Introduction → Leg 1 → Leg 2 → Leg 3 → Leg 4 → Leg 5A → Leg 5B → Leg 6 → Leg 7 → Leg 8 → Leg 9 → Leg 10 → Leg 11 → Leg 12
Leg 19.06 – “Kaninong sampalok ang papatok?”
It’s the halfway point of the Race and the All-Stars begin the 6th Leg by opening the clue and learning their next destination is Erbil, Iraq!
Teams will be flying from Dong Hoi, Vietnam to the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan on Vietnam and Turkish Airlines via Hanoi and Istanbul, arriving in Erbil at 8:20am.
Upon arrival in Erbil, teams must make their way to Shanadar Park.
And here, teams must first check-in at the Double U-Turn board before opening the next clue which reveals the Detour: Baked or Fried. This is a Limited Stations Detour and only four teams can perform either side of the Detour at a time.
In Baked, teams must learn how to make naan in a traditional tandoor oven. Once teams can correctly make 60 pieces of naan in the correct size, they will receive the next clue.
In Fried, teams must learn how to make zoolbia. They will fry them, dip them in syrup and stack them on a tray. After securely wrapping up two trays worth, they will carry the trays on their heads to deliver to a specific nearby location.
After the Detour, teams must make their way to Erbil’s Grand Bazaar.
Here, teams must find this popular shop and help make 2 rows, or 36 total, kabab skewers to receive the next clue.
Teams will also receive an incomplete dalla, a copper canister used to serve certain types of beverages. Teams will have to search the Bazaar using a set of provided clues to find the pieces needed to finish assembling their respective dallas in order to receive the next clue.
And that clue reveals the Road Block: Kaninong sampalok ang papatok? (Whose tamarind will be most popular?)
For this Road Block, teams will now use the dalla they’ve just assembled and fill it with fresh tamarind juice which they will make themselves. They must then sell at least 25 cups of refreshing juice at a set price to receive their next clue.
That clue tells teams to make their way into the ancient Citadel and find the Erbil Stones and Gems Museum.
Here, teams will pick up 60 bricks. Using a pushcart, teams must deliver 20 bricks each to three of 12 designated locations in the citadel which is undergoing restoration. Only two deliveries can be made at each location. So teams must find locations with open spots.
This is also the Trigger Point for this Leg. If any team breaks a brick during delivery, the U-Turn or Yield will be activated on the next Leg.
After making the three deliveries, teams can find the Amphitheatre in the citadel to receive their next clue. And that clue is only a 5000 Iraqi Dinar bill.
Teams must figure out that they must make their way to the Geli Ali Beg Waterfall which is printed on the front of the bill. Teams will choose one of the waiting guides who will drive them to the waterfall, or wherever they think the next clue is located at.
At the Geli Ali Beg Waterfall, teams will find a Duel Duel! For this Duel Duel, teams must face off in a quick race to the cluebox. Teams will hop into an inflatable raft and must race across the pool. The team who reaches the floating cluebox first can continue Racing. The last place team must collect all balls that match the colors of the Iraqi Kurdistan flag before they can continue Racing.
After the Duel Duel, teams will continue their waterfall hopping and can now make their way to the Bekhal Waterfall, the Pit Stop for this Leg of the Race.
The first team to check-in here will win P200,000 courtesy of Shell V-Power Nitro+.
The last team to check-in here… WILL NOT be eliminated! This is a Non-Elimination Leg and that last place team must Self Yield at some point of the next Leg.
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“Director’s” Commentary
So this was a very interesting Leg to put together. I first saw that a Leg in Iraq was possible after watching this vlog:
I don’t know much about Kurdistan and it was very interesting looking things up and researching possibilities for this Leg. I think it definitely would be a good, eye-opening Leg that people would be interested in.
All of the tasks on this Leg are pretty standard TAR tasks. First up, we have teams making naan and zoolbia. Both definitely familiar tasks from other TARs. Making it a limited stations Detour is just to keep the tension up right at the start of the Leg. But I think each shop probably doesn’t have much room for 8 teams anyway.
The Grand Bazaar looks like a must-visit location and it would be a wonderful location for several tasks. For here, we have teams making some kababs. It’s another food task, but it’s a sort of tedious task that keeps teams going.
I am very amused by the Road Block. The task itself is recycled from a few TARs as well. But I’m most amused by the Road Block prompt. It’s a very fun rhyme.
The bricks are just an extra task that gets teams into the Citadel which is also a great location. And with the restoration of the Citadel ongoing, it’s a timely task.
The amphitheatre would actually be a great Pit Stop location. But I really wanted to add in the waterfalls to the end of the Leg. The last two Route Markers show a very different and perhaps surprising aspect of Iraq. Or at least Iraqi Kurdistan.
The main focus on this Leg really is to highlight Erbil and Iraqi Kurdistan. A place that many people might not know about or has misconceptions about based on the harsh realities of the area surrounding it.
Overall a good Leg in an area that could easily host two Legs.