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Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 402nd issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine, the original travelers’ forum. That’s right. Worldwide travelers were interfacing here before there was an Internet. In fact, ITN was printing readers’ articles and candid appraisals of trips and destinations — the good AND the bad — before even newspapers and other travel magazines.

And it must have been a terrific idea. We’re still here, and the others have copied us, although I think we still provide more nitty-gritty information than any of them.

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Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 405th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine.

Don’t panic! the “Funniest Thing” has only been moved, not eliminated. It now will be found at the end of the last (third) section of Travelers’ Intercom letters. We’re just tidying up a bit.

Of course, I’m well aware that you’ve already found it. I know from numerous phone conversations that the “Funniest Thing” is what most readers turn to first. “Boarding Pass” is farther down the list. That’s okay. I’m just glad you’re reading it.

Heading to Nepal? Pack face masks if...

by Randy Keck (Second of two parts on Portugal)

The focus of my June 2011 journey to Portugal was four inspiring days in the central portion of the country’s largest region, the Alentejo. It was my good fortune to be hosted by the new L’AND Vineyards, only a 45-minute drive east of Lisbon.

L’AND’s setting provides views of the distant, hilltop, 13th-century castle ruins of nearby Montemor-o-novo village and proved to be an idyllic base from which to visit attractions of the region on either a self-drive basis or, as in my case, with a car and driver...