My Precious Cacao

My Precious Cacao is the penultimate episode of The Amazing Race 36.

Story[]

For the first time, the Race travels to the Dominican Republic, where the final five teams must complete two roadblocks.

Route Markers[]

Teams were transported to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and began the next leg at Puente Peatonal Saltos Damajagua in Imbert.

The order of departure from Puente Peatonal Saltos Damajagua are as follows:

Ricky & Cesar (8:45 am)
Juan & Shane (8:45 am)
Amber & Vinny (9:00 am)
Yvonne & Melissa (9:00 am)
Rod & Leticia (9:00 am)

Teams must, following a marked path, make their way on foot to 27 Charcos de la Damajagua, where they would find their next clue.

"Who can see the writing on the wall?"

The team member assigned to this Roadblock must go canyoning through a course across the waterfalls of Damajagua. Along the way, they must take note of 10 Taíno petroglyph symbols hidden along the course. At the end of the course, they would find 10 double-sided rocks, with each side having a slightly different variation of the petroglyph. They must then figure out the correct combination of 10 petroglyph symbols and lay them out to receive their next clue.

The Roadblock performers per team are underlined:

Teams must choose a driver and a marked vehicle, then direct their driver to Don Manuel's Finca de Cacao, where they would find their next clue.

Teams must harvest ripe cacao pods from the farm, process the cocoa seeds, and, following a finished example as reference, cover a tarp with the seeds. Once the judge is satisfied with their work, he would give teams their next clue.

Teams must direct their driver to Estadio Bartolo Colón, where they would find their next clue.

"Who wants to play ball?"

The team member assigned to this Roadblock, regardless of who performed the first Roadblock, must complete three baseball drills – first by fielding a ground ball at second base and perfectly throwing it to a baseman on first base, then by entering the outfield and catching a pop fly ball, and finally by playing vitilla, a local variation of stickball, by hitting a bottle cap with a broomstick 25 feet over a marked line. Once they have completed all three drills, they would receive their next clue from Dominican Major League Baseball veteran Bartolo Colón.

The Roadblock performers per team are underlined:

Teams must choose a driver and a marked taxi, then direct their driver to Paseo de Doña Blanca, where they would find their next clue.

Teams must make their way on foot to Anfiteatro de Puerto Plata to check in.
For coming in first place, Ricky & Cesar won Expedia cashback rewards for a trip for two to Seoul, South Korea.

Leaderboard[]

Legend:
First Place • Eliminated • Last placer on a Non-Elimination Leg or continue racing on a No-Rest Leg • Season winner • Season 2nd place • Season 3rd place

1st place

Ricky & Cesar
Boyfriends

2nd place

Rod & Leticia
Married

3rd place

Juan & Shane
Military Pilots

4th place

Amber & Vinny
Dating Nurses

5th place

Yvonne & Melissa
Girlfriends

Trivia[]

This episode marks the first time that The Amazing Race visits the country of the Dominican Republic.
This is the first episode where teams receive currency at the start of the leg other than the United States dollar. Rather, teams received currency in Dominican peso instead.
- This episode marks the second time that do not receive United States dollars at the start of the leg, following "Oh, Wow! It's Like One of Those Things You See on TV!" in The Amazing Race 10.
This episode marks the second time by airdate (first by filming date) in the US version that one team member is allowed to perform multiple Roadblocks in the same leg since the twist's introduction in "I Feel Like I'm in, Like, Sicily" in The Amazing Race 16.
- This makes Rod Gardner the first racer by filming date (second by airdate after Corey McArthur and Steve Cargile in The Amazing Race 35) to perform both Roadblocks in a single leg due to Roadblock limit counts prior to the penultimate leg being modified since The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business.
With Yvonne & Melissa's elimination, all all-female teams have been eliminated.
The episode title is said by Cesar Aldrete.

References[]

The Amazing Race 36 Episodes
"You Can't Drive While You're Crying" · "Trust But Verify" · "It's Not Over Til Phil Sings" · "Those Who Wander Are Not Lost" · "Save the Stress for Later" · "Our Alliance Strikes Again" · "Walk and Chew Gum Baby" · "That's What Being Strong Will Do" · "My Precious Cacao" · "The Longest Minute of Your Life"