The Reluctant Traveler (2023) s02e04 Episode Script

1
[intercom chiming]
[Eugene Levy]
They say to travel is to live.
Well, maybe, if a day at the airport
doesn't suck the life out of you first.
I mean, where else would you be told
to arrive two hours early
- [metal detector beeping]
- only to become dangerously close
to being two hours late?
Still, I think my travels last year
were good for me.
They seemed to broaden my outlook.
To a degree.
So now, I'm taking on
what is apparently a must-do
for any respectable traveler.
[intercom chiming]
I'm doing Europe.
All right. Where are we, exactly?
I'm going all continental
from the very top to the very bottom.
I'm heading off the beaten track
to discover some real hidden gems
Are you getting this?
and embrace
this budding spirit for adventure.
Look at me. No hands.
Oh.
They're right here. What is this, the bow?
I'll be educating my taste buds
- [laughs]
- Wow, that was so good.
[whistles] Grapes are ready.
- and trying to live like a local.
- [dancers singing, cheering]
- Welcome to my village.
- [laughs]
- [Levy] This is insane.
- [sheep bleating]
I just saved your life. Remember me.
I'm packing any worries in my luggage
[imitates moose call]
Here they come. Here they come.
You never know what the body's gonna do
when it's in abject terror.
I don't think I've done anything
quite like this since I was a kid.
- [cheering]
- and I'm about to utter three words
I've never said before.
Ready for takeoff.
Okay, modern Germany has always been
a bit of a blank page for me.
Beer halls, big sausages, nice cars.
That's all I've got.
When I left Toronto,
I promised myself I'd try new things
and take the road less traveled.
So, I've steered clear of the big cities
and Oktoberfest.
And instead, I'm visiting the place
I'm told real Germans come for vacation.
What I definitely
was not expecting was this.
Welcome to the tiny island of Sylt,
at the northern tip of Germany.
This sandy seaside retreat
lures almost a million visitors a year.
I didn't know Germany even had islands
or beaches,
but apparently there's a lot I don't know.
After maybe one too many glasses
of champagne,
I left the south of France and headed to
this thin strip of land in the North Sea.
It might be just what I need.
Sylt is a magnet for the rich
and the health obsessed.
Germany has the largest wellness industry
in Europe,
worth more than
200 billion dollars a year.
Now, do you need to spend money
to feel like a million bucks?
Well, I'm here to dip my toe
in the German fascination with wellness,
despite the fact I've already
told everyone I feel just fine.
Careful with that precious cargo. Whoo!
Germany,
a nation of roughly 84 million people,
is about the size of Montana
and boasts the biggest economy in Europe.
I'm kind of shocked.
This is not what I was expecting.
This is more East Coast US to me.
Turns out Sylt is actually known
as the Hamptons of Germany.
And these thatched-roof homes
are some of the most expensive properties
in the whole country.
Even small cottages
can fetch up to five million dollars.
It's kind of otherworldly in a way.
It's like you're traveling
through a fairy tale.
It's like, uh, the Brothers Grimm
probably have a place up here.
Between the architecture and the landscape
and all the people
pursuing a healthy lifestyle,
I feel like I'm wading into
somewhat unfamiliar waters here.
Wellness is kind of a
totally foreign entity to me.
It always strikes me as something, uh,
that people do if they feel they need it.
It's a little hit of good health
and slimming down.
Okay, so I'm a little skeptical.
But I'm also 76 years old.
And I realize
that I'm not getting any younger.
Being 76 is fine
if you're still able to do things.
I mean, it really does
all come down to your health.
There's no question about it.
Ah, is that the Lanserhof?
Up there on the hill?
It looks like
one of those thatched houses,
but 800 times the size.
The Lanserhof is a world-famous,
holistic health resort.
I can honestly say I haven't
quite seen anything like this.
The program's attracted billionaires
and celebrities like Victoria Beckham,
Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne and now me.
- Thank you so much, Lars.
- [Lars] Yeah.
[Levy] Appreciate it.
- Eugene.
- Hi.
Wonderful to have you here.
My name is Dorit.
I'm the general manager at Lanserhof.
Hi, Dorit. So nice to meet you.
I welcome you to your Lanserhof experience
and would like to escort you to your room.
Good, good. Thank you. I'm very excited.
This is the perfect place
to detox and de-stress.
As long as you have deep pockets.
A stay here revolves around strict diets
and restorative treatments.
The gently curved interiors
are meant to be soothing
for anxious guests like me.
[Dorit] So, this is not just
a spectacular staircase, visually.
It has a beautiful acoustic.
I'll show you.
[singing]
The acoustic is brilliant, no?
- What?
- [Dorit] Let's go. [chuckling]
- Oh, my God. Are you an opera singer?
- [Dorit] Yes, I'm a trained singer.
- What are you doing working here?
- [Dorit chuckles] After you.
- Thank you, Dorit.
- [Dorit] Voilà.
[Levy] Oh.
- It's quite beautiful. It's, uh
- [Dorit chuckles]
Oh, there's an upstairs.
There are 55 rooms and suites here.
They're all very modern but minimalist.
Just like the welcome package.
[Dorit] We prepared
a little welcome for you.
Okay.
[Dorit] And here's a little beetroot shot.
Would you like to try?
[Levy] Would I like to try
a beetroot shot?
Well, at some hotels,
they'll have maybe a bottle of champagne.
This was a little, uh,
shot of beetroot juice.
- Special, right?
- I would say it's special.
[chuckles]
You will have your appointment
with Dr. Jan very soon.
- The schedule is on your desk.
- Thank you.
- Sounds scary, but I appreciate it.
- I see I'll see you later.
Thank you, Dorit.
It's kind of ominous to know that
the first thing you're gonna do
when you check into this hotel
is see the doctor.
The doctor is the last person
you hope to meet if you're in a hotel.
He's gonna probably do some probing.
Verbal. Hope I'm hoping.
Hi, Eugene.
- Dr. Jan. Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you. I'm Jan.
I will be responsible for your health
during your stay.
- Hopefully, you will survive.
- Hopefully.
As the medical director here
- [Dr. Jan] Please take your seat, Eugene.
- [Levy] Thank you.
Dr. Jan meets
many of the guests personally.
We are not a clinic. We are not a spa.
We are not a five-star hotel.
We are all together at the same time
because our diet or therapy
is especially designed for you.
And that's the reason why I have to know
a little bit about your health.
- Hmm. Sounds so ominous.
- [Dr. Jan] Mmm.
- Yeah, absolutely. [chuckles]
- [Levy chuckles] Yes.
How do you feel at the moment?
Or your stress level. You okay?
I don't really carry
a lot of stress generally.
And d-do you perform sports
on a regular basis?
Golf, uh, once or twice a week, which is
It's a workout.
I don't walk. I drive a cart,
but you know,
there is walking to the ball
and then walking back to the cart.
Have you ever fasted before?
When I was a kid in the Jewish religion,
the, uh, holiday of Yom Kippur
is the day of fasting.
- Yeah.
- I hated it.
- [chuckles]
- You know, I haven't fasted in a while.
- Well, maybe you should try it.
- Wanted, but
[Levy] Dr. Jan is hoping to convince me
that fasting
has a host of health benefits.
Okay.
He believes it boosts your metabolism,
lowers inflammation and blood pressure
and helps you lose weight.
So, the first four days
are always horrible.
You make it sound so enticing.
[Dr. Jan chuckles]
Because your body has to switch
its metabolism from sugar burning
to fat burning and, uh,
you will produce a lot of toxins
because the body starts to detox.
Um, I'm feeling, uh,
more tense by the second.
[chuckles] Okay.
[Levy] But luckily,
we're not talking about complete fasting.
Just small portions.
And you probably already have
the same question I do.
How small?
Well, we offer everything
between broth and tea.
- You can select between broth
- [Dr. Jan] No, no,
- not you can select. I can select.
- You You-You select?
- [Dr. Jan] Exactly. So, as Exactly.
- I pay for it and you select.
[both chuckle]
[Levy] And he's saying
one or two days of fasting a week
does wonders for your system.
I think my system's working fine
the way it is.
I feel duty bound to tell you
to see your own version of Dr. Jan
before doing anything drastic
like living solely off broth and tea.
But it's a new experience for me
and I'm gonna see what they do,
and I'll be as good a, uh,
patient or an inmate or a hotel guest,
um, as I can be.
I've heard that the whole island
is believed to be restorative.
So I'm keen to get explorative
in the non-surgical sense, I mean.
- Hello, Dorit.
- Eugene.
[Levy] Now knowing what's on the menu,
I'm hoping Dorit might take me somewhere
to get one of those big German pretzels.
- [chuckles]
- Have a seat.
Okay, let's go. Whoo! [chuckles]
[Levy] But it seems she has other plans.
- All I do is pedal.
- [Dorit chuckles] The weather is amazing.
[screams]
[Levy] This 38-square-mile retreat
is an ideal place to connect with nature.
Plus, out here on Sylt,
they get more sunny days
than over on the mainland.
It's a very famous holiday destination
because of the beauty of the island.
[Levy] Look at this, huh? Oh, my goodness.
[Dorit] It's a magic place.
It gives you so much peace
and freedom and energy.
You know, it really a paradise.
Okay, I slow down a bit
- because we're nearly there.
- Yeah. Yeah.
- [exclaims, chuckling]
- That's what I call a ride.
[Dorit]
Now I'm going to introduce you to Jan.
- Jan? A different Jan?
- It's a different Jan. Yes.
He's an expert
when it comes to the nature of Sylt,
and an expert for mudflats.
[Levy]
On this island, mudflats are a big deal.
Here on the East Coast,
there are more than
seven square miles of them.
Known as the Wadden Sea,
it's a national park
and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- [Dorit] Jan!
- [Levy] Hello, Jan.
- [Jan] Eugene Levy.
- [Dorit laughing]
- Wow. Nice to meet you here. [chuckles]
- Ah! Nice to meet you, Jan.
I take it you spend
a lot of time out here.
Yes. It's the biggest, uh,
tidal flats in the world,
and you see many birds, many animals.
It's a very natural space here.
You don't have it anywhere else
in the world.
[Levy] At low tide,
Jan brings people like me
out onto the mud.
First, I think you have to, uh,
leave your shoes here.
- That's our little surprise. [chuckles]
- [Jan] Yeah.
- We want to surprise you. Yeah.
- Oh, we're walking in the mud.
- Let's do it.
- [chuckles] All right.
- [Dorit] Let's do it.
- [Levy] Off with the shoes.
Hey, that looks like a professional
Wadden Sea guide. Looks good.
- Great. Let's do it.
- How we doing?
- [Doris chuckles]
- [Levy] A hike in the mud we go.
- [Jan] Yes. Ready?
- [Dorit] Let's go.
- [Levy] Yeah.
- [Jan, Dorit chuckling]
- [Levy] Wow. Ooh.
- And [chuckling]
- This feels really terrific.
- This feels great.
[Levy] And look how black it is.
Black and thick,
because this isn't just any old mud.
[Dorit] Many people come especially
to cover themselves with the mud.
Like a mud bath?
Yeah, they laying in the mud,
coming out and the mud goes dry
- And it's mineralizing the skin.
- [Jan] That's it.
[Levy] But out here,
there's more than medicinal mud
to keep you looking and feeling young.
You see these algaes here.
Yeah, I open it on the end,
and there comes something out,
what looks like aloe vera.
[Levy] Like aloe vera,
Jan says the nutrient-rich gel
from the algae
rejuvenates your skin
and prevents wrinkles. I'm all for that.
How you feel now?
- I feel alive.
- [Jan, Dorit chuckling]
- I don't need glasses anymore.
- Wow. Oh, great! [chuckles]
- You see it goes a little bit deeper?
- [Levy] Ooh. [chuckles] Here we go.
- Oh, my Oh! Yeah.
- [Jan speaks German]
- [Dorit chuckling]
- Yeah.
- [Dorit] Ooh.
- Whoo-hoo.
- Oh, my God is right.
- [Jan] It's great to have you in here.
- [Jan sighs] Great.
- Oh, my God. This is insane.
[Dorit chuckling] You can make it.
- Here. You ca Pull me up this way.
- [Jan groans]
- [Dorit, Levy chuckling]
- Yes, yes. Thumbs up. Here, you see?
That is fun. [exhales deeply]
Looks like I've got boots on.
- [Dorit chuckling]
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[Levy] I think it's something
everybody should try.
The fact is that there is
a natural wellness here on the island.
I'm sure there's something to it.
You know,
if you're slopping this stuff on,
it-it probably does do some wonders
for your skin.
- [Dorit] You want?
- [Levy] Mmm.
- [Jan] It looks good, right?
- [Levy] No. But thank you. Thank you.
It's certainly a good feeling
on your feet.
- [Dorit chuckles]
- [Levy] Look at my legs.
Now I can honestly say
I am not a stick in the mud.
I definitely worked up quite an appetite,
slopping through all that,
but my fasting is about to start.
Something tells me
I better not get my hopes up.
I don't know what's on the menu tonight.
I'm almost afraid to ask.
[speaks German]
I'm hoping this healthy food
actually tastes good.
[server] There you are.
Your dinner for tonight.
It looks like bread and water.
- It is broth and bread.
- [Levy] Ah.
And the bread is to train chewing.
- To train your chewing? Okay.
- [server] Mm-hmm.
We ask our guests to chew every bite
about 30 times before swallowing it.
Oh.
Then the whole digestion system knows
that food is gonna come.
Right. [stammers] I totally get that.
My dad used to tell us
he chewed his food 32 times.
Oh, he did?
We thought he was kind of crazy
when he said that,
but he never had
a digestive issue in his life.
So now you know why, maybe.
Yes.
So maybe then you can start chewing
also the broth.
- Start chewing the broth?
- Mm-hmm.
[stammers] You're actually telling me
to chew my soup?
- Yes, I am.
- Yes.
Yeah, I can I can, uh, do
I can chew the broth.
Sounds like an interesting experiment.
- Yeah.
- It's like eating in a science lab.
- [laughs] That is correct. So
- [Levy] Yes.
I will, uh, give it a go
and we'll see what happens. I'll
[crunching]
This is like a piece of very stale bread.
The broth has a flavor to it
that I can't quite put my finger on.
It's almost medicinal.
[sighs]
I never thought I would really love
to have a big hunk of bratwurst,
but, boy, I'd kill for it right now.
- How come you got a salad?
- But it's not a salad.
It's carrot in a different kind of ways.
I think dried, cooked
and some rice or stuff like that.
- Dry, cooked carrots?
- Yeah.
- Wow.
- [laughs] Enjoy your bread.
Yes. Thank Thank you.
- It's scrumptious.
- [diner laughs] You're welcome.
[Levy] I never like to go to bed hungry.
[crunching]
But I'm gonna finish this entire meal
in front of me,
and I'm still gonna go to bed
really hungry.
It's a new morning on Sylt,
and I'm up early,
to brace myself
for another day of fasting,
and who knows
what kind of special treatments.
But I'm going with it.
I'm trying to go through
this program here, this wellness thing.
I'm experiencing something
that I have not,
to date, ever experienced before.
Is it the easiest thing in the world?
Not for me.
I'd kill for a little food.
My breakfast consists of
[sighs]
a delicious-looking shot of wheatgrass.
I'd gladly finish the whole thing,
but Dr. Jan has requested my presence
in something called the cryotherapy room.
All the doors are written in German,
so I'm not sure which door
"Korpertherapy,"
wasser en licht, another "wasster."
Running out of hallway here.
To give me a crash course in cryotherapy
[Dr. Jan speaks German]
Jan's recruited a Lanserhof veteran.
This brave fellow, Holger.
- [Dr. Jan] Hello.
- [Levy] Hello, gentlemen.
- Ah, you want to do the cryotherapy too?
- [Levy] Yeah.
If he comes out and he's still breathing
- [Dr. Jan] Yeah.
- [Levy] there may be an opportunity
- for me to try it.
- [Dr. Jan chuckling]
[Levy] To burn calories,
guests like Holger enter the deep freeze,
exposing themselves to extreme cold.
Why am I nervous?
We want to use the cold
to stimulate his metabolism,
so he will burn more fat with that,
and also, we lower his inflammation
in the body.
Which means arthritis
This will become much better afterwards.
Do you have arthritis?
- Not yet. [chuckling]
- [laughing]
At minus 166 degrees Fahrenheit,
the chamber is actually colder
than the lowest temperature
ever recorded on Earth.
- Good luck.
- [Holger] Thank you.
[Levy] That's four times colder
than winter at the North Pole.
Holger's supposed to stay in there
for three whole minutes.
- [Dr. Jan] You okay, Holger?
- [Holger] Pretty cold.
- It's really cold.
- [Holger chuckles]
I can't believe that I do it,
but as Jan said, it's good for me.
[Levy] I think Holger represents
the mindset of people
who do come to this place.
[Dr. Jan]
Now he's burning roughly 600 calories.
Well, probably burning a few other things.
[Dr. Jan chuckling]
[Levy] They're ready for the challenge,
and this is what excites them.
They wanna leave the place
feeling better than they did
when they came in.
I'm seeing frost. The, you know
On his, um
- Oh, my God.
- Okay, Holger. That's it. You can go out.
[Holger] Okay. Thank you.
Wow. How amazing.
- Ooh. Like an ice cube.
- [Holger chuckles]
So, Eugene, you wanna try it?
We can go in together, if you want.
Uh, yeah, sure.
We can go in for, you know,
like a good f four or five seconds.
Okay. Let's give it a try.
[Levy] But if I go in,
the clothes stay on.
- [Dr. Jan] Yeah, I'm ready. Clothes on.
- [Levy] I'm sure you're ready.
Here we go.
- Okay. This is cold. Yeah.
- [Dr. Jan] This is cold. Yeah.
[coughing]
Yeah, this is very cold in here.
[Holger] Welcome back.
- Yeah, that's, uh, crazy cold.
- [Holger chuckles]
- [Levy] Three minutes is insanity.
- You're counting the time. I can promise.
You're a greater man than I,
I will say that.
I feel quite well.
That's the most important thing.
But finally, in the end,
the result is that what counts.
It's something like a holiday for
[stammers] body and soul.
Right.
I'm not so sure I'd necessarily
call it a holiday.
But in terms of treatments,
cryotherapy is just
the tip of the iceberg.
Around here,
they're all about cleansing the body
and mind. So now I'm
Ready for my hay bath.
All I'm told is that a hay bath
is supposed to be good for flushing out
those pesky toxins.
- This looks like a giant tea bag.
- Exactly.
Where is the hay? In the tea bag?
- [Dr. Jan] Exactly. Here, feel this hay.
- [Levy] Oh. I see.
So the high temperature
and the high humidity
will open the arteries
and open all the parts of the skin,
so the essential oils
will help with the detox process.
You will inhale that. Let's do it.
Okay. Yes, sir.
[Dr. Jan]
Okay, Eugene. You feel comfortable?
Uh, quite comfortable, Jan. Thank you.
And it's the first time
I've been on a waterbed.
- Really? Really?
- Yeah. So where was I in the '70s?
[Dr. Jan chuckling]
Here is a panic button.
Why would somebody need a panic button?
If you don't feel comfortable,
so then let me know.
[Levy] How many people
use the panic button?
- Almost nobody.
- [Levy] That's good.
- [Dr. Jan] Okay. Enjoy.
- Okay. Thank you.
[water bubbling]
Ooh. Feel like a sardine.
Um, I'm lying on a, uh,
tea bag full of hay.
That hay, I'm told,
is all the way from the Alps,
specially harvested,
along with a handful of healing herbs.
[sighs]
I think it's quite possible that some of
the hay elements, uh, did get inside me.
And at some point,
it might have an effect on me.
I may want to go into farming,
for example.
Safe in the knowledge
that I'm not gonna float away,
I can fully relax.
You know, that wasn't too bad.
And I do think it probably does have
a very positive effect on people.
I knew I'd find fasting difficult,
but this is harder than I imagined.
[crunching]
Apart from real food,
I realize I'm craving coffee.
So I've decided
to make a quick caffeine escape,
even though I'm not very proud
of my lack of willpower.
We're heading out for a coffee.
According to Dorit,
it's the best coffee on the island.
And I've never missed coffee more
in my life. I'm very excited.
Die Kupferkanne is German
for the copper kettle.
It's a café
that's a bit of an institution on Sylt.
- [Levy] Eugene.
- Eugene. Leif.
- Leif.
- Yeah. Can I show you a nice table?
- Yes. You can, Leif.
- Okay.
[Leif] What can we offer to you?
- Coffee would be wonderful.
- Coffee.
This is like walking into a mirage.
I realize that I'm
about to cheat on my diet
[chuckling]
and I do feel a bit guilty.
But a cappuccino. Come on.
I mean, it's better than a beetroot shot.
Here's a cup of cappuccino for you.
Ah.
That, to me, is That's living.
- Wow. That is great. [smacks lips]
- Thanks.
- I love your place, Leif.
- You're welcome. [chuckles]
[Levy] The Copper Kettle
has been here since 1950,
but it turns out the structures themselves
have been around a bit longer.
The buildings are from
the end of the World War the Second.
[Levy] The café, yeah,
is from the Second World War?
Yes, it was a bunker.
And also,
outside stand anti-aircraft guns.
Ah.
When I heard that this actually is
an anti-aircraft bunker
from the Second World War,
actually felt a couple of,
uh, palpitations.
Now you can't see it
because now it's a lovely place,
- but for a short time in history
- [Levy] Right.
it wasn't a lovely place.
[Levy] The history since I've been here
hasn't really come
to the forefront of my mind,
but it's kind of always ever-present in
in a way, you know.
For my generation,
you must know your evil in your history.
- We must talk about it
- Right.
- and do it never again.
- Right.
That's the important thing.
[Levy] I think Leif represents
the generation of Germans
that really wants to let the world know,
"We understand what happened,
it will never happen again.
And we're doing everything we can now
to let the world know
this is a new Germany."
[piano music playing]
Following that somewhat
sobering reminder of the island's history,
I'm back at the hotel
and back on the broth
after falling off the wagon.
In the lounge,
Dorit is treating the guests
to a performance.
[singing in Latin]
[Levy] I understand why people come here.
A lot of it makes perfect sense.
They get out of it what they need,
and they leave feeling really terrific.
And more than not,
they all tend to come back several times.
But I realized that for me,
enjoying my golden years will depend
less on therapies and treatments,
and more on making good choices.
[singing continues]
[Levy] I think stress and anxiety do more
to kind of take years off your life
than having, uh, one too many,
you know, ice cream cones.
But I've always felt
everything in moderation
will kind of do you well in the long run.
And I still feel that.
Everything in moderation.
- [singing stops]
- [all applauding]
[Levy] It's my last day on Sylt,
and I'm ready to explore
more of the island.
Not far away
is the wealthy town of Kampen,
one of the most exclusive communities
in the whole nation.
[sheep bleating]
[speaks North Frisian]
[Levy] I've been told to come here
and track down a local named Uta.
- Uta!
- Hello. Hello.
- [Levy] Apparently
- Hi.
she has a unique perspective on wellness.
- [laughing]
- So, this is the other side of Sylt.
- [chuckles]
- Nice to meet you and your family.
- That's the kids. Come on.
- [sheep bleating]
600 followers.
[laughing]
That's a flock.
600 sheep
- Oh, my.
- Would you come in?
grazing in the middle of town.
Hi, honeys. Oh, my.
You're a shepherdess?
Yes, I'm a nomadic shepherdess.
You're the first nomadic shepherd
I've ever met.
[chuckles] What have you expected?
[chuckles]
[Levy] Uta lives on the mainland
but brings her flock over to Sylt
every year to graze on the heather.
On an island filled with people
paying big bucks to achieve wellness,
Sylt offers Uta everything she needs
to be happy and healthy for free.
You sleep out with the sheep?
- I've got a camper van we're sleeping in.
- Okay.
So it's camping, basically, on the island.
This sounds like the world's perfect gig
for you, doesn't it?
I think so too.
[bleating continues]
- Beautiful animals. Sweet faces.
- [Uta] They are.
We're going to go out soon
and see if we can find some nice food.
- Good.
- Would you like to join?
- Let's do it. Yes.
- [indistinct]
And there's dogs that are going to help.
That's Vin, and this is Fanta.
- Fanta. Vin.
- They are really friendly.
[Levy]
We're going on an adventure together.
[Uta chuckles]
They've got some basic commands.
You've got to sing it a bit.
Fanta, in die vor.
In die vor.
Good. Yeah.
- Come back is [stammers] is wi what?
- Komm vor.
In die vor.
- Yeah, very good. You're getting there.
- Komm vor.
Komm vor.
- That's it. Oh, my goodness.
- [chuckles]
So, I could be doing this professionally.
Professional dog singer.
[laughing]
Let's go and herd some sheep.
Luckily, I think I know what I'm doing.
With my official shepherd's crook in hand,
I'm ready to go.
Will you call the sheep?
In die vor.
- [chuckles]
- In die vor.
In die vor.
[Uta] Eugene, that's a dog command.
Oh.
You need a sheep command.
- Oh. Well, the dogs are here
- [Uta] They are here.
so I guess it worked.
Turns out there's only
one command for the sheep.
- Komman, Schopi.
- Komman, Schopi. Komman.
- [Uta] Let's go.
- Oh, "Schopi" is sheep.
- Komman, Schopi.
- Fanta, komm vor.
[Levy] We have to move the flock
to a fresh field of heather.
It's not far. Less than half a mile.
The only problem:
We'll be walking right past
some of the priciest homes in Germany.
[sighs] I'm feeling the weight
of the responsibility.
Komman, Schopi.
- I should be wearing robes like Moses.
- [speaks indistinctly]
As we come around the corner,
members of the flock start to stray.
Uh-oh.
I can't help wishing
I was more fluent in sheep.
- I may be losing control here.
- [chuckles]
- 600 sheep behind me.
- Don't [chuckles]
- Geez. That's all right.
- [Uta] Sorry.
When they do that with me, I stop.
[Uta whistles]
This is not a good place to stop.
- Not a good place to stop.
- [Uta] Komman.
[Levy] No, not a good place to stop.
- [horn honking]
- [sheep bleating]
Uta?
Way out of my element here. Way out.
[Uta] Komman.
[Levy] Now I know
what it means when you say,
"Let's get the flock out of here."
- [Uta chuckling]
- [Levy] Right?
- Uh-oh. Uh-oh. All right. Whoa, whoa.
- [speaks North Frisian]
This really is like parting of the sea.
[whistles] Follow me.
Um. Well, I'm trying.
- [Uta speaks North Frisian]
- [Levy chuckles]
So [speaks North Frisian, laughs]
- Whoo-hoo-hoo.
- [Uta] We're getting there.
- We're almost there, fellas.
- [Uta] We're getting there.
Komman, Schopi. Komman, Schopi.
Boy, you're very good at this. [laughing]
[Uta] You just keep calm.
[Levy] Thanks to Uta's inner calm,
we finally reach the promised land.
Fanta, in die vor. In die vor.
And miraculously, I'm still in one piece
and on both feet.
They're very gentle animals.
But boy, when they want to move,
you better not be in their way.
- [chuckles] That's right.
- [Levy] Yeah.
[Uta] Fanta, komm vor.
[Levy] Like I learned in Sweden,
life is a lot less stressful
if you just go with the flow.
You have to take everything in stride
[Uta] Komman, Schopi.
because you're gonna
kill yourself with stress and anxiety
when you overthink too much in your life.
For Uta, fresh air and exercise
is a way of life.
It's the kind of common-sense
wellness program
that I could easily become a disciple of.
[sheep bleating]
For my final evening on Sylt,
I'm heading over to the beach
on the west side of the island.
[Dorit] Whoo! Hi.
[Levy] My cryotherapy buddy, Holger,
is ending his day in a very Sylt-like way.
Good to be here.
He's gonna go for a swim
in the North Sea, where it's really cold.
You'll come in? Joining me?
If I'm not there when you go in,
don't wait.
[all laugh]
[Levy] At long last,
my fast is officially over.
So cheers to that.
- All right.
- Go for a swim.
Let's go. Come on!
It's been a genuinely surprising
and fun few days on the island.
[laughing]
And it makes me very thankful
for my good health
and almost eight decades on this planet.
[laughing]
The best thing about being 76 right now
is that you just don't necessarily care
what people think.
And the worst thing about being 76 is
that you're not 36.
Are you not tempted to go in?
- Not remotely. No.
- [laughing]
Are there things I could be doing
more than what I'm doing?
Sure, there are.
I just don't really like doing it.
I mean, should I start running?
Why? I can walk.
- [beachgoers cheering]
- [Dorit] Bravo!
[Levy] Good experience. Glad you did it.
- Yeah.
- [Levy] Yeah.
And really, for me,
I don't need to spend a lot of money
to feel good.
I do understand that for some people,
treatments and therapies work wonders.
But in my book, it all comes down to
finding your own healthy balance.
It's kind of pretty, isn't it?
Just try to enjoy life,
and get as much pleasure out of it
as you can in a way that suits you.
I think that's pretty much it
in a nutshell, for me.
You take each day as it comes.
If you wake up in the morning
and, you know [inhales deeply]
still breathing, it's a good day.
- Next time
- Buongiorno.
I've just used up all my Italian.
Here we go.
This is my favorite country to visit
in the world.
The most famous ass in Italy.
This is really something.
- Big smile.
- Yeah.
[artist vocalizing, chuckling]
- What do you want?
- There are more than 250
- official Italian hand gestures.
- Hey.
I'm in the middle of a vineyard
in Tuscany.
How many tourists get a chance to do this?