Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope

Join Joseph on his Micronesia adventure to the island of Palau, noted for diving, scenic beauty and exotic cultures.  Among other things, on this podcast we visit the Rock Islands, take a kayak trip through mangrove forests and swim with non-stinging jelly fish.  Along the way, Joseph meets the friendly islanders and participants in some festive celebrations—Palau-style.

When you think of Africa you hardly think of a beautiful beach, but in Mozambique, Africa that’s exactly what you should be thinking about.  Joseph traveled to Mozambique for one of two shows on Africa that will be featured in Travelscope TV Season IV – which begins airing in June 2010. After the long flight from the U.S. aboard South African Airways, Joseph joined Geoff Calmeyer of Roar Africa on a sun-soaked, white-sand beach in Mozambique.

America’s Last Frontier has a world of attractions awaiting the visitor — in every season. Today Joseph takes off on a Regent Seven Seas Mariner Alaska adventure. He’ll highlight the historic and multi-cultural side of Anchorage, sample local cuisine, view wildlife and soak up Alaska’s breathtaking beauty. We’ll also meet the people of Alaska they’ll share with us their unique spirit and character and along the way we’ll give you some ideas so that you can plan your own Alaska journey.

Gold Medal Winner - “Lowell Thomas Journalism Award” Joseph flies into the bush for astonishing wildlife and cultural encounters with the animals and people of Zambia’s Luangwa Valley before he “roughs it” in a swank safari camp on the shore of the great Zambezi river within ear shot of hippos and elephants. He then heads south to stand on historic Livingstone Island at the edge of thundering Victoria Falls.

I may be life-long loyal Californian, but I still love New York. On my last visit I headed downtown to the Lower East Side—one of Manhattan’s authentic neighborhoods—for a stay at the Hotel on Rivington. It’s a cool, hip hotel and a fascinating historic neighborhood. Click here to read my blog on both. In this latest pod cast I speak with general manager, MarcAnthony Crimi, and sales manager, Baudouin Casteele, about the hotel and share some great neighborhood discoveries on my latest Pod Cast. For more on the Hotel on Rivington go to HotelonRivington.com or call 212-475-2600. For information on all of the unique, quality boutique properties under the House of Kooser umbrella go to HouseofKooser.com.

Machu Picchu Pueblo also known as Aquas Calientes (“Hot Waters” - because of its famous hot springs) is the gateway to the world’s most famous archeological site, Machu Picchu.  Founded in 1911 along with the railway (a monumental engineering feat), the town began just ten years after the modern-day discovery of the Incan royal city of Machu Picchu.  It is the end of the line for the daily trains that bring visitors from Cusco and the Sacred Valley.  Besides being the starting point for a twenty-minute bus ride or a hour and half hike to the archeological site, the town offers its own attractions. The central market is filled with a large selection of tourist trinkets, as well as local goods, such as colorful hand-woven textiles, fresh fruits and produce, exotic sounding and smelling herbs and natural homemade concoctions created for your benefit.  I was glad to find a fresh supply of Maca, a powder made from a root crop that is said to have been used by Incan royalty for strength and stamina.  Of course, there are stalls offering Coca leaves, which are especially good for the treatment of the high altitude illness often encountered by flatlanders newly arrived in the Andes. There are a surprising number of good restaurants in town. Indio Feliz offers an eclectic menu and an abundance of spirited fun that gets your Andean vacation off to a good start.  An elegant stop for local and fusion foods is the Tree House, where you may get a Thai spiced fish or hearty Peruvian meat dish with your genuine Pisco sours.  Since spending a night in Machu Picchu Pueblo in order to beat the tour groups and be one of the first at the archeological site is one of my best recommendations, it’s a good that there are a wide selection of accommodations in town.  They run the gamut from student hostels to five-star properties, yet none even closely compares with the glorious Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, a Relais & Chateaux property.  Tucked away in a 12-acre garden of tropical flora, the intimate 85-casita hotel conjures up an Andean village in architecture and spirit.  Located on the edge of the Vilcanota River, it offers a gentle refuge from the overflow of people in town and at up at the site.  Dinner at its first-class restaurant is within ear shot of the rushing river (breakfast and lunch are included in your hotel package) and was one of the highlights of my and Julie’s Peruvian adventure.  In my latest pod cast, I discuss the property and the hotel’s commitment to the protection and preservation of Peru’s natural treasures, including the endangered Andean Bear, with hotel general manager Joaquin Escudero. For information on all the Inkaterra properties in Peru go to Inkaterra.com.  For more on the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel visit their website.

Cuzco, the gateway to Machu Picchu, was considered by the ancient Incas as the “navel of the world.” On the top of the Incan temples that they had destroyed the Spanish built their haciendas, churches and public buildings. The Mueso Inka tells the story of the Incas and the different peoples who settled their lands before them. At the Museo Casa Concha you can prepare for your visit to Machu Picchu, the most stunning of Incan ruins, by learning about the world’s most famous archeological site and the many theories that surrounding it. In addition, you’ll see artifacts from Machu Picchu, including some recently returned to Peru from the Peabody Museum in Cambridge, Massachusetts where the “discoverer” of Machu Picchu, Hiram Bingham, deposited them in the 1920s. History is everywhere is Cuzco. What is now the main Plaza de Armas was the center of the Incan capital from the 12th century until time of the Spanish conquest in 1532. After you’ve visited the numerous museums, churches and Incan ruins there is no better way to past the time than to find a seat at one of the cafés that surround the plaza, sip a Pisco sour and watch the passing parade of people from all over the world. The city’s structures are literally built on the back of Incan empire and at our excellent accommodation, Inkaterra La Casona, a former “big house” where notables such as Simon Bolivar, the liberator of South America, once stayed, the Incan foundation still supports the former Spanish mansion. La Casona is one of four Inkaterra hotels in Peru—all of them several cuts above the rest—and from its location on peaceful Plaza Nazerenas, all of the city’s main attractions are within walking distance. In my latest pod cast I speak with Luisella Garmendia, the hotel’s resident manager, about the experience of living and working in a city where the past is forever present. For information on all the Inkaterra properties in Peru go to http://www.Inkaterra.com.

Peru’s Incan sites extend beyond Cusco and Macchu Picchu. Ten miles from Cusco, the Sacred Valley is home to colonial villages, indigenous markets and Incan ruins, such as Chinchero, Pisac and Ollantaytambo. They can all be visited by a two-day boleto touristico at half the price of Cuzco’s one-day Boleto Turistico. While you can visit the area attractions on tours from Cuzco, Julie and I decided to base ourselves at the luxury Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel and Wellness located in a 17th-century colonial hacienda in the village of Huayllabamba. The hotel can arrange tours and transportation to the villages and Incan sites or you can do what we did and create your own Peruvian adventure by catching the local transportation and visiting Pisac and Ollantaytambo. If you are heading on to Machu Picchu and traveling with baggage, it’s best to have the gracious Aranwa Hotel staff arrange easy transport to the town of Ollantaytambo where you can hop aboard the two-hour train to Machu Picchu. During this pod cast, I speak with Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel guest relations manager, Charles Tito Human, about the property and the valley’s attractions. For information on the Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel and the Aranwa group’s other Peruvian properties: The Aranwa Paracas Resort & Spa, The Aranwa Pueblito Encantado del Colca and the beachside Vichayito Bungalows & Carpas go to AranwaHotels.com or call 855-384-6635.

Founded by the Spanish in 1535 Lima has long been the capital of Peru. Some of its colonial elegance may have faded over the centuries, but there’s still a lot to keep you satisfied. Most of those who are embarking on a Peruvian adventure must pass this way, yet the wise traveler will spend at least a couple of days getting to know the city. During our brief stay we grabbed the local colectivos (small mini-buses which costs about 50 cents for the half-hour ride from Miraflores to El Centro) and took in the historic downtown. There are enough fascinating churches, museums, shops, restaurants and cafes there to keep you plenty busy. Lima has garnered a recent reputation for being a unsafe town and, while there have been reports of pick-pockets and sneak-thieves, if you keep your eyes and ears open and your jewelry and stash of cash back in your hotel safe, your stay should be incident-free. Of its many barrios, Barranco, the artist quarter and upscale Miraflores are the two recommended for visitors to explore. There’s a reason that most tourists stay in Miraflores—there are plenty of good, clean and worry-free accommodations and the neighborhood’s shops, stores, bakeries, money changing agencies, restaurants and cafes can take care of all a traveler’s needs. We stopped for two nights at the Hotel Antigua Miraflores, a quaint and comfortable inn which makes a perfect city base. It’s an historic turn-of-the-century Spanish mansion which has been converted into a lovely, reasonably priced accommodation with nice rooms, a gracious staff and an excellent restaurant which features expertly prepared Peruvian fusion cuisine. In its cozy bar, Alembic, I met up with chef Carla Davila and chef mixologist Juan Jose who spoke with me about the attractions of Lima and pleasures of Peru’s national drink, Pisco. For information on the Hotel Antigua Miraflores go to AntiguaMiraflores.com.

Portland, long famous as the Rose City, is becoming world renowned as the gateway to Oregon Wine Country.  On a recent visit to Portland we joined family members on a informal tour through the Willamette Valley stopping off at Stoller Family Estate, Anne Amie Vineyard, Lemelson Vineyards, Cana’s Feast Winery and, the crème de la crème, Archery Summit.  Although the weather was typically overcast, the day was sparkling with good cheer and filled with many fine samplings.  We were in a vinicultural mood because our home-away-from-home was Bill Kimpton’s Hotel Vintage Plaza.  Considering the fact that along with creating his first hotel in San Francisco in 1981, Kimpton also inaugurated the first complimentary nightly wine hour, it’s not surprising that he took the wine theme hotel-wide when he opened his first non-California accommodation, the Hotel Vintage Plaza, in 1991.  The name of each room at the Vintage Plaza celebrates a different Oregon wine and the Kimpton’s signature Wine Hour flourishes in this location.  Speaking of wine, Pazzo, the rustic Italian restaurant attached at the lobby to the property, has an excellent wine list including three special tasting flights which introduce the diner to three samples of Sparkling, Pinot Noirs and Italian vintages.  During this latest pod cast, recorded in the restaurant on New Year’s Eve afternoon, I spoke with Pazzo Chef John Eisenhart and General Manager Jason Gordon about Oregon food and wine and the Vintage Plaza Hotel.  For information on the Vintage Plaza go to VintagePlaza.com.  Take a look at Chef John’s Tenth Anniversary menu at Pazzo.com. 

There’s more to California Wine Country than Napa and Sonoma. In my latest pod cast I travel to Carmel Valley and the Holman Ranch, a wedding and event venue surrounded by vineyards. I speak with guest services manager Nick Elliot. For more information on Holman Ranch go to HolmanRanch.com or call (831) 659-2640.

The seat of the United States government, Washington D.C. is also the repository of the country’s historic treasures. Kimpton’s Topaz Hotel is located within easy reach of many of our capital’s most popular attractions. I speak Ryan Cimei of the Topaz about the hotel and the city on my latest podcast. For travel information on the nation’s capital go to Washington.org. For more the Kimpton Group of Hotels go to KimptonHotels.com and for accommodations and other packages at the Topaz Hotel in Washington go to TopazHotel.com.

Carmel-By-The-Sea on California’s Central Coast is noted for its beautiful seaside setting among the coastal pines. It’s a family, pet and pine tree friendly environment and I speak with Scott and Doris Theis of the Hofsas House about the village’s European ambience on my latest pod cast. For more information on Carmel go to CarmelCalifornia.com. For more on the Hofsas House check out their website at HofsasHouse.com or call them at 800-221-4548.

While the Mexican beach resorts of Cancun, Los Cabos and Acapulco show signs of being loved to death, the Bays of Huatulco in the state of Oaxaca still offer the traveler all the warmth, beauty and genuine Mexican experiences that I look for. In my latest pod cast, on a cliff overlooking one of Hualtulco’s nine beautiful bays, I speak with Las Brisas Hotel general manager, Philippe Filhol Perondi about Huatulco’s still hidden and authentically Mexican attractions. For more information on the Bays of Hutatulco go to VisitMexico.com/en/huatulco. For more on the Las Brisas Hotel Huatulco go to LasBrisasCollection.com.

Cindy Paulos, author of The Travel Angel Handbook, spreads the good word about travel to her radio listeners on KAOI 1110AM and KAOI 96.7FM on Maui, Hawaii. Joseph has had the honor of being a frequent guest on her broadcast. In this most recent appearance Joseph and Cindy talk about the destinations covered in the recently released Season 7 of Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope®and the excitement behind the PBS television show’s recent Emmy® wins. For more on Cindy visit her website. For more information on Season 7 of Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope, visit travelscope.net.