Sunday, November 12, 2006

'The Amazing Race 10' - Ep. 9 -or- "Don't they wear wooden shoes in Finland?"


Five teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?


Yes, that is the question.

Teams had their mandatory rest period at the Madagascar Pit Stop where we last left them. As they arrived first, Dustin and Kandice (Evil Beauty Queens) were the first to leave at 2:56 AM. The Alabama Moms, Lyn and Karlyn, were the last team to leave at 3:55 AM, so we're talking an hour between first and last place. It's still a tight race at this point.

The clue they received directed them to fly to Helsinki, Finland. They had a total of $265 for this leg of the run. But flying to Helsinki isn't as easy as it sounds like it should be. Due to the lack of flights out of Madagascar, the show would arrange for flights to Paris and then the teams would be responsible for making the connecting flights to their destination.

Upon reading the destination, one of the Beauty Queens said, "Don't they wear wooden shoes?" I just looked at my cat and sadly shook my head.

At the airport, it didn't take the teams long to figure out there may be a quicker way to Helsinki. They found out that a flight to Johannesburg could connect them more quickly to Helsinki than the Paris connection, so all teams made a go at it. The 'Bama Moms barely squeaked aboard to the delight of the ChoBros (Erwin and Godwin), but to the chagrin of the Beauty Queens and the Rehabbed Model Boy Toys (Tyler and James).
Dustin and Kandice do AOL
Once in Helsinki, teams had to locate the Kapeli Restaurant where they'd face the inevitable AOL "You've Got Mail!" clue of the season. This year it wasn't so much of a clue as it was a taste of home -- video messages from family and friends. I know it's all touching and emotional, but didn't I just go through the same ordeal (or similar) on Survivor this week? Sheesh. After they saw the videos, the next clue was given to them by the restaurant manager.

They had to take a train to a school which I couldn't spell if my life depended on it. Shoot me now. Despite varying degrees of manners and lack thereof, all the teams ended up on the same train. Oh, the ChoBros were the polite ones, just in case you couldn't guess. Alabama just cut in front of the queue at the taxi stand and made me cringe once again. I know they're in a race. But they're also Americans in a foreign land. I must say it again. Sheesh.

Once at the school, they followed markers which led them to a Detour, a choice between two tasks the teams must perform to receive the next clue. Detours always have some connection with the local area, its people, or its customs. The choices this time were Swamp This or Swamp That. I guess it must be swampy there, eh? In Swamp This teams had to use cross-country skis to ski through a mile-long mud course. In Swamp That teams had to go through a muddy (sometimes up to their waists) obstacle course. It wasn't too cultural of a challenge, but it did get down and dirty!
Hip deep in mud


Although Rob and Kimberly got lost on the way to the mudbath, they made good time of it and passed by both the ChoBros and 'Bama.

From there, teams had to take a train to Turku, then drive to a limestone mine in Lohra. It was there that the teams faced a Roadblock - a task only one member of the team must complete. This Roadblock, dubbed "A Miner Inconvenience," looked like fun going down, but work returning as they had to ride a motorbike down into the mines, find a limestone hunk, then bring it back uphill (which the bikes couldn't handle and had to be walked), then break open the limestone to reveal their next clue. Tyler/James and Dustin/Kandice were the only teams on the first train heading in, so they got in and out of the mine first. Rob and Kimberly got lost trying to find the mine and the ChoBros actually got a bit nasty in deliberately losing them. Good. Now lose 'Bama, ChoBros.

Face FirstThe Boy Toys and Beauty Queens were off to the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki where the boys found their clue after a bit of searching. Uh-oh. Bad news for those who have a fear of heights. That would include my favorite team, the Chos. Eep. Teams would have to rappel face-first down the tower at the stadium. The Beauty Queens arrived and started making their way up the tower as the Boys went down one at a time.

Back at the mine, Rob was a driven man... driven to get by 'Bama and the Chos, too. He made it by 'Bama and was tailgating the ChoBros. "Get off my ass, Rob. I will slam on my brakes." Go for it ChoBros, then leave 'em in your dust! They get to the stadium and then it happens. No, not a round of fisticuffs between the Chos and Rob, not at all.

"Keep racing. This leg isn't over."

Argh. I know they do this every season. I even figured that it would take place about halfway through tonight's episode as the timing wasn't going right for a Pit Stop. You know when no one has made the Pit Stop within fifteen minutes of the show ending time or was heading to one even before that, chances are there won't be one.

So, it's not until next week that we'll know who was eliminated next.

The Evil Beauty Queens weren't so evil this episode, but I still can't forgive them for not driving the car they smashed up last week and leaving it for another team. What if it had broken down due to the damage they caused and made another team lose the race? That move on their part was totally out of line and beyond just being competitive.

As the field narrows down, I'm still rooting for the Chos and am rather ambivalent about the rest of the teams. Both the Beauty Queens and the Boy Toys are strong teams, but I just don't care so much for them. I admire 'Bama and Rob/Kimberly for doing as well as they are, but neither team thrills me. But, the ChoBros? They rock my world. They just need to get a smidgen meaner. Just for the race, of course.

10 comments:

Brent McKee said...

Gee, you are far more forgiving of Alabama than I am - I want them gone now! In fact I wanted them gone last week instead of Dave & Mary. The part of them that gets me is that hey can be so nasty and then turn around and claim that other teams are oppressing them. Their behaviour at the taxi queue is at least as much an "ugly American moment" as any of the statements by people in India and Madagascar. Maybe more so because they weren't just showing their ignorance to us they were essentially telling the Finnish people in that line that "your customs don't apply to us because we're Americans and on a TV show." Sure one of the other teams cut in line, but they at least asked the people in the line if they could do it.

Anonymous said...

Jackie..thank you for spelling - rapelling...did I get it right!!!! IMAO

At Olympic Stadium where the next clue would be, it stated to climb to the top of the tower...nothing about last team, yada,yada,yada. At that point knew NO ELIM. I really like when they drag it out and I think this will work against the Bama's. I too, am afraid for the Cho's and the height, let's hope they have overcome that.

Rob and Kim are really trying to rein in their hostile side. In the car a spat almost started but Kim kept her mouth shut. Good girl!!!!

BQ's and PB's are the stongest, but I wish CBS would do a show of over 40's (even 35's), for a race. Just no more families/kids.

Brent...what is the saying "when in Rome do as the Romans do", Bama mom's sure have never heard of that!!! IMAO Could say more, but after living in AL for 12yrs, let me just say that some feel it is their right to be rude!

Per usual, Jackie, marvelous!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh I agree,BAMA can go at any time and I will shed no tears! But the CHO BOYS have GOT to step it up and get a lot tougher or they will be gone. I think it showed in the next epi that they get screwed over by BAMA and state their alliance with them is over...YAYYYYYY!!!! I hate the way BAMA can change on a dime and be mean and so nasty and then claim to "love everybody" and it's "just a race". Well,racism works both ways,and just as I hated Peter using the disability card,I hate they use the race card when it suits them.

CHO BOYS....you have heard the old chestnut,"nice guys finish last". It's going to be hard to go against everything they've been taught,but they have to step it up. I will be so upset if they get eliminated next week,in fact,the race will have lost all it's meaning for me,cause then I won't care which of these losers win it!

Anonymous said...

This really doesn't matter, but I think it was Kimberly that ask "don't they wear wooden shoes in Finland?"

Anonymous said...

While they aren't my favorites, I like Lyn and Karlyn and I hope they do well. I think they should do whatever they need to do to win, as that is why they are there. I like the Chos too, but until now, they seem to have forgotten that this is a race! As people often say, nice guys finish last! I've watched TAR since season 6, and a female team hasn't come close to winning since then. It would be nice to see it happen this time around.

Anonymous said...

There is a minor miss spelling in the article. The city name is typed Lohja not Lohra. Over all a good article.

For spoilers ! They are going to Estonia and in the capitol of Estonia, Tallin in the next episode.
I know that, because the finnish army would never let just some random folks drive with the tanks, but the estonians would :) .
And I know that, because I have been in the army(Yes every finnish male have to go to the army(6 to 12 months) or the civil service(13months) or jail (6 months)

Sorry for my not so good english :) (I suck at grammar)

Anonymous said...

Terve! Anon 452p

Thank you for the information about Estonia. AND Finland!!! Your English is very good. Better than my Finnish!!!
Hyvaaa iltaa

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:31... just curious... what do you like about Lyn and Karlyn? I would like to look at them differently since Mary could see something there, but everything they've done (or at least the smaller one of the two..don't know who is who) has been mean spirited. If there is something I'm missing, I'm open to changing my opinion of them. My opinion of BAMA and the Barbies is fairly equal as to their actions throughout this game.

I want the Chos to win, but this repelling of the wall is really going to be difficult for them. Are they both afraid of heights?

Eager for next week's episode. Thanks for the recap Jackie. Awesome as usual.

Anonymous said...

Rappel think that is correct

Erwin is the bro scared of heights

The Olympic Tower is 236 ft.

Anonymous said...

Erm, they rode bicycles down the mine, not motorbikes.