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Shopping and Business In the morning we follow Bangkok Guy’s habit of sleeping in if there is no specific reason to get up. I enjoy drifting along next to him. We leave the room in time for lunch and Shopping at IconSiam. First stop is for me, Jim Thompson where I buy additional masks as gifts and get one in yellow with an elephant pattern for Bangkok Guy. Then I follow Bangkok Guy to his usual go-to’s, H&M and Uniqlo where, to my surprise, he buys nothing. Too expensive as no Sale today. His frugality extends to my money. In Muji he finds underwear and hoodies he likes, and my views are sought on hoodie selection. He gets an attractive lemon yellow one with dove grey lining. We are heading for the escalator when I see Polo Ralph Lauren. “Expensive”. Yes, but they are having a sale, 50% off. Bangkok Guy needs ‘underwear for swim’ and these are on sale. My opinion is sought between pale pink and mid blue. I am surprised he likes the pink, but maybe it is only brighter shades to which he has an aversion. In the end price is the deciding factor, pink is 50% off while blue is only reduced 30%. To my surprise, we have to return to Jim Thompson where Bangkok Guy buys himself a black facemask. He has decided it will match his outfit better, which it does. He is frugal, but he is gay. All this activity requires a rest, so we return to the hotel and after a shower climb into bed for a nap which later becomes a ‘nap’. After dinner on the hotel terrace, we have a business discussion. I have updated the spreadsheet showing his monthly budget: his expenses, the money he makes from the market and his allowance from me. The last two years his market income has been erratic to put it mildly and I have provided additional funds to fill the gap. For the coming two years I have increased his allowance so that it fully covers his expenses: the additional money is funded from a new long term contract I recently landed. Whatever happens with covid, his basics are covered. The discussion then turns to his business. His experience with the market stalls is a textbook case of the need for differentiation and defensibility in a business model, without which you can’t maintain steady volume and reasonable margins. For example, he got into selling masks and sanitizer early and for around two months he was doing great business, until everyone else did the same thing. If he is going to move beyond hand-to-mouth he needs to find something which is both differentiated and defensible. I explain these ideas, using his experience as the example and sketching out pictures in my business notebook. Bangkok Guy becomes animated – he gets this – and takes over the conversation to explain to me how markets are organized, sketching pictures for me. He has a plan, which I think is a good one, that achieves a somewhat defensible business model by using access to goods from his hometown and the organizational structure of the markets. By employing his mother and sister the model also follows his understanding of the purpose of a small business, which is to support the family unit. Bangkok Guy and I have discussed business often enough that there is a mutual understanding that my suggestions are very welcome (“you are businessman” in a very approving tone), but that he will decide whether-or-not my ideas are workable for small business. Early in our friendship he had an idea for creating a laundry service to cater to the new middle-class tower blocks. I thought it was a good idea and a scalable one if he developed an app with a tie-in to courier services. From my perspective, the purpose of a small business is to scale enough to achieve a trade-sale or an IPO. As I waxed lyrical, I noticed I was on the receiving-end of the constipated look. “What think?” What he thought was that I did not understand the purpose of small business which is, as everyone knows, to support and provide employment for the family unit. So now I offer my insights from ‘big business’ which he then considers through the lens of his framing of small business. Capital is needed to make this new idea work, which is my role. He understands that anything beyond the allowance depends upon me generating additional income. I now know the goal for the additional income I need to make this year if the modest percentage I share with Bangkok Guy is going to meet his capital needs. I am keen to help him with this, partly as I think he has a good idea and partly because I want to move him away from hand-to-mouth and become financially independent. And of course, I like him and enjoy his enthusiasm. We do not go to Bamboo Bar tonight as Bangkok Guy points out that we have an early(ish) start in the morning.

Am I projecting my needs onto Bangkok Guy? I don't think so. I hope not. Relationships work better the more you understand the other person, so I am interested in understanding him. Given the language and cultural barriers, there is a large opportunity for mis-interpretation. Given Bangkok Guy's very factual nature and lack of a poker face, there is some hope I may get enough right.

They're dumb-asses. Max had asked for "tips" on being a tourist/where to go in Brazil and when given advice on safety measures by commenters had pretty much dismissed these people and said it was not the kind of advice he was looking for. The posts that followed did not show any kind of caution in their part. While I do not relish in other people's misfortunate, I cannot help but think they asked for it.

Enter Bangkok Guy Complete radio silence from Bangkok Guy, which is not a surprise as he only communicates if there is something to communicate and, unlike me, feels no need to reconfirm what is already agreed. The need to keep multiple balls in the air in business has habituated me to rigorous management of time and process which I unwisely carry over into my personal life. Unwisely, as it gets in the way of relaxation and spontaneity. In Bangkok Guy’s words ‘So much organize’. Bangkok Guy has three approaches to managing this potentially irritating part of my personality. Amused indulgence while he watches me attempt to bend the universe to my will, when a wise person would realize you can only organize so much and then play the rest by ear; persistent but gentle suggestions that I need to relax more; and simply ignoring me and doing what he thinks is necessary at the pace he considers suitable. Today he is ignoring me. A little after 5pm he Line’s me that he has finished his errands and is on his way, followed by a Thai-language screenshot of the hotel with the question “This your hotel?” Odd question as he has already spoken to the hotel about his vaccination status, so I guess that his taxi driver knows of other hotels with similar names and wants confirmation of the address. I later discover that he went into the website to get the address and got such a shock at the room rate (full board, not my heavily discounted rate) that he felt he needed to confirm. It is great to see him. He looks good and his eyes have their usual sense of mischief. After two years apart we are both happy, hopeful, but slightly hesitant. Is this going to click and pick up from where we left off? I reassure him that as he has been sick, we go at his pace. I follow him. He wants to rest, we rest. He wants to go to Bamboo Bar, we go, but if he does not feel up to it, we do not go. His face, mirroring his thoughts as always, is a picture of great satisfaction mixed with thought. He snuggles close and smiles “I follow you”. “You have been sick, I want to be sure you are ok”. “I not tired any more, can go anywhere. You want to go Ayutthaya? Can go.” I touch the gold ring on his ring-finger. “You give money for (he uses a Thai word meaning dragon charm) but I buy ring”. We have had this discussion on Line, but now that I am seeing the ring in person for the first time, he is watching my reaction. “So you wear my ring?” “Yes”, with a mischievous smile. “So you are mine?” “Yes”, with the mischief heading off the scale. I trace his eyebrows with my finger “These mine?” “Yes.” Stroking his nose “This mine?” “Yes.” Comprehensive exploration reveals that all of him is mine. Ah, but apparently a rule of reciprocity applies here. “If ring make you mine, then ring makes me yours?” “Yes.” “All of me?” “Yes” with a great grin. This is clearly a powerful ring, but alas for Sir Peter Jackson there is no material here for a further trilogy. Unlike Sauron, Bangkok Guy is likely to use the power of the ring gently and reasonably, mischief and grinning included. It does not take much empathy to understand that while Bangkok Guy needs and likes the financial support I provide, he also needs love. He has a romantic heart but beyond that, sane and well-balanced as he is, I sense a need for emotional support. I don’t know his full family background, but there is a deficit there that needs to be filled. After a couple of hours slowly reintroducing ourselves, we shower before heading to Bamboo Bar. We are again very comfortable with each other. Things are not back to where we left off. Somehow they have moved beyond that.

I'm planning for departure on 4th Feb. I'm taking a gamble on this. Wish me luck! ** I'm waiting for Royal Gazette to release tomorrow (hopefully) so that I can start my bookings.

Hyatt Bangkok allow me to cancel the booking even though it states that no cancellation is allowed after I email them and of cos showing them the TP rejection. Years ago when there is a huge protest, Thai Airways also allow me to cancel my non-cancellation ticket after I called them. Something I like about Thailand is that they are willing to make things happen unless it is beyond their ability.

I guess we'll see. Omicron spiked really fast elsewhere and then fell off quickly. It is doing that here in the US now as far as I can tell, the trend is now down nationwide. My trainer whose normal job is in ER said they broke new records last week here in Oregon at his hospital, so I think Omicron is peaking here now. I am hopeful, if for no other reason than I've spent so much time in despair at the stupidity of my fellow americans, that I've decided "fuck it. Let the idiots die, I'm moving on. I'm vaxxed and boosted. If they think they can win a macho battle with a virus, it's just improving the gene pool." I was thinking if I did this, I'd probably hit Thailand first, so that if I needed to, I could just abandon that leg of the trip.

Funny you should mention the Philippines. Just a few days ago, someone (work-related) was mentioning similar hopes, but was disappointed when he fould out that besides the usual pre-flight PCR test, the visitor is to be quarantined until anther PCR test on the 5th day of quarantine gives a negative result. And even then, he told me, there would need to be home quarantine for 2 or 3 more days. I haven't researched this myself but merely reporting what I heard. Nor have I any idea how home quarantine is to be enforced. I see you're hoping for rules to be looser by March, but somehow I doubt it. This story 5 days ago from Bloomberg says it is now Southeast Asia's worst Omicron surge. This will take tme to come down. It also puts you at risk for failing the PCR tests when moving on to Thailand.

https://www.shathailand.com/list/Pattaya/ This looks to be an incomplete list but might help.

@vinapu For the past month, as I've sat down for my short lunch overlooking the city, I've anxiously read about just one day of your adventures in Thailand, graciously and amusingly written. As I finished your 'final thoughts' today, I'm saddened it's come to an end, yet thankful for 25 days of your journeys, your insight, your boys, and your generosity. K̄hxbkhuṇ

I was in a similar position. Only a week between applying for the Thai Pass and my flight date. After two or three days had passed I had only the acknowledgement I was getting seriously worried. I then found this website https://asq.in.th/thailand-pass?tpOpen=1&rushIt who promise you the pass in 6 to 48 hours. Or a refund. I paid up and got the pass in an hour! Recomended.

Eric Trump says what? Speaking of:

From Bangkok Post Hospital dean predicts end to pandemic The world could be approaching the end of the Covid-19 pandemic later this year, as evidenced by the rapid-spreading but less-severe Omicron variant, according to the dean of the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital. Prof Dr Prasit Watanapa said on Tuesday the spread of Omicron would result in the majority of people surviving an infection with the virus and developing immunity. "The fast-spreading Omicron will replace the more severe Delta variant and this indicates that we are in the latter period of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said. "If the majority of the world's population has Covid-19 and they survive and develop immunity, this will lead to an end of the Covid-19 pandemic, because the global population will have enough immunity, both through vaccination and an infection that is not severe," Prof Prasit said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2253215/hospital-dean-predicts-end-to-pandemic

no doubt, no doubt

Huh….? Other than wearing a mask when entering a building, my recent trips to Brazil were not impacted by COVID.

I cancelled my trip that was supposed to leave today due to omicron surging. Any one know how Rio is doing with the surge? I regret the cancellation but with New Years celebration having ended, I thought this time would not be the best to travel.

if air clears it's great idea but if not trying to visit more than one country may be nerve wrecking experience. In Dec I was taking three different airlines to get to BKK connecting through two different countries and while it worked, it was clear that every country including my own and Thailand and every airline had bit different idea of what it's important and what is not , logistics of trying to comply were bit burdensome

Yes!! This makes me happy! Also my favourite! Krating's smile just lights up the whole room!

in, God forbid, such a case I'd be trying to contact hotels , they may show flexibility with arrangements as well as extending check-out and check-in (my own experience )

As Vinapu observed, the decision whether to travel to Thailand under the revised Test and Go policy needs to be made on an individual basis. What is acceptable to one may be unacceptable to another due to a wide array of factors ranging from health. affordability, time constraints and simply uncertainty itself. In my own case, my biggest concern is acquiring the Omicron virus between the first and second shot. However, it's not that I anticipate serious symptoms--if there even are any symptoms--will be debilitating, it's the 10-days of enforced isolation that would follow. Also, I'm ticketed for departure on Feb. 7. Since I can't apply for the pass until Feb. 1, there's a high probability it would not get approved in time. In that scenario, I lose my investment in two quarantine hotel reservations and insurance premium. Although I'm retired and have more flexibility, those using vacation time would be more than a little inconvenienced. I think z909's "No unnecessary quarantine = no unnecessary quarantine costs" pretty much sums it up. ================================================= I spent some time yesterday looking for ASQ hotels and found the same thing with Agoda and other sites (i.e., Expedia, Booking.com). Many of the hotels that were offering "Test-and-Go" options under the original version don't currently appear. This may change in coming days as more hotels populate the consolidated booking sites. You need to be very cautious when booking on line. Fewer hotels seem to offer cancellation options. If you have specific hotels in mind, calling or emailing them directly may be your best bet.

on Agoda when doing search you will find "Entry to Thailand button" and when you click it three options appear , one of them "Thailand Pass", when you click it list of hotels available will appear, at this time very limited though after suspension of Test and Go program. https://www.agoda.com/search?guid=d182047b-5e0d-4364-bf91-9c370bdaaae7&asq=null&city=9395&tick=637786516691&locale=en-us&ckuid=965471b5-72be-44f0-a99e-e6027c7dfa7e&prid=0&currency=CAD&correlationId=74be081f-bf55-41ee-b7e6-b8c6892bc3d2&pageTypeId=103&realLanguageId=1&languageId=1&origin=CA&cid=1892419&userId=965471b5-72be-44f0-a99e-e6027c7dfa7e&whitelabelid=1&loginLvl=0&storefrontId=3&currencyId=13&currencyCode=CAD&htmlLanguage=en-us&cultureInfoName=en-us&machineName=as-crweb-3023&trafficGroupId=2&sessionId=0oljy33z3rr1hjewo2znrgyz&trafficSubGroupId=676&aid=272109&useFullPageLogin=true&cttp=4&isRealUser=true&mode=production&checkIn=2022-02-08&checkOut=2022-02-09&rooms=1&adults=1&children=0&priceCur=CAD&los=1&textToSearch=Bangkok&travellerType=0&familyMode=off&productType=-1

Donald Trump is often his own worst enemy. But sometimes, he gets competition from his lawyers. Perhaps no better example of that can be found than in Wednesday’s order from the Supreme Court, which summarily rejected the former president’s “emergency” request to block, on grounds of executive privilege, the release of documents to the select House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. The court’s decision was a brutal, and personally stinging, loss for Trump. And the arguments his own lawyers advanced may have made the defeat worse. Trump lost the case in virtually record time. He sued the committee and the National Archives on Oct. 18, lost in the district court on Nov. 9, lost in the court of appeals on Dec. 9 and lost in the Supreme Court on Jan. 19. And so, today, the Jan. 6 committee has hundreds of documents Trump desperately wanted kept under wraps. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/01/21/courts-hand-donald-trump-loss-after-loss-after-loss/

By April we hope all restrictions will be removed and sandbox will be distant memory

I just finished binge watching S4 Part 1. One of the best shows on Netflix.

Passing the Time As originally conceived this trip had a significant business component, using Bangkok as a hub to visit other cities in the region or people coming to Bangkok to meet me, and re-establish face contact after two years. The removal of Test-and-Go shut the door on this. However, my presence in Thailand and this time zone makes me useful to others whose plans have also been disrupted and I receive requests for all manner of help from meeting potential investors to conducting a Zoom-forum and even interviewing a candidate. With my days free I am happy to oblige and the days before Bangkok Guy joins me become a pleasant routine of swimming, working, dining by the river and becoming a regular at the Bamboo Bar where the captain now automatically orders me a Sazerac. Not wanting to risk crowds on the Metro or Sky Train I hire a car and driver from TheLimoPattaya whenever I need to get around and re-experience what we all know – Bangkok is not a city in which driving makes much sense as a transport option. I have the same lady driver with the very nice car, the weather is mild enough that cracking the windows open does not cause discomfort, and as the traffic is taken into account in planning, everything goes smoothly. For those into shopping, Jim Thompson is making a great N95-design mask in a fun selection of fabrics. Much more comfortable than the regular ones as the straps are adjustable. Hovering in the background is a nagging concern over the true state of Bangkok Guy’s health. It is not a concern that can be addressed through Line exchanges for language reasons and also because he is both a Stoic and believes in looking good. I will only find out when we meet as, in person, when it is just the two of us face-to-face, communication is much easier and it is always the plain truth, politely expressed. Things Begin to Fall into Place, Finally The morning of the day prior to Bangkok Guy’s emancipation from home-isolation begins with an apology he sent late the night before, after I had turned in. ‘Sorry I didn’t answer you. I take medicine and sleepy all day’. That explains his total radio silence yesterday. I tell him no problem, rest and get better. After swimming laps I have an early lunch by the pool and doze in the shade of the cabana, enjoying the soft breeze off the river. A ping from my iphone breaks my reverie, a sticker of a rabbit and a chick popping out from behind a wall. Bangkok Guy signaling he would like to talk. I ask if I can call him – our established etiquette to give him time to make himself presentable before a live audience – and the next thing he is calling me, voice only. He clearly doesn’t want to make a live appearance. He sounds tired but says he feels better and his sense of mischief is alive and well. I tell him the next few days are what he wants, I follow him. We have established ‘I follow you’ as our code for who is in charge of the task at hand for everything from choosing a restaurant to finding a temple or deciding on the main activity for the day. What I mean to convey is that he is recovering, so we go at his pace. His response is a mischievous giggle while he repeats ‘you follow me’ in a very satisfied tone of voice. We will see where this leads. We agree he will come to the hotel at 5pm the next day. His choice of timing. My guess is that he has a lot of errands to run after being quarantined for so long, some of which will involve restoring his grooming to its usual high standard. I slip back into my cabana reverie only to be pulled out of it by another ping, this time from my tailor. I have an appointment in the afternoon but he is at the hotel for another client, so if it suits me we can have a fitting now. I am very happy with what he has made and, seeing my satisfaction, he suggests that now I will of course want ten of everything. I do get a few extra, including an additional pair of linen trousers in terracotta-with-orange-highlights which I like but which I know Bangkok Guy will view with considerable skepticism. If he is going to pull my chain, I am going to pull his. For a change I lunch outside the hotel on the terrace at D’ARK in IconSiam. It is 1.45pm and the waiter (extremely cute) tells me alcohol sales stop at 2pm, so rather than a glass I order a carafe of the Sancerre with fanciful thoughts of acquiring a monopoly on alcohol between 2-5pm, and selling glasses from my stock at outrageous prices to parched Falang. It is an excellent Sancerre and I happily consume my cache, parched Falang be damned.

I never asked. I thought it was better to focus on dealing with the situation-at-hand than getting into a bunch of questions. The poor guy clearly felt badly about it and he plans to get his second shot and then a booster so there will be no further snafus. My guess is that having screwed up his courage to get the first shot he hesitated over the second shot, and while he hesitated contracted covid. My inclination to bop an anti-vaxxer on the nose if I meet one has risen exponentially.

The sad reality: if more anti-vaxxers die from Covid, the safer the world will be for the rest of us.

Clearing the Cultural Fog My flight touches down early. To my surprise the domestic terminal is a hive of activity, a striking contrast to the international ghost town. A lady from LimoPattaya meets me in a very nice car for a fast trip into town. I notice that only one of the many large advertising billboards by the highway is in use, the others forlornly solicit business with their phone numbers. I am enjoying lunch by the river when Bangkok Guy pings me with a photo of a doctor’s letter, which I take to the concierge for translation to ensure that it has all the information the hotel needs. Bangkok Guy has a habit of sending me documents in Thai as proof of various things, such as the Time Payment Tractor, and I have always trusted that they show what he says they show. This is the first time I have had anything translated. The letter says Bangkok Guy has had covid, is about to end his ten days quarantine but then must return home for a further four days self-isolation. This seems overly cautious to me, but clarifies why Bangkok Guy insists he has to go home after he leaves hospital. His unwillingness to enter the hotel remains a mystery. It seems the caution is justified. I ask Bangkok Guy if he would like to take a day trip to Ayutthaya. “I feel weak lately. Do not want to travel. So sorry.” Although he looks good on Line - he probably makes sure he looks good when I call - I should have been more attuned to his earlier comment ‘not good inside’. My guess is that he contracted the Delta variant which remains more prevalent in Thailand than Omicron. This means that it may take a while for him to be back to full health. The concierge tells me that Bamboo Bar is open and I celebrate my first evening in Bangkok by returning to that old favorite to sip a Sazerac while listening to a very enjoyable jazz vocalist. Bangkok Guy will enjoy this once he is free as he likes jazz vocals, assuming he feels up to going out. I only stay for the first set however as there is an almost full house and I still have a final PCR test to pass. Back with the front desk I discover why Bangkok Guy thinks he can only meet me outside the hotel. Contrary to my earlier conversation I am now told the hotel’s policy is double-vaccination only, no doctor’s letters (!!??!!#@%!) which makes sense of Bangkok Guy’s statement that he can only meet me outside the hotel. It seems the policy depends upon to whom you talk. This misunderstanding is corrected. Bangkok Guy will be welcome. In the slightly fraught period during which the misunderstanding is corrected, I contact four alternative five star hotels to secure a back-up plan. Two are very clear ‘double-vaccination only’, one is open to accepting the doctor’s letter once they have seen it and can verify its contents, and one is equally clear at the opposite end of the spectrum ‘we have no vaccination requirement’.

I always carry a reasonably decent decoy phone and decoy $bill/card-fold that are both essentially dispensable and in my outside lightweight full-length pants pockets where I hope a thief would consider the logical place for a pedestrian to store belongings but not, to date, any encounters such as requests or demands to have them removed from my person. I assume, possibly falsely, that a robber would not stick around long enough to inspect the contraband. The felon would quickly see some cash tucked into the cheap wallet thingy. The hope is that would be an acceptable tradeoff for my personal security and life to remain intact. My undergarment is a bathing suit or lightweight shorts with pockets where I fold up and distribute some higher denomination cash and functional credit cards. Usually at least one large enough pocket in the undergarment to conceal my true phone. Essentially I would need to be frisked to reveal these genuine valuables.

I read about Czech lady, she was actually very popular folk singer there. Hard not to agree that stupidity can be fatal. My long deceased god-mother used to say "I'm not afraid of anybody and anything , only of stupid people " . I can't say anything about quality of vaccines being prominent and well known , at least in my circle, pro-vaxer and I agree Russians botched introduction at , as we can see , their own peril, but my point about politicization was that as soon as they announced they had something, we in the West knew it will not be any good. How? That's politicization.

@z909's estimate is reasonably accurate. Re room sizes, in the days not so long ago when I travelled on business I was able to stay quite close to Shinjuku Station in a decent sized room in a 4 star hotel for around 5,700 bt. Since those days, I have found two hotels in the Kabuki-cho district (nearer the bar area) where I get B&B for 4,200 bt. The rooms are a bit smaller but nothing like the much smaller rooms you'll get if your budget is nearer 2,000 bt. And it's true that being restricted to only Japanese tourists, all Tokyo hotels presently have big discounts. But as he points out, there are deals to be had if you are prepared to check around for them. Another area where Tokyo is much cheaper than people assume are food and transport. There are so may small restaurants/cafes where you can get a nourishing main course for little more than 200 bt. The public transport system is amazing and amazingly cheap. You can get virtually anywhere in that huge city and be just 200 meters or so from your destination. The one problem is that almost all of it shuts down before midnight. So location becomes important because taxis are horribly expensive. I suggest a stopover is the best way of sampling some of what Tokyo offers. When I first moved to Asia, I wanted to visit many countries, but for whatever reason not Japan. On a Tokyo business stopover from the USA I found I was hooked. Not only have I worked there but I have visited at least 40 other times. Each time is a joy and anew exploration.

I think my first video game was the first video game - Pong. I can clearly remember, before there were home versions, long lines of people waiting their turn to play it. We thought it was the most phenomenal thing ever. At the time, I suppose it was. My first computer was the Atari. When games first started coming out, they had to be loaded with a tape recorder. It could take as much as an hour waiting for the game to load. Then, of course, when you turned off the computer, now the game was gone. I also remember a friend who was really into computer technology. In those days he was among the first to use a floppy disk. I remember he was on top of the world when he had his first 20 meg machine. Today your smartphone has far more computer power than they had when Neil Armstrong went to the moon. Now I am hoping the next innovation in computer technology won't be smaller, more powerful chips or greater speed. I'm hoping for computers that simply work - all the time.

Horace goes Skiing, played on the Sinclair ZX Spectrum + .

It feels sort of weird to be using this part of my brain while logged onto this website but my “American rental property math” is really nothing more than that one can typically rent a property at a monthly rate equal to about 1% of the property’s value. In this case, $34 per day equals about $1,000 per month which suggests a property value of about $100,000. I’m not dating him but the smart and very, very attractive Carioca that is currently helping me learn Portuguese - he was outstanding when it came to helping me name the part of the body - was horrified when I mentioned that I would like to split time between here and something small but nice in Leblon. His reaction puzzled me considering that I stayed in/near Leblon two of the three times I’ve been to Brazil and he and I have been out to eat in Leblon frequently. Maybe he just thinks Leblon is overpriced or not someplace he would actually want to live. Or, more likely than not since he speaks pretty decent English but typically converses about transactions that do not involve the sale of real estate and my Portuguese is still very much limited to body parts and what one might do with those body parts, we probably just misunderstand each other which is why I’m going to go back to trying to find trash television in Portuguese to watch in preparation for my next trip on March. Suggestions are welcome if anyone has a show they would like to recommend.

2 hands if it's a strong massage but I do like 4 hands for some fun and I now do as vinapu said, I choose one and have him choose the second. I have had one of those 4 hands where one guy was good and strong but the other too soft. It was the same when it came to the extras after the massage, the strong one was willing to play and have fun but the other just wanted to finish off the massage with a hand job, softy left early and I had fun with the stronger guy. Since then it's aways the guy I choose selecting the other.