Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

[wolverineTrumpet]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

I really liked that episode because I've been to Shanghai and the Yu Yuan Gardens. That's the first time they've gone somewhere outside the US that I've been. (I'm not much of a world traveler).

The dumpling challenge would have been interesting, that marketplace is a maze. Even with the Chinese speaking person I was with, I was the one that found the way out and back to the car.

I wasn't a big fan of the detectives. I really hope the models don't win. I'm guessing nearly everyone is cheering for the cowboys at this point.

[Zudnic]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

Anyone who has been to China has been through the horror of trying to get around there. It's an ideal setting for the Race, IMHO. It's chaotic, there's a language barrier, yet there is enough infrastructure to be navigable.

I thought this was a very good episode. It had it all - I loved how the brothers gave up trying to find the bridge, waited for the cops, and figured they'd pull ahead due to the speed bump. I loved how the cowboys slipped their soapstone in their pocket to play mindgames with the models. I thought it was ingenious that the cops called the translation service for the taxis (they must have made a note of it while in a cab previously). And I was very impressed at the models' ability to make their way across town on the subway.

Jet and Cord are the team to beat, and I think there is a sizeable time gap between the brothers and the other two teams. But I am expecting everyone to be on the same flight to San Francisco, so it's anyone's game.

[UncleRay]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

If the cops had only told the brothers to take a hike.... Two hours and they were still sitting on the starting line. That said, how sad are the cabbies that they don't take it upon themselves to call the translation service to get a fare. Are Westerners poor tippers? It was a strategy by the brothers that worked for them, but it sure didn't sit right with me. The models impressed me at the beginning by getting out and asking people, seeking out English-speakers instead of just asking cabbies. The girl they ended up finding was just pure gold.

To me, the cowboys showed last week why they are so good: when the wind picked up in the stadium and started blowing the puzzle pieces all over the stadium, Brent threw a fit - like I would have - but Cord just buckled down and got it done. They made some comment about that that I don't remember.

I may not be able to watch the finale next week and I'm not all that broke up about it. I haven't liked the finales of the past several seasons since they have been a crapshoot and success has been dependent upon a different skill set than what has brought the teams to this point. So while I believe that, based upon the past legs, the cowboys should be the hands-on favorites to win this season, this will prove to be anybody's Race.

[Zudnic]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

That said, how sad are the cabbies that they don't take it upon themselves to call the translation service to get a fare. Are Westerners poor tippers?

In my experience (total two months in China, both on business and as a tourist), Chinese people are impatient and intolerant, particularly for people who don't speak their language. On top of that, culturally, Chinese people tend not to consider the repercussions of their actions on others. For example, it's not uncommon on the streets to step in excrement from human babies - a Chinese diaper is a slit in the rear of their pants. Get on the train, and people are spitting everywhere. Get in a cab and the driver willfully places thousands of people's lives at risk. And ahead of the Beijing Olympics, there was a campaign to get people to conduct themselves with basic courtesy such as not cutting lines. Basically, I am not all that surprised no one takes the time to go the extra mile in the name of customer service.

I don't pretend to be an expert on China or its culture, just my observations from my time there.

[UncleRay]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

Zudnic, that's sad. But my surprise is at their not considering the repercussions of their actions on their own wallet.

[wolverineTrumpet]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

No one taking time to go the extra mile is a bit much. I have one supplier in China that is better than my American suppliers (it turns out their cost is about equivalent because they do the extra work). I have 4 other suppliers in China, 2 are OK (poorer quality, but faster than my local suppliers) and 2 of which are awful (but so cheap who cares? Certainly no one that actually looks at the added cost of fixing the problems).

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

No one taking time to go the extra mile is a bit much. I have one supplier in China that is better than my American suppliers (it turns out their cost is about equivalent because they do the extra work). I have 4 other suppliers in China, 2 are OK (poorer quality, but faster than my local suppliers) and 2 of which are awful (but so cheap who cares? Certainly no one that actually looks at the added cost of fixing the problems).

Business is great with Chinese suppliers because the businessmen understand the concept of going the extra mile for a sale, I believe that crosses all cultural lines.

But dealing with regular people, absolutely...friends have horror stories from China.

[Kepler]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

But dealing with regular people, absolutely...friends have horror stories from China.

I wonder if this is a city thing, not a China thing. Because these complaints (public and personal rudeness, unwillingness to compromise, seemingly deliberate obtuseness) are the same ones I've heard (and experienced) in any city from Paris to Vienna to Boston, across all cultural lines; once you get out of cities, people are far more polite.

Agreed that business is the universal language. Any haggling in any country immediately falls into the same comfortable rhythm.

[Probert]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

I will be interested to see if the Brothers are penalized for the 1st class move. I know the rules specifically state you can only fly coach, I am not sure if allowing to move up in flight would specifically qualify as breaking the rules though.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

I will be interested to see if the Brothers are penalized for the 1st class move. I know the rules specifically state you can only fly coach, I am not sure if allowing to move up in flight would specifically qualify as breaking the rules though.

Not sure, but those guys sure have a big lead right now.

[Probert]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

Not sure, but those guys sure have a big lead right now.

With the one brother writing down all the eliminations it looks like they are a guaranteed winner.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

With the one brother writing down all the eliminations it looks like they are a guaranteed winner.

Smart move by him. Wow.

[Probert]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

I may have spoken too soon, though it may be editing, if the cowboys can get a cab quick they may have a shot.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

Brothers won. Drama between the Lesbians and the 3rd place team. I must have missed that episode.

[Probert]

Re: Amazing Race 16 - Villains, Barbie Dolls, and Wierdoes In Exotic Locales, Oh my!

Brothers won. Drama between the Lesbians and the 3rd place team. I must have missed that episode.

That was pretty much an underlying current for several episodes at least with the brunette lesbian but you probably missed the episode where they got U-turned and eliminated.

At least the models didn't win, would have preferred the cowboys but the brothers weren't too bad, a little too much drama queen at times for me. All in all a pretty simple leg though the memory challenge which a lot of times stymies a team seemed to have no effect on the brothers or cowboys, I am guessing the models did have problems with it. They are going to have to change it up next time as any smart team will do the same thing next year. Like Jordan having watched all the episodes of the race at least twice I probably would have done the same thing as him because i always write a journal while I travel.