***SPOILERS, OF COURSE***



1. I noted several quotes from Racers. First up is from Rebecca, regarding Africa and the slaves. She commented that she was ready to leave Africa because it’s not so nice and followed up with, “I can see why so many escaped.” ESCAPED? Rebecca, honey, you need to go back to your history classes, I see. ESCAPED? Dear Lord, help us, if American school children are being taught that the Africans escaped their way into slavery over here.



2. The Slave House on Goree Island: Very moving task, to lay those roses at the Gate of No Return. I hope that Race requirement showed Rebecca a little something about the difference between escape and slavery. Gus’ emotional reaction got me teary-eyed.



3. Ooh, leaving Africa so soon? Next up, Berlin by way of ferry, air, and train. Destination? Berlin Wall. This week’s episode theme: oppression and freedom. Cheery.



4. I liked that Don/MJ went to the other teams for money rather than beg from the locals. There were no tourists from whom they could acquire money. I would have done the same thing. That the other teams were generous to them was awesome. Most surprising was the $20 that Jonathan gave them - makes me wonder how much they’ve hoarded from previous legs. I wonder if those teams’ generosity will come back to bite any of them later.



5. Choice Quote #2: This time from Kendra, who has had insensitive things to say in previous eps. Talking about the poverty she’s seen in Africa and how it disgusts her, “They keep breeding...” Nice. And in front of a cabbie, too. I’m sure that endeared her to him. Freddy sat there mute, which saddened me - he could have corrected her and chose not to. Maybe he was thinking the same thing?



6. I’m now going to call Bolo and Lori “Bolori” to save on typing the extra few characters. I’m lazy that way.



7. The argument at the travel agency was uncomfortable and amusing all at once. Bolo’s insistence that he’s not taking steroids is laughable. Maybe he’s getting the “flaxseed oil” that the MLB players have been getting?



8. DETOUR: Beers or Brats. Food! Oh, but they’re not actually going to eat it. Dang. I would have chosen to make the brats - I’ve made sausage and it’s not that hard with two people. Although I think meeting the locals at the beer hall while searching for the coasters would have been a riot.



Who doesn’t know what a beer stein is? Kendra, apparently. Oh, and Freddy. I’m not saying anything about dumb models, but they are models.



Love that Gus was focused on drinking the beer rather than delivering it. Grossed out by Bolo eating the raw brats. I wonder how sick he got later - then again, maybe he’s got a cast iron stomach that can handle the bacteria you get from eating raw pork/beef. I know I can’t always handle cooked beef, so...



Jonathan’s panic at the arrival of Bolori when they were leaving was comical and annoying. Man, what a jerk. But more on that later.



9. ROADBLOCK: Soapbox Derby. Maybe it’s me, but that was kind of a boring task. Probably fun for the Racers, but not so much for me. I don’t know.



10: PIT STOP: Brandenburg Gate. I wonder how many of the Racers caught the theme for this leg - the significance of all of the task locations. I’m thinking not many, which is sad.



Teams drive themselves from Roadblock to Pit Stop in Mercedes, which is probably like driving a Ford here in the US. OK, maybe not. And this leads to Choice Quote #3 from Jonathan: “You gotta have an appreciation for the people who make Mercedes.” Asshat. Also, at the RB, he bragged about his go-cart days as a kid and how he graduated from them to his Ferrari. OK, Magnum, we get you. Asshat.



Oh, and we get Choice Quote #4 from Jonathan as well - J/V bicker all the way to the Pit Stop and she says she’s going to “lose it” about something he said, at which point he chimes in with, “I’m going to lose it on you (emphasis mine) because you can’t get it right on the ground.” Asshat.



But I’m not done with them yet. In the footrace between J/V and Freddy/Kendra to the Mat, the display of disrespect and abuse from Jonathan to Victoria was appalling. She was correct to insist that they not just leave their packs on the side of the street in order to run faster. In a busy city like that there’s no guarantee that they wouldn’t be stolen, film crews notwithstanding. The malice he displayed by shoving his wife while she was running full speed, carrying both backpacks, in the middle of a city street was unbelievable. I’m not surprised she was crying hysterically - his abuse and her fatigue finally caught up with her. I felt so sorry for her in that moment that I was cheering her on to get to the Mat before F/K - not because I wanted him to be first (man, can you imagine what display he would have given if that had happened?), but because I wanted her to not be blamed for them being second. Second. That’s pretty good in this Race. They’ve consistently been near the top for the past few legs - most other Racers would be happy with that, but not Jonathan.



The disgust on Phil’s face could not be masked. I was impressed that he challenged Jonathan to go talk to Victoria after he yelled at her in front of Phil and the local German dude while standing on the Mat! And then he continued to yell at her. Asshat.



Flo, I forgive you for your whiney, quitter, hated status. You have been superceded as The Most Hated Racer Ever. Have I mentioned that he’s an asshat?



NEXT WEEK: More disrespect from Jonathan to Victoria, “You be the woman and be quiet.” *sigh*