Leaderboard

Day 5: Sao Paulo to Porto Alegre. Baiano to Carioca. New adventure today! I am heading to Porto Alegre. I am leaving Marcos, the Intercontinental, and Sao Paulo behind. I am bringing with me some souvenirs from the tours, gifts from Marcos, and some bruises on my body courtesy of Grindr Boy yesterday. I was not able to go Lagoa at all the last 4 nights, and I actually had two chances to do so, but because of laziness and crowd control, I was unable to do so. But there is still next Saturday, the day I return to Sao Paulo, before I catch a flight back to the USA on the following Sunday, so I still have one more chance to visit the legendary Lagoa. But my thoughts are not to Saturday at the moment. Right now my thoughts are to Porto Alegre, as well as Gramado and Canela. While PA has saunas, the other two cities do not, therefore I had to get a companion for this stretch, as I was not in the mood to burn hours on Grindr to find someone to tour with me. I chose Gabriel, the subject of my previous trip report. He is a garoto in Rio, working at Club 117. So since he is a garoto, unlike Marcos, I had to pay for Gabriel's time. I have no problem with this of course. Gabriel has been my first and only garoto hire in Brazil. I had a fabulous time with him last time, but because it was only one night, my time with him was painfully short. I was eager to spend more time with him. I have been in constant contact with him all these months in between trips, and have built a rapport with him. He only asked for money once, and I said no. After that he kept talking to me as if nothing happened, and never asked for money again. I thought he would stop talking after that denial. I was wrong. As soon as I knew I was going to Porto Alegre, I asked Gabriel through WhatsApp if he could go with me. He said yes right away. I was honest with him, and told him that I will want to go on Grindr and will have sex with other guys while he was there, and I may have to go to the saunas and get garotos as well. He said that this arrangement was perfect, and said that he would even go with me to the saunas and have 3 ways with me if i wanted. I was sold. Also, he was actually curious about what other saunas looked like. It would be fun for him too. The tricky part about asking him was probably the most important detail of all: how much should I pay him. He is not going to go with me for free, that much is clear. I am taking him away from 117 and Rio for 4 nights to be with me in Rio Grande do Sul. That’s 4 nights of not working in 117. And if there is any payment involved, I am the kind of guy that wanted things in simple black and white. The payment terms needed to be clear. So I asked him, in one of our conversations on Whatsapp before the trip, what his nightly rate for me was. He first countered with a “whatever you think is best,” which is an answer that I hate. I wanted a firm price so there was no gray area, no hard feelings and no second guessing. I asked him again. He thought about it, and then said 500 reals a night, or $140. I felt this was fair. I would expect him to get this amount in a normal night in 117. I know he is fairly popular. Normally I would have just said yes, but for some reason I was in a bargaining mood. I just countered with a “That’s too expensive,” without giving a reason. He then says he can charge 500 reals on days we have sex, and 300 reals on days we do not have sex. I countered with something like “But I will want to have sex with you everyday because you are hot.” And this was true. He is hotter than the sun. There was no way on earth I will not spend every waking moment enjoying him. He told me he will think about it, and then told me he was going to work, since our conversation happened on a late afternoon. I received a message from him after work, around 12 midnight Rio time, telling me that he was just OK with anything he gives me. I then just threw out a “250 real a night?” or 70 dollars, which is half of his initial offer. And he said yes. That was cheap. For a guy I will have sex with multiple times a day. Maybe tonight was a really bad night at 117 for him. Anyway, at least I had a base to work with. It was a guarantee that I will give him more than 250 reals a night anyway, plus I planned on taking him to a shopping spree as well (for me and for him), as well planning on gifting him a $55 cellphone (the LG Phoenix 3), so I will take care of him for sure. I take care of people who take care of me. Gabriel is no exception. So with the ugly and unromantic (but necessary) subject of monetary compensation out of the way, I was free to plan our vacation together. There was the matter of buying Gabriel’s flight to Porto Alegre. I already bought my tickets to PA on Azul airlines. I looked on the Azul website and saw some departures from the SDU airport in Rio, which is the closer airport to Sao Goncalo where Gabriel lives, which is just about after one crosses the Rio-Niteroi bridge. The cheaper flights connected to Guarulhos on the way to PA. I thought it would be fun to meet Gabriel in Guarulhos airport and take that flight to PA together, sitting next to each other, to catch up and get reacquainted. So I book the flights ($120 roundtrip), booking the “Mais Azul” fare, the one with check-in baggage included in the price, and we were set. So today I get a WhatsApp from Gabriel super early this morning, telling me that he was leaving his apartment in Rio. And Marcos (remember him?) and I leave the hotel today together, in the same Uber, for the aiport. Marcos was pretty chipper today, considering having had to go through an ordeal just yesterday. He held my hand the whole way to the airport. His flight departure today was 2 hours after mine, so he will have plenty of time to make his flight. Since his flight was with LATAM his departure was in Terminal 2 of Guarulhos. Azul flew out of Terminal 1. I ask the driver to drop Marcos off first at Terminal 2, before going to Terminal 1 to drop me off. When we get to Terminal 2, Marcos gives me a warm hug before leaving the Uber. It was fun kid. And then the Uber had to leave the airport to get back to Terminal 1. The terminal looked way smaller than Terminal 2. At this point Gabriel would have been already in GRU, his layover from the Rio flight, but I have not heard from him yet. I go to the check-in counter. No lines today. I get greeted by the attendant in Portuguese. Upon seeing my American passport, the attendant shifts to flawless English. I get my boarding pass. I go through security pretty quickly. Again no lines. This is the advantage of Azul having a virtually dedicated Terminal just for them. Terminal 2 of GRU is a circus compared to this Terminal. Once in the secure area I check the Arrivals display. I see that Gabriel’s flight has arrived, but still no messages from Gabriel. I was a little worried. There was still an hour to go before boarding, so I wait patiently. 20 minutes before boarding I finally get a Whatsapp message, and then a flood of them, from Gabriel. He said that he arrived safely, but he needed to find a cellphone shop to buy some more data for his phone. Unfortunately, he said, Terminal 1 had too little shops, and didn’t have the shop he needed, so he had to take the airport shuttle to get to Terminal 2. And he had to wait long for that. He got to Terminal 2 but had to find the shop amongst the circus in the terminal. That took some time too. Once he got data in his phone, he then messaged me. I told him to get back here to Terminal 1 soon so he can make boarding. He said he is waiting for the shuttle. Pretty soon pre-boarding announcements were being made. I was getting antsy. I keep checking the back where the security checkpoint was to see if Gabriel will appear. And then it was the start of boarding. They board by seating, so I line up in the appropriate lane. 15 minutes in line and boarding started. The Azul status members line get in first. I take another glance in the back to check. And then I see him, just in the nick of time. I see Gabriel emerging from security, looking a little bit stressed, scanning the hall, looking for our gate. He sees it and starts sprinting towards the queue. I put a hand up and he sees me. An incredible wide smile greets me. He looked so relieved. He joins me in line, giving me a side hug. “Ate que enfim!” I whisper to him, he finally made it. “Estava muito preocupado,” he answers, saying he was worried. “Eu tambem,” I reply, concurring. We both laugh. It was nice to see him. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt that was cut deep in the sides, revealing his muscular torso, giant arms, and abs. He was wearing knee-length shorts that revealed his strong legs, along with his Air Jordans. Carioca wear till the end. When he hugged me just now I got a whiff of his scent. It was all man. He was sweaty from his ordeal of running back and forth between terminals, and it made him smell even more manly. And his face, handsome, friendly, with a look of joy and relief, was great to see. He towered over me by a good 10 inches. The overall visuals and scent all were working for me at that moment. It got me hard! I could not wait to spend more intimate time with him. Right there, em vivo, I realized that even 500 reals was really too little to spend for this kind of quality. And he stood out for sure. People were staring at him. A big strapping handsome young man just barreled through the terminal to be by my side. In revealing Carioca wear, amongst the more buttoned-down Paulistanos. It was probably a strange sight. I didn’t care. It was Gabriel’s time with me now. Marcos was in the rear view mirror. Next, the flight, Porto Alegre, and Sauna Mezzaninu.

I sent one guy home...he decided to use the driver as his personal driver for the next 2 hours going all over town and back. I cancelled the trip from my app (sure that was hard for him to explain to the driver) and told uber that I didn't take the ride, someone else did...they credited the ride.

After my short stay in Lisbon, I'd like to share some of my experiences. I met Daniel on PlanetRomeo escort session. He’s a giant, 198cm! Fit lean body. He’s not of the typical escort look, more like a normal boy from the neighborhood. He does have this rustic side which attracts me a lot. He was very clear about what he does and doesn’t. He’s 100% top, who doesn’t like sucking, but enjoys fucking a lot. Exactly what I was looking for. He showed up at my hotel on time, big smile. After a quick shower, a HUGE cock was hanging at my face, which turns into a monster after a couple of strokes. He’s very hygienic, and enjoys my sucking and touching. The fucking was incredible. He’s passionate and again, genuinely enjoys what he does. He fucked me from gentle to wild and we cum at the same time. Wonderful experience. Highly recommend. I actually ended up bring him to Porto for four days. He managed to fuck me twice a day without any problem. Very decent guy, and HOT!

I wish I had thought of that ... all that time and money wasted in Brasil.

He seems to have said a few truths as well: “Your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.” - Anthony Bourdain

Good response. Trump's grandfather, Frederick (born Friedrich) immigrated to New York City in 1885 from the German village of Kallstadt, Palatinate (by then part of the Kingdom of Bavaria near where Hitler was given the nick name "Bavarian Corporal" Hitler as a young corporal in the German army

Not at all. Like I said, I know professional travel all too well. I know there are many reasons these days to say, "Fuck it, no more!" The difference between Anthony and I (there are many), I am not depressed. While I sympathize greatly with people who suffer from depression, I can't truly step into their shoes. If I were the chosen caregiver of someone who was depressed, then I would force myself and try, but it would be very difficult. Frankly, I prefer to stay as far away from depression as possible. That is one disease I find very scary. The father of one of my closest friends suffered from depression. It was a situation of extreme sorrow and misery. Sometimes I get the feeling that Adam Smith knows me too well. Professional travel, I have had enough of it. I continue to do it because I am well paid. But I could stop tomorrow if I had to with no regret. I do support his choice. I know a few people who have committed suicide. I gave the eulogy for one at his funeral, and I defended his right to take his own life, given the great pain he was in. I support right-to-die-with-dignity legislation in every U.S. state. Nobody in severe pain should have to fly to Switzerland to end his or her life.

Please, remember this thread is about Bourdain.

Buffoon Trump is an embarrasment EVERY time he opens his mouth. Even a gathering of his peers were aghast at his recent perfornmance at G7. He turned a serious gathering into his usual 3-ring circus, with uneducated comments and ridiculous free-style. He was clearly out of his league, but was intent on proving he belonged, and was TOP dog... And for people to want THAT representing them, and supporting it is unfathomable .

That comment is too stupid to respond to. Please forgive me for rising to the bait.

Trumps beliefs 1. Obama was not American 2. His business had policies in NYC to discriminate against blacks and favor whites. 3. Calling for all Muslims to be shut off of entry into USA - Farrakhan would have loved that right? 4. All immigrants from Haiti have AIDS. You do the numbers on black and white percentages in that country. 5. Shithole countries. 6. Have we truly helped Puerto Rico? 7. White people marching with those assholes in the Carolina's were fine people. 8. Bannon, Arpaio, Sessions and Roy Moore (I'm from Alabama remember). And, yes, this SCOTUS appointment and many other judgeships. Patterns from a life of Trump.

Farrakhan also said, "The Jews don't like Farrakhan, so they call me Hitler. Well, that's a good name. Hitler was a very great man." I don't think all people that voted for Trump are racists. I come from Alabama and I know many friends were bedazzled that that devil. Bucknaway, if I remember correctly, you are black. And, I do think your support of Trump puts you in the minority in your own community. Being gay, also puts your in the minority of that community. However, if you are unable to see that there is a big part of his agenda to enhance the white man and devalue all minorities, then you have not been paying attention to his policies.

its like watching a telenovela

You didn't see him bow to the King in Saudi Arabia? Jeeze, you are behind aren't you? LOL If you think Trump is better for any minority than Hillary, you are watching too much Fox. This week at G7 showed the world America is a mess. And, Trump is an embarrassment. You think it is good that Trump is the topic of conversation every day? What about those poor kids in cages? What about the water in Flint? What about the mess our education system is?

Even though he said he hadn't talked to Bourdain in awhile, Michael Ruhlman, the Cleveland author/cook who traveled with Bourdain as a Bourdain-buddy on several episodes, was asked last night by Anderson Cooper if he had any clue what had happened. Ruhlman said without hesitation that he had no idea, and went on to speculate that Eric Ripert might know. It was an interesting exchange in the sense that Ripert may have replaced Ruhlman as the on-air Bourdain-buddy. In the past few years, Bourdain had favored featuring Ripert on his show. I like to study and analyze chemistry. Even though I recorded his show, I didn't watch many of Bourdain's episodes. I grew tired of the formula, the drinking, the bad-boy angle, and certain destinations don't interest me. However, I saw all the episodes featuring Ruhlman and Ripert for personal reasons. Ruhlman is tall and handsome and looked like he could be an interesting counterpart to Bourdain, but their on-screen friendship seemed awkward, forced, and at times utterly boring. Their on-air relationship has been described as "frenemies." I found the match very unexciting. Ripert, being French, refined, and soft-spoken, created an alchemy with Bourdain that was unique and fascinating to watch. Almost like opposites attract, extra-virgin olive oil with apple cider vinegar. It didn't hurt that Eric Ripert is one of the world's most famous chefs. I suspect their chemistry went over well with fans and everyone associated with the show. It's a lot of fun to do serious work with a good friend. I remember many jobs where I pulled together a team, featuring some of my favorite talent from my inner circle. Bourdain got lucky with Ripert. Creating chemistry on camera is not an easy thing to do, but when it happens, oh my. What fun!

My Tivo has about 6 or so episodes recorded, last night I watched West Virginia. It was heartbreaking to see how damn good he was at becoming a local *and taking you with him*. His and my politics and other views differ greatly from the people of that location and yet you could see their point of view perhaps clearer than any other way, appreciate them and their culture for what it is, and come out with changed perceptions. I highly recommend that episode.

From HIS mouth to Gods Ears..... Billionaire investor George Soros has called President Trump a “narcissist [who is] perfectly willing to destroy the world in order to maintain his narcissism.” “I have built a kind of a mental picture of [Trump] as the ultimate narcissist. I don’t think that he was at all prepared to win the election. Neither he nor [Russian President Vladimir] Putin expected him to win,” he added in his interview with the Washington Post. The 87-year-old liberal donor has been fighting against Trump at least since the 2016 election where his Soros Fund Management helped fund opponent Hillary Clinton’s campaign to the tune of around $25 million. He has admitted her loss was surprising, but the setback did not temper his attacks on Trump, whom he has accused of being a “would-be dictator.” Soros has spoken out about increasing authoritarianism around the world as well as criticized te president for his positions on North Korea, climate change, and globalism. Soros also predicted Trump’s forthcoming downfall, telling a crowd in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year, “I consider the Trump administration a danger to the world. But I regard it as a purely temporary phenomenon that will disappear in 2020, or even sooner.” "Mark MY Words"

Yes, I know, that's my point exactly. Until others decided to make it about themselves. Thank you.

I'm still trying to figure out WHAT "the fabulous NY apt" had to do with anything, other than the usual zinger to the rest of us ! These are MY triggers in those posts. It added nothing to the response other than a self-serving accolade which for me was out of place and tacky. .

Oz, certainly Bucky is a wise man and familiar with your list , but doesnt care, similar to the reaction of most Trump supporters. It's futile to present them any concrete evidence of indiscretion..... they dont see it.... And the reason is quite clear. THEY are all on the same page so his actions resonate with them. The funny thing is that they also dont see that he is shitting on THEM too.

I cleaned up your last post as it had tons of extra links and page links to things not Trump like the top and bottom page footers. Everything about Trump was left in the thread. Trump got to the bottom of the birther movement? Really? He didn't keep going on and on after it was proven false? You are black. Right? You are gay. Right? Show me what he has done to help you or your groups. I know you won't. But, that is OK. People have their beliefs and never change them. Like me. I cannot in my mind see how any gay person would support him. But, some do. And, I am not a democrat only guy. I would have voted for McCain if he had chosen wisely. I was never a big fan of Obama and did not want him as President. But, I also never wanted Bernie. I still don't want Bernie. Not because I think he would be a bad but because I don't think he is electable. I did support Hillary. I also supported Bill. I never supported Bush Jr. but I voted for Bush Sr. I am up and down based on the individual candidate. I was disappointed in Hillary's choice for VP. But, in the end, we all have things we like about people and things we don't like. I just find it very hard to fathom why anyone would support the buffoon in office.

Agree. 'American exceptionalism' has only too often been American thuggery. The US deposing, in 1953, Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, the democratically elected leader of Iran, in order to install our puppet the Shah of Iran. Who was certainly no saint. The Bay of Pigs. Vietnam. On and on and on. I do believe in American Exceptionalism. I also believe we as a polis are deeply fallible. (And subject to a very great deal of unearned self-righteousness. As the present moment reveals.) Finally, I have faith that the Framers bound into the Constitution the ultimate mechanisms, and freedoms, that will let us emerge from our current, admittedly very dark, chapter into again a time when we are a [no longer 'the' -- maybe a very good thing] leader of the free world.

As a Brazilian it is interesting to read some opinions about this race situation in Brazil. But I have to disagree with many opinions in here. It was mentioned that Pele is considered white? I think by no means Pele is considered white by Brazilians, ask any Brazilian and the answer will be black. Obama is also considered black by most Brazilians - but in logical terms he is brown, he would be classified as Pardo in Brazil. Maybe what the poster means is that the prejudice in Brazil is more based on the wealth than on the color itself, since most of Brazilian are mixed. For example - as Pele became very rich and famous, it was considered normal that he had a relationship with Xuxa a Brazilian blond TV presenter. In Brazil we have different classifications for color and race. As color classification we have (according to IBGE): color: branco/white, preto/black, pardo/brown, amarelo/yellow (Asian), and indígena/indigenous. For race terms both black/preto and brown/pardo people are considered “negro” (black). So most of Brazilian population is considered from “raça negra” (black race). However it is true that many people still prefer to declare them as pardo/brown instead of black, since sadly there is still this stigma. But going back to the question of prejudice - since from colonial times it has more to do with the social level than just with color itself (maybe a combination of both), for example a slave could buy his/her own freedom (alforria) - if able to save some money - and many slaves did that, so they were living normally as any other citizen. There were also many black women that got married with aristocrats - a famous character form Brazilian colonial era was Chica da Silva, a brown slave, who managed to get her freedom, and then got married to the richest man in Brazil at that time (a diamonds trader). Of course they had some hard times, but since they had money they were accepted by the society. It has been the rule in Brazil for generations - being black, brown, gay, whatever -If you have money you are going to be accepted at some point - yes you can get some resistance in the beginning, but you are going to be accepted.

I can't imagine this. There is so much negativity in travel, especially on the travel days. A career on the road can truly wear a person down, but if I had to pick one thing to cause depression, it wouldn't be bad food in an airport. Just looking at the slobs of this world and the way people present themselves in public is enough to make any sane person sick. I've traveled professionally all my life. I was on-the-road with a pop star for six years early on. There are aspects to love - I still love discovering new places - but there are plenty of aspects to hate. Every time I come home from a trip, no matter how much fun I had, I walk into my fabulous New York apartment and I say out loud, "It sure is nice to be home."

I watched Buenos Aires (my mother-home) episode last night and I loved it. During the episode it is highlighted Buenos Aires' (they misguidedly say Argentina's) fondness for psychotherapy, and a role playing situation is chopped throughout the chapter where Anthony and a local woman play the analyzed/analyst roles. I cannot know how much of the role play script is coming from Anthony's pen, but it could be a clue on guessing some of what may have been going on in his mind. I feel very much identified with this. Anthony, in his character from the divan, shares how sometimes something completely minuscule and insignificant like a bad burger in an airport triggers days of depression, and how similarly but oppositely, a few seconds of happiness give meaning to his life for weeks.

Many loved Hitler being in charge of Germany as well. Just saying.

"I like a fluffy hotel towel. I like a bidet. I like warm jets of water squirting up my ass. I mean, who doesn't?" Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, S.6, E.2 Anthony Bourdain said things on television that could never be said by anyone else. When he was on, nobody could top him. The B-movie porn soundtrack playing in the background of the cheese course at Le Petit Nice Passedat is sheer brilliance. A fine example of Bourdain's genius. CNN repeated Bourdain's Marseille episode last night, and I happened to catch it by chance. What fond memories for me. I know the south of France well. Early in my career, I worked at Monaco's Grand Prix. It was a six week gig, and boy did I explore and love it. I rented a Vespa and drove the Grand Corniche. I parasailed for the first time over Nice. It amazes me to think how fearless I was when I was young. In many ways, I can relate to Anthony Bourdain. Although I've never tried heroin or LSD. No interest. Marseille is a fascinating city that most French people abhor. Which is probably why I appreciate it. It's beautiful and gritty, sort of like Naples, Italy, except with more Africans and Arabs. I've been to Le Petit Nice Passedat, not to stay (even though the hotel is Relais & Châteaux, I do not like the decor) but to eat. I love fish, and Gérald Passedat is a master chef of great passion. I know I'm not alone when I say I'm going to miss Anthony Bourdain.

To compete Manhatten Rios the newest sauna as decided to Re-open after 10:00 pm on Saturday nights as a bar with rooms to rent but no sauna or locker rooms to use , kinda like a Rio Bar Mixx! - but a lot nicer then Bar Mixx(although i like Bar Mixx eclectic Decor-lol) i was told that since saturday nights is a slow night at all 3 saunas and for guys over 40 there really isn’t a gay venue to go to this might work and so far i was told the first two saturday nights business was good and busy until 5:00 am (hours are 10:00pm to 5:00 am). here is a video showing one of the two bars set up for tonight! 8F30B8A3-5D67-4B1E-929B-A00BAB062926.MP4

I have already done that but unsuccessful. I am too lazy to proof ready carefully. Back to topic. I followed Bourdain yeas ago, when he was in the food channel. Then I abandoned cable and his show. When I returned to cable last year I did not return to him and I am sorry. My way of honoring his life is watching Parts Unknown. I just watched the first episode of the last season, about West Virginia. It is so good, he can connect and show how alike the human experience is, even in places that seem antipodal. I am right now watching the episode about Uruguay, which is almost home to me. It is such a pleasure to listen to a foreigner non self centered vision of my own culture.

I am (was?) specially fond of him since my first years living in the USA, because of non American centered vision of culture, society, and politics. It is not a quality shared by many Americans.

Suicide, in general, has been on the increase in the U.S. Perhaps no one knows the real answer for why people choose this method to exit life. Some leave notes of explanation but do the notes tell the full and real reason for such a deed? Those that take their life are not here to offer a full explanation. Earlier this week, Kate Spade, another public figure, chose the same method to kill herself as did Bourdain (hanging). What a grizzly way to go. Here is a link to an article that discusses the subject and its increase: http://www.mlive.com/news/us-world/index.ssf/2018/06/cdc_study.html "In its report, the U.S. government agency reports that in reported suicides that 54 percent of people who died by suicide did not have a known or reported mental health illness." - from the cited article - It is shocking to learn that suicide is now the fourth leading cause of death in America - 1. Heart attack - 2. Cancer - 3. Medical errors - 4. Suicide Not a pretty picture -

Eric Ripert discovered him dead. They were working on an episode they were shooting in France. Eric is Bourdain's best friend. I have to assume, if anyone knew anything, it would be Ripert. Maybe one day he will share. Maybe not. When someone dies, friends are often judged by their respect for privacy. It could be a tough call. If Bourdain didn't grant permission, a true friend is likely to stay silent.

At this point, does it really matter ? The point taken from this should simply be, if you are struggling with problems or demons, be strong enough to seek and get help. Dont be afraid or embarrassed. Every human being has problems. We are all vulnerable at some time, and there is help out there.

There has to be more to this mystery. Much more. When people take their own life, there is backstory that few truly know. Just because someone is a familiar face on TV, doesn't mean we really know the person, no matter how many personal things have been revealed along the way. Bourdain was an admitted addict. He used almost anything to get himself high. Who knows how he dealt with recovery. Not well, I suppose. It appears from his show that he continued to drink quite intensely. I'm sure he was one of those who believed he could control it. Bourdain was a very talented writer and producer. Much stronger talents for him than being a chef. Even though his TV face had weathered badly in these later years, CNN was just fine with that. His fans didn't care. They loved him and thought he was sexy and handsome. The guy was at the pinnacle of his career. Some of his "Parts Unknown" episodes deserved the awards they received. I don't know what it takes to be creative and successful, and leave an 11-year-old child behind. None of it makes sense to me. It's possible we may never know.

It is sad. He was a really talented, open minded, honest, humble, smart, and wise guy. He chose to hang himself. I wonder why. I kind of wonder also about happiness. However what challenges my optimism is not that he was rich and famous, but so gifted and still miserable enough to choose to end his life that way. Perhaps there is more to it that we do not know.

Thanks for the feedback so far. I'll get to some of the questions posted here, but I thought I'd post a response I wrote from some PMs I got because of this post. Some members have asked me on how to visit a Chaturbate studio in Colombia. The owners of these studios of course do not want their studios to be known as brothels, and what the models do on their own time is their business, but to those who want to visit a studio, here was my response: Hi there, I guess I lucked out on the first Chaturbate model I contacted to meet with me. He is one of the favorites of the studio, and the model was eager to show me the studio and to meet the owner as well. Soon after that the boys came to know me (or my reputation), so I did not have problems getting other models to agree to be my companion. The good thing about this is that first model was a gossip, and my sexual preferences came to be known in the studio. So the other models who went with me knew exactly what to do to please me. On the other side of the coin, they knew that I did not pay this first model for his time (just the occasional shopping spree), so I started right. My suggestion to you is of course go on Chaturbate, strike up a conversation with a model you think is a good fit with you (after paying for play of course, depends on the model). Ask for his WhatsApp, and then just setup a meeting from there. He may even have suggestions on other companions that may accompany him (and you). You'll know from your conversations that that he is from a studio versus just being a independent contractor, and maybe a visit to his city may facilitate a visit to his studio. Your mileage may vary of course. I've visited two studios so far. These studios are really a cottage industry in Colombia, so these are not "professional studios" per se. These are usually just residential houses with good internet connection and rooms outfitted each with computers and an HD webcam. Sometimes these studios also house the boys, providing them with common areas and access to laundry facilities and a big kitchen. It is perfect, for example, for a hot young Venezuelan without any legal documents to stay in Colombia (and there are a few I've met) to earn money they otherwise would be incapable of earning back in their country, without any need to possess any prior useful work skills except possessing a hard body, a big cock and pretty hole. They won't even need a place to stay or clothes to wear. Everything is provided by the studio. Lots of drawbacks in this arrangement. The owner gets a possibly unfair cut of the boy's earnings. But oh well. I've actually stayed the night in one of the studios (but not in the boys area with bunk beds, but in the owner's bigger bedroom with other boys), and the ambiance of the house is not really designed for sleeping if you are a light sleeper. Lots of boys graduate from staying in the studio to getting their own place, once they earn enough money, because it is simply not ideal living conditions, due to the sheer number of people who live with you, with music always playing in the background, and the boys (and girls) transmitting in all hours of the day. I did not get sleep that night I stayed, but for a number of reasons in addition to the the noise. Hope this helps. numazu

I thought, to the contrary, that @RockHard was supporting Bourdain's choice.