The Amazing Race Canada: Preview of Episode 9 'Ah-mazing'

Newfoundland...

and Labrador

Wow, how quickly time flies. It’s already the second last episode of the first season. Incredible.

This week, the four remaining teams continue racing from the Bluenose II in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on through to St. John’s, Newfoundland in the second half of a double leg. Not only that, but it looks like they are taking a ferry to Newfoundland. The Marine-Atlantic Ferry is shown in the preview. At that time of year, (last May), their ferries only dock in Port aux Basques, so it would appear the teams will have a bit of a road trip getting to St. John’s. Although Vanessa and Celina will depart Lunenburg over an hour after the third place team Jet and Dave, they catch up. There is a mad dash out of the ferry terminal. My guess is there was a significant wait for the ferry - there are only two per day. Oh well…that’s Amazing Race for you.

We are going to see a lot of local flavour in this episode.

The Roadblock is busking for money. Celina does a hula hoop act; Tim Sr. does some juggling; and Dave twirls a baton with 2 sticks. Worst acts ever. There is a clip of Jet, Tim Jr, Vanessa and Cory in front of a statue called ’A Time’, listening to a fiddler - a woman. Jet starts dancing around her. This is just the 4 of them entertaining themselves while their team mates were off busking. I think the performers will have to earn a set amount of money and then hand it over to the fiddler who will give them their next clue. Beats me how any of these acts will get money. But I have to say Celina will have a clear advantage.  Pretty girl. Hula Hoop. There is also something to do with performing with ’ugly sticks’…the busking could be a two-part act.

One part of the Detour is guiding Newfoundland dogs pulling carts filled with 12 bottles of milk and a basket of eggs. If they spill any of it, they will have to start again. Jody and Cory do this one. The other part of the Detour has something to do with ’words’… as we see in the preview. This could be ‘kissing the cod’ and being ‘screeched-in’. Yes, I have heard of this, but in all honesty, I had to look it up. It’s a welcoming ceremony, and a Newfoundlander must be present.  The newcomer must kiss the cod on the mouth, and is then asked, “Is ye a Screecher?” The reply is “Deed I is me old cock, and long may your big jib draw!” Then they have to drink a shot of screech. Okay, if this is wrong, please forgive me…blame Wikipedia. Jet and Dave are shown in the preview, and behind them, waiting their turn are Vanessa and Celina. For some reason, Jet is presented with the tail end of the cod. He really gets into it…lots of tongue. I am sure there will be more hilarity here when they have to give that response.

The Old Lighthouse at Cape Spear

The Pitstop is at Cape Spear, of course. Not only is it an iconic image, it's the easternmost point of Canada. Jon and the greeter are joined by two dogs - a Newfoundland and a Labrador. Some kind of dog symbolism. The preview makes us wants to think there is a race to the Pitstop for last place, and it is probably between the Tims and Vanessa & Celina. The Tims are seen in a cab, very anxious to get to their destination. We also see the girls running up the very long set of steps. One of these two teams will not be going to the final next week in Toronto. I originally thought it was the girls who were eliminated, but now, not so sure. This just could be Vanessa and Celina’s leg. These two teams have had an on-going rivalry - fighting for position in almost every leg. They also have a history of getting themselves lost, or simply not paying attention to directions. So this may get interesting.

Notes:
Newfoundland dog - from Wikimedia Commons user: Ziga http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Novofundlandec.jpg
Labrador Retriever - from Wikimedia Commons user: Shali7  http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BlondeLabrador.jpg
Old lighthouse at Cape Spear - from Wikimedia Commons user Robthepiper http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cape_Spear_%28old_lighthouse_1%29.JPG (cropped)