Dear friends,

about 20 years ago i've been at the Algarve (southern coast of Portugal).
Lagos has been a dreamy place with not more than 2 hotels and a small, old
harbor with fishing-boats lying on their sides during low tide and lots of
shells could be found there (as Bolma rugosa, Galeodes echinophora,
Semicassis saburon, Charonia lampas, big Bolinus brandaris, Cymbium olla,
Callista chione and so on). The coast in direction of Portimao was
undeveloped and lots of shells could be found at the beach.

Now I need information on the actual situation in that region for a
publication. I'm living in Hamburg/Germany and a flight down there just to
get informations would be too lavish. I was told the situation  has changed
at the Algarve, lots of hotels have been built near Lagos and there is a lot
of tourism at the beach of Portimao.

I'm asking:
Does the old harbor of Lagos still exist? Is it still accessible?
What types of shells can be found in the region Lagos-Portimao-Faro?
Preia de Monte Gordo - near the spanish border - has been an Eldorado for
shell collectors, a broad beach covered with countless shells, occasionally
with some Panopea glycymeris, with up to 30 cm the biggest european mussel.
What about the actual situation in this region?

I would be thankful for any detailed information from friends in CONCH-L and
could offer for the most detailed report a copy of the new edition of my
book "Seashells of the world" (in German, 319 pp., 1270 picts. mostly in
color and with the most actual systematic) .

Sincerely
Gert Lindner
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