taping it

OK, So D got my all hooked on Amazing Race, since planting the idea in my head that one day in the ambiguous future we should sign up. I started watching cuz if I was going to eventually join, then I should know what I'm getting into. Pairs of teams with various previous relationships (married couples, best friends, internet daters, cousins) follow clues and do stunts to be the first around the globe.

Tonight is the finale. It's down to Chip&Kim, an African American couple who are always keeping it real. (Chip, "God takes care of his idiots, and I'm top of the list!") The Bowling Moms, a pair of middle aged moms, one is a bit whiny but they get the job done. I'm rooting for them to win. The Dating Models, who refused to do a stunt that involved doing a traditional Hindi ritual of cutting off all their hair. (Girl Model in the Middle East: "wow, they have so many of those things here it's like Starbucks..what are they called...mosques.") Makes you want to slap them (with some sense). And finally Colin&Christie, who had led much of the race and now that they're behind they swear people are being "unfair." I can't stand this couple either.

I like this show cuz unlike Survivor that has all this "made up" cultural rituals, the teams here usually perform stuff that is characteristic of local life and traditions. Every day people actually do this stuff. Though I'm not sure how many of the teams appreaciate that. They're usually too busy complaining about how smelly the place is. One heartwarming moment was when Chip and Kim were on the Nile and Chip proclaims, "From LA to the Nile, we are in the Motherland." and when the Bowling Moms were in India, they commented at how all the women were so colorful and beautifully dressed. That's why I'm rooting for these teams. They can race AND they appreciate much of the world around them.

Last episode they found themselves in Manila. Had to jump into taxis to a motor company and decorate jeepneys. Then off to the duck capital of the Philippines to plow a field with a carabao. Last, they make it to the pit stop, in this case it was Coconut Palace (I have no idea where this is.)

Tonight they're supposed to make it to Palawan. Colin&Christie have no money (penalty for coming in last, the last round), so I don't even know how they're going to get money to go there. Then off to some winter snowy place and the finale.