The Amazing Race Philippines: DryedMangoez Edition Season 21, Leg 9 – Portugal


IntroductionRace TrackerMeet the TeamsLeg 1Leg 2Leg 3Leg 4Leg 5Leg 6ALeg 6BLeg 7Leg 8Leg 9Leg 10Leg 11Leg 12


Leg 21.09 – “I’m pine working with fineapples.”

Teams are just a few Legs away from coming home. But they’ll have to survive this 9th Leg first.

Teams will head back to Kigali and return to the tailor to pick-up their traditional clothes they measured each other for. Their special presents will have their next clue. And that clue tells teams to fly to Lisbon, Portugal! All teams will be on the same flight via Brussels arriving at 3:50pm.

Upon arrival in Lisbon, teams must make their way to the Monument of the Discoveries. This monument celebrates the Portuguese Age of Exploration during the 15th and 16th centuries.

For this task, teams must count the total number of statues on the monument, each representing figures from the history of the Portuguese discoveries in order to receive the next clue.

This is also the Trigger Point for this Leg of the Race. If exactly one team gets it correct on their first attempt, the U-Turn or Yield will be activated on the next Leg. If two or more teams get it correct on their first attempt, the All U-Turn will be activated!

Teams must now book a flight to Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel Island in the Azores! All teams will end up on the same Azores Airlines flight departing at 6am tomorrow morning and arriving at 7:25am.

Upon arrival, teams must make their way to Portas da Cicade. Here, teams must choose a 2021 Kia Xceed and drive themselves to Ponta da Ferraria.


Teams will first check-in at the Double Yield board.

Then they will swim into this natural swimming pool where the hot springs of the island meet with the ocean. They will retrieve a pouch of Portuguese blue tiles, known as azulejos, and keep them until further notice.

Teams must now drive themselves to Arruda Plantation where they will find the Road Block: Who’s pine with working with fineapples?

For this Road Block, teams will go through the 2-year process of cultivating these unique Azorean pineapples. From planting to harvesting to peeling and cutting, teams must correctly follow the steps, which they must memorize, in order to receive the next clue.

After the Road Block, teams must drive to Gorreana Tea Factory where they will find an Intersection!

For this Intersection, teams must pair up and use a tea plucking machine across four rows of tea plants. They must then bring the harvested tea to the 19th century processing machines. When completed, teams will receive the next clue. Teams are no longer Intersected.

That clue points teams to this tobacco plantation. Here, teams must gather freshly harvested tobacco leaves and then properly hang them to dry.

Teams will then drive themselves to Furnas Lake.

Here, teams will dig up two large pots of Furnas stew, or cozido das Furnas, which has been cooking in the natural steam of the hot springs of the continually active volcanic complex of Furnas. They will then choose two local restaurants to which they must deliver the delicious stew. After enjoying a bowl each, teams will receive the next clue.

Teams must now head to Lagoa do Fogo and follow a trail to the lakeshore where they will find another Road Block: Who’s well put together? There are no restrictions as to who can perform this Road Block.

For this Road Block, teams will use the pouch of Azuelos from earlier and put together a blue tile puzzle. Once complete, it will reveal the location of the next Pit Stop.

And that Pit Stop is at the Our Lady of Peace Chapel in Vila Franca do Campo.

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 be eliminated.
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“Director’s” Commentary

Another world first! The Azores are definitely worthy of a TAR destination. I’ve also had the Azores on my list for a while, but never found a good route to include it in. It ended up being in a good spot on this route.

First up, the counting task is a good, simple task to start the Leg off with. It’s a typical TAR task. Something to help fill the Leg. But mainly to give teams something to do since they will have to wait overnight to resume actual Racing. Really though this task was also just to have the Trigger Point in which we want to ensure an All U-Turn is activated on the next Leg. *giggle*

Self-driving will be one of the Leg’s biggest challenges. But it will also provide a great opportunity to highlight the wonderful landscape of the Azores. Just like our first Route Marker at the water. Of course, it is to have a TARPHDME signature “Keep until further notice task” as well.

Google scouting of course limits us once again though for our tasks. Our three next tasks are all farming tasks. First, the Azorean pineapples looked interesting and different. So it would be nice to find something to do with them. Here, it’s just a physical task with maybe some thinking skills needed.

I have an Intersection here only because it appears you need four people to use this interesting tea plucking machine? I’m not sure. But it should be an interesting task to have here, especially since teams know it is an Elimination Leg.

The tobacco task is another straightforward task. Teams just need to take care of it and go.

Admittedly, the next task can be kind of repetitive paired with the shuwa Road Block back in Oman. Though here, it’s also another processional-type task. Just dig it out of the ground and deliver it. No luck or the blazing sun involved. When we have to essentially recycle tasks in-season(!), then you can be sure we’ll incorporate such duplicates in a memory task in the Final Leg. lol

Finally, what I guess is a standard Portuguese task on TAR. Using blue tiles to put together a puzzle. It’s a simple, easy task to stage. But hopefully we can make it harder and challenging for teams. Maybe something about finding the Pit Stop in the puzzle as well.

Overall, a very full Leg. The Azores definitely deserves a visit and I’m sure better tasks can be had with proper planning.

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