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I attended a fundraiser in Las Vegas recently for an organization that, among other projects, helps to keep Black young folks in school. http://www.palazzo.com/entertainment/events/topspin.html I was amazed at the music the DJ played during the main event. Lots of misogynistic, violence promoting, crap "Urban" music filled with obscene and filthy language. I wrote a note to the event coordinator regarding my take on this ( pandering to an incredibly low base while chasing folks who might help their charity ((me)) away with a bad impression of their charity. They are blaming the DJ-but they were paying the DJ and they were in the same room as I was-and have invited me back to next years event. I am no prude- but I do hope that some standards are maintained. This music would have been fine in a raunchy night club or event, but it was totally inappropriate at this event.

More Atomic Cafe stuff: http://www.rockyflatscoldwarmuseum.org/ Web site about the Rocky Flats, Colorado nuclear weapons site, with fascinating oral-history interviews (transcripts and recordings) with people who worked there.

Being humble and loveable always counts AND there is still time. Best regards, RA1

People like him make me realize just how little I've accomplished thus far in life.

Is this in the wrong thread? I am thinking of "I want to be a porn star" but that is just me. Best regards, RA1 Otherwise, WOW.

I knew this was going to happen. I heard that the saunas in Rio were filled to capacity with Americans showering with garotos. Take a look at this article concerning the critical water shortage in Rio: http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-politics/rio-de-janeiros-reservoirs-critically-low-again/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRioTimes+%28The+Rio+Times%29 P.S. Just kidding about the reason for the shortage - we need humor in this forum.

I love the shower scene in most of the saunas. Esp. the one at Lagoa where you can actually see them inside. I don't pay much attention to those damn Americans when they go inside. In fact, I have a pair of rose colored glasses that filters out all those over the age of 30. They often come in handy at saunas but it causes my friends to think I'm ignoring them when we go to dinner.

for me would have to be getting robbed, helps keep Samsung going strong, lol

I had lots of luck at the beaches and the beach bars, a great view from my hotel, and a wonderful time at the garoto sauna in Recife. It's definitely on my return list. I enjoyed Recife much more than Fortaleza, which was too slow for my tastes. And the garoto sauna there was more than a little slow when I went.

Add me to those who enjoyed the insights on racial dynamics in Brazil, especially those in Salvador. Not to mention, I expect my dream guy is a coffee-skinned, green-eyed beauty even now cavorting on a beach in Bahia and waiting for me to settle into a lounge chair with a smile and a fistful of reals. I'm a big fan of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown series and he recently did one on Bahia. It's still streaming on Netflix for anyone who's interested. What struck me was the presence of music and dance, pretty much everywhere and all the time. Not sure if that was editing, or reality, but I hope to find out one day. One thing Bourdain pointed out is that, in places like Rio, all the beach bodies were perfect whereas, in Bahia, there's much more variety. Not sure if you recent travelers noticed that, but it would be interesting to hear if you did. Thanks again, for whatever you care to post.

One would have to be walking around Brazil with blinders on, or would have to be burying his head in the sands of its lovely beaches,NOT to notice color differences in Brazil -- and how color (and self-identified race) has to do with class there. And how can one go to Salvador de Bahia -- the place with the largest concentration of people of African descent outside of the African continent, and the place where the majority of the African slaves were dropped off during the slave trade, a place where over 90% of its inhabitants have African blood in them -- and NOT notice or discuss color? I'm mixed-race, Black, Irish, German and Latino, very fair-skinned (like Vanessa Williams, Mariah Carey, Derek Jeter, Vin Diesel fair-skinned) and I notice the interesting irony of the Brazilian brothers and sisters who are darker than me, have thicker hair, and clearly have more "African" features than me who call themselves "white". Due to its different history, color and race are different concepts in Brazil (and other South American / Latin American countries) than they are in North America / Europe -- ESPECIALLY in the USA, where the old "one drop rule" (one drop of black blood makes you black) still applies for the most part. In Braxil, it's almost as. If the one drop rule is in the reverse! Yeah, I got that "please, black people, stop upsetting the nice non-black people by talking about all this color!" message. And I say save it for your therapist. Many men and women, gay and straight, from all over, visit Salvador particularly BECUASE they are interested in the Afro-Brazilian men and women and its emphasis on Afro-Brazilian culture and history. To ignore it would be silly. No, scratch that -- it would be stupid. On one of my last trips to Salvador, I met this woman from Hungary in her 50s who travels to Salvador quite often. She told me she visited 10 years ago and instantly fell in love with the people, the music, the food, the history, the culture, so she travels to Salvador at least twice a year now. I wanted to add, "you mean you really fell in love with the dick!" but I was too polite. But I knew what was up!

Damn, brothers, I've been at this site for a while, and during your visits, it's the first time that lots about color has been alluded too, way too much. As an African American who's been to Brasil 11x's since 2002, mostly to Rio but to Sao Paulo, the Amazon, Curitiba, Salvador [bahia] and a few other places-- folks there as well as at this site have not written or spoken much about the persons of color who live in these areas of Brasil. I've often been mistaken as a Brasilian when I've traveled to my most favorite country and to its cities and towns, but when I've spoken that line about my not being able to speak Brasilian Portuguese after being asked questions in Brasilian Portuguese, my "brothers and sisters" have only smiled and laughed along with me. Brasilians, for the most part, are very mixed; Bahia is the most African of all cities in this country, and it was Brasil's first capital! There is racism but it's unspoken about! [...words from my friend from Sao Paulo who lived in San Francisco a while back, going to school and escorting. Today he has a degree and a partner. ...don't know if he's become naturalized.] So my advice to you African Americans is go and be with whomever and try to live without all of this color shit, especially here! We get that far too much among our own in certain communities within our own country. Glad it was not pronounced when I lived in Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri. I've lived in California for most of my life after coming from the Heartland, Kansas City (both Kansas and Missouri) and got the color thing back there but less here. Since you two are African Americans and are into the "color thing," apparently, why not write between yourselves and present general information here, for there are few Americans here as well as at www.daddysreviews.com who are of our ethnicity! [I wrote the preceding as a strong suggestion, for I've been to the saunas in the two major cities, not in Bahia, and have maneuvered onward while there!] Go and enjoy and write about your experiences if you desire irrespective of color because if one is in the largest city comprised of folks who have African roots, of course this will be reflected.

From the dudes he was cruising during our tour, I can tell that Fernando has a type. In the USA we might call that type rough trade. I suspect that is why he prefers Persona. By the way, all of the whitest people I saw in Bahia were at Sauna Fox the night I went. These guys were "grandma is from Italy or Portugal' white, not " we dont talk about grandma" white....not that there's anything wrong with that. It was just startling in such a cafe con leche city. Rodrigo was the only garoto there who was my type..tall, fit mulato. The selection was clealy better at Planetario.

You paid R$400 for three hours with three men. Such a bargain. At the current exchange rate, that is equal to (U.S.) $124.60 total. Where else in the world could you replicate that? Thanks for the interesting report. If you find some free time, you might want to consider checking out this hotel owned by two gay guys from France - HOTEL CASA DO AMARELINDO - Rua das Portas do Carmo, 06 | Pelourinho, Salvador (Historic area of Salavador) I hope you continue to enjoy Salvador.