Amazing Race

[Karen]

Anybody watching this season?

If you saw it last night, what did you think?

I LOVED the kangaroo costumes everyone had to wear, and that they had bouncers, and have more respect for Kynt that he remember his periodic table of elements. And that he and Vyxin bounced up and down on the mat in front of Phil, still in kangaroo mode even though they weren't in first place, made me like them more. I still like the Cowboys, though they haven;t been very impressive yet this time around, I'm still rooting for them, and a few other teams.

Thought Ron and Christina's interactions were sad - did they learn nothing last time around about each other? And I was hoping, by the way, that the sisters would have made an effort to learn to swim once they found out they were going to be on the show again.

[Marigold2]

I did not see it last night. I did not think it was on but will watch it now.

[prechrswife]

I agree. I still like the cowboys, but they have to get it in gear. They did come back pretty well, thanks to the flight situation. Kynt impressed me with the periodic table, too. And like you, I'm surprised the sisters didn't work more on swimming, considering the last time around. Looks like this is going to be a fun season!

[cassiesmom]

I agree. I still like the cowboys, but they have to get it in gear. They did come back pretty well, thanks to the flight situation. Kynt impressed me with the periodic table, too. And like you, I'm surprised the sisters didn't work more on swimming, considering the last time around. Looks like this is going to be a fun season!

I'm a little disappointed by last night's elimination. I was hoping they'd go farther. I'm nervous for Mallory and her dad- they've struggled with the challenges. At first I was put off by Kent and Vyxin but now I find myself rooting for them. I'm definitely rooting for the cowboys, too.

[prechrswife]

I agree about last night's elimination. I was hoping they would overcome the u-turn.

[Marigold2]

I am not a fan of the father and daughter team, the Asian one. That man is so rude to his daughter.
The cowboys are good with physical tasks but not at the top of the list for book smarts.
My favorite team is the mom and son. She is such a dedicated mother and great role model.

[cassiesmom]

I don't know what to think about tonight's elimination. Didn't see it coming. I didn't see that particular team their first time so I don't know how far they got. I thought the red gate where they got one of the clues was beautiful. And I laughed when Kent said his make-up wasn't all that smudged after the challenge.

[Karen]

I actually did see tonight's elimination coming, midway through, when they seemed to be giving up, it was sad, but probably the best choice. They did pretty well last time, but weren't too close to the end. I was kind of hoping for the "former cheerleaders" to go, just because they were so completely rude to the man whose car THEY hit, because the man didn't speak English. Hello? You are in Japan! It's not his fault you don't speak Japanese! For that reason, I hope they get eliminated soon.

[cassiesmom]

About last night... Why did only one team get lost on the way to the airport? Was that team given different directions than all the others? Is the production team monkeying with the process?

I was totally ready to reach through the monitor and smack Christina (again) for disrespecting her father. In China, no less! Knock it off Christina!

I :love: Phil! (and his accent) But he's married...

[Karen]

About last night... Why did only one team get lost on the way to the airport? Was that team given different directions than all the others? Is the production team monkeying with the process?

I was totally ready to reach through the monitor and smack Christina (again) for disrespecting her father. In China, no less! Knock it off Christina!

I :love: Phil! (and his accent) But he's married...

I don't think the production team was messing with them, I think she just misread the map, and didn't realize for far too long. I do think Kynt and Vyxen are much better with each other this time, and seem well suited for each other. Many other people would have been screaming and furious, but it's sad that they then made another mistake and left the fannypack on the gondola - if this is not a non-elimination leg, they are doomed.

I thought it was pretty funny how Ron (Christina's father) was continually stopping - or trying to stop - for food. I could feel her frustration right through the screen, an of course, he is so often disrespectful of her, I really didn't blame her for snapping at him this time.

[Marigold2]

I agree Karen, Ron is very disrespectful. I think his daughter is an angel for putting up with him.



I don't think the production team was messing with them, I think she just misread the map, and didn't realize for far too long. I do think Kynt and Vyxen are much better with each other this time, and seem well suited for each other. Many other people would have been screaming and furious, but it's sad that they then made another mistake and left the fannypack on the gondola - if this is not a non-elimination leg, they are doomed.

I thought it was pretty funny how Ron (Christina's father) was continually stopping - or trying to stop - for food. I could feel her frustration right through the screen, an of course, he is so often disrespectful of her, I really didn't blame her for snapping at him this time.

[cassiesmom]

I was surprised at last night's double U-turn (who did the U-turning to whom) and disappointed by the outcome. I thought the team that finished first handled the dinosaur task really well. I'm not saying names in case anyone taped it and hasn't watched it yet, but I'm sorry that the ____ got eliminated.

[cassiesmom]

We were talking about Phil Keoghan's accent at work -- when he says, "You have been eliminated," he rhymes been with bean and it sounds so classy! here in the Midwest it rhymes with bin.

[cassiesmom]

I am massively BUMMED by last night's elimination. I felt so bad for them. That is a team I didn't see the first time, but I've gotten to like them this time. I had the sense that Phil felt bad for them when he told them they were last to arrive, too. The Goths were making me laugh as they were doing the face on the figurine (especially Kent).

[Karen]

We didn't see the end of last week's show until yesterday, so put off watching this week's show until we had seen it, and so I have avoided this thread for two weeks worth! I was kind glad that the "redheads" a.k.a. the "cheerleaders" got eliminated, they just were so often mean to people, and rude to natives in others countries just because they didn't speak English, which is just inexcusable (of the cheerleaders, not the other people).

I was sorry for the pair that got eliminated this week, but glad they outlasted the "cheerleaders" and at least they kept trying this time, and he seems to have matured a lot since their last time on the Race.

[cassiesmom]

I'm a little surprised by this week's elimination. I'll have to go back and watch the episode on line, though. I don't know how the team that got eliminated wound up so far back in the pack. They've been closer to #1 the past couple weeks.

[prechrswife]

They had a major issue with the roadblock.

[Karen]

I was not too upset to see them go, and figured they were probably doomed when he decided to do the roadblock, as attention to detail - unless it involved food - was never his strongpoint.

[cassiesmom]

Phew, I am so relieved about yesterday's results! I wonder who will win the race this time.

I would love to go to Austria some day. I would like to see the mountains and castles.

[Karen]

I would have been fine with them being eliminated, but am okay that it was a non-elimination leg. I am glad the cowboys and the Globetrotters are doing well, am surprised the "Goths" are doing as well as they are, have no guess as to who will be the final teams or the winner, each team has its strengths and weaknesses. I was happy for the team that got first place this leg, they were so very excited!

[cassiesmom]

I am disappointed about last night's result! I was rooting for _____ and _____ and I'm sorry they got eliminated.

[Karen]

I was sad they got eliminated, but they handled it very nicely and graciously. It was inevitable as soon as the Globetrotters decided TO use the U-turn, and if the other teams hadn't given others the answer to the bike challenge, it likely wouldn;t have been them that got eliminated.

[prechrswife]

I was sad they got eliminated, but they handled it very nicely and graciously. It was inevitable as soon as the Globetrotters decided TO use the U-turn, and if the other teams hadn't given others the answer to the bike challenge, it likely wouldn;t have been them that got eliminated.

I agree. They were my favorite team, and I hated to see them go. Guess I'll need to pick someone else to root for.

[Karen]

I was not surprised at this week's elimination, as soon as they missed the "walk" part of the clue, they were doomed, and they had plenty of opportunities to realize their mistake as they saw other teams walking and running! Ah, well, they can still be misfits together.

I am liking the sisters more as people this go 'round, they seem much more comfortable with each other, too. I was wondering if the teams who brought their avalanche victim in in two pieces would get a small penalty for that, but I guess not!

[cassiesmom]

That's what I was thinking, too! When they saw other teams walking, maybe that should have been a hint to them.

The friends really had a hard time with the rescue challenge. Those were some pretty small shovels.

Did you :love: the doggie at the end?!! I did! I wanted to leap through the TV and hug him!

[prechrswife]

Yes, the team that was eliminated last night did that to themselves. I can't decide for sure who I want to win. I'm leaning toward Zev and Justin because we have a nephew with Aspberger's, but I would be fine with any of them.

[Karen]

Did you :love: the doggie at the end?!! I did! I wanted to leap through the TV and hug him!

We actually expected a Saint Bernard to be part of the rescue challenge, so were happy to see one at the Pit Stop matt!

[cassiesmom]

Yay, yay, yay! XXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXX won the Amazing Race! I am so happy for them!

That underwater mermaid thing looked like a lot of fun!

[Karen]

I was happy, but would have been pleased with any of the final teams, honestly! I thought they matured a lot since their first season, and thought the other teams were gracious about just finishing, but not winning.

[cassiesmom]

I'm not happy with today's outcome on the beach in Malawi. I thought the teams that were ranked first and second should have been the other way around.

[cassiesmom]

Oh my goodness, those adorable Danish bunnies! Cute, cuter, cutest! I wanted to leap through the TV and hug and snuggle each of them :love:

[Karen]

I was really surprised everyone didn't choose the bunnies first! And loved loved loved seeing the large athletic NFL player cheering on the bunnies as they hopped each obstacle!

[RICHARD]

Those bunnies were amazing.

[cassiesmom]

The pose-off! I was laughing so hard! The team I expected to nail it, did exactly that. I have a new addition to my bucket list - ride a train in Europe.

[Karen]

I thought Amani and Marcus worked so well together - she really was creative in thinking up ways to help him remember the poses! It'll be interesting to see, next week, how the other teams fare, and I wonder whether Cindy and Ernie will face any penalty for losing their tickets.

[cassiesmom]

I'm thinking of Maya and Inka's Mommy tonight because the teams are in ... Belgium! :love:

[RICHARD]

I'm thinking of Maya and Inka's Mommy tonight because the teams are in ... Belgium! :love:

Did anyone catch the road sign that had LOCHRISTI on it....

I did!:D

[Karen]

Yes, and I said to Paul "Our Pet Talker Lut lives near there!" and he said "It's Belgium, pretty much everywhere in Belgium is nearby everything else in Belgium ...

I wonder what the time difference was between the elders and the rest of the pack. They ran it well, but you could tell they knew they were gonna be eliminated no matter what ...

[cassiesmom]

Did anyone catch the road sign that had LOCHRISTI on it....

I did!:D

Oh, no, I didn't! I will have to go back and watch it again on line! I wonder why the place name was spelled Gent instead of Ghent? And I would love to go and see the Atomium, both during the day and at night, in person! (If Phil Keoghan is standing beneath it, so much the better!)

When Phil said two things Belgium is famous for, I thought the challenge was going to involve chocolate :D

[cassiesmom]

I am so bummed that zzzzzzz and zzzzzzz got eliminated, I was totally rooting for them! Hmmmm, 3 teams left...

[Karen]

People always blame it on "the curse of the car" - if you win the car, you lose the show! But they just missed that one big clue ... I was actually impressed one team found the right place because the man drew the picture of the building accurately enough for the cab driver to recognize it!

[cassiesmom]

Note to Phil Keoghan: Any time you want to put the finish line of the Amazing Race in Chicago, I'm ready to cheer on the teams as they come in :)

I knew the celebrity connection to "The Dump" because I have cousins who used to live in Atlanta.

[cassiesmom]

And the newest group is off! I'm rooting for the Army officer and his wife, the border patrol agents and the drug enforcement agents. I thought the Jersey boys were going to be the last ones on the mat last night.

[Karen]

haven't decided any strong favorites yet, thought the clowns and the country boys are early choices, and the Army guy and his wife. None of the others made much of an impression yet, though I am guessing the Jersey boys - didn't bother to learn to drive stick shift? won't last very long.

[Karen]

What does everyone think of the race so far?

I am always rooting more for the teams that seem to be enjoying the tasks than the complainers! Paul and I were surprised they referred to the castle as "The Sleepy Beauty" castle, not "the castle from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," or just "Neuschwanstein," I wonder if Disney paid some $ for them to use that reference.

[cassiesmom]

What does everyone think of the race so far?

I am always rooting more for the teams that seem to be enjoying the tasks than the complainers! Paul and I were surprised they referred to the castle as "The Sleepy Beauty" castle, not "the castle from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," or just "Neuschwanstein," I wonder if Disney paid some $ for them to use that reference.

I was doing laundry Sunday night and watching the race, and I was ready to toss the TV out the window when the teams kept whining! Give it up already! And I don't like that it's becoming a commercial for Ford and Travelocity. But I enjoyed seeing beautiful Germany on TV and I was thinking of Kirsten! I'm rooting for Mark and Bopper, Art and JJ.

[Karen]

I am hoping there is some upcoming task that evens the playing field for everyone else. Especially as they now seem to getting a tad arrogant about it.

[cassiesmom]

People always blame it on "the curse of the car" - if you win the car, you lose the show! But they just missed that one big clue ... I was actually impressed one team found the right place because the man drew the picture of the building accurately enough for the cab driver to recognize it!

I wonder if the "curse of the car" will affect the team that won the car. They did work together better tonight. The underwater challenge looked really scary. I felt bad for the team that got eliminated.

[cassiesmom]

After last night's episode I want to ask... Why does Brendon's partner Rachel have a crying episode in each leg of the race? I can't help but wonder if some of the content is (slightly) scripted or otherwise influenced by the producers. The show feels more like "Survivor" this time in that there is friction between the teams. People, it is just you and the finish line. It's not necessary to be rude to your opponents along the way.

[Karen]

After last night's episode I want to ask... Why does Brendon's partner Rachel have a crying episode in each leg of the race? I can't help but wonder if some of the content is (slightly) scripted or otherwise influenced by the producers. The show feels more like "Survivor" this time in that there is friction between the teams. People, it is just you and the finish line. It's not necessary to be rude to your opponents along the way.

It was a successful tactic for her on Big Brother, so I guess she figures she'll employ it here as well ... NOT the most likable person, in my opinion. But neither, at this point, is Vanessa, in her constant sniping at BBRachel.

I was pleased at who won the leg, even though they argue with each other a lot, they do seem to love and respect each other at the end. And I was tickled that Team Kentucky did so well!

[cassiesmom]

I was glad to see the team win that arrived first today. I'm not sure the double U turn really helped any of the teams.

The water situation was very sad to see. Maybe it will change as a result of the show, though.

[Karen]

I was, too. I like Rachel and Army Dave, but was glad to someone else get the win this time! And it was no surprise at all who went home, as it turned out, and I do not blame the teams that did not use the U-turn, as they had that figured out all along.

[Karen]

I was very surprised last night it was a non-elimination leg, and so looked online and they said by law the non-elimination legs have been determined before the race even starts. But I was happy they still have a chance, though do not think they are likely to win the whole thing if there is any running or legwork involved from this point forward.

What do you think?

[RICHARD]

I was very surprised last night it was a non-elimination leg, and so looked online and they said by law the non-elimination legs have been determined before the race even starts. But I was happy they still have a chance, though do not think they are likely to win the whole thing if there is any running or legwork involved from this point forward.

What do you think?

Loved the fact that KY is still in it.

When Phil comes out at the finish line for the legs he says something like, "The last team will be eliminated"

I have noticed that on the Non Elim Legs he says "the last team may be eliminated".

When he said that last night I knew KY was still in it......:cool:

[cassiesmom]

I am absolutely rooting for Team KY!

[Karen]

Last night's elimination was not surprising, but I thought they handled it as gracefully as could be imagined. I wish that team all the best ...

Who are you folks rooting for now?

We SOOO would have done the "decorate the elephant" task, no matter what! Even Army Dave, who is normally so serious and focussed during tasks, was grinning as he hauled himself up on to the elephant's back!

[cassiesmom]

AAAACK! I am so bummed! I wanted the outcome to be different. We'll see what happens next week!

[cassiesmom]

That's the finish I expected. If they do another "Unfinished Business" race, I hope Team KY will get to run it again.

[Karen]

I was happy with the race outcome. I think Army Dave and Rachel work pretty well together, and that she knows how much of his yelling is serious and how much is just misdirected frustration, and they make it work. I was glad they won. I *almost* felt bad for the Border Patrol guy who just could not stay on the sled, he seemed to have just given up far too soon physically, and in this challenge being a larger person was a detriment - I figured both Rachels would have better balance on the sled. That they had given $5000 to Bopper's daughter's bills earlier in the race was the only reason I had any respect for them, otherwise they often seemed kinda petty and childish.

I, too, would love to see Team Kentucky get to race again - once that knee if fully recovered, of course. I kinda sorta almost felt sorry for Vanessa running on that injured ankle, but she had been so catty to other teams throughout the race, I was not rooting for her to win, and thought she should have considered taking the penalty and moving on rather than the pointless continued attempts. I thought her partner handled the situation as well as it could be, and gave her the choice.

[cassiesmom]

I'm bumping this old thread up because I heard on the news that Phil Keoghan was nominated for an Emmy award for hosting "The Amazing Race" -- yay, Phil! :)

[cassiesmom]

The Race is back! Interesting twist-- if the same team wins the first and last legs, they win not one but two million dollars. Wowzers!

[Karen]

Yes, we'll see how it works out, whether other teams will try to bump that team out early, or just not team up with them because of that ... should be interesting!

[cassiesmom]

Hmmm, interesting decision by most of the teams this week not to use the U-Turn. I thought the team who finished second from the last was going to be the last team to arrive by a long time. I thought the one team should have been dinged for telling their driver he just cost them the million dollars. Hey, it's not his fault that they were on the second train.

[Karen]

Hmmm, interesting decision by most of the teams this week not to use the U-Turn. I thought the team who finished second from the last was going to be the last team to arrive by a long time. I thought the one team should have been dinged for telling their driver he just cost them the million dollars. Hey, it's not his fault that they were on the second train.

There are no penalties for being rude, or many teams would have been bumped earlier in previous years!

I wonder if they didn't explain to the contestants that the U-turn would be anonymous!

[cassiesmom]

Oh my goodness, Bangladesh looks like a very poor place. I'm disappointed about the team that got eliminated. I hope the one guy's foot is okay after he stepped into raw sewage, too.

[Karen]

Yes, it is a very poor country. The good thing is the contestant who stepped in the raw sewage at least had someone wash off his foot right afterwards with bottled water, and hopefully he had no open cuts or scratches that would get infected. I was glad that team had a sense of humor about the Fast Forward task, too.

I was not surprised at the elimination, considering how far behind they were, which was really obvious given the angle of the sun by the time time they were approaching Phil.

[cassiesmom]

Did I hear Brent say that he used to be a doctor? I wonder why he changed careers. I also wonder why some of the teams got help from local people moving the bamboo and others didn't.

[Karen]

Did I hear Brent say that he used to be a doctor? I wonder why he changed careers. I also wonder why some of the teams got help from local people moving the bamboo and others didn't.

I wonder if some teams welcomed help and just seemed friendlier, so the locals helped them!

Brent was a doctor who ended up working for Martha Stewart Omnimedia on healthy living initiatives when he was laid off once the recession hit. You can read about it on his Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Ridge

[mon]

I would like to know, pretty please, how do I order PT Calenders, how much do they cost, and how long they take to arrive. Lotsa questions I know, I want three ASAP so i just figured i'd ask :D Anyone?

[cassiesmom]

On tonight's episode I got the impression that the bath house challenge was easier and took less time than the simit challenge. I'm not disappointed about the team that was eliminated. I loved seeing former teams on the "Life of Pi" promotions, especially Bopper and Mark :)

Edited to add after reading Brent's Wikipedia page ... He's trained as a geriatrician -- go back to medicine, Brent! We need good geriatricians in clinical practice! Sincerely, MSN in gerontological nursing

Edited to ask, after thinking about it further ... I wonder if the team that lost the money was "coached" to leave it on the table, just to see what might happen. The lady who helped them in Dhaka looked a lot wealthier than others on the street; I wonder if she was planted?

[Karen]

On tonight's episode I got the impression that the bath house challenge was easier and took less time than the simit challenge. I'm not disappointed about the team that was eliminated. I loved seeing former teams on the "Life of Pi" promotions, especially Bopper and Mark :)

Edited to add after reading Brent's Wikipedia page ... He's trained as a geriatrician -- go back to medicine, Brent! We need good geriatricians in clinical practice! Sincerely, MSN in gerontological nursing

Edited to ask, after thinking about it further ... I wonder if the team that lost the money was "coached" to leave it on the table, just to see what might happen. The lady who helped them in Dhaka looked a lot wealthier than others on the street; I wonder if she was planted?

I doubt she was planted, it was probably easier to pick out a relatively wealthy person to approach on those crowded streets, and they did get money from several people. I doubt that the stolen money was intentional or planned, and am glad the rockers took it in stride after a couple moments of angst!

I do hope there are consequences for the team who stole it initially, and the one they split it with, not a good precedent to set otherwise!

[Pinot's Mom]

The money pilfering on national TV was a really bad idea. Speaks a lot to their character.

[cassiesmom]

I thought the twins' expecting their synchronized swimmer to speak English was a little much. You're in Russia, for goodness' sake! And about those lost passports - why did Phil only ask the team that was missing a passport if they had theirs, and not ask any of the teams that had previously checked in? Reminded me of a previous season when a team had to backtrack (I think it was in Germany or Switzerland) to find their lost documents.

[Karen]

I thought the twins' expecting their synchronized swimmer to speak English was a little much. You're in Russia, for goodness' sake! And about those lost passports - why did Phil only ask the team that was missing a passport if they had theirs, and not ask any of the teams that had previously checked in? Reminded me of a previous season when a team had to backtrack (I think it was in Germany or Switzerland) to find their lost documents.

I am sure he noticed they were not carrying backpacks or anything, and that a camera person had likely tipped him off ... some of the stuff we never see on camera ....

[cassiesmom]

Is it just me, or are the teams doing a little less traveling this time. Two episodes in Bangladesh and tonight will be their second episode in Russia. I was hoping to see some of Europe on the race.

I enjoyed seeing Turkey, though. My nephew spent six weeks there several summers ago as part of an international archeology team. The project was near Ankara, but he traveled through Istanbul both ways. He also got to visit an area of Greece on his way home and got some beautiful pictures. The team was from Chicago, Boston and London and the Turkish people on the team told them some of the places to visit while they were there. He said that the people's impression of Americans was that they all wear cowboy hats and carry big guns! He wore a cap or a head scarf in the sun most of the time because he's so fair-- didn't carry a gun but did carry tools, bottled water and a camera.

[RICHARD]

Next Round...............

[cassiesmom]

I missed most of it tonight but I'm rooting for the Chippendale guys and the Beekman guys. I didn't like Ryan's attitude when he was trying to solve the time zone test. What is the process if you lose your passport in a foreign country, anyway? When I went to Russia with the team from church, we were told to bring two copies of the inside of our passports and leave a third copy at home.

[Pinot's Mom]

I didn't see last night's - we were busy watching a LITTLE sports rivalry. ;)

(Ravens-Steelers)

[cassiesmom]

The Chippies surprised me with their decision about the U-Turn. And the goat guys ... I know you've run two full legs with that other team, but -- eyes on the prize, guys!

[cassiesmom]

Interesting finish tonight... will see what happens next week!

[Karen]

I thought it was good that they admitted it was their own mistakes that lead to their situation, and didn't blame any other teams.

[RICHARD]

I usually am "meh" about the program, but I am cheering against the twins.

Jeezuz H. Cristo.

What an annoying waste of space those two are.

Because they are twins, I can't figure which I dislike more.

[Karen]

I am glad for the winners! They were always nice to the other racers ... and I would have been just as happy if the second-place finishers won.

[cassiesmom]

I am glad for the winners! They were always nice to the other racers ... and I would have been just as happy if the second-place finishers won.

The curse of the car seems to have struck again. I got home from church choir concert at 8:40, so I saw just the very end when they were putting together the greetings. When I saw which team won (I won't say it in case anyone has not seen it), I realized that I was rooting mostly for the team that ultimately came in second. But of the four remaining teams, the first and second place were the ones I most wanted to win.

[Pinot's Mom]

I am glad for the winners as well...ALLIANCE BE DARNED! ;)

[cassiesmom]

I had to search for Bora Bora on the Internet -- I'm not very familiar with Polynesia! I thought the sand castle challenge was going to be a lot easier than it was. I'm rooting for the docs from Chicago, of course, but I'm not sure who else I'm rooting for yet. It was cloudy and chilly in Chicago today, so I enjoyed seeing all of those beach shots.

[Karen]

So was anyone else as amazed at the stupidity of this week's eliminated team? They could easily have used their advantage at any point, but did not, for any reason other than pride I guess!

[cassiesmom]

I was baffled by their decision to try the other task instead of using the pass. I also wonder what is going to happen to the team with the injured racer- don't the teams have to take turns doing the challenges that don't require both partners?

[Karen]

They do, but I am guessing they figure they will just complete as long as they can, knowing they will never make it to the end.

[cassiesmom]

Wow, interesting elimination last night. Karen called it!

There are Vietnamese restaurants in Chicago and I've read that Vietnamese food is different from Chinese or Japanese. I'm curious about the soup they made with rice noodles, bean sprouts, peppers and herbs. The Vietnam War was going on when I was little but I don't remember it well.

[RICHARD]

Wow, interesting elimination last night. Karen called it!

There are Vietnamese restaurants in Chicago and I've read that Vietnamese food is different from Chinese or Japanese. I'm curious about the soup they made with rice noodles, bean sprouts, peppers and herbs. The Vietnam War was going on when I was little but I don't remember it well.

The soup is called pho.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pho

Good stuff, especially when you get it just made.

[Karen]

Wow, interesting elimination last night. Karen called it!

There are Vietnamese restaurants in Chicago and I've read that Vietnamese food is different from Chinese or Japanese. I'm curious about the soup they made with rice noodles, bean sprouts, peppers and herbs. The Vietnam War was going on when I was little but I don't remember it well.

I know Vietnam was a French colony for a while, so their food is not only based on their own local ingredients, but also influenced by the French colonials, too. We have Vietnamese restaurants around here, I have not tried one yet, but may someday!

[cassiesmom]

Interesting outcome tonight. I thought the comment made by one of the teams about an "off" odor in their vehicle was so not appropriate! Hello, there's a camera on you - and you're the guest in Botswana - so perhaps you should watch what you say.

I don't remember exactly how the song used in last week's segment in Vietnam was described. I thought Phil Keoghan referred to it simply as a "national song" but I could be wrong. Were the racers even told what the lyrics meant, or did they just have to get the lyrics right in Vietnamese? It struck me as odd that they would use a memorial featuring a downed B-52 as a clue site. But the Vietnam conflict ended in 1975 and I think most of the racers were born after that. So they can't even relate to it as something that happened during their lifetime. I don't think CBS was being insensitive, but I can see how older people (who remember more of the Vietnam conflict and are more likely to have been personally affected by it) might.

So now that the father and son team are out, I am not sure who to root for! Guess I'm rooting for Alabama, the hockey brothers and the roller derby moms. I want Mark and Bopper back!

[Karen]

I am sure it was one of the national propaganda songs for the socialist party, and the Vietnamese were thrilled to get it aired on American television, though I do not see any mass political conversions happening because of it.

I also thought that racer's comments about the odor were overplayed, I "get" we're not supposed to like her. And while I was disappointed there were no actual guinea fowl involved, I was surprised not many teams chose the "fowl" related task first, making fire by hand is notoriously tricky, as anyone who has ever been a scout, or watched any "reality tv" at all should know!

[Karen]

Well, now after we posted about this, CBS has apologized for the Amazing Race Hanoi episode, and are taking it seriously:

http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/25/amazing-race-apologizes-to-vietnam-war-vets/

[cassiesmom]

Surprising elimination this week. Didn't see it coming. I'm glad none of the teams tipped over their canoes with the baby goats (or even without!). I thought the second team to get a speeding ticket showed some "ugly American" behavior in how they handled that process.

[Karen]

I am always glad when an eliminated team handles it graciously, which they did. And I was particularly happy about the teams that actually showed some appreciation for the amazing surroundings they were in in Botswana!

[cassiesmom]

Oh my goodness, I wanted to leap through the TV, into the snow, and pet, hug and play with all those Swiss rescue dogs! :D

I sort of had a feeling how tonight's elimination was going to go. The one team member was really struggling.

[Karen]

I, of course, adored seeing the Saint Bernards! And had too laugh when the one didn't want to get on the train; she employed the patented Saint Bernard technique of
1. Put on the brakes then

2. Turn to jello.

A smaller dog you can pick up, but Saints seem to know that if they just go limp, you can push on one part of the dog, and the rest stays put!

[cassiesmom]

I'm embarrassed that some of the racers did not know who said, "Ich bin ein Berliner" !! Yikes!

I really don't want to see any of the remaining teams eliminated. I expected that this week's outcome would be a lot like last week -- didn't happen.

[Karen]

I think it really depends on the age of the contestants and how good their school history classes were! I was not surprised it was a non-elimination leg, we seemed due for another!

[cassiesmom]

Oh my goodness, I thought of Carole tonight because the teams were in Scotland :D What a beautiful castle! One of the challenges involved preparing haggis -- none for me, thank you.

When I was little, at the church where I grew up, there was a lady who would make Scottish shortbread from scratch for very special occasions. For example Christmas, the associate pastor's ordination luncheon, the church's 60th anniversary. It was always a very special treat, buttery and rich.

Were the last two teams that close behind the first three, that the U-Turn was necessary? I thought they could have just kept going and not used the U-Turn, since they were already ahead and the last two teams knew that. My dad and I thought the brothers were going to get penalized for carrying the whisky barrels instead of rolling them - but maybe they were only carried a short distance.

I'd like to visit Scotland and see that gorgeous castle! Wow! (But I'd also like to go to Germany and see the Brandenburg Gate and the Kurfurstendamm... to Switzerland and see the Alps... and of course Bora Bora!)

I was kind of hoping tonight would be a non-elimination. Didn't happen that way, though especially since there was one just last week.

[cassiesmom]

The teams went from Northern Ireland to London Heathrow Airport via Liverpool ... but we didn't get to see them in Liverpool at all -- boo!

I felt bad for the roller derby moms when they kept missing the first course over and over again.

[Karen]

I suspect they were in Liverpool only in the dark, and not in the prettier parts of the very industrial port city! I thought the eliminated team last night handled it gracefully, and was happy the winning team indeed were the ones who won!

At first I felt sorry for the roller derby moms, but then the hockey brother practically told them what they were doing wrong, and they still didn't "get" it!

[cassiesmom]

Season 23 is here ... any early thoughts? They've done those "follow your partner and meet up with them" road blocks before. I felt bad for the team that didn't read the clue and got to Phil via the wrong means of transportation. I think the first week should be non-elimination.

[Karen]

The team that got eliminated seemed kind of doomed before the start, and then misread the clue, which was their own fault, sadly! And I doubt the docs will ever make that mistake again!

[cassiesmom]

I felt bad for today's eliminated team. They changed buses, which worked against them; and then they misunderstood the road block. Had they gotten the shoe shine task correct I think they might not have been eliminated.

I'm rooting for ... the oil field guys, the dating couple from Massachusetts, and the baseball wives - who remind me of last season's roller derby moms.

I wonder why the teams were told to make such a long bus trip. Why not just have them go by air?

[Karen]

I felt bad for today's eliminated team. They changed buses, which worked against them; and then they misunderstood the road block. Had they gotten the shoe shine task correct I think they might not have been eliminated.

I'm rooting for ... the oil field guys, the dating couple from Massachusetts, and the baseball wives - who remind me of last season's roller derby moms.

I wonder why the teams were told to make such a long bus trip. Why not just have them go by air?

That is always part of the race - using different methods of transportation, and doing so correctly! I am sure if the eliminated team had not wasted time badgering the poor old shoeshine guy, and reread the clue, they probably would not have been eliminated!

[cassiesmom]

I am bummed about tonight's elimination. That was one of the teams I was rooting for. They got caught by flight delays.

I was wondering about the teams speaking Spanish to their taxi drivers, though. Were they assuming that their Portuguese taxi drivers also spoke Spanish, or did they establish that they had Spanish as a mutual language with their driver? I would love to go to Lisbon and see the place where the check-in was ... it looked interesting and beautiful.

[Karen]

There is enough similarity between Spanish and Portuguese than one can make ones self understood in the other language if you speak one well. I am told it is just the verb endings that are different, in general - my grandfather spoke Swedish(his family), French Canadian (his wife's family), English, Polish, and Portuguese, but if necessary, could "get along" in Spanish ... He was the chief of police in a New England mill town, so learned the languages of the immigrants who came to work the mills.

I felt bad for the eliminated team, they seemed like good guys. I predict that the team with the extra express pass keeps it as long as possible, in trying to leverage it without regard for anyone else's feelings about anything! If there's no penalty for not giving it away, I wonder if they just end up not giving it to anyone!

[cassiesmom]

Wow, I would like to visit Norway!

Edited to say - I would like to visit Norway, and Scandinavia in general. When I went with the team from church to St. Petersburg in Russia, we were there in July. It never got truly dark at night. 11 PM was more like dusk. I'd like to go there again, too.

[Karen]

Scandinavia is on my list of places to visit some day, as that's not only beautiful, but where some of my great-grandparents are from! Sweden, not Norway, but not as far North as they were!

[cassiesmom]

Please correct me if I'm wrong - but I think the teams that have been eliminated the last two weeks have previously finished first? I hope the same fate befalls the team that finished first tonight!

It's the wrong time of year for paczki! Now I am craving one! I'll have to go to the doughnut shop and buy one with cream or jelly filling. Fat Tuesday is still five months away. I loved how happy the lady was who had the rose filled ones in her flat - she was so cute when they got it right!

[Karen]

It's the wrong time of year for paczki! Now I am craving one! I'll have to go to the doughnut shop and buy one with cream or jelly filling. Fat Tuesday is still five months away. I loved how happy the lady was who had the rose filled ones in her flat - she was so cute when they got it right!

This was probably filmed near midsummer, given that the sun never set when they were in Norway - they must have gotten someone to make the paczki out of season!

[cassiesmom]

Another team that I was rooting for was the last team to arrive at the pit stop. I was hoping this would be a non-elimination week. The team I'm NOT rooting for did pretty well, unfortunately.

I wanted to jump right through the TV and take a turn at trying to sing Schubert with the Vienna Boys' Choir! Some day I hope to visit Schloß Schönbrunn! Wow! (Actually ... one of my "Bucket List" trips is one my parents took about 20 years ago - a guided tour visiting Prague and Vienna.)

[Karen]

I wanted to jump right through the TV and take a turn at trying to sing Schubert with the Vienna Boys' Choir! Some day I hope to visit Schloß Schönbrunn! Wow! (Actually ... one of my "Bucket List" trips is one my parents took about 20 years ago - a guided tour visiting Prague and Vienna.)

I felt truly bad for the non-musicians in this one - one of the rare challenges that I would have done well at! I don't know the German language but have sung in German, so I would have had fun! I thought the doc had the best singing voice, even if he didn't sound great in the lower octave! And thought it was okay that they didn't try to make the tone deaf people sing the note correctly - when the pronounced the words okay, got the timing right, and went vaguely up or down as the notes did, they got through, so it was more fair that way!

[cassiesmom]

I don't know much about mosques, but the one the teams visited in Abu Dhabi looked really interesting. (No pews, though - do people sit down when they go to a mosque? Do they sit on the floor?) I noticed that the teams were a little more plainly dressed, no tank shirts on the men and no very short sleeves for the women. The cousins only got there 10 minutes ahead of the other teams but that was a good head start for them.

I'd be okay with any of the teams winning except the woman with the pink hair. Yikes!

[Karen]

I was a little annoyed that the baseball wives thought they should keep the location some of the dates secret, to the point that they were annoyed when the Afghanimals found it and were loud about it ... and so was okay with the fact that they still finished where they did!

I do like the team that came in first this week for the fact that they are going through the race with pretty much unabashed glee. Even when they bicker, it is over pretty quickly!

All the footage I have seen, people bring their own personal prayer rug and kneel in mosques. But we need Popcornbird to weigh in on this! What a gorgeous building, the stonework and ornamentation was just breathtaking!

[cassiesmom]

I thought it was very nice of one of the racers to help another who was struggling. The team that got eliminated was off to a strong start, but they were tripped up by the task.

[Karen]

Yes, I was happy they helped a little bit, and it didn't cost any position in the race or anything.

[cassiesmom]

Gaaaaah! I was hoping for a different finish this week.

[popcornbird]

Karen brought this thread to my attention. I can explain a bit about mosques.

Mosques don't have benches or pews. Muslims pray 5 times a day (before sunrise, noon, afternoon, sunset, and night), and prayers take place in congregation at every mosque around the world at all 5 times. It is our 'link' to our Creator, and a daily reminder to connect with, and thank God for all of His blessings. You do not 'have to' pray every prayer at the mosque (you can pray anywhere....at home, at work, in a parking lot, wherever.....the prayers are mandatory), but many people try their best to make it as much as possible. We don't have anything at the mosque other than a big hall and carpet. In the front of the hall is a podium for the imam to give sermons. That's about it. Most mosques keep stacks of chairs for the elderly/or those who need them, but generally, all we need at a mosque is a clean, empty hall. We go to the mosque to pray to God, the One who created us, and to do that, we do not need anything other than ourselves, and a pure heart. :) It really is, just a big empty room. This is how we pray.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kScrL8m1qMs

[Karen]

Thanks, glad you found the thread, and explained!

[cassiesmom]

Thank you, popcornbird! The mosque was very ornate and dignified. I didn't see a whole lot of it, but it looked like a beautiful place. I am glad I got to see it for a bit on TV, because I will probably never visit that part of the world.

I wonder where they will go next? They were in Indonesia so maybe they will go to Australia or New Zealand.

[cassiesmom]

Do the doctors still have the express pass? I'm wondering why they didn't use it on the make-up challenge. I missed a leg 2 Sundays ago, though- they might have used it then.

[Karen]

Yes, the docs used it last week.

[cassiesmom]

I'm rooting for Jason and Amy for the win ... he is from Massachusetts and I'm not sure where she's from, but I'm rooting for them. Pink hair lady makes me really frustrated because she doesn't listen sometimes.

[Karen]

I'm rooting for Jason and Amy for the win ... he is from Massachusetts and I'm not sure where she's from, but I'm rooting for them. Pink hair lady makes me really frustrated because she doesn't listen sometimes.

I think she's also from either Massachusetts or maybe Rhode Island. It is funny, he has a pretty real Massachusetts "accent" - Hollywood does not realized most of us don't sound like JFK, circa 1963, I think!

[cassiesmom]

Yaaaaaaaaay!

[Karen]

Yes, I was very happy with the outcome! It proves that nice people CAN finish first! :)

[Karen]

And on the radio this evening, I found out he is from Attleboro, MA and she is from Providence, RI - so I was right! And Attleboro is closer to Providence than Boston, by far!

Still glad they won, they seem like nice people!

[cassiesmom]

Jet and Cord- the cowboys (!!)
Harlem Globetrotters Flight Time and Big Easy
Mother and son Margie and Luke, the show's first deaf racer
The Afghanimals/cousins Leo and Jamal
Natalie and Nadiya --the twinnies!
Bopper and Mark, BFFs
Country singers Caroline and Jennifer
YouTube hosts Joey and Meghan
Father and son cancer survivors Dave and Connor
Couple Jessica and John, who have the dubious honor of being the first team eliminated while holding an Express Pass
Big Brother couple Brendon and Rachel

Jessica and John, Brendon and Rachel - maybe they will just cancel each other out. I'm pulling for Jet and Cord, Mark and Bopper and the singer girls. I hope Dave can stay healthy.

[cassiesmom]

Wow, surprising elimination tonight. That wasn't how I expected the first week to end. I loved the UCLA Band at the beginning!

[Karen]

Wow, surprising elimination tonight. That wasn't how I expected the first week to end. I loved the UCLA Band at the beginning!

We missed the last 20 minutes or so, annoyingly enough. Glad for the team that came in first. It was sad to see That the Bopper couldn't compete, glad they gave Mark the chance to go ahead anyway!

[cassiesmom]

I'm disappointed about this week's eliminated team, I was hoping they would go farther. That's that with the second express pass, too. It seemed like almost a tie between the #1 and #2 teams.

[Karen]

I was sad they were eliminated but thought he took it graciously. I was pretty annoyed with her during the race, though, that she never seemed to listen, and for a long time refused to take responsibility for leaving his backpack.

As I said we missed the last ten minutes of last week's episode, but I was not surprised to see it was the "twinnies" that were eliminated - it was not at all pleasant watching them argue and bicker endlessly.

[cassiesmom]

Brendon and Rachel are starting to get on my nerves. He's not, but she is with the whining. I'm still rooting for Dave and Connor, Luke and Margie, Jet and Cord.

[Karen]

Brendon and Rachel are starting to get on my nerves. He's not, but she is with the whining. I'm still rooting for Dave and Connor, Luke and Margie, Jet and Cord.

I actually have found her much less annoying this season than any other ... Was not surprised at who was eliminated, you'd think they'd be more savvy this time around ...

[cassiesmom]

I felt like Luke and Margie didn't have a choice between the DJ and cocktail challenges because there was no way Luke could have copied those rhythms. I'm glad they persevered and didn't take the time penalty. I like how the Globetrotters interact at every stop with the people they meet. We'll see what happens with Brenchel next week.

[cassiesmom]

I had a feeling how tonight was going to go when they couldn't get an outbound flight. The road block didn't seem to trip up Brenchel too much.

[Karen]

I had a feeling how tonight was going to go when they couldn't get an outbound flight. The road block didn't seem to trip up Brenchel too much.

Yeah, but at least the eliminated team handled it more graciously than they might have past seasons.

[cassiesmom]

I knew that Sri Lanka used to be called Ceylon, and they have tea as a major export. I had to look on the Web to see exactly where it is located. I thought the beach was beautiful. I liked seeing the elephants! The teams kept ending up together, waiting for the museum to open, and then catching the train. we'll see what happens next week... Have the cowboys used the express pass?

[Karen]

I knew that Sri Lanka used to be called Ceylon, and they have tea as a major export. I had to look on the Web to see exactly where it is located. I thought the beach was beautiful. I liked seeing the elephants! The teams kept ending up together, waiting for the museum to open, and then catching the train. we'll see what happens next week... Have the cowboys used the express pass?

I don't think they have used it yet, they have done well enough on the challenges so haven't needed to yet ...

I LOVED seeing all the elephants - but you all could have guessed that. Paul points to this as one of the reasons he and I could never run the Amazing Race, as he is convinced I would forget about the "race" part, and make sure I hugged each elephant, played with the babies after getting mama's permission, etc!

[Bonny]

I thought the Cowboys gave their express pass to the two blonde ladies? They were having difficulty with a task & one of the blondes begged for the express pass so the Cowboy gave it to her. Those two guys are the best. ;)

[Bonny]

I also got a bang out of the Indians saying they beat the Cowboys this week. Gotta love their good natured humor.

[Karen]

I thought the Cowboys gave their express pass to the two blonde ladies? They were having difficulty with a task & one of the blondes begged for the express pass so the Cowboy gave it to her. Those two guys are the best. ;)

The cowboys still have their own express pass - they were given two - one for themselves, and one to give away, which they did almost immediately to the country singers, a.k.a. the blonde ladies.

[cassiesmom]

I'm not sure I like these race legs where the last team to arrive is just steps behind the second-last team. If it's that close, they shouldn't be eliminated. I thought it was very nice of Dave and Connor to let the other team go ahead of them, and the AFghanimals helped out the others when they didn't have to.

[Karen]

I'm not sure I like these race legs where the last team to arrive is just steps behind the second-last team. If it's that close, they shouldn't be eliminated. I thought it was very nice of Dave and Connor to let the other team go ahead of them, and the AFghanimals helped out the others when they didn't have to.

It seems that this really is a team of AllStars, who have learned from their previous experiences, and are doing better jobs - and are less prone to meltdowns and panic, etc. Makes for an interesting race, I think! I, too, was glad the Afghanimals helped the other two teams, too.

[cassiesmom]

I thought last night's second U-Turn was the most polite one ever! (We're going to U-Turn you, but we'll help you...) I would love to take a ride on the funicular and see the view! I was thinking of Kitty Cats Delight because the teams were still in Italy :)

[cassiesmom]

Oh my, those Swiss doggies! I wanted to reach through the TV and hug each one!

[Karen]

Oh my, those Swiss doggies! I wanted to reach through the TV and hug each one!

Same here - which is why Paul is convinced I could never win The Amazing Race! I would have had to hug each one before continuing!

[cassiesmom]

I am so not happy about today's U-Turn and outcome. :mad:

[Karen]

I am so not happy about today's U-Turn and outcome. :mad:

Neither am I, but I understood the choice completely - the eliminated team was certainly the strongest in many ways, and more of a threat to the other competitors.

I was soooo not impressed with Rachel whining that the other "bulls" should be nicer to her because she's a "girl" - I think if anyone had told her she couldn't do something because she was female, she'd go ballistic on them. I do not like double standards!

[Bonny]

I am so not happy about today's U-Turn and outcome. :mad:

I feel the same way you do. :mad::mad: I hope the dad & son or the blondes win. Rachel needs to grow up & shut up.

[cassiesmom]

Interesting outcome today. I wasn't sure what was going to happen with the boots vs. shoots challenge. I would like to go to Wales and see the aqueduct! That looked so neat!

[Karen]

I thought Rachel's meltdown was ironic considering she started the episode saying how proud she was of herself for not having any real meltdowns this race so far.

I was sad to see the outcome, but once they got so lost, it seemed inevitable. At least they were gracious about it!

[cassiesmom]

Hmmm, no "test your memory" challenge in the final episode. I'm glad the country singers' taxi driver stood his ground when the Brenchels tried to steal him. I didn't like the way they spoke to their driver. I'd love to go to Las Vegas and see the Neon Boneyard! And all the big hotels.

[Karen]

Hmmm, no "test your memory" challenge in the final episode. I'm glad the country singers' taxi driver stood his ground when the Brenchels tried to steal him. I didn't like the way they spoke to their driver. I'd love to go to Las Vegas and see the Neon Boneyard! And all the big hotels.

I was glad, too - that the taxi driver stood his ground, and so the Brenchel's ended up wasting valuable time arguing with him. They treated their own cab driver badly, and then wondered why she wouldn't break the speed limit for them ... I found her most annoying this episode repeating they needed the $million to have a baby, when that's up to biology whether or not you can have a kid, and obviously if everyone waited until the had a million, the population would be far less than the 7 billion people there are on earth. It just made her seem more desperate and inconsiderate, as well as unaware how the public would feel about that.

I was happy the father-son team won. I would have been happy with the singers, too.