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Day 4: Bye BH, Hello Rio, and first impressions I know that Brasileiros are known to be late for appointments, but after the excitement in Sauna Olimpo, I was the one late for my night cap with Paulo, the hotel worker who I had intimate relations with yesterday. It was a Sunday night, and Paulo had school at the unholy hour of 7 AM tomorrow morning, which meant he had to wake up at 5 AM, which meant he could not stay the night. No matter. We made good use of the short time we had. We went back to the hotel room and just shot the shit. Made out, talked, made out some more. Nothing too intense. Perfect for just closing out the weekend. We were too lazy to go out (it was also a little bit cold, as it was late winter). So he suggested just getting burgers delivered to the hotel using Uber Eats. After looking at options we chose Burger king (I know). We put the hotel’s address and my room number in the order. 30 minutes later we get a call from reception asking if we had an order. We gave permission and 5 minutes later the deliver was knocking on our door. 2 giant cheesy burgers with cheese, French fries and 2 cokes ($20): Paulo left at 12:30 AM, after a nice low-key intimate time. As for me, I was tuckered out. It was a 4-boy day today. I slept for 10 hours straight and only woke up because of my alarm. It was time to go to Rio. The Uber ride back to Confins airport was pretty uneventful. And it was nice to see the new freeway in daylight. The Azul airlines flight was on time and pretty uneventful. They are still the more reliable choice for me. It was the first time I have flown into Rio’s secondary airport, Santos Dumont. Going through it was a breeze compared to the much larger and busier Galeao, but maybe not having to go through immigration was a big part of it: The walk to the Uber waiting lounge was pretty long one, especially if you’re schlepping bags with you. Once there, there were a quite a few passengers waiting with you, but it seemed pretty organized: It was $5 to get to Copacabana from the airport, and traffic was pretty light, as it only took as 15 minutes to get to the hotel. I reserved a 2 bedroom condo in Ipanema for this Rio leg, but because I was arriving one day early, I decided to cash in some hotel points and stay at the Hilton Copacabana for a day: I used the rest of the afternoon to enjoy the hotel’s facilities like the pool and the gym, as well as check out the beach. If you have Hilton status, it’s a good hotel to stay at, as they offered an upgrade to bigger room and beach view, as well as some free snacks, and free breakfast: As far as security, there was security everywhere in the lobby of the hotel. I had Gabriel, my GP extraordinaire, to spend the night with me today, and he arrived at 10 PM. At that hour, he was asked to register as a guest, which was fine with me. The hotel is probably not as flexible with overnight guests and there is a need to register them, but during the day I am sure you can sneak in a trick or two. There were a lot of late hour dining options around the hotel, and Gabriel and I were able to catch up over dinner and drinks. On this first day, my Grindr exploded as expected, and it got messages from majority free boys, which was surprising. The last time I was in Rio was the first week of Janaury, and it was at least 80% GP messages. This time, late winter, I had more free boy messages, and about half talked in English, and some Argentinians on vacation as well. Most of them were hot too (no pics sorry). I should go back every winter: The GPs were present of course, and this was on the first day. Samples: #1 #2 #3 #4 There were some interesting messages from people who I expected were GPs, but did not ever broach the subject of pay. I wonder what their deal was, like this guy: And today, between the pool time and when Gabriel arrived, I went to the new sauna Manhattan Rio’s. My impressions, next…

But point out the obvious for those who may not know.... you’re a tall, athletically built darker black man. This makes a BIG difference. It should go without saying, but petty criminals look for easy targets that would put up the least resistance — and black or darker skinned brown men in good shape who look like they could be locals or like they would fight back (or be armed themselves), or 6’5” tall white guys like Tomcal, are not going to give petty criminals looking for a quick grab and the path of least resistance their easy, quick payday. I was just having this conversation with a fellow traveler friend of mine here in Rio who is also a brown-skinned, well-built black man. We were talking to two of the former garotos / beach boys we know about safety in Rio. They both laughed and remarked (in Portuguese): “you two don’t have to worry much about that, no one is going to bother you, that’s for the white people.” So, if I get ONE privilege out of 5,000.... I’m not as dark as you, Badboy, but I’m over 6 foot tall, a lighter skinned Kinky-haired 200-pound mixed race black / Latino guy. And rarely are any street thieves targeting me, much less fucking with me in Brazilian cities (or most other cities, for that matter). I have FAR more to fear from the police in the USA than from young guys trying to rob me or knock me over the head in Rio. It’s relatively safe for me to walk in “hood” areas outside of Zona Sul, like Tijuca or Jacarepaguá. Of course, I don’t do dumb shit like wander around favelas, go near drug trafficking areas or look like a gringo tourist with electronic goodies hanging off my body. I look like I could be a local — until I open my mouth and a weird non-Brazilian way of speaking Portuguese comes out (so I am circumspect as to where I speak and who hears me). That being said, I see young(er) Cariocas on the Metro proudly wearing gold chains and wrist watches, and using their smart phones in public. Sometimes, it’s not just WHAT you do, it’s WHO is doing it. A retirement-age white man that looks like Mitch McConnell or Lindsey Graham with a bag that may or may not have goodies in it is going to be targeted in Rio. This is not “victim blaming”. It’s knowing your audience. When I travel in the American South in a car, I know that, as a man of color, I’m at FAR higher risk of getting pulled over by the cops (and possibly getting arrested, beaten or even killed). It’s not right — it’s actually very wrong to have to be — but I am conditioned for life to be prepared for these events. There isn’t any reason that you shouldn’t be conditioned and prepared to be targeted in certain cases in other parts of the world as well.

Amazing how crime seems to increase after a 3rd World country puts on the Olympics. The rich get richer and the poor get much poorer which of course leads to more crime.

You can buy pretty much anything on the beach on Rio while you are there.. If you take a book or a magazine, just carry it with you... Again, LOOKING LIKE A TARGET, CAN MAKE YOU A TARGET Criminals don't have xray vision to see what is in the bag, they just see a bag....

This whole thread is useful to me, both the report on the event and how others’ looks or outfit influence the chance of getting mugged.

All these posts are incredibly helpful. I have a trip planned in about 2 weeks and have done most of my research on Chaturbate. If I've chatted with 100 cam models, 97 of them will readily agree to meet. I'm planning 4 nights in Bogota and 4 nights in Medellin, and already have a hot guy set up to be my companion and translator in each city for the entire time I'm there. Will invite others in. I have gotten about 40 whatsapp numbers and have never agreed to tip for any of them. Some will try, but if you say you don't tip for whatsapp numbers most will give anyway for FOMO. This is my second time in Bogota, but first in Medellin. The Medellin boys are almost all exactly my type, skinny little smooth chested twinks. Woof! Will let you know how it goes.

I bought a belt with waterproof pockets. I can keep cash, cards, and phone safe and close to my body. I do not think I need to carry anything else. I can even get into the water with the belt on. Anyway, my hotel will be at the beach. Also, I forgot to comment earlier, I never liked wristwatches and stopped using them more than 10 years ago when cell phones started to give you the time.

Hate to get political but Bolsonaro is running on an anti-crimr platform, certainly he’s not fond of gays but sounds like you were a victim of street crime not a hate crime. I’m not seeing the linkage you’re trying to make between him and an increase in assaults of gays.

Check out this video on Scam City for Rio showing a classic bag grab on the beach https://www.scamcities.com/scam-city-season-1-episode-3-rio-de-janeiro/

I usually go to the beach with a kind of a soft bag (which shows that there's not a lot inside and clearly not anything with a shape of something of valuable) when i am alone. If i am with friends or with some muscle garotos, i bring my backpack. Said that... Shit can happen everywhere and independently on how good you're following the rules. In NYC I've seen a guy getting robbed with a knife while leaving the subway station. The only difference is that in the US the guys usually get arrested by police or shot.

Exactly. Oneself was robbed at knife-point in genteel old Boston, MA because I was, late at night in Chinatown, pulling a fat rolling briefcase that must have bespoke affluence. They took my iPhone, laptop computer, and wallet cash. Stuff can happen anywhere. It should not make one paranoid to proceed fearlessly enjoying one's normal life business, as @Latbear4blk and @likeohmygodwisely observe above.

Really happy to see that you are fine. Anyway I agree with Latbear. I live here since the beginning of the year (even if most of the time i am outside Rio) and i did not notice an increase in violence, after the Carnaval when during that there has been the peak. Maybe you're overreacting (as i did when almost the same thing happened to me in posto 4, search my old thread in the forum for more information). I want to remember to all the folks that are reading this, that the only way to stay safe in Brazil, is to walk without visible goods, trying to don't look as a target. Backpacks will make you a good prey because they make you look like a tourist. It can contain a computer, a camera, a wallet. A good idea would also be to walk around without any kind of watch on the wrist. (but i cannot stay without a watch) And there's another golden rule to follow. Always keep a 20 reais note, because assaults can become much more dangerous when they realize that they took a risk for nothing.

ChThat is a terrible shame. I have heard that a muggers feel cheated when they go to the trouble of brandishing a season and get nothing for it. They are already pumped up on adrenaline and it is very common for them to attack the victim of they don't get something for their troubles. We should all take precautions in Brazil, especially Rio. Just as we would in parts of Chicago, Detroit and St. Louis. All cities with dangerous naighborhoods.

I agree with most of what you say. But, i have met plenty of effeminate Brazilian guys. Most of the saunas do not allow them in as they think their class base is offended but they are there. I forget the name of the sauna but there was one on the outskirts of Sao Paulo that was mostly local guys and they had some fem boys there. I also met some in Fortaleza at the saunas. But, in Sao Paulo, they were mostly at the dance clubs which is now late for an old man to stay up that late now so I did not do that on my last few visits. I have masculine Thai guys all the time. But, sometimes I like a bit more effeminate. Sometimes I like a bit of a ladyboy. Sometimes I like a lady. I have had all of them in both Thailand and Brazil and never had a problem finding them. Like Lucky, I think the passion in Brazilian men is amazing for sex. But, the sweetness from the Thais is just as amazing. It is a different kind of sex granted but good sex in both areas.