Season 12 of Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope Starts December 2022.

Season 12 of Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope serves up the never-ending joy of travel. The Emmy-winning series explores our planet and its people from the Americas to Europe, Africa and Asia. From Texas to Alaska, local treasures are discovered. Joseph roams Ireland’s Ancient East, a land of myths and legends, following the festive trail of Halloween. Then he returns to Northern Ireland to walk in the footsteps of St. Patrick and join the celebration Ireland’s favorite saint. On France’s Lot River he continues his travels by boat capturing the spirit of the people and the beauty of this special part of France. Joseph's globetrotting adventures take him to Africa and Asia when he highlights wine country, natural wonders, and wildlife conservation in South Africa, and in The Best of Taiwan, his storytelling reveals a surprising country of extraordinary people, cultural festivals, and natural attractions that include mountains, islands, and forests. This season, like the eleven before it, Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope asks viewers to accept the world’s invitation to visit and experience our planet and its people, its natural treasures, and its amazing wildlife in all their glory.

1201 - Halloween in Ireland’s Ancient East

The Irish are a celebratory people ready to rejoice in life at the beat of a drum, a note from a song, and a burst of laughter. Joseph joins the party when he celebrates Halloween in Ireland’s Ancient East, an area rich in history, myths, and legends, and views this beautiful part of the island through the prism of two festivals. The Puca Festival is an ancient observance reborn and the Wexford Festival Opera illustrates the Irish’s devotion to community. At the Puca Festival, Joseph joins the commemoration of the Celtic New Year, Samhain (pronounced Sow-In), which dates back more than 2,500 years. At the Wexford Opera Festival, he spotlights the festival’s 70 years of featuring unknown national and international composers with the support of more than 400 community volunteers. In between the festivities, Joseph samples a taste of the island in castles, country homes, markets, pubs, and restaurants. It’s clear that Ireland has much to celebrate – its heritage and culture, its struggles and survival, its scenic beauty and natural attractions — and we’re all invited to join in the revelry.

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1202 - Ireland – Following the Way of St. Patrick – Part 1

Joseph follows in the footsteps of St. Patrick, Ireland’s Patron Saint, when he wanders by foot and travels by car along the Way and Trail of St. Patrick in Northern Ireland. In this episode, Joseph encounters Patrick’s history in the grand Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland cathedrals in Armagh, the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland. He visits with fifth-century Celts at Navin Centre & Fort and then travels on to other sacred and mythical sites, washing his face in St. Patrick’s Well and sitting in the saint’s Chair. Along the rugged Irish coast, he visits the Giant’s Causeway and finds plenty of comfort and good cheer at Bushmill’s historic distillery. He travels on to Northern Ireland’s capital, Belfast, and tours the University, Titanic and Cathedral Quarters and drops into a few pubs for a pint of Guinness or two to quench his thirst. By the end of his Belfast stay he’s prepared to move on to Downpatrick, Patrick’s burial place, for all the festivities and celebrations surrounding the saint’s day.

1203 - Ireland – Following the Way of St. Patrick – Part 2

Joseph continues his Irish journey in the footsteps St. Patrick, Ireland’s Patron Saint, by foot and by car along the Way and Trail of St. Patrick in Northern Ireland. This episode takes him to Slemish Mountain where Patrick served as a slave and Strangford Lough where Patrick returned to Ireland to answer the heavenly call to convert the populace to Christianity. He visits Saul Church, where Patrick began his mission, and Downpatrick Cathedral, St. Patrick’s burial site. While on his journey sacred sites abound, but he best connects with his Patrick’s spirit in the forests, fields and mountains where he walked, worked and lived. Ireland is a land of myth and legend and rich in customs and traditions. St. Patrick’s Day in Downpatrick is filled to the brim with their observance. Here Joseph discovers that while in much of the world St. Patrick’s Day is a rousing party, in Ireland the saint’s death is commemorated as a time of reconciliation, contemplation, and family and cultural celebrations. In typical Irish fashion, it’s also a time for mighty craic – a great time!

1204 - The Best of Taiwan

Why Taiwan? That is a question uninitiated visitors to Taiwan may ask. Beginning with its Portuguese discoverers, who called it Isla Formosa, Beautiful Isle; they will soon find there is much in Taiwan to enjoy. With close to 1,000 miles of coastline to stroll, 286 mountain peaks over 9,000 feet to climb, 10 islands to explore, countless festivals to celebrate and 14 aboriginal groups to meet, Taiwan is a wondrous land with an abundance of surprising things to do, see and experience. Joseph has covered the island from every angle. He’s taken in the island by rail, reveled in its natural treasures, sampled its unique foods and drinks, combed through its night markets, explored its islands, participated in spiritual and cultural festivals and celebrated with its people. In his latest Taiwan episode Joseph dips into his previous Taiwan adventures, picks the best of his experiences and answers the question, “Why Taiwan?”

1205 - South Africa – Into the Wild!

Joseph heads back to his first African adventure when he safaris through South Africa for close encounters with its animals and people. His journey begins in Cape Town, South Africa’s mother city, so called because it’s the country’s oldest. Then in the shadow of the city’s landmark Table Mountain, he visits South Africa’s oldest wine country and samples some of South Africa's finest wines. While we can expect to find lions and elephants on Joseph’s African journey, at the Cape of Good Hope Joseph also introduces us to ostriches and a colony of three thousand African Penguins. The climax of the episode is Joseph’s safari at Shamwari Game Reserve, a 61,000 acre preserve. Equally as inspiring as Joseph’s experience being surrounded by the multitude of Shamwari’s amazing animal residents is his experience in Alicedale, an abandoned rail town on the edge of the reserve. There he learns that sustainable tourism, attracted by the game reserve, has given the people new hope. In a dramatic moment of illustrated truth, Joseph’s South African journey teaches us that although predators kill by instinct, people choose whether to attack or embrace each other and choice is what makes us human and allows us to celebrate our connection.

1206 - South Padre Island, TX

Joseph heads to South Padre Island for a host of activities that highlight the many pleasures available to visitors to the longest barrier island on the South Texas Coast. Besides enjoying the local's favorite pastime of kicking’ back and breathing in the sweet sea breezes, Joseph partakes of the islands’ many natural and manmade attractions. From fishing to bird watching and horseback riding, from building sand castles to kayaking the lagoon and hitting the surf, Joseph joins in the fun. A highlight of his visit is his in-depth visit to the only Sea Turtle rescue set in the United States -- South Padre Island Sea Turtle, Inc. To round out his stay he follows the Sandcastle Trail and Sea Turtle Art Trail and proves that South Padre Island has something to offer every visitor and the best time to visit is now.

1207 - France – Cruising on the Lot

Joseph and his crew navigate a watery path under the craggy cliffs and dramatic escarpments of Southwest France. Winding their way by boat through the Lot River Valley they capture Joseph’s journey through the river’s ancient locks and the region’s magical villages. Among the many treasures, the episode features are Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, classified as one of the “Most Beautiful Villages of France”, the Château de Mercuès, with its Michelin star restaurant and award-winning winery, as well as, the region’s capital, Cahors, which boasts historic bridges, secret gardens and one of the best marchés – farmer's markets -- in Southwest France. Joseph offers his viewers a taste of the region’s abundance of riches.

1208 - Alaska – America’s Last Frontier

Joseph looks back to his first voyage through Alaska’s Inside Passage to the land and the people of America’s Last Frontier. His ocean-going vessel carries him through Canadian waters to Prince Rupert, British Columbia and on through Alaska’s inside passage to Juneau, Skagway and Sitka. Along the way, the ship stops in Tracy Arm Fjord to catch nature’s show headlined by Bald Eagles and Gray, Orca and Humpback whales. Further explorations take him to Alaska’s capital, Juneau and while no roads lead to Juneau visitors still come to trek its glaciers, kayak its rivers and ski its mountains. Joseph’s Alaskan journey of discovery continues in the Klondike Gold Rush town of Skagway and in historic Sitka where he explores its Russian roots. On his Inside Passage journey, he meets the Tsimshian people and learns of their struggle to retain their language, rich culture and ancient ceremonies. Alaska is America’s Last Frontier and every Alaskan has a story to tell about what brought them and what keeps them there. In the end, Joseph discovers that they came for the land, but they stayed for the people.

Underwritten by: EVA Airways, No Jet Lag
Local Underwriting: available with non-compete of national underwriter

Producer: Julie Rosendo, julie@travelscope.net

Presenting Station: KQED, San Francisco

About APT:

American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations. For more than 10 years, APT has annually distributed one-third or more of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. Founded in 1961, among its 250 new program titles per year, APT programs include prominent documentaries, performances, news, and current affairs programs, dramas, how-to programs, children’s series, and classic movies. America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Cook’s Country, AfroPoP, Rick Steves’ Europe, Chris Kimball’s Milk Street Television, Front and Center, Doc Martin, Nightly Business Report, Midsomer Murders, A Place to Call Home, Lidia’s Kitchen, Globe Trekker, New Orleans Cooking with Kevin Belton, Simply Ming, and P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home are a sampling of APT’s programs, considered some of the most popular on public television.

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APT licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service. Entering its 13th year, Create®TV — featuring the best of public television’s lifestyle programming — is distributed by American Public Television. APT also distributes WORLD™, public television’s premier news, science, and documentary channel. To find out more about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.

About KQED

KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS affiliate based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most-listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source and leader and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places, and ideas.

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