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Day 7: Canela Road Trip I was sort of surprised on how easy and hassle free my rental car-road trip-Brazil tour has been so far. It is Brazil after all. From all the news reports and the general overall impression that Americans have and get about Brazil, I was half expecting a “Max Max” dystopian nightmare throughout my drive. Instead it was a care-free and stress-free time with a very amiable and game-for-anything garoto. I guess realistically the success of any road trip hinges greatly upon the quality of your travel companion. I do not know if I would get the same experience if I instead got a garoto, or free guy for that matter, off of Porto Alegre to go with me, while knowing the guy only a day or less before embarking on this trip. Gabriel and I have built up a rapport since our initial meeting last January, and we have settled quite remarkably into just a pair of old friends embarking on a road trip together. And this established rapport was crucial to a day like today. All I knew about Canela was I wanted to explore it and the area around it because my Portuguese tutor highly recommended doing so. So Gabriel and I did our research together the night before to prepare for today. From our little research, everything looked beautiful and accessible and since we had a car we would be able to go everywhere. Also, it looked like we will be getting a lot of exercise today with all the hiking and walking some of the venues required, so we both opted to wear athletic attire to be well prepared for the day. So after breakfast, we take the four bottled waters from the mini-bar in the room at Hotel Serra Azul, as well as some snacks we bought from chocolate shops off of the main drag in Gramado, we were off to our Canela adventure. Some highlights: Canela downtown was as quaint as Gramado downtown, and the Catedral de Pedra was very photogenic. Gabriel took a shit-ton of photos for Instagram. Lots of souvenir shops here as well: The Parque Estadual do Caracol, or Caracol State Park, was the highlight. We get there mid-morning, with the air still crisp and fresh. We had fun hiking around nature, and the view of the waterfall was pretty spectacular: After hiking around the park itself we drive up to the teleferico, or cable cars, to have an even better view of the park. There was a nature trail at the top of the terminus of the cable car route. At this point Gabriel was in a full jokey mode. The nature trail had some kitschy replicas of animals around the trail. Gabriel had fun with how bad some of the replicas were, while taking photos, and even riding some of the animals (you’re not supposed to do that), and wondered if the real animals were even here to begin with: On our drive back down the mountain, we pass by a Jurassic Park-type theme park called Vale dos Dinassauros. I asked Gabriel if he wanted to stop by the theme park. He said that if the animal replicas in the nature trail was any indication, he said he wouldn’t want to see what might be the same poorly rendered animatronic dinosaurs. We did have fun taking photos in front of the supposed electrified fence. Not sure if this was worth the 60 real ($16) entrance fee, but it probably would have been fun anyway with Gabriel’s commentary, or pictures of him riding on one of the dinassauros: After all the hiking and laughter, we find a por quilo buffet-style restaurant on the side of the road. It was 25 reals, or $7, for lunch. We skipped dessert because we were going to a chocolate museum next. Yesterday, at the hotel, they gave out little Chocolate nibbles from Caracol chocolates. So when Gabriel googled the chocolate brand, he found that Caracol had a whole chocolate museum full of kitchsy fun, called O Reino do Chocolate, or the Kingdom of Chocolate. We just had to visit it today: We bought a lot of chocolate souvenirs at the gift shop and was helped by a very good-looking employee. He even packed the chocolate in a Styrofoam cooler to protect the precious delicious chocolates: This is not the last we hear from good-looking employee… More about him next post. We wrap up our road trip with a victory lap of Gramado. We visited the various parks in the area, and concluded with a sunset “Pedalinho” ride in Lago Negro, or Black Lake. A pedalinho is like a boat with foot pedals like a bicycle to drive it around the water, and in this case in the shape of a swan. It was a pretty nice, though strenuous, way to enjoy the lake: Gabriel, as expected, did an Instagram live broadcast, with me in it. I was able to utter a few phrases in Portuguese for his audience. Back at the hotel Gabriel was still buzzing with energy. He dangled the gym-then-sex combo again to motivate me to go to the gym with him before dinner. I said we can if he bottomed again for me. He said yes, since he said he will probably be able to top someone tomorrow back at Sauna Mezzaninu. I forgot to mention this yesterday: Gabriel did not bring gym shorts and enough underwear. I offered to buy him some but he said to not waste my money since he had plenty back home, and just asked if he could just borrow shorts and underwear from me if I had extras. Luckily, I brought some spares with me, and both fit him perfectly. He looks better in them than I can ever dream myself looking like in them: Gym, rinse, repeat. I think my relationship with Gabriel has progressed a little bit today. At our room after gym we start hugging and then it graduates to making out. Still sweaty and gross from the gym and from the rest of the day’s exertions, we start having sex. Normally I expect him to shower first, with me or after me. Now here we were, sucking, rimming, enjoying each other, wearing the sweaty and filthy baggage of the day. Gabriel scent was in full tilt masculine musk mode, and I was covered in a shiny sheen of sweat, but it didn’t matter. I was more concerned with him not liking the dirty me, but it seems it didn’t matter to him. I was enjoying this version of Gabriel, taking in everything, the smells, the sweat, the filth, all of it. And at this point, I didn’t think it could happen, but it made our sex better. A long hot shower was needed after that (because, among other things, there were buckets of cum between the two of us). We get ready for our big dinner tonight. It was at the Churrascaria Garbo and Bombacha, which was restaurant with a show. I think it’s like South Brazil’s version of a luau which is to say it was very touristy and overpriced, but that was not the point. The point is to just get huge helping of Gaucho culture (found in Southern Brazil, Uruguay, and Northern Argentina) in one spot, while eating a yummy dinner. It was about a 30-minute drive from the hotel to the restaurant , which was in the mountain ascent of Canela. Inside, the restaurant had a large dining hall area, with a big stage in the center. It was typical Churrasco with the meat station and buffet style display of food filled with side dishes and desserts, but it had way more variety in meats and side dishes than most Churrascarias I’ve been to, and the meat was out of this world delicious. At 10 PM the main show started with a very touching spoken-word song recited by the host. He rattled off all the states in Brazil in one poem, and various people would cheer when their state was mentioned. When Rio was called out, Gabriel gave out a fairly enthusiastic cheer and clap. He was getting into it. I was as well. There was a big Minas Gerais table, and they had the biggest cheer of all tonight. We stayed for two hours, and the show was pretty good, and was intelligible for me even if it was in Portuguese: We leave the restaurant at 12 midnight, after taking photos in front of the restaurant and surrounding park. With our bellies full and senses heightened by the cultural show, we successfully concluded a full day of touring. We were almost sorry we were going back to PA tomorrow. Not because PA was not as pretty as Gramado and Canela, but because it meant we were closer to saying goodbye. Sauna: 1 Laziness: 1 Hot boy tour of the city: 4 Act of god: 1

There are lots of guided hiking tours to the Pedra da Gávea (Gull’s stone?) to choose from, from mild to extremely challenging. If you are not opposed to visiting religious sites, let not the nondescript exterior of the Glória church discourage you, it conceals a spectacular treasure inside, and so close to Clube 117 (same subway stop).

Lagoa should not have been downgraded to BBB rate now, it should all have always been! Not to bang my own drum, but I've been writing about the attitude problem forever, as a matter of fact everytime I post about Lagoa I do mention the subject, how frustrating is for a visitor to lust after several pretty boys without having a chance of even making eye contact, especially after realizing they will never see anything like it in Rio. For the new members that did not bother researching the subject, I suggested a couple of strategies around the problem, like arriving early (Tomcal is also an "early arrival" evangelist), after 7PM is murder, the top boys will only have eyes for their preffered clients, how frustrating is be eyeing a boy all night and realize he actually never went up with anybody and just left the premises with one of his acquaintances, as a matter of fact he never changed to a towel (not long ago somebody at this forum contested the "dressed sauna boys" phenomenon at Lagoa), also might work, if you have the means, a vulgar display of power, like a Johnny Walker (red) magestically displayed at your table ( don't forget, a beer won't do it). Not that they will be terribly impressed, after all they are all so used to it, but might get you noticed. Have in mind that the knowledge that you accumulated in Rio's sauna scene is totally useless at Lagoa. To score a top boy right in the first night you have to do your research on other members experiences on this very particular spot and act properly! Kindly let's us know how you succeeded breaking the ice. Will make us all more wise and efficient!

My friends and I have rented apartments many times in that part of Copacabana. It's very convenient -- close to the Metrô for accessing Point 202 and Clube 117. It's within walking distance of Rio de Janeiro's Castro Street in Ipanema -- Rua Farme de Amoedo -- where there is a popular gay bar, Tô Nem Aí, and, of course, the famous Farme gay beach between Postos 8 and 9. During Southern Hemisphere winter, when you are there, Praia Farme will be busiest in late afternoon, before sunset, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For many years, the world-renowned gay mega-disco/bar/sauna, Le Boy, operated in that part of Copacabana. But alas, two or three trips ago my friends and I discovered that Le Boy was no more. But I have fond memories of that emporium from my first trip to Rio in the 1990s. I did something I now realize was careless and accepted the invitation of a hot and hunky Carioca I met on the disco floor to go back to his apartment. Fortunately, I had a hot night with this guy and it all ended OK but the outcome could have been different. You'll be very close to the Forte de Copacabana, the rock outcropping and mini-neighborhood called Arpoador, which separates Copacabana from Ipanema. Be sure to take a walk out to the Fort (there's a small entrance fee, which includes some cool military museums). You can take some spectacular photos from there. Also be sure to climb up the rock at Arpoador, this time from the Ipanema side, to capture some of the most stunning sunset photos. Although the coastal fog blocked my great sunset view on this occasion, you can still see a bit of the glow on the buildings in the attached image. Fortunately, sunset will occur quite early when you are there, so you'll still have plenty of time to take the Metrô out to the saunas!

Some of you may know that when I posted over at Daddy's, I tried to arrange one of those meat-n-greets for NY members, like the one they have in Palm Springs ? Well, it was a bomb and NEVER happened... So now, a warm wind just blew in and told me there actually was a pop-up meeting Saturday night at The Eagle, one of the hot city leather bars. The board members were given a FEW hours notice of the event, announced the SAME day.... And the attendance: Total 3, 2 of which were already at the bar for a Pride Week event... The board is considering it a success (just like ALL Trumps events) , and claiming "that's how you put together an event"... Guess it was a message to ME ? Glad the 3-some had a blast. Kudos to the event planner...

Wow! Rejection hasn't been my experience at Lagoa at all and -- let me assure you, I'm neither a fabulously wealthy Brazilian (or American) sugar daddy nor a "spring chicken". I'm enamored with that thermas and the garotos de programa (GPs) there. But, like others, I tend to arrive on the "early" side, like 5-6 PM. I figured that if I arrived there too early, like when they open at 3 PM, there might be a scarcity of GPs, especially on weekdays for those GPs who hold day jobs. On my last visit to Lagoa, in February 2018, one of my American friends and I sat at one of the tables in the bar area, just opposite the entertainment stage, where there was a clear view of the glass enclosed showers. Being a size queen, I noticed a handsome GP, muscular, about 5'10" tall, with an enormous cock who was taking a shower -- my type exactly. He disappeared into one of the saunas adjacent to the showers, the one on the left. I could have abandoned my buddy and pursued the GP into the sauna but I waited. Within just a couple of minutes, the GP exited the sauna and came out of the glass shower room. I smiled as he was walking toward us. He returned the smile and then stopped at our table. I asked him, "Você quer tomar alguma coisa?" ("You wanna drink something?"). He sat down, displayed his 23 cm pauzão for me, which got me totally aroused and, within a minute or two, the GP and I found ourselves walking up to the recepção to order a suite. I'll leave the rest to your imagination but, let's just say, heaven couldn't be any better than this was!

Larstrup and Suckrates, you are not allowed to post in any thread started by RockhardNYC. RockhardNYC, you are not allowed to post in any thread started by Larstrup and Suckrates. Other threads I'll monitor. But, the three of you, stay away from commenting on each other. Stick to the topic. Not the person.

In other words, I will not spend my days and nights with silly feuds. It is not going to happen.

Are we doing to have this back and forth EVERY fucking time? If you don't like a poster or the content, avoid it or him. Otherwise, stop fucking up every thread. Warning given to all!

The move to the new site code continues to work well on the site. We are getting new boytoys register each day. In the forums, there are always over 90 members logged in each day plus over 2k lurkers daily in the forums. We have over 40 active threads being updated each day. Thank you for your participation. Lurkers, come out of the shadows and participate!

Another cool -- and safe -- walk, especially if you are interested in history and in exploring Rio de Janeiro away from the beaches would be the following itinerary: Start in Centro (downtown) at the impressive Biblioteca Real (Royal Library). Have a snack -- or one of the fabulous desserts -- or just stop by to admire the plethora of stained glass and mirrors at Confeiteria Colombo, an ornate gem that will transport you in time back to the 19th century. Walk along the Enseada de Botafogo -- the bayshore pathway that takes you from Centro through Flamengo to the upscale bairro of Botafogo. Stop to admire the hunks working out at the bayside academia (gym) along the way. End the tour at Botafogo Praia Shopping, where you must take the elevator all the way to the food court at the top of the mall to catch a spectacular view of Pão de Açucar (Sugarloaf). Enjoy Rio! The Cidade Maravilhosa has much to offer beyond the beaches that most tourists get to see.

i should be in Rio when you are there. one of my friends owns 4 Muy Thai training cetersxin Rio and was a professional fighter so i can ask him if any professional fights are scheduled! I second FloridaRob’s suggestion of Hang gliding! Incredible time and views!! The 3-1/2 hour Tijunco Rainforest Jeep tour is worth, do morning tour from 9:00 to 12:30 rather then the Afternoon one which gets pretty hot, you are in a open air jeep!

The trails up to Pão de Açucar (Sugarloaf) and in the Tijuca forest are spectacular, containing the vestiges of the Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Forest) that occupied much of coastal Brazil prior to the arrival of the Europeans. But, as @Riobard cautions, I would not recommend hiking there by yourself. Another spectacular hike that is less accessible but MUCH safer are the beaches of Barra, in the far western part of Barra da Tijuca. I've attached a couple of photos I took there in January 2018, when I visited five of the beaches on one sunny Saturday. You would need to hire a driver to take you out there and show you the various beaches but that may be a project for a subsequent trip to Rio de Janeiro.

Depending on when you go to Rio...try a samba school practice... Mangueira is one of my favorites but there are tons of others....loud music, tons of locals-HOOOOTTT eye candy and you learn a lot about Brazilian culture... You may want to go with a local until you learn your way around Rio...

Years back I had a local @ihpguy show me around the city from his perspective. It was fascinating as we went to an old Firehouse museum, some parks, and interesting churches. I loved it all. He doesn't post here anymore, but if you find a local that lives there and knows the area, it truly is a great way to see the city. I have threads on these things as well with photos in this section.

I am doing this fast ... forgive spelling ... a few recoomendations: Hx: visitors often overlook the Republic Palace and gardens at Catete Metro. Guys go to clube 117 but overlook 'our lady of glory on the hill' church (dated 1733?) minutes away. Take the 103step staircase up rather thannthe winding road. Stairs entrance just a few buildings up from Golden Park Hotel. Church not open much other than sunday but great view from the grounds. São Bento monastery, sunday morn mass interesting and packed, sung in Portuguese. Also manynold churches in centro. Shop markets: Thurs and Sunday afternoon food markets also near Gloria Metro. culture: well capoeira of course the martial arts/dance/acrobatics ... don't know where you will find it there.

You might be interested in watching some Capoeira?

Girrrrrrrrl, who you kidding, that pic was just for my trip to the market...... I'd never go clubbing so BASIC !

Riobard suggesting O Mosteiro São Bento reminds me of the other mosteiro, the restaurant. If you are there in Centro during the week and on lunch time, treat yourself to classy Portuguese dishes in an upscale setting at the Restaurante Mosteiro (http://restaurantemosteiro.com.br/) otherwise, have lunch in any one of the numerous chains of international class restaurants called Gula Gula (http://gulagula.com.br/cardapio/executivo) or just take a leisurely snack or dessert in the historic Confeitaria Colombo (http://www.confeitariacolombo.com.br ).

Yeah cause he made their Nazi/racist agenda popular and "visible". Now they dont have to hide in their closets with their hatred. They can wave it proudly and have it applauded by THEIR President. You and the other happy campers can all sit around the bondfire and celebrate with Glee until it comes crashing down on your heads. Especially the Gays, who have obviously turned their backs on their community to put this vile, homophobic animal on his pedestal. SHAME ON YOU.... trading a BEAUTIFUL Rainbow flag for a symbolic "white sheet"....

Wow. What beautiful photos. What an amazing trip. You have made me want to be more adventurous! I think I told you I bought a car in Thailand and have loved seeing the country. Of course, the BF drives me everywhere as he thinks I'm not a good driver. LOL The show looked fun but the waterfall was spectacular!

Since this thread has already derailed....I will offer my "Thought of the Day" "When you see a piece of shit, the best you can do is avoid stepping on it !"

It's not just "the left." I know many Republican voters who are currently hating on Trump. They voted for him while holding their noses, and now the stench is so putrid, they're sick of the sight and the sound of the guy. It may take another major war to reduce severe partisanship in this country. I hope that's not the case. I hope not in my lifetime. The new women candidates who are entering races may save the day for us all. Trump is a disaster for America, and many Republicans now realize it. Let's see what happens when Mueller releases his report. Then let's see what happens in the mid-terms. Yes, the fight is alive, and I'm donating as much as I can.

@sanddunes and @Riobard: You are both right. In healthcare, there are potential risks in everything we do. So the answer to that, as you are doing, is to evaluate the benefit:risk ratio for any proposed procedure or treatment. My own primary care physician told me a story about his son, who was not immunocompromised or anything, and was planning a prolonged stint in the Amazon with the Peace Corps or a similar organization. My doctor's kid actually developed a case of vaccine-induced yellow fever that landed him in the ICU before he left the U.S. for Brazil. Fortunately, the guy recovered from that and continued on his mission in the Amazon. I mulled over that story quite a lot but, in the end, after reviewing the risks vs the benefits, decided to get the vaccine. Fortunately, I didn't suffer any adverse outcomes from the YF immunization. With the recent upsurge in cases of yellow fever in Brazil, my three traveling companions also decided not to take any risks of the disease and obtained the YF vaccine prior to our 2018 trip. Once again, they did not report any problems, even the mild flu-like symptoms you sometimes get with a flu shot. So, in the end, it's really all about being an informed consumer, doing your homework, and deciding on what level of risk you are willing to accept vs the benefits the vaccine might provide.

Do you have a favorite lurker? I do. It is gem147, here almost everyday. I'll bet his first post is a gem! Think what his 147th post will be!

The 2 shrine examples, actually same location, this one just up from Gloria walking towards Lapa.

I think He will, actually.

A few stock paintings depicting the Gloria Hill church, examples little neighborhood shrines and the like if you keep your eyes open, a few shots of Redentor, and a typical Ipanema sunset.

Welcome lurkers!

Hiking: many options AYOR.

www.capoeirariodejaneiro.com.br

Perhaps for you and I sis, but its a fucking leather bar. You dont even need to take a bath ! If you smell like piss, they'll eat you up,

LMAO... yes there was that insinuation, which of course was hardly a comparison. Besides, what self respecting homosexual can pull herself together in an hour for a night on the town, I mean the hair and nails alone are an afternoon at the salon.

I would only add currently that I do not take for granted that it is easy for the boy 'ho's to function physically. Women generally do not require true physiological arousal as much to get it done. What we are impressed by and come to expect is the culmination of a complex trickle-down process among an actually small cross-section of appealing young males. The more flexible my expectations, the less sugar product shares I may need to have the AAA's own sugar-cane juice trickling down my chin. It is the AAAs expectancy about performance standards expectations that often screws it up for me.

Here is my two cents based on the recent data as well as what is known about YF vaccine morbidity/mortality. I got the nonfractionated vaccine as I spend a few months per year in various Brasilian locations. I have been sick with mosquito-sourced viremia twice and I double-down on precautions. Assuming zero antecedent inoculation, the chances of infection in Brasil over the past year comes to about six-fold the probability of a serious adverse vaccination-related event. Given that a sizeable proportion of BRZ residents had been previously vaccinated (many states do it routinely) and that a large proportion of those infected succumb to YF, I am confident that the protective advantages of vaccination outweigh the risks of vaccination illness/death by at least 10:1 ... this is simplistic, mind you, in that geographical regions and duration of stay by visitors is not taken into account. A short visit in a non-endemic zone might nullify the advantages based exclusively on the virus-vacc dialectic. According to my crude math, two weeks in Rio in low season, for example, does not seem too risky and there is no major reason to freak out if you just became YF-savvy. Social media goes viral related to isolated vaccination incidents and information gets distorted. In my estimation, more infection residuals for the unvaccinated will continue to overtake the risks of a vacc dose. But that applies more to full-time residents. Some folks find anything short of absolute zero risk intolerable. But they overlook other layers of unacceptability: Risk of infection with YF is greater than zero. Risk of being a vector of infection passed to others, if infected oneself, is greater than zero. Of course there is the complication of possibly being less accepting of bad results due to a decision already made, however reasonable the choice, compared to more apparently random misfortune. It would be great if the answer to the vacc were more illumuninated yellow rather than being in a gray zone.

I personally haven’t had that experience there. As I mentioned before, I have only witnessed one guy at Lagoa that I would categorize physically as “AAA” (stellar in looks and body) who remained fully clothed and was surrounded / guarded by a client or clients, and made it clear through non-verbal cues that he was off-limits. But there were several others there that I’d qualify as “AAA” that were more available, so it didn’t make any difference to me. Some guys and girls (working or not) just don’t want the one-offs, and will only flip their switch for someone who can provide for them in sufficient quantity on a regular basis. I refer to this phenomenon as the “I’m not THAT type of ho” mentality: “I’m not a hooker or a street walker, I’m a call girl, or a kept woman.” My only suggestion for a solution to this “problem” you’re seem to be having is to re-invent yourself somehow as a sugar daddy at Lagoa. Of course, the main ingredient needed to be a sugar daddy Is plenty of sugar.

About gyms... I have enjoyed many gym buddy escapades. One gym I belonged to in SoCal had a nice steam room.

Day 6: Drive to Gramado When I first decided to pick Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre for my next Brazilian vacation, I thought I’d just have a typical run-of-the-mill week-long sex tourist trip. You know, spending every waking moment getting sex however which way you can, which meant just staying in one’s hotel room during the day (to recuperate or to Grindr) and then venturing out to the saunas in the afternoon, and continue on through the night with your chosen boy(s). Lather, rinse repeat, with the occasional trip to the mall to eat. Normally I have one of these mongering weeks when I just want to relax, not think about anything else, and just forget about responsibilities for a moment. I would just let my lizard brain get the best of me, and dictate my everyday goings-on. But shoehorning Marcos into my trip got me excited about touring Sao Paulo, so no pure mongering for me there. And then my Portuguese teacher, who hails from the south of Brazil, got excited about the prospect of me visiting the Rio Grande do Sul state. She spent part of her younger years in Gramado, and was full of helpful advice about the area. She really sold it for me, so I had to get off my ass and plan a full itinerary for myself and Gabriel. I am sure, years from now, when I have grown tired of discovering Brazil, I will be in full mongering mode. But now, exploration calls my name. Even if my tutor has assured me that renting a car and driving from Porto Alegre to Gramado and Canela is very easy and simple, I still had my doubts. I was kind of uneasy with the thought of me driving on Brazilian roads. There are buses that go from PA to the two cities, but not having a car while exploring cities without a developed transportation insfrastructure is kind of a pain and inefficient. So there was no getting around it. I went to Rentalcars.com and looked for a rental car place in downtown PA that was Uberable from the AirBNB. There was this rental car place called Localiza. Good reviews online. Pretty cheap rates to hire cars. I choose a car that was an automatic because I’m American and can't drive a stick. I get a quote for $62.48 for the two days and 8 hours I thought I’d need the car: I decide to decline the additional insurance that the site was recommending to get, and just get the full coverage with the company on the day itself, at the counter. So this morning Gabriel and I *repack* our suitcases to go on a 2 day excursion of Gramado and Canela. I only bring half my clothes; Gabriel brings all of his stuff. Even if we were going to be gone for 2 nights, I rented out the Porto Alegre place for even the nights we will be gone. You never know if we would get bored and just return early. From the Mezzaninu disappointment yesterday, we figured missing out on a Wednesday and Thursday night of sauna time wouldn’t be the end of the world. We will try again Friday. We head out to the street to find some breakfast. We settle on a place called “La Cafeteria” on Avenida Osvaldo Aranha. Pretty nice and chill area. Gabriel orders a sandwich, I order a croissant. We both order a cappunino with chocolate in it. The chocolates bits at the bottom of our coffee made us happy: After food we head back to the apartment, get our suitcases, and get an Uber to Localiza. We get to the rental car place and it was busy. After waiting 10 minutes in line I get to the counter. I gave the counter lady my e-voucher, passport, driver’s license and credit card. She gave me a form to fill out asking for some additional information. Then she asks if I wanted full coverage for the car, which included everything, including loss of the car. I said yes. It was an additional 135 reals, or $37, which was not bad. Overall I was getting a fully insured car for $100 for 2 days and change. I chose a Hyundai 20s, which was fairly easy and comfortable ride. Gabriel does not drive so I had to drive the whole way. I was kind of nervous at first driving the car off the lot, but once I got the hang of it I was ready to hit the freeway. Gabriel put in the address of our hotel on my Google Maps and we were off: The drive itself was pretty straightforward. It was an almost 2 hour journey, and we drove it straight through without stopping. Now this is where knowing a little bit of Portuguese was handy. I had my hands full with driving so I could not use Google Translate. And I didn’t need it. By this time (from talking all night last night) Gabriel was used to talking a certain way so I can understand him fully without me asking him to repeat himself (by speaking slowly and enunciating the words). If there was a word I didn’t understand, I’d just ask “O que <word>?” and Gabriel would either use another word I knew, or would go on Google Translate and tell me the English equivalent. He operated the car radio as well. He put in an English station but I insisted on him putting on whatever he wanted. He found an EDM/Dance pop station that had a mix of Portuguese, Spanish, and English songs, which was perfect. Whenever there was a song I liked, I asked Gabriel to “Shazam” it for me, so I can download the songs on my Spotify. By the end of the drive, my playlist was full of great songs: I picked the Hotel Serra Azul in Gramado as our home for two nights. It was highly recommended by my Portuguese tutor. Indeed, it was in central Gramado, with full amenities, and great staff. I booked it in Agoda.com for 384 reals, or $100 for 2 nights, which was not bad for a supposedly 4 star hotel. Though it looked tired and in need of a refresh, I could tell that this was once a great hotel that had its glory days. It was 25 reals ($7) a day for valet parking, which was also a steal. We get to our room (pretty standard room with a comfortable king bed) and relax for a little bit. After a shower, and then sex (he really wanted me to bottom again, he promised to bottom tonight, we’ll see), we venture out to central Gramado to enjoy this pretty town. Some highlights, all walkable from the hotel: Certain parts of the downtown certainly looks like a small German town: The Museo do Festival de Cinema in Gramado was cool, and had Brazil’s version of the Oscar, Kikito: The prettiest Mcdonalds I’ve ever seen: Praca das Etnias, where Gabriel posed for photos in front of the Italian section (he is ¼ Italian, he says): Other quirky stuff that makes it look like Europe: And the highlight of the walk, 10 reals ($2.75) for a Prawer hot chocolate: It was kind of the perfect drink to have while walking the streets of Gramado. It was colder here than most Brazilian cities. We rested at the hotel again after the walk. And then Gabriel insisted on going to the gym before dinner, he said to work up an appetite. A 45 minute routine, with him giving me tips on my form at the gym, was actually what the doctor ordered. Because what did I say about post-gym sex? It’s great! You’re filled with endorphins, your muscles are all swollen, and your libido is through the roof. I got to top this time. God bless Brazil. So now we really worked up an appetite, we go to another tutor recommended place: the Mammia Mia Galeto restaurant. Galetos are small chickens, cooked to perfection. I asked Gabriel why the chickens were so small. He said they were young chickens, and the meat on them is still tender, that’s why we love to eat them. The food was excellent, and plentiful. Lots of salads, pastas, breads, and of course those little chickens. The food was not cheap, it was $50 for two, but it was worth it. Gabriel could not stop posting photos of the food on his Instragram. Even though we were super hungry we still could not finish everything that was put on our table. And we were sure glad we skipped lunch! And walked around! And went to the gym! And had sex! Sidenote: I have been opening Grindr ever since we got to Gramado. Grindr was active, but not one garoto messaged me. All I got were free boys: As we drove back to the hotel Gabriel wanted us to drive around the town to see what it looked like at night. We spent 30 minute driving in circles, not because we were lost, but because Gabriel decided to have a conversation about his future in the car. He said knew he had to leave the sauna soon. He was growing tired of the work it entailed. He tells me about the “negative energy” the whole sauna scene has, and it just sucks out the life out of one after a while. I gave him some career advice, as much as I could with my limited Portuguese. He seemed to take it to heart, and ended the conversation. I knew it was something he has been thinking about for a long time. He blurts out one last thing about what he felt about it. I could not understand what he said. He took my phone, put it across my face to unlock it (it was an iPhone X), and then typed in Google Translate. He hands me back my phone. We got to the hotel and gave the keys to the valet. I looked at my phone: How topical. He is not a fan of the World Cup I guess. Clearly this was something I had to unwrap with him. I table the discussion for tomorrow. Tonight, we rest. No sauna in Gramado, that’s why I brought the sauna boy with me: Sauna: 1 Laziness: 1 Hot boy tour of the city: 3 Act of god: 1

Day 4.5: Sao Paulo Crowd Control I wasn’t that concerned at first with Marcos missing his flight. It was with LATAM after all, and half of the LATAM flights I’ve been in have been delayed. And even if Marcos checked in 30 minutes before his flight, the ground staff may still be able to accommodate him. I walk towards Paulista Avenue and to get myself a coffee to go. I order a delicious Cappuccino from one of the corner bakeries near Paulista Ave. I look at the Uber App. He was still 40 minutes from the airport. It was going to be a close one for Marcos. It was close to 5 PM when I got back to the hotel. I figure it was still too early to go to Lagoa so I relax on the bed while sipping my coffee. I guess I was so tired from the touring today that even the coffee did not work. I shut my eyes for a minute and dozed off. I got woken up by my phone. It was ringing. I looked at it, it was a Whatsapp call from Marcos. I answered. He told me he missed his flight by 5 minutes. He said he got to the counter at 15 minutes before the flight departure time. LATAM told him that the flight closes 20 minutes before the scheduled departure. I looked at the time and it was 6:05 PM. I guess there was just too much traffic on the streets of Sao Paulo today, and he did not make it. I asked if he could get on the next flight today. He said he did not know if there was even another flight today, but he was still at the counter waiting to be put on another flight. He was breathing heavily and was kind of panicky from his voice. He kept telling me that he was really stupid for not minding the time. I tried to calm him down and told him that whatever happens he will get back to Salvador, and told him that I tell him to keep me updated if there was any progress with getting a next flight. I was kind of kicking myself now. I should have high-tailed it to Lagoa the minute Marcos left. I could have at least tried getting a garoto while he was dealing with stuff in the airport. On the flip side, Marcos needed my help, and if I could not answer his calls while he helplessly looked for another flight back home, it would be bad. So I decided to sit back and wait till Marcos got his return ticket, and go to Lagoa after he got his issue resolved, or to see if he had to stay with me tonight to catch his flight tomorrow. While waiting I fired up Grindr. As usual I had a few messages waiting for me. I read through the non-garoto messages and found some pretty promising ones. I put in some stock responses to the ones I liked. After 10 minutes of this I got a few more new messages come in. I was about to answer them when I get a slew of messages from Marcos. He said that there were no flights for him today, but they were able to get him a flight tomorrow afternoon. He said he had to pay 50 reals for a “rebooking fee.” He said he had no choice but to pay it, but said he was relieved to get a flight out of Sao Paulo tomorrow. He then asks me if he could go back to the Intercontinental to spend another night with me. I told him of course, but deep inside I was kind of disappointed. I guess it was partly out of our hands that the traffic in Sao Paulo is bad, both out of 25 de Marco street and the drive to the airport. It was also partly my fault for not minding the time. I was the seasoned travel, and Marcos was a newbie, and I should have known better not to take too long window shopping (and too long having sex in the shower). The sex was good though, and the touring even better, so I should not complain. I guess Lagoa can wait. (sigh) I then get a message on Grindr while this was all happening. I open the app up and it looks like I got a “tap” from someone. I get a lot of taps, and most of the time I ignore them, but for some reason I chose to answer this one. I looked at his profile. 22-year-old Brasileiro, 5’11, 160 pounds. His picture was great, he was in a speedo and had a fairly muscular athletic build. I had to respond: I asked the usual, what was he into? He said the magic words: “faco tudo, voce escolhe” - I will do everything you want. I asked for more photos. He had a lot to share. It looked like he was fairly athletic. The photos were of him doing various sports activities. His nudes were pretty good as well. Nice abs, big ass, big cock. Checked all the boxes for what you would expect from a Brazilian boy toy. Money didn’t come up once in the conversation. I had to meet him. Marcos was telling me on Whatsapp that he was about to go to the Departures level to get an Uber to get back to the hotel. I had to think fast. Was I going to meet this guy on Grindr? Marcos was about come back. I know it takes at least 45 minutes without traffic to get back to the hotel from the airport, but I had to be sure. So I decide now if I was going to meet with the guy: I give him my location details. He says he is in Trianon. I mapped and it was only a 9 minute walk for Grindr boy: So with Marcos, I tell him to not bother getting an Uber because I was going to call him an Uber myself. I opened my Uber app and put in the Departure location at Guarulhos airport, and the destination location to the hotel. I offered to get the Uber so that I can track Marcos’ car while I was getting busy with this Grindr hookup. I was not going to Lagoa, but at least I’ll get this Grindr hookup before seeing my “boyfriend of the weekend.” I sent Marcos the plate number and car make and model of his Uber ride. 5 minutes later he was on his Uber. 48 minutes said Uber. I had 48 minutes to wait for the Grindr hookup. I get a Grindr message: “Estou aqui,” he said. He was here. I told him to go to the lobby. I waited for him at the lobby. I saw him come in the door. I made sure I caught his eye before heading to the elevators towards the back. He caught up with me at the elevators. We get to my floor. We get in the room. He kisses me in the living room. “Nice room,” he says, in English. “Thanks,” I said, as I watch him take off his shoes and socks and toss them on the floor. We go to the bedroom. I look at my Uber app. 40 minutes till Marcos gets here. I set a timer to 30 minutes, then I set my phone down on the nightstand. I ask loverboy, “Tudo bem?” He answers “I am fine,” and then kisses me full on the mouth. Such a great kisser. The one with full tongue, full lips, lots of saliva, lots of contact. We struggle to take off each others’ clothing. He pushes me down to the bed and takes my cock in his mouth. This was going to be good. He takes his time to enjoy my cock, and then comes up for air to kiss me again. Lots of body contact. He nibbles my nipples and takes a good suck on one of them. I take his cock too. Then I eat his ass. Nice ass on this one. Fairly muscular. Hips and thighs that are large and powerful. Big calves. He has a nice set of abs and cum gutters that I enjoy nibbling on. Normally I would need a full weekend to enjoy this kind of work of art, but for now I will have to finish the job in under 30 minutes. He seems to know the urgency of the situation. He gets my cock good and wet. Then without warning he takes my cock in his ass. And thrusts up and down very forcefully, almost violently. It was hot, even there was some pain when he bounced on me. I was getting into it. I came pretty quickly. He felt it. I pull out and without warning he sits his ass down on my chest forcefully. I was almost out of breath but I didn’t care. He comes all over my face and neck. He gets off my chest and sits on the ned beside me. “That was good,” he says. “Muito bem!” I said, concurring completely. We laugh. We do a quick washup. I make sure all the jizz is off my face and neck. We put our clothes back on. He asks me about my travel plans. I tell him I was going to Porto Alegre, but will be back Saturday in Sao Paulo. He tells me he wanted to see me again Saturday. I told him I will Whatsapp. I will definitely want to do that again. I look at my Uber app. 12 minutes away. Not bad. I bid Grindr boy goodbye. I go back to the shower to get a thorough soap down. The right part of my ribs were sore, and my left nipple felt raw. Sex hazards. Once I am done I try to tidy up in the room. I see a red spot on the sheets. I guess Grindr boy left some blood from his ass on the sheets. I turned the sheet upside down to hide it. I did my best. I do a full inspection of the room. No evidence of Grindr boy. I looks at my body. I see that my left nipple had a red mark around it from Grindr boy’s exertions. Oh well. I make myself presentable. Pretty soon Marcos was back. I meet him at the lobby. We get back to the room and Marcos hugs me. He tells me about his hellacious 3 hours, almost crying. About missing his flight. Being out 50 reals. But he is glad he is back in my arms, he said. He just wanted to relax with me tonight. He also wanted to buy me dinner. He said it was the least he could do for me putting up with him for one more night. I insisted on McDonalds, since I was jonesing for some burgers, and I knew it was a cheap alternative for him. He does not earn enough money for a fancy meal so McDonalds was perfect. We walk to the Cidade Sao Paulo mall and I tell Marcos my order. I sit down while he gets in line and gets our order. While I wait, I kept talking to Grindr boy on WhatsApp. I wanted to get to know him more: Our conversation was an interesting mix of English and Portuguese, and at this point I did not need Google Translate. There was obvious chemistry between us. I had something to look forward to this Saturday. Marcos comes back with our dinner. He buys me dessert as well, a McFlurry. Even McFlurries are somehow better here than back home: I enjoy my last night with Marcos. It was totally tranquilo. Sex was fun, again. No comment from Marcos on the new bruises he has found on my body. Life is good. Even if my tally is not: Sauna: 0 Laziness: 1 Hot boy tour of the city: 2 Act of god: 1

Day 2: Sao Paulo with a Baiano It is common practice for me to look for a companion when I want to do a lot of touristy stuff at a place I am visiting for the first time. This has been particularly useful in my previous Brazil trip, where my BF at the time, a Brazilian (another story for another time), accompanied for 2 of the 3 weeks I was there. Obviously he knew the language, and was fluent in English as well, having lived in Europe for a few years now. In my Colombia trips, I’ve always been accompanied by either Colombian or Venezuelan Chaturbate boys. All knew the language, the ins and outs of the country (if not the city), and the safety concerns one must have when traveling in this part of the world. For this trip I sought out two people, for different halves of my trip. My Sao Paulo companion was a 22-year-old telemarketer from Salvador. Let's call this boy Marcos. The (then) BF and I met Marcos when we visited the city, at a mutual friend’s party. Marcos added me on Instagram during the party (as a pre-Whatsapp step – check out the guy’s Insta first before committing to Whatsapp). He was very prolific on Instagram (as most people his age) and had thousands of followers due to his thirst-trap type photos he posts. But he’s not just a pretty face. His Insta timeline is always chockfull of videos of him talking about the current events of the day, shirtless. The videos are just him talking, usually about politics, but since he is shirtless and his delicious chest (and abs) are in full view of the audience, he gets a lot of likes and delightful and creepy messages. Marcos and I have been messaging back and forth after my January trip. When I told him I was going to Sao Paulo he immediately asked me if he could go with me. I didn’t have to think about it too long. He was handsome, young, and since he is a budding bodybuilder, his body was on point. But he was also educated and had passable English, unlike most garotos (I am assuming). The problem was the motivation: I did not know if he was interested in having sex with me, or if it was even on the table. But I knew that he didn’t earn enough to be able to afford the RT airfare from Salvador to Sao Paulo, as well as pay for his share of food and other things, so I had to take care of all of that. I don’t always assume sex in on the table (but in my experience, it usually is). But he was charming, and smart, and would be a formidable (and interesting) companion for me as I dive into the touristic and cultural delights of the city. If sex was on the table, great! If not, I can always look for it on my own, or wait till he leaves in 2 days and catch the next Uber to Lagoa. I look at airfares for him: about $150, which was not bad. He then sends me photos of his CPF (I love doing this, I like seeing CPFs of guys), and I use the info on the CPF to get him a LATAM flight. I take the leap of faith, as I usually do in most situations, and invite him to Sao Paulo. Since he had work till Friday evening, he opted for a 3 AM, Saturday morning flight from Salvador, which got him to Sao Paulo at 6 AM. He took the Monday off, instead using the day to fly back to Salvador. I insisted on getting him the 6:25 PM flight back, which meant he had to be at the airport at 5 PM, which meant he had to leave the hotel at 4 PM, which meant I had time to go to Lagoa after he left. One must think about these things when on a (semi) sex tour. Before he left, he forwarded me a list of places he wanted to visit in Sao Paulo. I like a guy who knows exactly what he wants. He really really wanted to play the tourist: So Saturday morning, I await his arrival. He texts me saying he has arrived. He takes an Uber and tells me he is 45 minutes away. I shower and make same coffee. Pretty soon he texts me to say he is at the lobby. 5 minutes later he is at the door. Since his name is in the reservation he was able to get a key to the room, and used the key to operate the elevator up to my floor. I hear the door open in the living room. I wait for him to find his way to the bedroom. I see his head poke though the bedroom door. “What are you doing?” he asks me. “Waiting for you.” I head over his way and extend a hand to shake his. He pulls me in for a hug. “Nice to see you again.” He says warmly. He tells me about his journey - it’s his first time flying, he is very tired, he is excited about the hotel. He tells me he wants to shower and get going on our tour of the city. The next sequence is magical: he takes off all of his clothes, heads over to the bathroom, and turns on the shower. After a minute he pokes his head out and asks “You want to join?” I guess there was going to be sex after all. I fuck him in the shower. Life is good. Can’t give out photos of him of course. But I have permission to post his a pic of his cock (changing skin tone, etc), which I had to crop from a magnificent full-body shot that I took: The rest of him wasn’t half bad either. Pecs, abs, biceps, ass, handsome face. This kid was the embodiment of everything you expect from Brazil. Being from the North East, he seemed to have more “Indio” in him as there was white and black. A perfect mix. Oh, and as promised, he ran me ragged today playing tourist. I didn’t mind. He was gregarious and charming and was chock full of knowledge about Sao Paulo and Brazilian culture. Places we went to today: MASP – the Sao Paulo Museum of Art. Walkable from the Intercontinental. Nice first location for us. We had time between walking from one art installation to another to get to know each other. His English was not as good as I thought, but he tried hard anyway. These two paintings called “Retirantes” held a special meaning to Marcos. It was about Brazilian Northeastern Migrants, his ancestors, and their suffering during the drought in the last century. Touching explanation from Marcos. I’m glad I was able to get him here to see this piece of art in person: Mid-day we noticed Paulista Avenue was closed to traffic today due to a cycling/health festival. Lot of things to see: After, I took Marcos to his first subway ride ever, on the Sao Paulo Metro. He was beyond thrilled. I showed him how to use Google Maps to know which lines to use and which stops to look out for, as we made our way to the Sao Paulo cathedral (from the Consolacao station to the Se station, two lines, transferring in Paraiso station). Cheap fare – 4 Reals or $1 for a single ride ticket: The Sao Paulo Cathedral was pretty nice: We walk down through Rua Quinze de Novembro and of course we see some sexy soccer/football action, seemingly a regular sight in the country: And some concert happening ahead: We take an Uber to Beco de Batman (Batman’s Alley), an alleyway with a dense concentration of graffiti. We get a Bud and admire the art: And at sundown we head back through Uber, satisfied with our day: We did a lot in just a few hours. What I saw was a living, breathing dynamic city, through the eyes of my equally dynamic companion. I did not feel unsafe at all through all this. It was a pretty refreshing feeling, especially in Brazil, a supposedly fairly dangerous country. We were exhausted, and took a nap when we got to the hotel. We woke up pretty late, ordered room service, and just had a night in. Sex before bed of course. I guess it was always on the table. But, failure with my tally today. Maybe tomorrow? Sauna: 0 Laziness: 1 Hot Boy Tour of the City: 1

Day 1: Sao Paulo Back home people always ask me: why would one ever go to Sao Paulo? What is there? Isn't Rio the place where everyone goes to? I had the same misgivings about Sao Paulo, even if it was the first Brazilian city I've ever visited (last December). Rio is stunning with its natural beauty and unique laid-back atmosphere for sure, but after being impressed with Bogota and how metropolitan and cultured it is (and how different it was from the natural beauty and laid-back atmosphere of the Colombian caribbean coast in Cartagena), I was eager to appreciate Sao Paulo as a city with similar charms. Rio can have its beaches for now. I was ready to discover, for the second time, the more buttoned-up Sao Paulo. Its time to hangout with Jackie Kennedy, after having fun with Marilyn Monroe. I took a Biz class Avianca flight (booked through miles) from LAX to Bogota. It’s only a 6 hour and 15 minute flight, and by the time food service arrives, I'll only have about 4 hours of sleep, even with the lie-flat seats. I wait at what must be the largest Star Alliance lounge I've ever been at, take photos of the tarmac while waiting at the terrace: Sent some photos to my 22-year-old Nordestino friend from Salvador who will be joining me in Sao Paulo, to tell me I am on my way, and he promptly posts those photos on Instagram (sans my face thank god). He must be excited. Pretty soon I board my flight. We are given these pretty nice Tumi amenity kits: The food service comes and goes, I pop in two Advil PMs, recline completely, and sleep... to be woken up by the flight attendant to ask me if I wanted breakfast. I slept pretty soundly. I muttered out an annoyed "Si!" and got situated. Used my Amenity kit to freshen up as we head over to Bogota airport. The airport is still familiar of course, having just left it about 11 days prior. The Avianca boarding was a shit show and the gate changed twice, as panicked people ran back and forth the massive El Dorado International in Bogota. This is unfortunately a common feature of this airport. We finally boarded. Another Tumi amenity kit. I didn’t even bother with food service. I reclined fully and went to sleep, wanting to be fresh for Sao Paulo. But in reality, how does one sit still when Brazil is on the horizon. My mind was racing with the possibilities of the week. I watch "I, Tonya" to pass the time (good movie, Tonya Harding had a rough life). Pretty soon we get to Guarulhos. It took me 12 minutes to wait in line at immigration. The immigration had one question "Turismo?" To which I said "Sim!" Rushed through baggage claim because I only had carry-on with me. Turned on my roaming on my phone ($10 a day on AT&T International Day Pass). Got Uber to figure out where I was. Put "Intercontinental" and it found the Sao Paulo hotel. It showed that the journey was 48 minutes. I'm pretty sure with "muito transito" the journey will be longer. I always forget how big Sao Paulo is. I go up to the Departures level and looked for Check in counter D, since that was where one of the Uber stops were. The driver was already there when I get to the curb. I put my roller bag and backpack in the backseat with me. The driver confirms the address of our destination (Sim, obrigado), and then speeds away. The drive was pretty ordinary, though some trouble getting out of Guarulhos. So much traffic. An hour goes by and we get to the Intercontinental. $18 for the Uber ride. Taking advantage of my loyalty to IHG properties when I travel for work has its perks, and it meant cashing in a whole lot of points for this trip, I decided on the Intercontinental after staying at an AirBNB in Bela Vista with my BF the prior trip. My first companion for this trip is a budding body builder, and so before the trip he asked if my hotel had a gym. I always remember sex after the gym is always amazing, with muscles still swole from the workout, so I made sure I got a hotel that had a more than decent fitness facility. Post-gym sex for 3 days! Check-in was fine. Receptionist spoke english well. Made sure that my companion's name was in the reservation (it was). Got a double upgrade, which meant at least a suite. The room was lovely, got a pretty nice view of Sao Paulo, and, 10 minutes later, got my sweet amenity (they ask if you wanted the sweet or salty amenity) and some free water. Pretty pathetic amenity compared to other intercontinentals (in Europe there is at least always Champagne): When all was said and done it was 6:30 PM, which I guess is prime sauna time. It was a Friday, I'm in Sao Paulo, what should I do? I do the pathetic thing and fire up Grindr. It took a while but soon I get some messages. Got the typical Garoto offers: This one is asking for 300 reals - $80 (https://gustavo-goiano.webnode.com): Looks good, but too rich for me: This one was fine for 200 reals - $53, but only Ativo so it wont work for me (http://www.garotolandia.com.br/lucasnahad.html): But tonight, because I am too "preguicoso" to do anything because of the long flight, the pillow-top mattress, and the room service dinner I just ordered (Picadinho with risotto and some farofa, 65 reals - $18, with a free glass of wine), I just try to chat up some guys and see where it lead: After two hours of Grindr talking, eating my dinner, watching TV (NBA playoffs in Portuguese, not bad), I make plans with a 27-year-old Paulistano who lived near the Itaim Bibi area. I guess it’s a good sign that he asked if there was parking close to the hotel, which meant he had a car, which meant he was not going to charge me anything. He chose to Uber instead. When he got on his Uber, I got on the shower. Despite my best attempts, I was in danger of having sex in Brazil. It does not take a lot to get some here, and if you fail to land anything here, it is your own damn fault. Sex was fun. He bottomed, of course. Insisted on bare. I obliged. I was taking PrEP, so at least he was safe. He wanted to stay over. I told him I had to get up early so it was not a good idea. It was true. The Nordestino's flight got in at 6 AM tomorrow. Got to be up for this hottie from Salvador. But I failed tonight. No Lagoa. Sauna: 0 Laziness: 1