Our colleague Em McGowan shared this in 'Share and Care Portugal' this morning. Great information, food for thought, sobering yet worthy of consideration... (NB - she has shared this information from a Warren Wichman who I assume is American, there there is work to do to ensure these documents have relevance in Portugal. It is work in progress. And while we figure it out, there are clearly some good pointers here). "This information is for those of you who don’t have your affairs in order... - Make sure all bank accounts have direct beneficiaries. The beneficiary need only go to the bank with your death certificate and an ID of their own. - TOD = Transfer On Death deed if you own a home. Completing this document and filing it with the court saves your heirs thousands. This document allows you to transfer ownership of your home to your designee. All they need to do is take their ID and your Death Certificate and they will then have the deed signed over. Doing this will avoid the home having to go through probate. - Living Will: Allows one to put in writing exactly what you want done in the event you cannot speak for yourself when it comes to healthcare decisions. - Durable Power of Attorney: Allows one to designate a person to make legal decisions if one is no longer competent to do so. - Power of Attorney for Healthcare: This document allows one to designate someone to make healthcare decisions for their person. - Last Will and Testament: Designates to whom personal belongings will go too. - Funeral Planning Declaration: States one’s wishes as far as disposition of the body and the service/s.

Two 107 m high residential buildings (Haya Towers) will be constructed in Vila Nova de Gaia, becoming the the highest ones in Portugal. Construction will start in 2027. The apartments should cost between €200 000 (T0) and €1 000 000 (T4 and T5). https://zap.aeiou.pt/arranha-ceus-gaia-738719

On this day in 1932, António de Oliveira Salazar was appointed President of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister). While he had served as Finance Minister since 1928, this appointment solidified his role as the leader of Portugal. How long did Salazar ultimately remain in power as the head of the Portuguese government? --- Salazar's rule only ended after he suffered a brain hemorrhage (famously caused - allegedly - by falling from a deck chair). He was succeeded by Marcello Caetano, and the regime he built - the Estado Novo - lasted until the Carnation Revolution on April 25, 1974, celebrated this week. Salazar was so 'influential' that for the first two years after his stroke, his aides reportedly staged fake cabinet meetings and gave him 'dummy' newspapers so he wouldn't realise he had been replaced in office.

"Fifty years after his death, Portugal's Salazar remains a controversial and enigmatic figure, whose conservative and authoritarian legacy still divides opinion. Some see him as a reactionary and oppressive figure who kept Portugal backward, while others praise his honesty, patriotism and dedication to duty. Contemporary radicals are wary of his unabashed elitism and skepticism about social progress, but many conservatives give credit to his persistent warnings about the threats to Western civilization from runaway materialism and endless experimentation. For a dictator, Salazar's end was anti-climactic--a domestic accident. But during his nearly four decades in power, he survived less through reliance on force and more through guile and charm. This probing biography charts the highs and lows of Salazar's rule, from rescuing Portugal's finances and keeping his strategically-placed nation out of World War II to maintaining a police state while resisting the winds of change in Africa. It explores Salazar's long-running suspicion of and conflict with the United States, and how he kept Hitler and Mussolini at arm's length while persuading his fellow dictator Franco not to enter the war on their side. Iberia expert Tom Gallagher brings to life a complex leader who deserves to be far better known." Buy on Amazon Commentary by Joaquim Sá Couto: "At a deeper level, Salazar distrusted American political culture and intentions. He saw the U.S. as impulsive, materialistic, and ideologically driven. In essence, his policy was that of a small but self-assured state: cooperate without dependence, resist without rupture, and never allow American power to dictate Portuguese strategic choices." More here

Thanks to 'vizinho português' @António Ferreira for the inspiration for this morning's Portugal Club Quiz question. António shared an article about Portugal's Via Verde system celebrating its 35th birthday. What is the total length of the tolled motorway network in Portugal?