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I will take possession of the house in 30 days. The.process has been pretty easy so far. I have both a Mexican and American(living in Mexico) real estate agents working with a attorney in mexico. You have to put 10% down to start the process and the 90% balance at the closing! Then about another $10.000. - $12,000. In MexicanTax and "closing costs on top of the final purchase price. But not much red tape actually a lot less paperwork then buying a home in the U.S.

i am in Bangkok for a three month trip. It's a great place to spend American winters. While those of you on the East Coat are enjoying hopefully your last blizzard of the year, I spent most of my day pool side on a 96 degree day. Gotta love retirement. i had a situation a couple of weeks ago that shows the warm and friendly side of the Thai people. I decided to go to Hanoi for a long weekend. Another city I am falling in love with. Great people, food, a city that's starting to grow up fast. All packed and ready to go. Grab a taxi infront of my condo. Great day, no traffic, friendly driver, takes about 25 minutes. Get out of taxi, get luggage, get to airline check in counter. Opps...where's my wallet. Panic sets in as I realize I have lost my wallet. I had $200. drivers license, 1 credit card and my debit card. I live off my debit card and really messed up without it. Sat down for a minute to take stock of what's happing. Bangkok has many different taxi company's, and I had no idea which one I had used. Tourist Visas are 30 days. You have to leave the country for a day or more then come back. This was my 30th day and I had to go. I had my passport, couple other credit cards, and about $50. Cash in my backpack. Wallet is gone, nothing I can do about it now, so get on the plane to Hanoi. I had prepaid hotel and airport transfers so was covered there. Hanoi is very inexpensive City. Figured I could do credit card cash advance if needed. Learned how to have a fun weekend and be frugal, something I'm not in Bangkok. Back to Bangkok, hopping maybe I left wallet in Condo (nope) on the phone canceling cards and ordering replacement license. Lucked out, with int'l collect numbers for banks and fast and friendly service. I use Chase and I rec'd new debit card by UPS in 5 days. A special thank you to TotallyOz as he is here in Bangkok and let me use his address for delivery. Last night as I'm taking my 5pm nap before heading out to spend time with my friends, big knock on door. One of the workers from my condo building says your taxi here. I said I didn't order taxi. Language is an issue. He finally pulls out his wallet, points to it and said taxi. Then it hit me. Taxi has my wallet. Head down and sure enough there is the driver and he has my wallet. Nothing missing. All the cash there. Wow. Lots of thanks and smiles on my part. I gave him a very nice tip and he was all smiles. Language was an issue with everybody standing there, so didn't get the story. Today a worker I know that speaks English talked to security guy . Taxi driver found wallet when he got back to city. He knew I was only gone for few days. He remembered where he picked me up. Finally was in the area. My license has my picture on it. He asked security guy. Fairly easy as I'm only Caucasian living in the building. Wallet returned. Thailand is a country of amazingly friendly, caring people. There's a reason they call it, Land of Smiles. Taxi drivers do get a bad rap here for not using meters, or picking you up, falling asleep while driving I got a good guy. 10 days after I lost wallet, he still took the time to find me and return it. He was concerned for me. Asking if everything is ok, am I ok. It was one of the better happy endings I've had in Bangkok.

About 10 maybe 12 years ago you could find the guy on the left and the one on the right working in the Rio saunas and the one on the left did a number of gay porn films! This photo was taken recently at LadiesClub a straight dance club that has about a 1/2 dozen male strippers performing. Over the years quite a few of the Point and 117 guys worked here! Ladies club has been open at least 12 years if not longer! If i can find one of the stills from his porn days i will post it! He was cute and was always muscular evev back then!

Yup that what it means alright! :-). Isaac has been around a long time and knows how its done! I was only with him once about 11 years ago but he recently friended me on FB. Which makes me more then a little suspicious of his motives! But he gets a "A" for effort!

Thank you Darkseraphim! One thing i should point out is only one of the guys has been "brown" so far! 4 have been european i.e. Spanish, italian and white mexicans and one was 3/4 mexican and 1/4 chinese and one white Cuban. But i am sure that these % will change as the numbers go up! :-)

Congratulations Tom! I'm standing by for reports of beautiful brown boys frolicking by your pool. We should all aspire for our own gay boy mansion

I found a couple stills from his porn movies!

Tyra Banks, the NEW host of America's got Talent ? HELL NO..... Who was crazy enough to make THAT decision ? Nick Cannon recently quit the show over creative differences, claiming the show tried to control his creativity and limit the controversial content. Several hot black males were in the running to replace Nick, including Marlon Wayans. But on Sunday it was announced the winner of the gig was TYRA. She has no comedy talent, timing or originality. Will she spend the whole show "smizing" at the camera ??? This dont look good ! I think the hosting job is the second most important component of the show, next to the talent contestants. TYRA ???? HELL NO !

Thanks all for the nice feedback. It certainly provides motivation to do more reporting. I am glad the non-sauna comments are appreciated as there is so much to experience in the city. I returned to 202 tonight. I didn't expect it to be as busy as it was as on Wednesday and that was definitely the case. I decided to go there (against the general advice here) as it is just so close to my hotel. Strange how the place doesn't do better business since it is so much more convenient to where most would stay when visiting and the facilities/staff are nice. Anyhow, it didn't really matter that it was less busy as I went with one guy and that was all I needed. He went to completion three times... I was shocked when he was ready for the third time so quickly (I am about 15 years removed from that sort of energy!!). So good experience. If I have one quibble with Rio saunas (compared to Barcelona)...it is that the "re-negotiation" of the rate is brought up seemingly more with Rio guys during the programa. Not that you end up paying anything outrageous..but it is better (from my perspective) not to discuss money again once you've started and agreed upon an amount. Maybe others know the language to use with a guy and avoid that happening. Some non-sauna items: -I knew about Carnaval and the big event in the sambadrome. But, I didn't realize how much it goes on for locals and others in the weeks leading up to that event. This was a big weekend for block parties which are how most cariocas celebrate Carnaval. They are all over the city and hotels can recommend good ones from postings online. They involve a band playing great music with the crowd dancing and drinking with friends. People dress up in costumes (more homemade, not the elaborate ones you see from the big event). Those here would probably be most interested in the hot guys whose "costume" of choice is "as little clothing as possible." I am attaching one pic which gives a flavor of a block party with the highlight being the guy in the center. He is not a GP obviously but is a "look" you find in the saunas. He caught my eye as he was an absolute mountain of a man (like 6'5" or so). He could show up to work in a sauna wearing that outfit and he certainly would get my attention!! - Everyone will see Christ the Redeemer and you should. But, make sure you hit Sugarloaf also. For my money, it has equal or better views and is a more enjoyable experience. The C the R statute has a relatively small viewing area and it is like being in a crowded club...with the added fun of selfie sticks in your face and people lying on the ground for the perfect photo. Sugarloaf is indeed popular but there is more space to savor the views and even have a drink as you look over the beautiful city -I thought the cathedral (near downtown) was worth a visit. Unless you are a big fan of uber-Brutalist architecture, I think most people would find the outside rather ugly. But, it works better on the inside with the amazing stained glass windows. -Here is something I would recommend skipping (unless you are a huge futbol fan)...Maracana stadium. The inside is closed (lots of problems since Olympics), not much to see outside, and not really an interesting neighborhood from what I could see. -It can't be stressed enough how casual the dress is in Rio. I packed mostly dressier shorts and polo shirts...and I have felt conspicuously over-dressed at times. I have even eaten at a few nicer restaurants. Does not matter. As long as you put on a shirt...any shirt really...you are "good to go" -Talking food. I have found the food good but haven't had a spectacular meal yet. I think I was spoiled from my last visit to Brazil when we spent time in Salvador/Bahia. The food there (especially seafood) was some of the best I have ever had. I will note one rather unique restaurant option in Rio. The "per kilo" buffets. Let me be clear...this is not "fine dining" but the one where I went had perfectly decent food with lots of options. I mention this option here as it seemed to be a popular choice for solo diners (and some here may be traveling solo). The one where I ate appears to be among the best known and is on the same street as 202 (on the block closest to the beach). Again, thanks for the feedback, I hope a first-time visitor to Rio and/or saunas found something useful in my reports.

I will be in Rio from the March 16th to 26th. This trip i won't be spending time in Porto Alegre or Sao Paulo because of a guy who i can only see on the weekends in Rio. So i am bringing a guy from Porto Alegre and one from SP to Rio from Mon.- Friday. Both oh these guys are new guys i met on my last trip in January as well as the guy who is spending the weekend(s). Who i think overall is the best looking guy i have ever met in Brazil and one of the nicest! The two weekends together should help prove or disprove that! :-)

Here's the pic i meant to put in the reply to Docbr!

I keep making modifications to my upcoming trip! Now i will be flying into Sao Paulo staying one night there and then flying to Rio Saturday and staying there thru the next Saturday and then flying back to SP for one night. These changes are because of one guy i met 2 days before i left Rio on my last trip last month! I have been going to Brazil for 16 years and have never felt this way about anyone before so i thought spending 8 days together rather then the original 2 weekends i was going to spend with him! one of the differences between him and other Brazilians i have spent time with is that he is a medical professional with medical degree, who happens to be incredibly handsome(IMHO). He is also older at 29 then most of the guys i have been with there. I feel like a 16 yr. old girl when he calls. We have talked every day for the past month since we have met and i haven't told my regulars in Brazil yet in case it doesn't work out! I keep waiting for "the other shoe to drop"! We will see! :-) what ever happens (and i am a realist) it is and had been a great month!

I just got a message from one of the guys who was part of the regular apartment group for the last 5 trips. He was a army paratrooper and one of Brazil's medal winning jujitsu champions really a nice guy! (Met him through floridarob). Last Octobr he joined the French foreign legion because there was no opportunities for him in Brazil! He has now finished training and sent me a FB message that he is coming to the US next year and can he stay for a week with me and see SoCal? That took me about a millisecond to say yes! :-)