Announcer: Welcome to "Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope"... Whoo!

Whoo!

Announcer: Where you join us as we accept the world's invitation to visit.

Yay!

Yay!

Joseph: Today on "Travelscope," I explore the Thousand Islands, an Ontario, Canada, and US destination on the St. Lawrence River, and take in its historic, cultural, and natural attractions.

Announcer: "Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope" is made possible by... At Scenic, crafting travel experiences across the globe is just what we do.

We're dedicated to immersing travelers within the heart of a culture... such as an evening at the Palais Liechtenstein, an event included on our Europe river cruises.

Scenic--proud sponsor of "Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope."

Delta Hotels introduces the Delta Toronto Hotel, steps away from the CN Tower, the Rogers Centre, and Toronto entertainment district.

And No-Jet-Lag jet lag prevention.

Joseph: The Thousand Islands is an area rich in history, culture, and natural beauty.

It's an international destination that embraces more than 1,800 islands and US and Canadian communities along the St. Lawrence River and the eastern shore of Lake Ontario.

Considered the Canadian gateway to the Thousand Islands, Gananoque, Ontario, population 5,000, offers visitors a slew of small-town pleasures on the water's edge and opportunities for insights into the unique culture of the Thousand Islands.

Since the 18th century, the St. Lawrence skiff has been an important mode of transportation here on the Thousand Islands.

Developed as a fishing boat for guides and their clients, it soon became, during the golden age of the Thousand Islands, a recreational vehicle which allowed islanders to reach their summer home or as a watercraft in which a gentleman could take his lady on a peaceful row down the river on a sunny afternoon.

The genteel days of the golden age have made way for the modern age, as visitors to Gananoque can now take in the Thousand Islands' watery attractions aboard a choice of sightseeing vessels.

Ship intercom: Eel Bay is the large open body of water to our left.

The two small islands are called Big Gull and Little Gull.

There are more than 1,800 islands in the Thousand Islands, and obviously, one of the best ways to see them is by boat.

The Gananoque Boat Line has 5 boats and 14 cruises a day from Spring Break up to the end of October, so there's plenty of opportunities to take in the sights.

Neil, this is an international cruise.

You go into the United States before you come back into Canada.

You have a number of different cruises, eh?

We have a beautiful little one-hour cruise that would allow them to get a taste of the islands.

We have a 2.5-hour trip, which is the 2-country tour, which takes us down both sides of the St. Lawrence River, and then we have a 5-hour tour where you can actually get off and tour Boldt Castle, one of the big attractions in the area.

Joseph: Located on the United States side of the border, Boldt Castle is not only an icon for the entire Thousand Island region, it is also a love story.

It was begun in 1900 by wealthy hotelier George Boldt as a gift for his loving wife Louise.

For 4 years, more than 300 workers labored day and night on the castle, and then tragedy struck.

In 1904, his young wife died, and, thrown into mourning, George immediately stopped construction.

He never saw the castle.

In the next 75 years, the castle changed hands and ultimately fell into an extreme state of disrepair.

In 1977, the Thousand Island Port Authority was gifted with the property and began their rehabilitation and enhancement of George Boldt's original dream.

Tell me a little bit about the process of saving this place.

Well, the first thing we had to do was stabilize the structure, with the foundation, roofing, windows.

And this coming in and taking over after, what, 75 years of neglect?

When we first got the castle, there was really not a single window in place.

How many are there now?

Oh, there's about 364 windows, so it certainly is a testament to the Thousand Island Bridge Authority's commitment to improving and re-creating Boldt Castle to the manner in which, we feel, that George Boldt would have had it completed.

Did you have a set of plans?

Did you know what you were doing?

We knew what we were doing, but we didn't have drawings, other than the interior drawings for the main castle.

As far as interior finishings, we did research with like homes in America.

Did you have any clues?

Yeah, well, we did, particularly in the library.

The original wainscoting was in place.

The fireplace and the mantel were there, and the Boldt Castle library bookshelves.

We were able to piece that room back together probably just the way George Boldt would have had it.

What about this amazing dome?

What state was that in?

Just the framework.

There was no glass whatsoever.

There's over 6,000 individual pieces of stained glass, over a mile's worth of lead caming, and that's just an absolutely beautiful stained glass dome.

It is stunning.

This place was built as part of a love story, and it continues, with the enthusiasm and the passion of the people that are trying to preserve and protect it now.

We're all part of the re-creation.

We're very proud.

Joseph: George Boldt was just one of the elite who built a summer retreat in the Thousand Islands in the late 19th century on what was dubbed Millionaire Row.

The Gananoque Inn was established in 1896 and still retains the elegance of that bygone era.

Basking in the glow of an island sunset on their waterfront dock is a fine way to end any day.

The Thousand Islands is not just for boaters.

There are hundreds of miles of biking and hiking trails.

The St. Lawrence Rec Trail, part of the Ontario Waterfront Trail, leads to rural experiences and natural attractions, like Landon Bay Centre, a 225-acre ecological reserve.

If you want to see the origin of the Thousand Islands, best place to come is here in Landon Bay, which is part of the Thousand Islands National Park.

Here, you can stand on a piece of the Frontenac Arch, which is a granite land bridge which connects the Adirondack Mountains in the United States and the Canadian Shield here in Canada, and it's also the final east-west barrier between the waters of the Great Lakes that flow over it and become the St. Lawrence River and ultimately empty in the Atlantic Ocean, and what's even more important to us is, we're in the middle of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere, one of 16 in Canada.

It's a 1,6000-square-mile UNESCO designation and also a sustainable community development program that takes into account environmental, cultural, societal, and economic considerations.

The Thousand Islands' rich natural and cultural heritage and its protection through sustainable development is what prompted the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designation.

Within its purview is the Old Stone Mill in Delta.

Obviously, water is an important element of life in the Thousand Islands and the surrounding area, but it hasn't just been famously used for sailing on and fishing in; it's also had its practical purposes, as well.

In 1810, William Jones built the Old Stone Mill in Delta, one of the first automatic grist mills.

For that and its stunning early Canadian architecture, it has been named a national historic site of Canada, and it still serves its community today.

Up!

All right.

25 kilograms.

Feels like it.

What kind of grain is this?

It's a hard red spring wheat variety called red fife.

It dates back to the 1840s and was developed just in Ontario here.

In the day, it was bred for baking, for nutrition, and for taste, whereas in modern days, we generally grow our food for weight because we sell our food by the pound.

Taste some.

You can see it's got a remarkable nutty texture to it.

The main reason this is designated as a national historic site of Canada is because this was an automatic mill.

That's correct.

So a man and gravity could run the whole process.

Yeah, simply with water.

It ran as an operating mill until 1949, and then it was shut down for quite a while, and then taken over by the Delta Mill Society in order to preserve the building.

When did it become an operating mill again?

It came operating on their 200th anniversary in 2010, and that's when I received the call looking for grain that they would have milled here back in the period.

We specialize in old landrace grains and oats and barley in the milling here.

We go out into the community and to breweries, small restaurants, and small artisnal bakeries.

We bring that whole food chain together.

Why don't we grind some grain?

Excellent.

I'm gonna increase the speed and add the flour, and you're gonna lower the stones down.

One full turn.

One full turn.

Yeah.

We'll add a little more grain.

And a little bit more.

Nice steady flow now.

OK. Just about there.

Great.

I think we're good.

Is that the original stone?

It is the original stone.

It dates from the late 1700s.

So there's our stone-ground 100% whole wheat flour.

Let's go bake some bread.

Excellent!

You're gonna put some honey in that water.

That's some warm water we got.

OK. How much do you need?

Fill it up?

About half a cup.

Yeah, fill that up, and I'll just add some yeast here, and next, we need some of that great red fife flour there.

This is an increment process.

You just keep adding.

Yeah.

Keep stirring there and mixing it up.

You take it like that, you fold it over, and you put it in like that, OK?

So just take it over.

So you mix that all up.

Do this?

Yeah, You're doing a great job.

You want to make it so that it's soft, but it's not sticking to you.

Now, this is what it looks like once it's risen.

Once it's risen, so the idea with this is that you punch that bread down.

Punch it?

Punch it.

Ah.

This is how you get rid of your aggression, I bet, on the farm.

It works good.

And then the finished product--yeah.

Ta-da!

And the best part of this whole process, of course, Margo... Is to taste it.

Is to taste it.

I think we have some-- this is probably from your farm, this butter, huh?

Ha ha!

How do we say "bon appétit" in Ontario?

Ha ha ha!

Bon appétit.

Bon appétit.

Yeah.

Joseph: A transportation corridor through the Frontenac Arch Biosphere, the Rideau Canal is a UNESCO world heritage site.

At Jones Falls, there are hiking trails, canoeing, and kayaking, and the opportunity to ride the locks into North America's oldest continuously operated canal system.

We're here in Jones Falls lock station.

It's about a quarter of the way between Kingston and Ottawa.

That's 126 miles from end to end.

And why is it here, Kerry?

Kerry: The Rideau Canal was built as a result of the War of 1812.

So, between Canadians and Americans, there was conflict, and it was felt at the time that it would be better to develop a transport system that would avoid being right down there on the St. Lawrence River.

Joseph: When was it built?

It started in 1826, and it was completed in 1832.

And it's been operation the entire time?

Over 180 consecutive years.

Now, this is a UNESCO world heritage site.

What makes it one?

Liam: The UNESCO designation comes from being a significant contribution to the history of Canada, and the actual task of building the canal make it unique in the world.

The construction is complemented by the fact that we still do it the old way.

We operate the canal on a daily basis using the same mechanism, same technology, and the same procedures.

See?

Once you get it started, it's not so bad.

This is actually quite amazingly easy.

The whole mechanism is set up to be able to move such a heavy load with a minimum of manpower.

All right.

There we go.

Here at Jones Falls, we're 15 feet per lock chamber.

Jones Falls?

I don't see any falls.

You're on top of them, actually.

The water level has been brought up above them to allow a boat like ours to pass over that obstacle.

And linkage is what it's all about.

You can actually continue down to the Intercoastal and over to Ottawa, over to Montreal.

I can go home to Miami.

Definitely.

Joseph: Since the golden age, fishing has been a favorite pastime in the Thousand Islands.

Back in the day, a guide might row his client 30 miles in search of a successful catch.

The boats may have changed, but a day of fishing, with the promise of a tasty shore lunch, is still in most visitors' Thousand Islands itinerary.

Fishing has been a very important part of the experience here in Thousand Islands for many years.

You're a descendant of that.

I am, basically.

Grandparents came here in the 1800s from London and migrated into Gananoque lifestyle of fishing.

We have to catch our shore lunch, if we're gonna keep the tradition of the old guides going.

That's right.

Well, let's get on with it, then.

Let's get going.

Got the right lure on there?

You got the absolute perfect lure.

We're gonna troll, and we're gonna try to catch a nice Canadian walleye.

How far should I let out the line?

Gary: You need to be out about 110-120 feet.

Be one with the lure.

Be one with the lure.

Be one with the lure.

What's the technique?

You basically want to impart an action to make it seems as though the bait is like a wounded minnow.

Walleye like a real slow presentation, whereas muskellunge tend to go after baits that are presented in a much more dramatic and excitable fashion.

Here we go.

Here we go.

Here we go.

Oh, it's off.

Come on over.

It's gone.

No, it's not.

Yes, it is.

It's not gone.

Is it?

Yeah.

Really?

Yeah.

I thought I had him.

You did.

You don't now, though.

I don't think I have a large fan base in the fishing world, because they never want to come and meet me.

And when they do come, they leave right away.

Today, there's definitely a cold-front situation.

Makes it a little bit more difficult, but there's got to be one fish we can trick.

Well, you know, for many people, fishing is a catching experience.

For me, it's a learning experience.

I learned patience.

I learned perseverance.

Oh!

I think I've got something here.

Yeah.

Greg: Got a pike.

Finally!

A cold-front pike.

There you go.

Yeah.

OK. Somebody from the St. Lawrence.

Well, I think he needs to go back.

There he goes.

Although my luck at fishing really hasn't changed, at least the weather has.

Thankfully, if you catch fish or not, for the last hundred years, the highlight of every Thousand Islands fishing trip has been a traditional shore lunch.

Back in the day--I'm talking about the old days-- when they had the shore breakfast and shore lunch, the guides made it for their guests.

Would this have been some of the ingredients?

They did have beans.

They did have bacon.

Right.

They did have potatoes, and there's something missing.

Fish.

Fish.

Wow.

And it isn't because we didn't catch any.

No.

Ha ha!

Because you could always find some fish somewhere.

That's right.

That was, of course, the main reason for it, was to cook the fish.

The guests would be people that have come up for a week or maybe the summer, even.

You've spent how many summers here?

Uh...This will be my 74th.

I lived on an island with all of my cousins.

There was probably 6 or 8 cousins.

That sounds like fun.

Oh, we had a wonderful time--boats.

Parents didn't care what you did back then.

What's, one, the biggest thing that's changed, and what is, two, the biggest thing that has stayed the same?

The easy one is what stayed the same, and it's this kind of thing.

This is the same.

The fishing hasn't really changed.

The islands are all the same.

For the most part, the people are still the same.

There may be a lot more of them, but what's changed the most, my great-aunt said the worst thing that could have happened to the river was fiberglass boats.

Uh-huh.

Now everyone can afford one.

Ha ha ha!

She wasn't a bit of a snob, was she?

No, no, not at all, not at all, and neither are any of her children, but... Ha ha ha!

But there are way more people here.

What about you?

What do you love most about it?

Boy.

Um...I got to think it's the people, whether it's my friends in town, my friends on the island, my friends on the American side.

It's a small community, and everyone relates to everyone else.

You may have a bigger boat than me, but we still have the same fun.

We go to the same places.

We see the same beauties.

We catch the same fish.

What about a visitor coming?

Will we have that same feeling?

I think you absolutely would have that same feeling.

I think that's why you would want to come back again.

Gives me a warm fuzzy feeling that you're happy to be here, and I hope you come back.

Thank you so much.

Hard to beat largemouth bass on a day like this.

Perfect!

Joseph: There's much to do shoreside in Gananoque, such as taking in a show at their waterside playhouse.

Every Thursday, June through October, the community comes together at the farmers marker.

It's a good place for me to meet up with new friends I've made during my stay in the Thousand Islands.

Guitarist: ♪ Baby, I love you ♪ [Acoustic guitar playing] ♪ I can't tell you where to look... ♪ Hey, Chris.

There you are.

Hey, Joseph.

Good to see you again.

We saw you out in the field.

You've met Kelly.

This is my wife Mary.

This is what you guys do besides grind red fife wheat at the mill?

Absolutely.

Big farming is the cereals, and little farming, veggies.

Carrots, parsnips.

This is my cheat sheet here.

Ha ha!

How long have you been coming here to this market?

About 10 years now.

It's been growing better and better every year, and it's starting to become a real community event in the evening.

That's what I live about coming to markets, because if you wait long enough, everybody in the community will come through here.

Absolutely.

And you get to meet some of the locals.

Introduce me to some of these people.

Chris: Excellent.

Here's someone that you got to meet.

John, this is Joseph.

This is the Crusty Baker.

Crusty Baker.

How did you get a name like that?

My girlfriend gave it to me.

Doesn't have anything to do with your personality, does it?

No.

It's all about the bread we make.

Now, what do you got here?

We have focaccias.

We have olive bread, garlic bread, traditional oat bread.

We have our baguettes.

We have our hearth loaf.

And you use all the local ingredients?

I mean, use some of his grain?

Absolutely, absolutely.

That's fabulous.

He sells this by the inch, I heard somebody say.

Yes.

This is the hearth loaf.

OK. Is this the bread itself?

The bread itself is a sourdough.

Nice!

So, some of our rye, which you didn't taste yesterday.

No, no.

This looks like we've got our inch here.

Have a nose on that.

Mmm.

I've heard of wine having a nose, but never a sourdough bread.

Absolutely, bread has a nose.

For sure.

Yeah.

Nose and texture and crumb and chew.

Very good.

What do we owe you for that?

That's a dollar.

Look at that.

Mmm, that's lovely.

That's a good piece of bread.

It is.

And what makes it sour?

We have a sourdough culture who lives in the bakery.

His name is Charlie.

He actually lives in a bucket under our bench.

Does he talk to you?

He does when I'm extremely tired.

Crusty--or John-- thank you so much.

You're most welcome.

Thank you for introducing us.

Talk to you soon.

Come this way.

This is one of my favorite things--cheese.

Gretchen, this is Joseph.

He's up to visit.

What is this, Gretchen?

So that's a garlic and chive gouda styling, part of gouda pilgrimage.

Do you have a lot of cows, Gretchen?

We only have about 30.

Only 30?

Chris: They're about 10 minutes from the mill.

So everybody's kind of like a big family there of organic farmers.

Yeah, exactly.

We're gonna have to get some cheese.

I think we should.

Maybe we'll get back and get some more sourdough bread and make a sandwich.

Ooh!

Have some greens.

Here's someone else.

They live just down the road from us.

Hi.

Tammara.

Tammara.

Nice to meet you.

What do we have?

We have pea shoots, sunflower shoots.

What made you decide you wanted to do this?

I lived in Kingston in an urban center, and I couldn't get greens in the winter, so I decided to learn how to grow them myself in my kitchen, and that's how I started, and now I bought a little farm.

It's interesting how many people were doing something before, came here to Thousand Islands, dropped what they were doing before and started again.

Is there some kind-- It's in the water.

It's infectious.

So once you finish the travel show business-- I'll be finished.

I'll come here.

Come out and be a bison rancher.

This is gonna top off our sandwich.

OK.

Excellent.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

Have a great day.

Good to see you again.

Bye.

First, you bake your bread.

Local cheese, local greens.

Yes.

Field-ripened tomatoes.

Think globally.

Eat locally.

Indeed.

Cheers.

♪ Well, I know this love is true ♪ ♪ Yes, I really do ♪ ♪ And I know this love will last ♪ ♪ Yes, I really do ♪ ♪ Yes, I really do ♪ Joseph: The Thousand Islands has long captured the heart and soul of those in search of a place of beauty and tranquility.

It is an area rich in natural wonders, historic sites, and island traditions, and its greatest treasures are the people you meet.

They're good-natured, independent, yet close-knit and connected to this land.

They have a spirit of adventure.

Some have been here for generations; others just came for a visit and have stayed for a lifetime, and their love of this place is real and infectious.

It doesn't take long to catch it.

Till next time, this is Joseph Rosendo reminding you of the words of Mark Twain-- "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."

Happy traveling.

Announcer: "Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope" is made possible by... With Scenic, our river cruising experiences have been crafted with our passengers in mind-- private balconies, private butlers.

The vistas of Europe roll by.

Dining options feature fresh and regional cuisine at up to 5 venues included on all our Europe river cruises.

Scenic--proud sponsor of "Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope."

Delta Hotels introduces the Delta Toronto Hotel, steps away from the CN Tower, the Rogers Centre, and Toronto entertainment district.

And No-Jet-Lag jet lag prevention.

For a DVD of today's show or any of Joseph's "Travelscope" adventures, call 888-876-3399 or order online at Travelscope.net.

You can also email us at TV@Travelscope.net or write us at the address on your screen.

Joseph: Now that we've discovered the Thousand Islands together, learn more at Travelscope.net, where you can follow my worldwide adventures through my e-magazine, blog, podcast, and on Facebook.

Stay in touch-- 888-876-3399 or TV@Travelscope.net.

What goes into a Thousand Island dressing?

Well, first we start with some mayonnaise.

Good.

Then after, we're gonna put some chili sauce in.

Green pickle relish.

All the pickles represent the 1,864 islands.

Chopped hard-boiled egg.

That's the secret ingredient.

Going to put some of the mayonnaise in.

Now we're going to go for the chili sauce.

And here are the 1,864 islands.

Yeah.

Ha ha!

Don't leave any out, now.

So this is about 1/4 cup.

So we've got a full cup of mayonnaise, 1/2 cup of chili sauce, and 1/4 cup of the relish.

Secret ingredient is a hard-boiled egg, and then we have a tablespoon or so of chives.

So you can see it's a nice thick consistency.

Oh, beautiful.

I will always remember Thousand Islands and Thousand Island dressing.

Thank you, Michelle.

Thank you.

Joseph: Having a little Thousand Island in the Thousand Islands.

It's not just for salads anymore.