This is my...

Travel Magazine

A very special kind of travel reportage is shooting with celebrities. Back in 1997, Wieland Scharf developed the idea of having celebrities from film, television and sports present destinations in their own personal style.

The first resulting project was the seven-part series "This is my Australia" about the Fifth Continent, produced in the same year. Among the seven celebrities of the first season were for instance the actor Rainer Hunold, crime scene commissar Ulrike Folkerts, swimming Olympic champion Dagmar Hase and the entertainer Ron Williams. The shoot turned out to be the most elaborate n-tv foreign production of the time and the biggest rating success of the year. As a result, the second celebrity relay "This is my Australia" followed in 2004. Since then, the celebrity travel format has established itself as an integral part of the n-tv program. Here is a review of our previous episodes:

This is my Interlaken

with Richy Müller

Interlaken: The city between lake Thun and Brienz in the Swiss Bernese Oberland. This was TV-inspector Richy Müller' starting point of his daily trips in the closer region. Next to alpine huts, lush meadows and happy cows, the actor amongst others discovered numerous traditions, that are still being fondly maintained today. With an alphorn maker for instance or the alphorn blower Willi Michel (foto) who masters this ancient Swiss instrument virtuosically. Richy visited the training workshop of the only school for wood-carving in Switzerland. On the ride from Grindelwald to the perpetual ice on Jungfraujoch, the actor learned a lot about a structure of a century - the Eiger tunnel - and the constantly receding alpine glacier. A report full of highlights, garnished with self manufactured filled chocolates.

This is my Taiwan

with Valerie Niehaus

April 2019 was all about filming in Taiwan. Together with actress Valerie Niehaus as "Tourguide", the blue planet team started the production in Taipei, the capital of the island state. Before there, the further route led inland, into the Alishan Mountains. What many people do not know: Taiwan has more mountain peaks over three thousand meters than the Alpine Republic of Austria...and Taiwan is just as big in terms of area as the German state of Baden-Württemberg.

Other locations: The cities of Tainan, Taichung and Kaohsiung as well as the Kenting National Park. Overall a trip with many surprises! Who would have thought that in the middle of Kaohsiung we would find a concert hall that has the largest organ in Asia... and which are still from German production. The first season of "This is My Taiwan" was already on the n-tv summer program 2019. Another season will follow at Christmas time.

This is my Bahrain

with Eva Habermann

Together with actress Eva Habermann, in November 2018 the blue planet team went on a voyage of discovery in the east of the Arabian Peninsula, in Bahrain. A horseback ride in the desert, forays through the souks of Manama and Muharraq and the search for valuable natural pearls: These were just some of the highlights of this trip, which were also included in the reportage.

A shooting under best weather conditions and with a highly playful protagonist.

The first episodes of "That's my Bahrain " was already featured in n-tv's Christmas program in 2018. The second season will follow in the 2019 summer program.

This is my South Korea

with Johann Lafer

Anyone who travels with Johann Lafer knows, that somehow it is always about food! In this case too. The renowned TV chef went on a culinary discovery tour with the blue planet team and was introduced to the delights of Korean cuisine. In particular, Johann Lafer was taught how to prepare traditional Korean food by the nuns of the Jingwansa Temple. A big part of the South Korean culinary art is also the corresponding visual appearance. After a long search, the team found a nationally known master potter, whose work Johann Lafer was able to watch up close. Since Johann Lafer is an avid fan of winter sports, he did not miss the chance to visit the venue of the Olympics 2018. Of course, the view from the ski jumping hill of Pyeongchang was also included. Direct quote, Lafer: "I would not jump down there for a million dollars! I'm glad, that I've learned a clever trade!" The result of the film-making trip: A reportage with a culinary focus.

This is my Israel

with Sebastian Ströbel

This is already the third edition of the travel magazine in Israel. After TV chef Mirko Reeh and TV presenter Andrea Kiewel, blue planet tv won the popular German actor Sebastian Ströbel for this feature. Jerusalem, the city of world religions, formed the starting point of an exciting journey through the Holy Land. In Jerusalem, the team first strolled through the narrow streets and colorful markets of the old town. However, far off the reaches of the old city wall, the Negev desert already waited up with several activities. Whether it was diving with dolphins in the Red Sea, mountain biking in dry riverbeds or an adventurous climb in ancient salt caves: Sebastian Ströbel enjoyed the physical challenges during the shooting and soon found that the Negev desert offers a lot of surprises. A winegrower, for example, who removes quite tasty red wines from the dry soil, can not be found everywhere.

This is my Costa Rica

with Wolke Hegenbarth

Costa Rica is the green heart of Central America. Volcanoes, tropical rainforests, white palm-lined beaches and a spectacular biodiversity promise exquisite natural experiences. Moreover, it is said, Costa Rica is home to an especially happy people. The Ticos, the inhabitants of the country, spray with zest for life. In Costa Rica the traveler experiences "pura vida", the pure life. No wonder that the destination is praised as one of the safest countries in Latin America, with tourists and dropouts living there from all over the world. Together with actress Wolke Hegenbarth, the blue planet team set out to explore this tropical paradise: exotic fruits and food, surfing lessons on the Pacific Coast, ziplining through the treetops of the rainforest, turtle watching in the national park, and a coffee plantation visit, just to name a few points. In Costa Rica, nature conservation and ecological action are very important, much to the delight of Wolke Hegenbarth. For these reasons, the country is a prime example of the much-needed "soft tourism".

This is my Trentino

with Falk-Willy Wild

The northern Italian province of Trentino is one of those alpine regions that not only exude Mediterranean charm, but also guarantee unique travel experiences as an ancient cultural landscape. In winter, a magnificent ski resort, from spring to autumn, a fantastic refuge for hikers, culture lovers and active vacationers. Lots of "dolce vita", food and drinks at its best and a breathtaking mountain scenery that gives brown bears a home in their nature reserves. The actor Falk-Willy Wild from Berlin and the blue planet team were determined to thoroughly illuminate Trentino in all its facets: in a kayak through spectacular canyons, on a stepladder during the production of a Grappa vintage or as assistance in the apple harvest. At the traditional cattle drive, the actor walked into the middle of a herd of cows, which in turn gave him a lot of valuable information about all sorts of regional cheeses. Additionally, he now knows how really tasty and absolutely authentic Italian ravioli are made!

This is my Jamaika

with Wolke Hegenbarth

Jamaica - the place of joie de vivre, reggae and rastafarians. The Caribbean island with its beautiful sandy beaches and species-rich mangrove forests is a real dream destination for tourists from all over the world. A destination that has always attracted adventurers and celebrities: colonial conquerors, pirates, slave traders, sugar cane barons and more recently some Hollywood greats and writers. Marilyn Monroe found "her" holiday spot near Ocho Rios on the north coast. Not so far, a certain Ian Fleming had himself created a domicile called "Goldeneye" to write down the stories of British top agent James Bond. In any case, the actress Wolke Hegenbarth found Jamaica inspiring and took the time to go on extended excursions into the hinterland. Therefore she visited the rainy Blue Mountains and a remote settlement of the Rastafarians, where they pursue their natural way of life. Wolke Hegenbarth continued to follow in the footsteps of 007. As a result, she finally came to reveal the mystery of the real martini: "Shaken, not stirred!"

This is my Teneriffa

with Eva Habermann

Tenerife is the largest island of the Canaries, which has been a popular destination for Germans for many years. The beach and adventure resorts in the southern part of the country have been sought after for a long time. But Tenerife is changing. More and more tourists are looking for peace in nature or proximity to art and culture. Sustainable, gentle tourism has slowly but steadily changed Tenerife. This has moved actress Eva Habermann to travel the island to explore hidden and remote spots. It is commonly known that Tenerife is of volcanic origin - the turbulent natural history of the island is clearly visible in many places. However, for tourists it is a real adventure to descend into mysterious underground lava tubes. The island is a real natural paradise. Especially vacationers who seek an active lifestyle explore Tenerife on foot or by bike. Basically, the island can be traveled during the whole year. Eva Habermann took advantage of that fact and wrote a her own visual travel diary during her time on the island.