to be leaving the World Cup that way, that he'd given it his all and was leaving with a clear conscience, and that soccer sometimes means winning and sometimes losing. Crucially, this is a retirement from the World Cup specifically, not from football or even necessarily from international duty entirely. CR7 stayed coy on whether he'd retire from the sport altogether, saying only that it was his last World Cup and that he'd now take time to reflect with his family without making any rash decisions. He remains under contract with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, and some fans have speculated he may delay full retirement until he reaches 1,000 career goals, needing just 24 more to hit that milestone. His World Cup career is now closed, but Cristiano Ronaldo the footballer is still very much active. Here, in his own (Spanish!) words...

Today marks the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, prompting American expats in Portugal to gather for vibrant celebrations. In Porto, a major event features local flavors and a scenic venue, while Lisbon hosts a picnic organised by Democrats Abroad, providing a festive atmosphere for the expat community. Others are more muted. On this occasion, let me share with you a little US-Portuguese relationship history... Wine before independence (1766–1776) Before there was a United States, there was Madeira. Portuguese fortified wine was the drink of colonial America - partly thanks to a quirk of British trade law that let Madeira ship directly to the colonies. By the 1760s it was a symbol of colonial identity and mild rebellion: when British customs seized John Hancock's sloop Liberty in 1768, the cargo in dispute was Madeira wine, and the incident helped light the revolutionary fuse. Jefferson, Washington and Franklin were all devotees, and tradition holds that the signing of the Declaration of Independence was toasted with Madeira. So Portugal was, quite literally, in the glass at America's birth. To me, one of the most fascinating aspects of the US-Portugal relationship is the time of Frank Carlucci, who was the American ambassador here - "the American who helped save Portuguese democracy." Hear my tribute to him here The modern era: tech, tourism and the new Americans (1986–2026) The last two decades flipped the old dynamic. Where Portuguese once emigrated to America for opportunity, Americans now arrive in Portugal for lifestyle - a wave that accelerated after 2016 and surged through the pandemic years, drawn by the D7 and digital-nomad visas, healthcare, safety and, let's be honest, the pastéis de nata! Americans became one of the fastest-growing foreign resident groups, US tourism boomed, and the economic relationship diversified. Web Summit made Lisbon a fixture on the American tech calendar, US investment flowed into Portuguese startups and real estate, and transatlantic flight routes multiplied from Lisbon, Porto and Faro.

📍 Portuguese olive oil - known locally as azeite - is one of the country's most prized agricultural products, produced across five major regions from a rich mix of native and cultivated olive varieties. 🎂 Olive cultivation in Portugal dates back to Roman times, deepened under Arab rule (which also gave the language the word azeite, from the Arabic az-zeit meaning 'olive juice'), and has continued as a cornerstone of Portuguese food culture ever since. 💡 Portugal has around 350,000 hectares of olive groves, with the Alentejo accounting for roughly 50% of production and Trás-os-Montes a further 22%. The dominant native variety is Galega Vulgar - mild, balanced, with notes of ripe apple - while Cobrançosa brings intensity and green fruitiness, Verdeal adds spice and structure, and Cordovil de Serpa gives elegance and herbal notes. Six regions hold PDO (DOP) status, each enforcing strict varietal and production rules. When buying, look for the DOP stamp, a named cultivar, and a harvest date for guaranteed quality and origin. 🍽️ Visit the Olive Oil Museum (Lagar de Varas do Fojo) in Moura, Alentejo, for a hands-on history of Portuguese azeite, or book a harvest-season grove tour in Trás-os-Montes (October–November) to taste freshly pressed oil at source. ❓ Which olive variety is the most widely planted in Portugal, prized for its mild, balanced flavour?