-It's said a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

-♪ Steppin' out ♪ -Welcome to "Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out."

In celebration of my 20th anniversary on PBS and Create TV, we're stepping out into the wonderful waterways of the world and the adventures they take us to.

[ All cheering ] -"Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out" is made possible by... -Since 1975, we've inspired adults to learn and travel in the United States and in more than 100 countries.

From exploring our national parks to learning about art and culture in Italy, we've introduced adults to places, ideas, and friends.

We are Road Scholar.

We make the world our classroom.

♪♪ -For the last 20 years with "Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out" and "Travelscope," I've traversed our planet's rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Throughout the ages, the waterways of the world have been a conduit for the transport of people and goods from one culture to another, as well as pathways to adventure.

[ All cheering ] A voyage promises the traveler a fresh perspective on a passing parade of sights and scenes.

The Danube is Europe's second-longest river, flowing for almost 1,800 miles from the Black Forest to the Black Sea.

I began my "Travelscope" Danube journey in the Hungarian capital of Budapest.

Budapest is more than a city with a thousand-year history.

It's a jewel on the Danube that has attracted many.

Since the days of the Romans, it's been conquered and destroyed by the likes of Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, the Habsburgs of Austria, the sultans of the Ottoman Empire, the Nazis, and the Soviets.

It's risen from the ashes time and time again, and its regal beauty continues to reign over the Danube.

From metropolitan Budapest, I head into the Hungarian countryside to the village of Kalocsa.

[ Whips cracking ] While their names are similar and Attila did conquer the historic lands of what is now in Hungary, the Hungarians are not Huns.

They're descended from the Magyars, nomadic raiders that settled in the great plain of Hungary and ultimately became farmers and herders.

[ Whip cracking ] We see reflections of their skills in the exploits of the Puszta horse shepherds.

♪♪ [ Whips cracking ] [ Cheers and applause ] After the day's cultural display, we bid adieu to sparkling Budapest as we float down the Danube to coveted and cultural Serbia and its historic, hip capital, Belgrade.

Walking on the walls of the ancient Belgrade fortress, it immediately becomes clear its strategic location.

Anyone who commanded the fortress also commanded the surrounding area.

Perhaps that's why the town of Belgrade has been attacked 44 times throughout the centuries.

From here, you can also see the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.

This is certainly one of your must-do attractions on your visit to Belgrade.

Belgrade has many neighborhoods -- different styles, different atmospheres.

Skadarlija has a bohemian atmosphere.

It's the Montmartre of Belgrade.

And you know, it's cool.

There's music, there's restaurants, there's cafes, and there's good coffee.

[ Traditional music plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Record scratch ] [ Upbeat dance music plays ] Serbia's many years of struggle didn't damper the Serbians' fun-loving spirit.

Belgrade's string of riverfront clubs is a playful place to hang out.

Literally.

♪♪ [ Serene music plays ] Every travel journey has its exclamation points.

On the natural side, nothing compares with sailing through the Iron Gate, Europe's most impressive river gorge.

It's a mix of up to 300-foot cliffs, rushing water, deep valleys and canyons, and millennia of history.

For about 60 miles along the Romanian and Serbian border, the Danube carves a swath through the Carpathians and Balkan mountains.

A watery highway once used by the Romans.

In spite of the man-made alterations, nature's spectacle continues to evoke expressions of joy and wonder, and forever mark the memories of those fortunate enough to travel through the Iron Gate.

♪♪ [ Dramatic music plays ] Angkor Wat is many things.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is considered the world's largest single religious monument, its temple mountains a representation of the Hindu cosmos.

It stood at the heart of Angkor, the 1,000-square-mile capital of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of Southeast Asia for 600 years.

It is an icon of the empire's power, wealth, and artistic culture.

From Siem Reap, it's a four-hour drive to hook up with my Mekong River cruise.

Born in the Tibetan highlands, the Mekong River flows for 2,700 miles through six countries on the way to the South China Sea.

More than 60 million people depend on it for their food, transportation, and livelihood.

Up to a mile wide, it makes its way through Cambodia for 300 miles.

In Vietnam, it's called Cuu Long, "Nine Dragons River," because of its tributaries, which together form the expansive Mekong Delta.

The ship and its stops along the river give me access to Cambodian life, from the spiritual to the tragic and everything in between.

[ Gong ringing ] I'm in Wat Hanchey, overlooking the Mekong River.

Beautiful views of the river from here.

This is an historic place.

There are structures here that have been here since the seventh century.

It has three important elements -- a place where monks can live, a place where monks can pray, and a place where monks can dine.

In Cambodia, the monk community has been very important.

They were activists.

During the Pol Pot genocide, many monks were persecuted and killed.

What is the role of the monk community today?

-Arkoun.

-Arkoun.

-With Laty's words in mind, I visit nearby Phnom Pros, where, along with playful monkeys, shining temples, and golden Buddhas, I'm confronted by Cambodia's terrible past.

♪♪ I'm on Man Hill, on the grounds of Wat Phnom Pros.

It is also the site of one of the 343 killing fields in existence during Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge communist regime.

From 1975 to 1979, the Khmer Rouge persecuted, tortured, starved, and murdered between 1.7 and 2.5 million Cambodians.

Among them, Muslims and other ethnic groups, journalists, political rivals, teachers, artists, writers, and even people who wore glasses.

We'll never really know how many died.

And the Cambodians will never forget this dark chapter in their country's story.

♪♪ ♪♪ A former Cambodian capital, Oudong's temple complex was founded in 1601, enhanced in 1841, destroyed by the Khmer Rouge in 1977, and reconstructed in the 21st century.

Monk blessings take place in its Buddhist center.

At the heart of Buddhism are the Four Noble Truths.

Human life is suffering, suffering is caused by desire, suffering can end and the cycle of rebirth be broken.

Suffering can cease by following the Middle Way between sensual excess and denial of our humanity.

The Eightfold Path is right understanding, right thoughts, right action, right speech, right livelihood, right efforts, right concentration, and in my opinion most important and most difficult, right mindfulness.

♪♪ [ Serene music plays ] Venice has been a sea power since the 11th century, so it's altogether fitting that I begin my Mediterranean cruise here in Venice.

Called the Pearl of the Adriatic, Venice is also known as Serenissima, the Serene Republic.

And while its beauty and romance will entice you to stay, since its beginning, it has also been a point of embarkation for many a Mediterranean journey of discovery.

My Mediterranean voyage samples the best of the Dalmatian coast and visits little-known Malta.

Our first port of call is Split, located on the Croatian coast.

While Croatia is noted for its many seaside resorts, in its medieval towns like Split, the appeal is the city's history, which dates back more than 1,700 years, and its vibrant cultural life, which traditionally has always been connected to the sea.

Tell me about this fish.

Is this like sardines, or...?

-They are sardines.

You just fry them and then you eat them like chips.

-Dino, all the fish vendors are women.

How come?

-Well, all the husbands are on the sea catching the fish.

-Of course.

What's this?

-These are the salted sardines.

-Are they good to eat, like, now?

You can eat them like that?

-Yeah, yeah.

Under the Venice Republic, we were the greatest exporter of salted sardines.

-She's cleaning it for me.

-Yes.

-This is fresh.

Alright.

I can eat the bones and everything?

-Yeah.

-Mmm!

After suffering through centuries of war, subjugation, and oppression, the Croatian people can now breathe free.

They look out across the Mediterranean to the rest of Europe.

A member of the European Union since 2013, they've been hard at work adopting the European joie de vivre.

Well, it seems like having a cup of coffee seaside is a favorite pastime here in Split.

-It's more Mediterranean than Croatian, to sit in the open terrace with a beautiful sea view on a sunny day.

As they say in Split, "Who could pay for this?'

-Ah!

As we say in California, it's priceless.

♪♪ At the heart of the Mediterranean, Malta has long been sought after because of its strategic location.

Consequently, it has had many masters, from the Phoenicians and the Romans to Napoleon and the British.

Medina, Arabic for "fortified city," was Malta's capital for hundreds of years before Saint Paul became shipwrecked here in 60 A.D.

-People are actually amazed when they come here.

We have a lot, a lot of history, and when they come here, they think they're going to go to an island and they're just going to see beaches and nothing else.

And then they come here and they see all this history and it's like, "Wow!"

This is really what comes out.

-Good expression.

Can you say that again?

-Wow.

[ Both laugh ] ♪♪ -An idea hatched out of military necessity -- the British-American War of 1812 -- the Rideau Canal gained its true glory in peacetime.

It was hacked and hewed by hand from a wilderness of rough rush, malaria-ridden swamps, and unyielding rock.

Once its military need faded, it became a watery route for settlers to Canada's interior, as well as a major shipping link between Canada's former and present capitals -- Kingston and Ottawa.

Today, the Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a popular tourist and recreation attraction, and the oldest continuously operating canal system in North America.

Its 125 miles transverse a landscape populated with thick forests, placid waters, peaceful parks, and colorful communities.

Each year, thousands cruise its waterway in chartered vessels.

From our point of embarkation in downtown Ottawa, we ease our vessel along city streets and trails, under historic bridges, and through working locks on the first link of our Rideau Canal Adventure.

The Rideau Canal was constructed from 1826 to 1832, and it affected life along its path right from the beginning, to the founding of the town that would eventually become Ottawa, to the small villages and towns along its watery trail.

Now behind me, you hear the mill that was created because of the Rideau Canal.

Because of the mill, the town of Manotick is here today.

They make sweet use of the mill's flour at Manotick's Gingerbread Man.

You find all sorts of interesting shops in these small villages and towns that are along the Rideau Canal.

I'm with Richard, and he's the Gingerbread Man.

What brought you here to Manotick?

-I always wanted to have this business in a small town.

Because Manotick is a gingerbread town.

It's 150 years old, and it just fits here very nicely.

-And here you are making wonderful treats for people.

-The butter tarts are very popular.

-Somewhere in the afterlife, you will suffer for making us all so happy.

Those are really fantastic.

-Thanks.

-What is your number-one seller?

-The houses are very popular, but as far as cookies go, this, um... This is the poop emoji.

-[ Chuckles ] Poop.

-And he is the number-one seller.

And the number-two seller is Mr.

Vader.

-Yeah.

-But don't you think that should be number two?

-Yeah, that should be number two.

♪♪ I see we have a boat waiting to come on through.

And in order to get through these locks, you have to be there half an hour before.

So your timing's got to be good.

-Your timing's got to be good.

But also, with this station, around the corner, we have a swing bridge that we operate as well.

-Ah!

-So you've got to clear that bridge, because otherwise that gets locked as well.

-But of course, the idea is to take this at your own pace and not to be in a big, gigantic hurry.

-No, just take nature in and just go slowly.

-One of the most historic villages on the Rideau Canal is Merrickville, whose beginnings can be traced back to the 18th century, long before the canal existed.

It's been named Canada's most beautiful Village, and its stunning series of lock stations are just three of the town's more than 100 historic sites and buildings.

Merrickville has a thriving community of artists and artisans.

-So, we have some crushed-up chunks of colored glass.

Now we're going to go ahead and heat up that color and melt it into the surface.

-Look at the swirling of colors.

Wow.

It's always magical to see what artists can do with glass.

Thank you so much.

-And there we have our finished product.

-For eons before the canal, Canada's indigenous people used the Rideau River as a trading and transportation byway.

Today, Smiths Falls schoolchildren are learning the fine art of canoe building from their First Nations elders.

You know what I love about the canoe, it's so connected to Canada in so many ways.

-12-footers were popular because of the many waterways, rivers, streams we have around here.

-But the First Nations people were using the Rideau River for...10,000 years?

-Oh, if not more.

-So, how long would it take to make a canoe like this?

-We're on pace to have it done in 12 days.

-You're continuing the heritage by teaching children.

-Correct.

-So, what's the response?

-The response is great.

-Oh, tremendous.

-And I think with our kids, with all the technology now, they've really got away from nature.

So if we can educate them how important nature is and trees, then they've got a fighting chance to save it.

-You know, it's interesting on this tour that we're doing along the Rideau Canal, all the different artisans in the different villages.

It's wonderful to see the people put their spirit into these crafts.

-Mm.

Oh, yes.

-And when you see them actually being created, you start to understand what you've got in your hand, and what you've got in your hand.

It's so nice to meet you guys.

-Nice to meet you.

-From sunrises to sunsets, our trip downriver just keeps getting better.

103 miles from Ottawa, Jones Falls is an exclamation point on the Rideau Canal.

-Jones Falls was a real engineering challenge when it was built, so what they ended up with was the second-tallest lock on the Rideau.

-Not to mention what a beautiful site you have here.

-Oh, absolutely.

-Particularly this time of year, in October, in the fall.

All of the locks masters and all the people that have helped us get through the canal have been absolutely wonderful.

So thank you very much.

We really appreciate it.

-Thank you.

It's a pleasure.

-When many of us think of Panama in Central America, we think of the Panama Canal.

Since 1527, there was a plan to build a canal through Panama.

In 1881, the French began construction, faltered in their efforts, and ultimately handed the task over to the United States.

Overcoming obstacles such as yellow fever, The U.S.

was able to complete the job and open the canal in 1914.

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed a treaty with Panama, which in 1999 turned over full control of the canal and the U.S.

Canal Zone, a 10-mile swath through the heart of Panama, back to the Panamanians.

-So, it's really a 22-year period to be able to go from an American administration... -Right.

-...to a full Panamanian administration.

So, you have CEOs that are now Panamanians, you have lock masters, you have pilots that are full Panamanians.

And now today, of course, our decisions on maintenance, our expansion, our future investments, upgrades that we need around, well, it's all handled by us.

-How important is the Panama Canal to Panama?

-100% important to all of us.

It's in our bones.

It's something that it represents us.

-Yeah, I was going to ask you, how important is it to you?

Personally.

-100%.

Every day, to me, it's important.

I've been doing this for the last 23 years, and to me, looking at it every day, it's understanding what all the people that did before brought us to where we are today.

-With the pride that Panamanians feel in the canal, um, Americans built it.

Some people would say, "Well, why do you have pride in it?

We built it."

-It's in our land.

-There is that one little thing, that it's on your land.

-You have to be clear on that.

It's in our land, so therefore we should be part of it.

We'll take it from now.

[ Both laugh ] -It's hard to say how many tourists go through the canal each year.

But of the 2.5 million visitors that came to Panama in 2023, 82% visited the Miraflores Visitor Center.

But what's it like to cruise the canal?

-Let's get ready for this beautiful journey today along one of the beautiful wonders of the world.

-First time through the Panama Canal.

This is kind of momentous and historic to be able to come in through here.

So, what made you want to come on the Panama Canal?

-My parents always dreamed of coming and seeing the canal and never made it, so that's also special.

-Oh, that's great.

So they're kind of traveling along with you.

I love that.

Well, here we are in the Miraflores lock.

It really looks different from this perspective.

We have a huge cruise ship next to us.

And we also have a big ship from Hong Kong in front of us.

♪♪ How many locks on the canal?

-Altogether, we have five, but our original locks -- three.

And two built by Panama later on.

-So, when people are going through the canal, whether they're on a sailboat or in a huge cruise ship like the one we've got next to us here, uh, they're only going to be going through three locks?

-Exactly.

-Panama is more than just the canal, obviously.

-Oh, definitely.

Definitely.

Lots to see.

-And I appreciate the fact that you get to see a little bit of Panama as you go through the canal.

The waterways of the world and the vessels I've traveled on, be they passenger ships or canal cruisers, took me in comfort on journeys through history and to diverse landscapes... -Arkoun.

-...and cultures.

While the voyage was an integral part of my aquatic experiences, it's the destination and its people that mattered most.

In Panama, the canal cuts a strip less than a mile wide through the land, yet the country beyond the channel is rich in natural beauty, colorful villages, indigenous communities, and artisans that continue to preserve and protect Panama's rich cultural heritage.

Don't forget to explore it.

[ All cheering ] -Thank you for helping me celebrate my 20 years on PBS and Create TV, and for steppin' out with me on the waterways of the world.

Till we meet again, remember the words of Mark Twain -- "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."

May your next adventure always be your best.

-"Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out" is made possible by... -Since 1975, we've inspired adults to learn and travel in the United States and in more than 100 countries.

From exploring our national parks to learning about art and culture in Italy, we've introduced adults to places, ideas, and friends.

We are Road Scholar.

We make the world our classroom.

♪♪ -For a DVD of the "Travelscope" and "Steppin' Out" episodes featured in my anniversary show, and to get my memoir and travel book, "Musings," call (888) 876-3399.

Or, to order online, go to Travelscope.net, JosephRosendo.com, or email me at TV@JosephRosendo.com.

Now that we've stepped out and celebrated the world's waterways together, learn more at JosephRosendo.com, where you can follow my worldwide adventures through my magazine, blog, podcast, and social media.

Stay in touch -- 888-876-3399.

Or email me at TV@JosephRosendo.com.

So, Joe, how long have you been a fisherman here?

-Oh, nearly all my life.

I'm 68.

-What kind of fish are you catching?

-In the harbor, you might get -- catch octopus, squids.

At the moment, I've got one... -The big -- Oh!

There's an octopus right there.

-Cuttlefish.

This is a cuttlefish.

-Cuttlefish.

And I noticed that some of the boats, they still have the eyes of Isis.

-First of all, it's a decoration.

-Yes.

-But the old ones, they believe in the witches, and I don't know... Normally I use them to look for me when I sleep.

They keep looking for me.

Well, grazzi hafna.

-Anki inti.

Same to you.

-♪ Steppin' out ♪ ♪ Steppin' out ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪