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Re: Racing reports TAR 37, episode #9 is on page 1

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maf:
I apologize for the delay in the reports here. Life got in the way. I will try to catch up.

maf:
Racing report
Amazing Race Season 37, Episode 8, "We are letting race brain win"
Film date: probably 2024-05-04

The last leg ended in the village of Elin Pelin, Bulgaria. This is also where teams are released for this leg of the race in the following order:
PosTeamTimeDelta1.Alyssa & Josiah   07:342.Brett & Mark      08:10+0:363.Jonathan & Ana    08:33+0:594.Han & Holden      09:47+2:135.Melinda & Erika   10:06+2:326.Carson & Jack     11:15+3:41
The first clue envelope contains two clues. One route info and a separate Express pass clue.

The route info tells teams to drive to Lake Ariana in Sofia to find their next clue.

To win the express pass teams must make their way to Fabrica 126 in Sofia where they must perform a task. The clue explicitly says that there is only one express pass but multiple teams can attempt to win it. Alyssa & Josiah go for the express pass and all other teams assume they did and as they have a sizable lead there is no point for the others to even try going for it. And looking at the episode this seems to be the correct conclusion. Unless Alyssa & Josiah get lost on the way there, and their navigation has been spot on so far, there is no way anybody else can get it before them.

Jonathan is pissed and comments that if their car hadn't been stuck in a ditch for an hour in the last leg they might have had a chance to go for this Express pass.

At the express pass location teams are greeted with a number of fires and a sign:

WALK BAREFOOT ON HOT COALS TO WITH THE EXPRESS PASS!
* There is a demonstration of how to walk on hot coals.
* Both of you must walk the entire length of hot coals, one at the time.
* If one or both fail. You may try again. However you must go to the end of any line that may have formed.
* The two minute rule applies to this event.
* There is a short safety briefing. Listen carefully to all instructions.


I find the mention of the two minute rule intriguing. I assume this means that once you get to the front of the line you have two minutes to start doing the actual task before you have to go to the end of the line.

Alyssa gets excited when she sees the sign while Josiah is less enthusiastic as he does not like hot things. The actual hot coal walking takes place inside the building. The difficulty with this task is purely mental. As long as you keep walking you will not get seriously hurt.
 "It hurt, it was a lot longer than I though it was gonna be.", Alyssa
 "[]I'm on the beach. I'm on the beach[/i]", Josiah

In the end Alyssa & Josiah do not hesitate so they get the Express pass, which turns out to be valid through leg 10. This whole Express pass detour probably cost them about 40 minutes.

 "I'm gonna do way better at directions today", Erika
 "Spirits were high but delusional", Jack as they know they are more than an hour behind the team in front of them
 "You're not on my map anymore", Erika realize they are lost

Teams arrive to lake Irina (25km) in the following order:
 1(+1) Brett & Mark
 2(-1) Alyssa & Josiah
 3(+0) Jonathan & Ana
 4(+0) Han & Holden
 5(+0) Melinda & Erika
 6(+0) Carson & Jack

Here teams must retrieve a golden cross thrown into a lake by a priest. This is normally a part of the Jordan Day festival. The task is simple, the depth is less then a meter and teams see where the priest throws the cross. The only snag is that the water is cold. There is a bunch of worshipers standing in a circle in the water and there is music (drums and bagpipes) and generally a boisterous atmosphere.

None of the teams eve see each other here so they complete the task in the same order they got here.

Route info: Make your way to the neighborhood of Russian Monument Square and open the doors of the marked Klek shop to receive your next clue.

The Klek shop is located in the basement of the building next to Boulevard "General Mihail D. Skobelev" 75. The shop is more like a kiosk so you do not enter it. But to find it you must open the doors which look more like a utility box. The doors are marked with a small sticker but there is also some red and yellow graffiti which reads AR37 (masked among some other unrelated tags).

The clue also says that teams can not take a taxi for the rest of the leg, they must travel on foot or by public transport. Brett & Mark decide to go on foot to the next location as they do not know which bus to take.

 "You must travel by taxi for the rest of the leg", Erika misses a crucial NOT when reading the additional info

So all teams either travel by foot or public transport to the Klek shop, apart from Melinda & Erika who take a taxi. We can assume that they will get a time penalty at the end and we can also feel fairly certain that this will doom them.
 "Maybe somebody else will make a bigger mistake than us?", Erika, refers to their navigation and does not even realize they just made an even bigger mistake by taking a taxi

Carson & Jack jump onto a bus, and there they randomly run into the wood-chopping judge form last leg. They ask him what a Klek shop is and he does his best to explain, but he does not speak that much English.

The Klek shop is surprisingly hard to find for most teams. Alyssa seems to be the only one spotting the graffiti. The other teams eventually spot the small race flag sticker. When Melinda & Erika run around looking for it we can see an open Klek shop next to number 77 but they do not make the connection.

Teams find the shop (2.5km) in the following order:
 1(+0) Brett & Mark
 2(+0) Alyssa & Josiah
 3(+0) Jonathan & Ana
 4(+0) Han & Holden
 5(+0) Melinda & Erika
 6(+0) Carson & Jack

Route info: Make your way to Sofia University's St. Kliment Ohridski Central Library

This library is actually very close to lake Ariana so teams are making their way back.

Teams reach the library (2.5km) in the following order:
 1(+0) Brett & Mark
 2(+0) Alyssa & Josiah, just as #1 are leaving
 3(+0) Jonathan & Ana
 4(+0) Han & Holden
 5(+0) Melinda & Erika
 6(+0) Carson & Jack

Route info: Use a cypher to translate a passage from Cyrillic to English

The Cypher is a round metal disc where one part holds the Cyrillic letters and this can be rotated. There is also a book open on a page with some text in Cyrillic on it. The trick is to turn the disc over and on the back there is a window where you can read English letters. To make this translation work the message must have been written in English but with Cyrillic letters.

Mark seems to be fairly quick to look at the back and there he spots the English characters. Alyssa & Josiah starts looking for a book which can help them, the problem with that plan is that they are in a library so there are lots of books around. Alyssa & Josiah struggle with this task. They are still there when Jonathan & Ana arrives. Jonathan seems to quickly find the back of the Cypher and then they are careful to not let Alyssa & Josiah see them turn their Cypher over. Once Jonathan & Ana have received their next clue they tell Alyssa & Josiah to flip it over. They see this as an investment and hope that Josiah & Alyssa might help them in the future.

Han & Holden are stumped. While they look dejectedly at their Cypher Melinda & Erika arrive, both teams decide to work together. But that does not really help because none of them have any idea.

When Carson & Jack arrive to the library Han & Holden and Melinda & Erika are still there and having no clue as to how to do the task. They boys are very happy to have caught up and the others are not.

It seems as if Jack fairly quickly looks at the back of the Cypher. Then they do their best to solve the puzzle without the other two teams seeing what they are doing. But Han is observant and see what they are doing. Then Melinda & Erika leave the room to try their solution, TZKONTZKOMMOTNKMMTZKO, which gets rejected. While Melinda & Erika are out Han & Holden turn to Carson & Jack and offer to work together. Once Han & Holden get approved the decide to wait for Carson & Jack to get it before they tell Melinda & Erika to turn their Cypher over. Carson & Jack are not impressed by their decision to tell Melinda & Erika as it is always good to have a buffer.

The translation is "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word". Teams get this in the following order:
 1(+0) Brett & Mark
 2(+1) Jonathan & Ana
 3(-1) Alyssa & Josiah
 4(+0) Han & Holden
 5(+1) Carson & Jack
 6(-1) Melinda & Erika

Route info: Make your way to the museum of Socialist Art and search for the sculpture garden for your next clue.

Han & Holden work together with Carson & Jack to find the museum but they have trouble locating it. Eventually the boys stop to ask for directions but Han & Holden keep running.
 "We're letting race brain win", Holden gets the quote

Teams arrive to the museum (4.4km) in the following order:
 1(+0) Brett & Mark
 2(+1) Alyssa & Josiah
 3(-1) Jonathan & Ana
 4(+1) Carson & Jack
 5(-1) Han & Holden
 6(+0) Melinda & Erika

Route info: Make your way to the Central Military Club to find your next clue.

Looking at a map it seems teams are very much just traveling back and forth between two areas. To get to the Central Military club teams can ride the metro back to the stop next to the library.

Teams arrive to the clue box at the Central Military Club (4.6) in the following order:
 1(+0) Brett & Mark
 2(+0) Alyssa & Josiah
 3(+0) Jonathan & Ana
 4(+0) Carson & Jack
 5(+0) Han & Holden
 6(+0) Melinda & Erika

Road block: Who wants to step back in time?

In this road block contestants will learn to dance an old Bulgarian dance called to Horo. They will learn what Phil calls a complicated routine which they then have to perform together with a group of dancers. Before they can learn the dance they have to get into costume.

Mark feels confident going into this as he feel that this task plays at their strength. And he is right to be confident as he aces the dance.

Carson thinks the task is going to be military history so they select Jack to do it.

The last three teams are all at this task together.

Teams leave this road block in the following order (* denotes team member doing the roadblock):
1(+0)Brett & Mark*      (4-5)On his 1st attempt, and before any other team has arrived2(+0)Alyssa & Josiah*   (4-5)On his 3rd attempt3(+0)Jonathan & Ana*    (4-5)On her 3rd attempt4(+0)Carson & Jack*     (3-5)On his 2nd attempt5(+0)Han* & Holden      (4-5)On his 2nd attempt6(+0)Melinda* & Erika   (4-5)On her 1st attempt
The next clue tells teams that they will find the pit stop by the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

The edit makes it look like it was a close race between Melinda & Erika and Han & Holden. And perhaps it was, they probably arrived from different directions so we do not see both teams in the same shot. But we hear Erika saying that she see Han & Holden. We do not know if she see them running to the mat, on the mat or walking away from the mat. All of this could be very exciting if we did not remember that Melinda & Erika has taken a taxi when they were supposed to walk so they must have a substantial penalty waiting for them.

Teams reach Phil and the mat (300m) in the following order:
 1(+0) Brett & Mark, win $15,000
 2(+0) Alyssa & Josiah
 3(+0) Jonathan & Ana, just after #2
 4(+0) Carson & Jack
 5(+0) Han & Holden
 6(+0) Melinda & Erika, are eliminated

At the mat Phil tells Melinda & Erika that they misread the clue and he has them reread the relevant note. As it turned out their mistake did not matter as they arrived last, but in interviews after the race we heard that they would have received a 30 minute penalty for each taxi trip they took. As they took four trips that would have meant a 2h penalty.

 "We've loved it. Thank you. It's a gift.", Melinda to Phil

maf:
Racing report
Amazing Race Season 37, Episode 9, "The Pizza de Resistance"
Film date: 2024-05-05

This episode starts by showing us how teams at the pit stop use the fast and convenient(tm) Expedia app to book flights to Naples and a hotel. Or at least that is what they say, I doubt that teams actually do get to book their own hotels.

The last pit stop was at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria. And this is also where teams are released in the following order:
PosTeamTimeDelta1.Brett & Mark      00:172.Alyssa & Josiah   02:03+1:463.Jonathan & Ana    02:05+1:484.Carson & Jack     03:30+3:135.Han & Holden      03:48+3:31
Teams meet up at the airport and Alyssa shows her foot which got burned while they got the Express pass.

All teams are on the same flight, probably:
  LH1429  SOF-FRA  06:30-08:00
  LH334   FRA-NAP  10:10-12:10

Fun fact, they show the exact same shot of a plane landing in this leg as they did when teams arrived in Budapest two legs ago.

When they land teams run out the terminal and to T4 where they jump into marked taxis and make their way to Stazione di Montesanto (6km). At the station they have to catch the funicular up to Castel Sant'Elmo. All teams catch the same train on the way up to the castle. Once at the top teams run around trying to look for the Captain who will give them their clue. Teams reach him in the following order:
 1. Han & Holden
 2. Jonathan & Ana just after #1
 3. Brett & Mark
 4. Carson & Jack
 5. Alyssa & Josiah

Route info: Rub the nose of the Pulicnella statue with both hands for good luck, they get your real clue from the real-life Pulcinella.

It sounds as if the additional information tells them that the status is located at Via dei Tribunali.

Teams must first make their way down the funicular again. This time only the first two teams make the first train and the others have to wait for the next one departing 10 minutes later.

Teams reach the statue (1.0km) in the following order:
 1(+2) Brett & Mark
 2(+2) Carson & Jack, just after #1
 3(+2) Alyssa & Josiah
 4(-2) Jonathan & Ana
 5(-4) Han & Holden

Detour: Mandolin or Mozzarella?

In Mandolin teams must add the final flourishes to a Mandolin. One team member will need to assemble some of the hardware and the other has to string it.

In Mozzarella teams must plait Mozzarella into braids called treccia. The difficulty here is not just the plaiting but also the fact that the finished braids must weigh 250-350g (and teams do not have any scales).

Mozzarella takes place at Palazzo Marigliano (400m). It takes a while for teams to figure out the braiding as the demonstration is quite fast but once they figure that part out it is easy. The other difficulty is the weight. On their second attempt at the cheese Carson & Jack get one braid approved. They then compare all their other braids against this and thus get pretty close on the weights.

Once the other teams have left the pressure eases on Han & Holden and they start doing better at the cheese task.
 "Be one with the cheese", Han

The Mandolin task takes place at Liuteria Anema E Corde (400m).
 "Stop shaking hand", Jonathan tries to fir a small screw
 
Teams complete the detour in the following order:
 1(+1) Carson & Jack, Mozzarella on their 3rd attempt
 2(-1) Brett & Mark, Mozzarella on their 3rd attempt
 3(+1) Jonathan & Ana, Mandolin
 4(-1) Alyssa & Josiah, Mozzarella on their 1st attempt
 5(+0) Han & Holden, Mozzarella on their 2nd attempt

Route info: Make your way on foot to Vico 2 Montesanto in the Montesanto quarter to find your next clue.

Teams reach the next clue box in the following order:
 1(+2) Jonathan & Ana (their detour was a lot closer)
 2(+0) Brett & Mark
 3(-2) Carson & Jack
 4(+0) Alyssa & Josiah
 5(+0) Han & Holden, after the other teams have left this task

Route info: Make a food delivery the old-school way.

On balconies along this street are residents who need their shopping done. Once a resident has been selected they lower a basket with a shopping list, in Italian, and some money. The team must then go and buy the items on the list and finally send their haul up in the same basket to get their next clue.

Each list is identical and includes vegetables, sausage and bread. Teams need to go to three different shops (a vegetable market, a butcher and a baker) and it does not seem as if any of them is marked.

Han & Holden get stuck at the vegetable seller when they spend quite some time to try to get the merchant to explain what the other things are, but he hardly speaks any English.

Teams complete their shopping in the following order:
 1(+0) Jonathan & Ana
 2(+0) Brett & Mark
 3(+0) Carson & Jack
 4(+0) Alyssa & Josiah
 5(+0) Han & Holden

Route info: Travel by car to Ristorante da Ettore to find your next clue. To find a car make your way to Piazzetta Olivella and choose any available marked car with a driver.

So teams must now make their way on foot to Piazzetta Olivella (just around the corner) and from there by car to the restaurant (3km).

Teams arrive at the restaurant in the following order:
 1(+1) Brett & Mark
 2(+1) Carson & Jack, just after #1
 3(-2) Jonathan & Ana
 4(+0) Alyssa & Josiah
 5(+0) Han & Holden

Road block: Who's feeling Saucy?

In this road block teams must make a pizza from scratch. Or at least almost, they are given pre-made dough and the ingredients are all chopped and ready to add. So "all" teams need to do is to stretch the dough into shape, add the tomato sauce and other ingredients before they bake it in the oven. Once approved the staff will package the pizza and then the teams can carry it to the pit stop.

Carson is self-proclaimed "America's Worst Cook" so he really wants Jack to do this task. But Jack has already done five road blocks so if he does this he gets to six which turns out to be the maximum any player can do in this race. So in the end Carson does do the pizza.

We learn that Ana's first job when she was 16 was to make pizzas at Domino's, so she feels confident. The hardest part seem to be to get the pizza up on the paddle and then get it off in the oven. The trick is to but a little bit of flour on the paddle first.

The players not performing this road block are given pizza to eat. They seem to get both the demonstration pizzas and then later all the rejected pizzas. So they do get a lot of pizza.

 "Unless Han and Holden showed up, and blew through this, and left me here in the dust, and this pizza fell on the ground, and I slipped on it and broke my ankle, I'm not gonna use the Express Pass today.", Alyssa, who then promptly knocks on wood
 "Carson's really not the best in the kitchen", Jack
 "Ah, the pizza de résistance", Carson when he thinks he has made the ultimate pizza

It seems as Carson just put his final pizza in the oven when Han enters the restaurant.

Teams leave this road block in the following order (* denotes team member doing the roadblock):
1(+2)Jonathan & Ana*    (4-6)2(-1)Brett* & Mark      (5-5)3(+1)Alyssa* & Josiah   (5-5)4(-2)Carson* & Jack     (4-5)5(+0)Han* & Holden      (5-5)
Route info: Race on foot to the Pit Stop to the terrace of Castel Nuovo maschio Angioino.

The clue said teams could find Phil on the second terrace. Here they find him together with a local band playing Funiculì Funiculà (which is an Neapolitan song). Teams deliver their pizzas to him (900m) in the following order:
 1(+0) Jonathan & Ana, win Expedia points for a trip to Mexico City, Mexico
 2(+0) Brett & Mark
 3(+0) Alyssa & Josiah
 4(+0) Carson & Jack
 5(+0) Han & Holden, are saved by a non-elimination

At the mat Phil has an exchange with Josiah:
 "I'm just trying to slice it up.", Phil
 "Those jokes are cheesy.", Josiah
 "Yeah, but do you know what? In this heat, you'll get melted.", Phil
 "Basil, moving on.", Phil
 "Let's Oregano.", Josiah
 
In a behind the scenes video we see that the pizzas were eventually eaten by Phil and the band.

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