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I mean, that’s a big assumption on your part. I’ve dealt with some loss during the pandemic, but I don’t think it’s appropriate to put that on here. But yes, I can see how travel during the pandemic would be morally ambiguous for sure. All I can say is that this is how I spent my pandemic time, knowing the risks I was taking and I was exposing others, who have made their own risk analysis during that difficult time.

Thanks @Vessey. I'm afraid that its not going to be quite the same experience for me like my old Trip Reports. Probably a combination of the post-pandemic era surroundings, my changing tastes, or my changing circumstances. Still, I think it is still worth it to put on here. Well, we'll see LOL. Thank you. The irony is that I've been traveling way more than before (it that was possible) so I have way more to share, but I have less time to write about them! I did, however, think that this trip report was something worthy of some time, even if some of my other experiences are also worth something as well. The Middle East, for example, was very eye opening. LOL. Was I a bad freind? PM me @ggobkk, about your plans for September!

Introduction If this pandemic has ever taught me anything, is that to never take anything for granted ever again. My last trip to Thailand was in December 2019. That trip was the only Thailand trip I had that year, having prioritized Brazil and Colombia that year. I was already figuring out that Brazil catered more to my evolving taste for both boys, sex and entertainment, but I was still wanting to go to Thailand because of the food, the locations, and yes, of course the boys. Thailand's unwillingness to reopen as soon as others have (during the pandemic), however, has given me the opportunity to visit Brazil more, thus deepening my connection to that country, at the expense of the Land of Smiles. Throughout all that though, I've been trying to go back to Thailand since it always will hold a special place in my heart. I remember my last international trip before air travel was paused during the pandemic. No surprise, it was to Brazil. I remember entering Sao Paulo on March 17, 2020. The plane was half full, the streets of Sao Paulo where empty, and everyone was sheltering in place, even if Carnaval ended just 3 weeks before. On March 19, Brazil closed its land borders. After that, I finally decided to go back home on March 23, 2020, fearing that flights back to the USA would be cancelled eventually. And I was right. On March 27 they announced that Brazil would close all its borders, even air, on March 30. Thailand had a similar thought process, closing its land borders on March 18, and then all borders on March 26, 2020. I know that I am not the only one to think that this pandemic was only going to be 2-week thing when it started. And then a month rolled by, and then 3 months. Since I was just at home, my routine started to change. I exercised more. Ate better. I did more video calls, both for work, and for friends far away, similarly stuck at home, wondering when this will all end. I’ve gotten lots of desperate cries for money from boys (Brazil, Thailand, Colombia) without any incomes with all the saunas and clubs closed. Though it all, I thought I did pretty good for myself, and actually was able to focus on other important things that I wouldn’t normally would have without the urgency of the pandemic looming all over us. I was pained of course, as I had plans to go Thailand over Songkran in 2020: And then something miraculous happened: Brazil decided to open up again. July 30 was the date, so after only 4 months of staying put, I was able to travel again. And it was glorious. Less people in airports and airport parking which meant less time needing to be at the airport. Less people flying which means either instant upgrades to Business class, or having a row to myself in economy. Less stupid tourists clogging up the streets, and less people in the streets in general. And yeah, you had to wear a mask in the plane, but at that point, I’ve gotten used to it, and counted myself lucky to still be even traveling to care. And with Brazil’s infinite wisdom, most of the clubs in Rio and Sao Paulo opened up as well, which meant that I was sometimes the only gringo at the premises. I certainly made the most of it, judging from these trip reports: Through it all though, I’ve had Thailand in the back of my mind. When the hell will it ever open up? 2021 rolled around. Apart from my monthly, multi-week trips to Brazil, I’ve pretty much scoured most of Western Europe, the Middle East and Mexico. But Thailand has remained closed. (I’ve also have been keeping my eye on Japan, which is still in a weird reopening phase. I’ve been dying to return.) I see domino after domino of COVID restrictions fall down. Except Thailand. I shared this in August 2021: Then the Phuket sandbox happened in July 2021, and while appealing, still was too restrictive for me. And news about the bars still closed was disheartening. Then Thai Pass was introduced in November 2021, and that felt more appealing to me, though the RT-PCR requirement, and the quarantine hotel requirement was something that was a bit unnerving to me. It just introduced (perhaps unnecessary) wildcards to a supposedly wonderful trip. I’d rather just go straight to Brazil, (even with their evolving COVID requirements as well – from medical insurance requirements, to COVID test, to having scrapped everything as of April 2022), and their open bars. I finally bit the bullet and bought my ticket to Bangkok last April. I was heading to Dubai in June, and found it interesting to instead head over to Bangkok after that trip instead of high-tailing it back to California. Also, Thailand dropping the COVID test requirement for vaccinated travelers was the deciding factor for me as well. The COVID dominos were starting to fall in Thailand. The June 12 announcement that the USA was dropping its COVID testing requirement to enter the USA was another domino falling that was just icing on the cake. It seems that the stars are aligning in just the right times for me to make a comeback in Thailand. So next post will be my preparations for the trip, and the REAL reason I am going to Thailand. P.S. To new posters, yes, I am always this long-winded when it comes to my trip reports. An example:

It's a double-edged sword right? I was at Thermas in Barcelona last week on a Wednesday and it was deserted. A handful of boys and clients were at the premises, and the general consensus was if the clients don't come, most boys don't as well. Which makes sense. The boys are not fixed employees, and they won't come if there are no clients. Even worse with the entry fee for the boys, which is also true in the Brazil saunas. I may be wrong but it is different in the Bangkok bars right? The boys get a cut every night for showing up? I may not be recalling this right. Still, yes, the premise is sound. You will get your pick of the litter if there is fewer competition. I make the most of it when I am in any establishment (exception was Sauna GO.63 in Sao Luis, Maranhao in Brasil - 2021 was not a good year for that sauna), and tend to get some fun out of the emptiest of bars. I remember when Brazil first reopened in July 29, 2020 - I immediately went to Rio a few days later. I found a deserted Ponte 202 in Copacabana on a Saturday with only 3 boys and only me as a client. So drank and partied with all 3 in the premises and they shared with me how tough the pandemic was. I think I had a threesome with 2 of them and tipped the third guy. That was fun. Yes for only one night. I have a jam-packed schedule for that next trip and it took me some clever maneuvering to even get one night in Pattaya. But I intend to make the most of it. My days of luxuriating in Thailand for weeks at a time have ended. There is so much more of the world to see. Yes, my spy has told me the same thing, that things are more or less fine and I should go, that's why I am trying to go. And thanks for the tips on where to stay. I may try Classroom since it is recommended by a few of you here. Looks like I won't be sleeping at all in Pattaya with all that activity!

Alrightey guys. I just concluded a multi-week Europe trip and now am planning my Thailand trip in earnest. I have multiple goals for the trip (both bar and boy reasons and life reasons), but it looks like I'd like to try Pattaya for ONE night and would like to know how recent trip goers have fared there. I was surprised to hear that a boy in my past (and some of you have met this boy) is still working at a bar there, and he has told me that things are more or less back to normal at his bar. That made me decide to at least devote one night there this trip. Some of you may have known this already. Another boy from my past is still working at Moonlight. Looks like time has stood still. So how is the bar landscape in Pattaya? I like boys, and bars with shows, so what's it like there now?

This is a big reason why I don't post my trip reports any more. While a tiny minority, there are super creeps out there that make it not worth it and ruin the joy I've felt in the past. It became so bad that I've had to delete my Instagram in the past because of a stalking issue from this site. As a rule I never pass on any numbers of boys I feature in my trip reports. That is just asking for trouble. And your mileage may vary anyways... Any good fortune I've had may not translate to you, and vice versa.

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Just echoing what has been answered here: it's not worth it. To be more specific: I have flown them a few times since the pandemic started, all biz class. They have fallen so far down in quality that I can't say I will fly them again till they improve. I've flown their Bogota to Rio and Sao Paulo to Bogota and their biz class meals are cold sandwiches and not a lot of drink options. Both flights are not lie-flat (6 hour flights) and they have that weird "extra reclining seat". The seat was more hinge-ing more than reclining. Not comfortable. I'd suggest eating at Bogota airport (more or less back to great dining options) if coming from there. The shorter biz class routes I've taken, Mexico to San Jose Costa Rica and the Costa Rica to Bogota flights, were fine/not good. Traditional extra reclining seats and again not good food and drinks. I think if you can get the LAX to Bogota, or Madrid to Bogota flights, I think you'll be more or less fine. I've taken both this year and both a lie-flat normal biz class seats (tho showing their age), and the meals were decent with a fine selection of drinks. Not sure if they are administered by a different part of Avianca, but I feel they were fine, and are cheaper than most biz class products.

Still hoping that the subject can be kept in Thailand, I appreciate any info from people who actually are there now or have been there recently. This response is more appropriate in the Latin thread. But, this is a known effect of the internet, even in Thailand. I've known countless boys who never ever think of setting foot in a sauna because they feel "dezvalorizado" or devalued in the saunas. They don't like how 'some' clients treat them in the sauna (talk to them for hours, ask to show the goods, lay hands on them aggressively, waste their time, and still not go out with them or pay them). In websites, they do get bombarded by countless requests for pics, but at least they are in the comfort of their own homes, they can attend to all hours, and it pays more. The saunas will always be a venue for the ones who need instant cash, and for those who don't want their pics out there in public due to privacy concerns, but generally there are countless more non-sauna boys out there who are available. Even the gogo boys who would normally would ply their wares at the sauna wouldn't do it because of their feeling that the sauna is just a constant series humiliations for them, but would gladly go out with a client if the interest (i,e. money) is there. While yes visually the saunas are really where its at, I find having sex in the saunas to be non-ideal. Cleanliness, quality of facilities, and sometimes the stress levels of the boys (that you expect to perform for you) because of having to ply their wares for hours, doing many programas, before they get to you affect the quality of the experience. While the popular days of the week (especially at the end of the month when the rent and child support is due) in the saunas make it hard to get available rooms to do the deed, I find that more boys go on these days that don't go on slower days like Sundays (because there are fewer clients) appear on the popular days, and if I can't go out with them in the saunas, I get their numbers and set up a rendezvous later, in the comfort of my own apartment, and maybe grabbing a bite to eat and enjoying the city I am visiting. Lately, I've found myself not taking boys to the suites on the day I see them, and just meet them after or the day after and get to know them more. I think this is obvious, and attitude is everything. I am merely asking about best days to go with the larger number of boys in the week, in the Bangkok boy bars. There, I derailed my own thread lol. On to Thailand: Thanks you two for this. and i miss both of you! i do intend to go to Soi 4 since I've had great memories in the past. Looks like there will be a lot of excitement to go around! Any more tips? I am looking forward to this trip. Any Phuket tips as well?

So, I'm finally planning my long-awaited return to Thailand. I'm looking to go around July time, which I am hoping that the current pandemic-era travel requirements will be eased even further by then. I am basing my optimism on some articles that have stated this, including this one: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-07/thailand-mulls-easing-covid-test-rules-for-vaccinated-visitors I do understand that the rules are fairly fluid, and we are of course talking about Thailand, the Land of Smiles and Ever Changing Minds, so I am assuming some risk here, and maybe the new COVID variants will further complicate things, but right now, I am finally planning the trip in earnest, and have put my money where my mouth is by actually booking a flight to Bangkok. Brazil has been my go-to this pandemic for finding my boy delights, and depending on the day of the week, certain locales (the saunas) have better days in the week to go than other days. For example, it is known that the best and busiest days for the Rio saunas are Tuesdays (Clube 117) and Wednesdays (Pointe), and generally Sao Paulo has the weekends as good days (and Thursdays for the new-ish sauna Fragata). Are there such rules in the Bangkok boy bars? Or are weekends just the known best days for the boy bars because that's when customers go? Or are they all open everyday, and it doesn't matter what day you go? Or has COVID just made this a more complicated question? I ask this because this is just a one week trip, and I am planning a trip to Phuket (2-3 days) in between, and since Phuket is not known for boy bars as much as Bangkok, I wanted to know what days I should stay in Bangkok to get the optimal boy crowd in the bars. Thanks in advance! I promise to write a trip report about all this.

This is not just a Brazil phenomenon. There is an optimal time to book cheap airfare, and waiting last minute will be more expensive. Looking at a São Paulo to Rio flight, looks like last minutes fares are $167 - $400. A month out it’s $81, and two months out it’s only $39. When I need a last minute fare between SP and Rio, I just try to cash in some United miles. An Azul direct flight is always usually just 9000 miles. Otherwise I try to book in advance. Or there is always the bus. An overnight ride avoids the traffic and you get to sleep the whole way.

It works well, even in the metro in Rio and SP, even riding between stations. I turn it on the minute I land and it just works in Brazil.

Was in 202 today for Junior’s birthday. No apparent signage requiring vaccination status that I could see. Also I wasn’t asked for my vaccine card and neither were my two companions, just like 117. 202 was super packed today! If you’re at all paranoid about COVID and social distancing, tonight was not a night for you to come. The show was good and there was free food, and Junior was giving away these cups as giveaways:

This photo is from tonight, at 117. Looks promising in theory, and at first glance I felt at ease with my visit here. But as I checked in at reception to get my key, I was not asked for my vaccination record. I was also with two boys, who looked like GPs, but was with me like a client and therefore not working, and they weren’t asked for their vaccine records either. I’m not saying that they are not asking for the records, it just wasn’t asked of me. I did ask from boys and they said they only had to show it to reception once and then never asked again. Maybe clients are not asked? Unsure. Another anecdote: earlier today we went to Vidigal to take photos and have lunch at Mirante, and we took mototáxis up the favela. My cute motoqueiro assured me that he had two doses of the vaccine, and also slyly told me that i could hold on to his waist on the way up. I obliged of course. He got a tip. I’m that gullible.

Just to add to the ample warnings from previous posters. I've seen two thefts happen in front of me during all of the 4 years I've been going to Brazil. Oddly enough these two thefts happened within a week of each other, and within the last month. First one happend last week. I was walking on the sidewalk by the beach in copacabana. I was with a GP. He wasn't a slouch - he's 6'3, muscular, young. He had his shirt off (as you do), and was wearing his cheapie "gold" necklace. I was noticing a younger guy on a bike eyeing him as we walked past. A few steps further a taxi driver shouted to us to "be careful". As we approach posto 4, the same kid who was eyeing us quickly rode past us and snatched that necklace from my friend. The kid quickly disappeared in his bike. My friend should have known better. He was a Carioca after all. He was shaken after the incident, and wanted to look for the thief. I had to calm him down by disappearing into one of the quiosques and shared a beer with him and tried to just talk him out of it. He was left a bruise in his neck where the necklace was snatched. This was like 2 pm in the afternoon in broad daylight. The second one happened two weeks ago in Sao Paulo. I was in Higienopolis with another GP friend and we were just heading back to his condo from a Cafe after breakfast. We were walking in a quiet street with other people when a woman in the further side of the same street started screaming. A thief snatched her cellphone while she was walking. As the thief tried to run away from her, I see the thief trip and fall to the ground. A group of older guys happened to manage to trip him and pin him down. My GP friend, not a stranger to confrontation, quickly rushed to the scene and filmed the whole thing. The older guys were punching him and kicking him. The woman whose cellphone got snatched joined in, and retrieved her cellphone. Some other passers by also joined in the melee. Pretty soon the police arrived. The guy was bloodied when all was said and done. The mob was rightfully angry, probably frustrated by all the theft happening lately. This was before noon. While all this is horrible, this two incidents have done nothing to change my view about Brazil. Its a dangerous place for sure, but if you know how to be careful, and to be mindful of your surroundings, I'm pretty sure you'll be fine. The pros way outweigh the cons. Did I mention that sex after an exciting incident is just way better? You already have all that adrenaline flowing!

I just want to give my most heartfelt thanks to @vinapu for taking the plunge on not only visiting Thailand during these uncertain times, but also to document, in almost real time, his exploits. The trip reports continue to be the bread and butter of this forum, and @vinapu your perspective is always welcome and greatly appreciated, in my world. I have completely written off Thailand for at least this holiday season. While I'm glad that things look like they are slowly getting back to normal, some of the uncertainties still make me feel that I won't be able to enjoy myself as much as i would, like the usual New Year circuit parties for example, have not been reinstated, as far as i know. I am heading to Mexico and Brazil for Christmas and New year, but who knows after that. Maybe Songkran next year will be a thing? And @vinapu please continue this trip report! Maybe you will have a monodiet of twinks this trip. I havent been dining on twinks lately. Too many muscle gods taking up my time in Brazil.

I agree with Bolsonaro being a big destructive force in Brazil. However, this destruction means less jobs and less money for the boys, and therefore more available boys. While I'd like Brazil, as Thailand, to succeed after COVID, while it sounds bad, I am definitely reaping the benefits in the interim. But is anything fun open? Ugh @reader. From your lips to god's ears. I am ready to go in December. Will they let me? Will there be anything open? Sad state of affairs indeed. I am not a wait and see guy. I am go and do. That's why I go to Brazil and do everything in sight. I went to this party last Sunday btw. Another story for another day... Yes to Europe, and I guess my schedule opened up and Brazil is back on. Sad that you had to cancel your trip. Someday I will see you at a boy bar and I'll buy you a drink @vinapu. So, any new news about reopening? Any new sandbox news?

So I had an old friend in Bangkok who messaged me out of the blue, which made me think about Thailand, which made me think about this forum. It has been 20(!) months since my last Thailand trip, in December 2019. It has been way too long. I have, of course, been putting most of my travel eggs in the Brazil basket this pandemic, which is a pretty good consolation prize, since going to Thailand seems to still not be in the cards any time soon, and I have a feeling, not even this year. I always wondered how Brazil can be as open like they are - with virtually all the boy saunas open. Even if the big Brazilian gay dance clubs are still closed, I'll take that over the totally closed Thailand. I hope the situation changes soon, though from the posts here it does not seem likely. I guess I have to keep taking those Brazil trips to get me through the year. Anyway, back to my old friend, who messaged me today. He is probably known to some of you on here, but I won't divulge his identity. He is not a boy, but you have probably crossed paths with him if you have ever taken tours in Bangkok (and beyond). He opened up the conversation, telling me about how he remembered me today when he drove by my old party condo building Centric in Sathorn: I haven't been paying close attention, but are there really no boy bars open? That seems really sad: I've always wondered how the boys are surviving. Not being able to eat is grim. I know there are apps, but without the tourist numbers, there is only so much money they can earn: "Boys will get old before open" was a very funny thing to say, but this also applies to us, the farang clients. Grim. So this made me sad. Maybe 2022 will be better? Or have any of you heard about the rest of this year? And will we be able to see the old boy bars back? I am dreading how this long closure has affected the bars. When do you think I can go back to Bangkok again to a nice boy bar? Any guesses?

A Sao Paulo Interlude Ugh. I got derailed with the posts because life just got busy. With the USA fast opening and personal stuff with my own life getting in the way (read: I am finding new distractions), I both haven't had the time to update this thread or go to Brazil in the same frequency as since Brazil opened up in July. I will still update when I can, or maybe not, we shall definitely see. But I do find my self in Brazil this Memorial Day week (in the USA) for some reason. I've chosen Sao Paulo as my main location for this trip (for now), based on the two positive days I spent in the beginning of May before I headed back home. I have frequented Rio since December, and even with the never-boring charms of Rio's beaches and boys, I have to admit that I have become bored with the tedium of the 117 and 202 merry-go-round. While some American friends have introduced me to the very specific charms of Meio Mundo (probably due for a post at some point), it is time for me to concentrate on Sao Paulo. A lot has changed since I was in Brazil about 4 weeks ago. I have found a country that is more restless, more fed-up, and possibly ready to burst at any moment. And probably because I am in Sao Paulo, a city that is less touristy than Rio, it is harder to paint over the seams that are forming from the suffering of its citizens with the whiplash of COVID restrictions, with the lack of good paying jobs, and the slow rollout of vaccination. I met up with my gorgeous ex in my first few days here, and even with the distraction of the always great sauna Lagoa, which has been busy these days, I cannot ignore the other things that are happening. A casual stroll in Paulista Avenue on tis gloomy Sunday revealed some interesting street graffiti: "Out with Bolsonaro" "Down with the dictatorship" "The Emergency Assistance is not enough to buy food." "Out with Bozo" While passing by the "Fora Bozo" graffiti, I explained to my ex that "Bozo" was a name of a famous clown in the USA. The ex says its the same in Brazil, and for him, Bozo is a fitting name for Bolsonaro because he thinks he is also a clown. A sad state of affairs in Brazil for sure. Pretty worse than normal, even. That's probably why there is always more boys than clients in the sauna. So hopefully, next, I will continue with the Rio posts...

New Year in Fortaleza: And a Muted New Year to Everyone! I had no expectation whatsoever about any business-as-usual New Year’s celebration in Brazil. That is not why I went here in the first place. The pandemic is still very much raging, and I wouldn’t think there would be any place in the world (that accepts Americans) that would have a full-blown New Year’s celebration. So my expectations were to not to go to any parties, to not see fireworks, and not to see a lot of people comingling. But the point of me coming was to spend time with the BF, which takes the sting out of the lack of any celebrations here. As we got close to the date of my arrival to Brazil, we have been going back and forth as to where to spend the turn of the New Year. We ruled out Rio and Sao Paulo, as both cities were proactive in letting everyone early know that (a) they were taking this pandemic seriously and (b) no celebrations were to be had. So we were stuck with choices in the Northeast, and in the end, there was no place like home, and Fortaleza won out. I decided to splurge and I had us stay at the Holiday Inn Fortaleza. It was definitely more upscale than staying at an AirBNB, its across the street from Praia Iracema, and with its nice restaurant and bar and other first world creature comforts, we can celebrate the New Year in some style. Lucky for me as well, I was able to redeem those accumulated IHG points that have been left unspent during the pandemic. They usually come in handy when staying in Sao Paulo at the Intercontinental Hotel there. But in Fortaleza, the points definitely work as well: Upon arriving at the hotel, Paulo immediately whips out the cellphone and takes selfies, around the hotel sign: The hotel was decked out for the holidays, and the room we got was spacious and faced the beach. The buffet breakfast was a nice treat to have every morning, with a shit ton of breakfast items, combining American and Brazilian food. I looked forward to it everyday. And the premises were pretty nice as well, with a chill pool to hang out with. Again, Paulo took advantage of the nice surroundings and took many photos by the pool: I filmed him doing backflips and such by the pool. It was going great until he somehow hurt himself with all his exertions. It wasn’t serious or anything but the next day he felt some backpain. We go to the pharmacy to get him some pain relievers. I suggest buying some BenGay, the fairly ubiquitous pain cream (in the USA) with Menthol and Methyl Salicylate. We were in luck that the drug store we went to had it. Although the name itself made Paulo laugh out loud. On the Uber drive home, he could not resist sharing this with the Uber driver. I guess BenGay sounded exactly like “Bem Gay”. It was trully, really gay. We ran into further bad luck, as the night before the eve, we see the barriers being installed by Praia Iracema, where traditionally the fireworks will be. I guess Fortaleza is choosing the safe way out, which is to also prohibit people going to the beach and the sand on the 31st, prohibiting fireworks, and all other parties for New Year’s Eve. I guess escaping Rio got us to the same type of restrictions here. Which was fine. A relatively quiet New Year’s celebration with just the two of us, is probably the best we can do. With the saunas closed on New Year’s Eve, and the beaches closed the whole day, our options were limited. Which is why choosing to staying at a hotel was a good idea. The gym hotel was still open, the pool was still open and hopping, and walking around Praia Iracema was also a good idea on this slightly cool day. It rained in the afternoon, and when the rain stopped, it was time for us to get some dinner. Paulo wanted to go to a restaurant close to the Holiday Inn that had the best picanha steaks in Fortaleza (his words). We walk there and there was a wait. The place was packed! But finally we get to a table. We immediately order some of the freshest cairpirinha de limaos I've ever had, to start the festivities: It was the first New Year’s eve that we were spending together, and we mostly spent the time over dinner, sharing stories about Eve’s past. Paulo is a wild child, and it was no surprise to me that his idea of celebration was both very wild and very drunk. We finally get our dinner and yes, the meat was pretty tasty: We were sitting close to the road side and he noticed a family of panhandlers begging for change next to us. Mom, Dad and baby. It was a firm reminder of where we were, Brazil, and with the pandemic, I am sure this panhandling has only worsened. Paulo, with a heart as big as his cock, hailed the waiter to come to us. He asked the waiter to cook a quick picanha dinner to go and to pack it up with utensils and napkins. 15 minutes later we got the plastic bag filled with the food. He looks at me and says “don’t worry, I am paying for this.” and gives the food to the beggars. They were very grateful obviously. Afterwards Paulo tells me that he is nothing but a GP and can’t do anything to change his country. But this, he can do. Afterwards, we walk back to the Holiday Inn. It was almost midnight so we decide to head over to the pool area, where there was a terrace where people can watch the beach and the (lack) of foreworks. There were some people there but I am sure this would be more crowded pre-pandemic: The clock strikes twelve, he gives me a chaste peck in the cheek (we were in public, in Fortaleza after all). There were some people milling the sidewalk by the beach, but there were a police presence to help avoid any agglomeration. There were no fireworks at first, but then we hear some fireworks by the beach, and the police quickly race to apprehend the people who were doing this. They were serious. After the turn, we decide to join the people walking by the sidewalk. There were advisories everywhere, reminding us that we can’t gather in huge numbers, and the people were constantly in the move and sitting down was generally frowned upon: Still, Brazilians do what Brazilians do. There were some who managed to take a Bluetooth speaker to blare celebratory music, and soon people were dancing. Some vendors were selling beers too, and very discreetly so police won’t be able to apprehend them. The police can’t be everywhere after all. We took advantage of this and a couple of cans of beers later, we were definitely were having a good time. We got home at 3 AM, after taking part of some dancing some walking, some laughing. This was a fairly muted way to spend New Year’s Eve, but it was fun regardless, and Paulo was game enough to lift my spirits up, as he is always wont to do. The next day, while getting some breakfast at the hotel, we see this scribbled on a mirror by the restaurant: It says: “Here comes 365 new opportunities. Make the most of the good things to come, embrace the challenges, and overcome the difficulties.” However horrible 2020 was, the promise of the New Year, and a new chance to start again, is usually enough to make one forget of what happened in that horrible year. Even if it only lasts for a day. Next… back in Rio.

New Year in Fortaleza: Sauna Por Dinheiro and Sauna Por Amor Kleyton was a great companion, but I was ready for my main event, which was: seeing my boyfriend in Fortaleza. I would rather be single, especially because I find myself in a land full of hot boys, but at least currently, the boyfriend has been giving me enough to work with to “suspend” my slutty self and be content, even elated, with being with him. As with any relationship, it is not perfect, and he is not perfect. But I am not as well, far from it. The heady mix of his Brazilian-ness and stubbornness with my own neuroses and headstrong tendencies has made this relationship the roller coaster it was always meant to be. But I am here for it, for now. For people who are not familiar, here is how I met the boyfriend. The odd thing is, even if he is a Garoto de Programa, and I, a very prolific client, we never really started our relationship as one of client and boy. But the fact that I am a client (for some boys) and he is a boy (for some clients) looms large in the relationship. He still works because he needs to live, and I still hire because I want the sex. Even with this, though, it somehow works. Don’t ask me how. It just does. So I have talked about Fortaleza during the pandemic here. The gist is that it is a nice enough beach city among many beach cities in the Northeast of Brazil. But experiencing it through the eyes of a local certainly elevated it to a more interesting place to be in for me. There is enough variety among the beaches here, and enough creature comforts in the city to be comfortable, and enough places to unwind and party, that it makes it one of the more versatile cities in Brazil. And everyone knows how I like things versatile. Paulo, as I call the BF here, has asked to visit him in Fortaleza over the New Year. He said that to be able to spend more time with me, he will only try get one programa per day at the sauna, which will enable us to hang out in the sauna after his work. Since it is still the pandemic, the sauna is probably the few gay spaces that are continues to be open in the city, so we would be hanging out here anyway, work or no. And there was really only one sauna worth its salt nowadays, and it is Mykonos Thermas Club. Most of my initial thoughts about Mykonos still remain. The place is spacious and open. Probably because this is Fortaleza, and it doesn’t have to contend with high rents or property prices like in Rio and Sao Paulo, but unlike the saunas there, which are sometimes old and tired (117), falling apart (202), or weirdly designed (Lagoa), Mykonos is brand spanking new, and the sauna, hydromassager/pool, even stage area and chairs, are a breath of fresh air. And thank goodness, because I do not mind spending 4 hours in a towel here, since Paulo like using all the facilities in the sauna, in one night. We would start with drinking of course, to start the night, and maybe after we would go to the sauna to sweat out some of the alcohol, and then after a quick rinse at the very public showers, we head over to the hydromassager to soak our cares and aches away. Then it was back to the bar for more drinks, and then maybe a game of pool if we wanted, or even some dancing in the stage area. All in one facility. All for 25 reais entry fee. Their flyer: And probably the main point of Fortaleza for most people is that it is cheaper than Rio. And that cheapness of course comes with it, cheaper prices for programas. Paulo says that unfortunately, most of the boys here may earn less than 100 reais per programa. Sometimes as low as 50, or even 30. And I guess you get what you pay for, because this is not 117. Gone are the wall-to-wall muscle that I crave sometimes. A lot of boy-next-door types, and some even fairly off-brand looking boys. Which is unfortunate, but everyone has to make a buck. Paulo says the a lot of the boys do a volume business. 50 reais is not a lot of money, but if you do 4 in a night, you might just get to survive another day. But there are a few choice boys in the premises. You know, those boys you would expect to find in 117 or 202 and feel that they belong. Along with Paulo, they will cost you 100 reais or more. And most of these “higher quality” boys are Paulo’s friends in the sauna. They sometimes hang out outside the sauna, and get to compare notes about clients as well. I got to meet some of these hotties this trip, and it was interesting to see both Paulo’s dynamics with these boys, and also the boy’s reaction to me. Paulo is never shy in introducing me as the BF, and I could tell that they have not seen this side of Paulo ever. They know not to approach me for a programa, even if Paulo is busy somewhere else, and even if they notice the drool on my mouth whenever I stare at them for too long. Since this was the New Year, there were a bunch of special party nights in the sauna. And indeed, the place was decked out for the occasion: I would never dare do a programa with anyone here, as long as Paulo is with me. Paulo has the trademarked Brazilian jealousy, and I know it would be trouble if I would ever want to see the extent of his jealousy. In turn, sometimes my very presence affects Paulo’s desire to work. He would oftentimes not want to work, even if he needs the money, because I was there, and he would rather spend time with me than with someone he has to pretend to like for money. And in times that he does go to his programa, he sometimes rushes things, because he didn’t want me to wait too long (both because he didn’t want me to get bored, and also I wouldn’t be tempted to get a boy for myself). And a client or two would complain because of this rushed atmosphere. Oh well. This is a typical night for us at the sauna. 25 reais for client entry. 15 reais for boy entry. 5 reais for a big bag of peanuts. And 10 reais for a generous glass of caipirinha (we got 5 this night). I never leave this place with a bill more than 100 reais. Sooooo cheap: I’ve talked about how clients get to wear white towels, and boys wear blue towels, but even while exiting the sauna, the exit card you give to security at the door is also delineated by color as well. Quite cute, I think: Mondays in Fortaleza though, are GP sauna-free. There are two other GP saunas in Fortaleza: California and Dragon, and even those were closed on Mondays. But Paulo still wanted to go to a sauna with me, but to a regular gay sauna, one that prohibited GPs in their premises. So we would go there only as a couple, and not as boy and client, to just have a good time. Paulo admits that this is new to him, actually wanting to go to a gay establishment. But he said he did want to go to a place both to drink and to be close to me, and he is not ready to do that in general public. So in search of a gay space, he wanted to try the regular gay sauna Rommeo. We were in luck today, as it was 2-for-1 entry at the sauna: We get to the door and after security approves of our appearance, we get to the entrance and get our keys to the locker. We enter the premises and immediately see 4 rows of big lockers. We were given teeny-tiny towels to wear. Paulo tries one on and you can see the half of his soft penis dangling past below the towel. “This won’t do,” Paulo laughs. Paulo will not stand for these bitch towels, so he got us regular seized towels to wear. I am thrilled at the sight of Paulo’s penis just dangling out of the towel, but I guess he is less amused. Besides, he said, people usually pay him to see his penis. Why give it away for free? We, and Paulo’s penis, all get squared away, as we head to the bar area. At 9 PM, the place was hopping. Lots of male flesh, lots of gays. Most are boys-next-door but some are a tier above that. Paulo, as he does usually, stands out with his awfully muscular torso, 8-pack and manicured beard. He has garnered attention here for sure, moreso than he does in public. He was uneasy at first, but the alcohol, and my gentle back rubs, slowly ease him into relaxing to enjoy the night. Overall it was a nice space. I remember it being two floors, with the first floor having the bar area, some tables, some bathrooms and places to sit. Upon going up the big staircase, there were the dark rooms and semi-private rooms if you wanted to do the nasty. Some more showers and some places to sit. It was definitely a nice playground for anyone looking to ogle at some man flesh, or even try the (apparently) free merchandise, if that suited your fancy. We went into the darkroom to make out. Paulo pinned me to the wall and we started kissing and touching. After a few minutes he said “let’s switch places” he said. So he leans on the wall and we continue. “Why did you want to be on the wall?” I asked. Because people were touching him as they walked by he said. It made him uncomfortable. Maybe having sex in a sauna in full view of people was not his thing. I was able to get him hard though, but it was not the place for us to do this fully and completely. But it was nice to try. We decided to just go back downstairs and drink and talk and gossip about the people in the sauna. Paulo was still dipping his toe in these things, so maybe going full on gay sauna was not for him at the moment. And I am far from the exhibitionist myself, so maybe a sauna is not for the both of us. But it was fun to try, and on a Monday night, it was the only thing to try. We head home to the apartment. And that’s where the true fireworks began. Next… New Year’s fireworks, or lack thereof.

Thanks @spoon, I was hoping this would be the case. If it is, I could see a million worse things than "quarantining" in Phuket, as long as you have free range to go everywhere in the city.

From OneMileataTime: As of April 1, 2021, the quarantine for visitors will be cut from 14 days to 10 days for all arrivals, with the exception of visitors from some African countries As “early as next month,” Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Pattaya, Phang Na, and Phuket, will reopen to fully vaccinated tourists, though a seven day quarantine will still be required for those visitors As of July 1, 2021, vaccinated tourists will be able to travel to Phuket with no quarantine requirement If this proves successful, as of October 1, 2021, the quarantine requirement will be scrapped for vaccinated tourists in Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Pattaya, Phang Na, and Phuket As of some point in 2022, Thailand plans to lift all quarantine requirements for foreign visitors I have been itching to go back to Thailand since December 2019. OK so if in the end this is how it is going to shake up, then I am going to plan a Phuket trip sometime in late July - early August. Doees anyone know if the gogo bars there are still there? The last time I went to Phuket, the one gogo bar there was pathetic. If that goes well and they do decide to open up more cities to vaccinated folk without quarantine, then a trip to Pattaya and Chiang Mai would be my next plan in November. I'd like to at least go to Phuket as soon as possible, and if they do decide to not open it up in October to other cities, then I would have at least tried Phuket earlier. Like I said I've been wanting to go back all this time, and will go the earliest possible time without having to quarantine.

Christmas in Rio: A Good Night for Clients or A Good Night for Boys? Choose one. The one big thing I’ve noticed in my days in Rio this trip, is that a number of the Sao Paulo boys that I’ve seen and/or hired in the Lagoa sauna are currently in Rio, including my current companion Kleyton. And their reasons for being here are the same: that it was slow in Sao Paulo at the moment, and the tourists that are in for the Christmas holidays had their sights on Rio instead of Sao Paulo. So far, they said, they’ve been making bank. I see a number of them post their ads on garotocomlocal, and I see them ply their wares on Grindr as well, as oddly enough, most of the are in Copacabana like me, probably 4 guys sharing a room, overcrowded but getting that GP money. This was also the last days of being “single” this trip. In two days, I’ll be meeting up with the BF in Fortaleza, where I’ll be spending the turn of the New Year in. I’ve been hearing that the usual grand Copacabana New Year celebration, in which I have been to twice, is cancelled this year due to COVID. They even have banned fireworks by the beach: Indeed, a lot of the celebrations are either muted or all together cancelled in Rio, so it was probably good timing for me to leave Rio, to be at the more open Northeast for now. Besides, I didn’t want this to happen to me, which I could have attended: So I was eager to slut it all out and make the most of these two days. Kleyton is shaping up to be a pretty good friend during these days as well, motivating me to go to the gym and the beaches, and at 22 years old, has the sexual appetite to spare even with having to sell sex at the saunas. And yes, he is also motivated to go to the saunas, since he needs the moneyz for his school expenses next year. So it is Christmas day today. I wake up with Kleyton on his phone. He sees me wake up and gives me a kiss. Then he says “Adriano wants to leave, but is waiting for us to wake up so he can say a proper goodbye.” I put on some shorts on and go to the living room. I see Adriano just in his underwear, laying on the couch. He bolts up to meet me for a hug and a “Bom dia!” He asks me if he could shower. “Fica vontade,” of course, I tell him. As Adriano got ready, I make coffee for everyone. We all chat a little bit before Adriano had to take his leave. Hugs everywhere. A few more Merry Christmas greetings. And he was gone. Since it was a glorious day today, it was a no-brainer that Kleyton and I catch a few rays at the beach. We put on our swimsuits, and pack the bag with sunscreen and water. We have a quick breakfast at Stalos again, and that American breakfast they have has become a favorite of mine. Checking Stalos’ Facebook page, it looks like it is actually called “Café Nova York” for some reason: At gay beach Ipanema, it seems that everyone had the same idea, which was to celebrate Christmas day with their hundred or so closest friends in skimpy swimwear, enjoying the hot sun and warm water. Where we sat, someone had a Bluetooth speaker pumping out the latest Brazilian and American pop music that the gays loved. It was kind of interesting to me how the vendors here have leaned into the gay signage to announce that they are gay-friendly. The rainbow flags, and the HotBoys and other gay bar sponsored flags are one way to get them to come: No Brazilian beach experience is complete for me without a fresh serving of Strawberry Caipirihna, and a sweet Acai treat: This was too much fun, and I wanted to so bad to share all this on my social media to greet everyone at home a Merry Christmas, but I knew that that would not go over well, with the majority of my friends and family who are stuck at home, going through winter. Oh well. Hope this pandemic is over soon. With 117 closed till Saturday, the 26th, it was just 202 today this Friday. Christmas day Friday should be great for the sauna right? With everyone still in a celebratory mood? WRONG. We get to 202 at 7 PM and see an almost empty sauna. It was sooooo depressing. And for the first time this trip, there were more clients than boys. Which is bad news for me, but great news for Kleyton. No sooner as he gets into the premises, he gets accosted b a client. I don’t blame the client. I’d snap up the first hot guy I see, with this slim pickings. After an hour of doing nothing, the show starts. I guess there was enough clients to still have the show: Thank goodness for the show though, at least the night was not wasted. And the gogo boys were yummy, and I wanted to see if they were available after the show. But I blinked and saw that one of the gogos was already sitting with a client, and the other gogo put his clothes on and with motorcycle helmet in hand, left without talking to anyone else. There was one boy who flitted in and out of my sight throughout the night. He was in a towel when I saw him, and he would appear near the bar and then a few minutes disappear again. Presumably doing programas all night. After the show, he suddenly came and sat beside me, fully-clothed. “Boa noite,” he greets me, extending a hand. He was cute, muscular (not 117 muscular, but beggars can’t be choosers). Mid-20s. I asked him why he was fully-clothed. He said he’s had two programas already tonight, so he was ready to leave, but he saw me alone sitting so he decided to say hi and to see whats up He told me he has seen me in 117 and 202 and wanted to say hi then to me but I was always busy with a boy. I tell him I wished I was busy now. He tells me that if he wanted to get busy with me, he could change back to a towel. I guess don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. He was fine, and cute. Probably too boy-next-door for me, and someone I wouldn’t do a programa with on any other night. But this was tonight, a slooooow night, and 150 reais seems a small price to pay for something that may make me happy. Sex is still sex. And it turns out, I wouldn’t regret it. He was vey passionate, and his giant ass certainly made up for some of his lesser qualities (in my eyes). He even came with me, probably because I was his last programa tonight and could waste a load now. I gave him 200 for that. I got a smile on my face. My night was saved. I had to wait 15 minutes after for Kleyton to appear. I guess another 4 programa night for him. Merry Christmas. The next day was all about 117. I was eager to salvage my disappointing night at 202 and fully bask in the muscular goodness of the legendary sauna. It was packed, as before, and again I was treated with wall-to-wall muscular goodness that was present in the premises. As Kleyton bids me farewell to do some work, I sit down to do some work of my own. I sit in the smoking section of the sauna and just watch the boys come and go. Hard to choose a first programa tonight, but I guess someone will do the choosing for me. Two muscular guys, young, white, and looking very fetching in their towels (soooo much abs), come to me and sit down with me on my table. The taller guy suddenly talks to me in broken English “200 for two of us? We will fuck you good?” I laugh out loud. He was very direct. The other guy, the more handsome guy, shakes his head. “Speak Portugues?” he asks. Affirmative. He then apologizes for his friend for being too direct. He says it was his first time at the sauna and is very excited. I get them two beers while taking this time to get to know them. I like having this extra time to suss them out to see if indeed I will spend more time with them and to part with my money. And it gives them time to get comfortable with me as well, which may or may not pay dividends when it came to the sex. They were indeed very attractive. Both mid-20s, cariocas, white and muscular as hell. Super straight for sure, but they are Brazilians, so they know how to do it anyway. And in the suite, it was obvious who was the more veteran sauna boy. He knew how to please clients. It might as well have been only him in the room with me. The other one was gorgeous, and hard as a rock, probably aided by Viagra, but he hardly made any overtures with me. Maybe he was intimidated by his buddy, who was all over me, and didn’t have any qualms with the very gay sex we were having. He kissed well though, and was great eye candy while his buddy topped me. He topped me as well, and I felt every bit of it because he was gigantic. 200 for the newbie, 250 for the veteran. Afterwards I made my way to the show area to enjoy the upcoming show. I was able to rope in a gorgeous black muscular guy to sit with me for the show, and he asked me to order him food and drinks, which was fine by me since the show was a long one. And it was worth it! It was one of the better show I’ve seen in a while. The drag queen was amazing. The extra show with lights was a trip, and the strippers were more animated than usual: After the show, I take my boy to the suite, and had a perfectly nice time with him with just foreplay and jacking off at the end. 200 reais. Kleyton did worse tonight, with only 2 programas in the four hours we were in the sauna. It is rare that a good night for clients translates to a equally good night for the boys. I guess that is the constant push and pull that happens nightly in the sauna scene in Brazil. Next up… Fortaleza!

Christmas in Rio: Make Your Own Family Christmas is for family, New Year’s is for friends. That’s the mantra I’ve always heard in South America whenever I go here during the holidays. It’s a good thing to remember, especially if you find yourself in Colombia one Christmas night, wondering why the bars and strip clubs are closed, and can’t seem to pin down your usual boy to hang out with you because he is with his family. It is after all, a Christian holiday. This is probably why I’ve always thought that Thailand was a better place to spend this holiday at. Out there, they still have all the decor and cheer associated with the holiday, without the usual familial traditions behind it. If you are a gay boy who is not ready to talk about your life to your hetero family, spending any family gathering with them, never mind Christmas dinner, can be quite awkward. That is what a particular boy, Kleyton, is currently going through. He is a cute young-looking 22 year old college student. I met him in the sauna Lagoa in Sao Paulo last year in between visits with the new boyfriend. He seems at first very unassuming at the sauna, just blending with the other more boy-next-door types. I tried him out because I was looking for a bottom and none of the current boys that day were willing to do so in the moment. At the suite, it turned out, up close, he was gorgeous. Nice lean body, smooth and smelled good, yummy ass, and the big surprise was he had a gigantic dick. In subsequent trips I’d invite him on some overnights, and it turns out that he is an amazing top as well. He also turns out to be gay, which is a blessing sometimes when it comes to going out and depending on him to know where the gay haunts are in Sao Paulo, and the cultural touchstones are similar. And not only was he a college student, he was also whip smart, so while my Portuguese needs help, my conversations with him are more nuanced and gives me insight on a lot of the politics of the day in Brazil. He, in turn, appreciates my thoughts about the USA on a variety of subjects, and we have one hell of a time comparing notes on both countries. I do believe he does consider me as a friend, with benefits, and the benefits part has evolved as well. Initially of course it was a client and boy relationship, but as with any relationship that is worth its salt, it has to evolve if it is to remain worthwhile. Which brings us to present day. He is a gay boy who does not want to spend Christmas with his family, as he does not want to answer questions about “why don't you have a girlfriend yet” or stuff about his supposed "decent" job in Sao Paulo (he tells his family that he works as a waiter in between classes, well in fact he is a prostitute). We have been communicating about what to do over Christmas since November. So I decide to invite him for the five days I have before I meet up with the BF in Fortaleza. I tell him he can stay with me in Rio, and we can go to the sauna together so he can work and earn money, but the rest of the time we can spend time together. He was very excited about the invitation, and planned to take the bus from Sao Paulo to Rio when I was ready for him. What wasn’t discussed was any kind of payment he needed from me, or what kind of sex that was expected from him. But from the evolving part of the relationship, it turns out that he was not expecting any payment, and the sex just happened naturally throughout his stay with me. So after a slow night in Lagoa, Kleyton takes the bus (with the fully reclinable seats) from Sao Paulo to Rio at midnight. I get a call from him at 8 AM to tell me that his Uber from the bus station was arriving at the apartment. In a few minutes, he was at my apartment door, with big suitcase in hand, looking great in a tank top and jeans. After a big wet kiss, he collapses on the couch, and tells me to not mind him, and to tend with Lucas, who was still in my bed sleeping. I rejoin Lucas to complete my sleep. Before noon I hear Lucas emerging from the shower. He “helps” me with my morning wood, and then (after another shower), he bids me goodbye. Kleyton wakes up as Lucas leaves. He still has his shoes on and just collapsed on the couch from exhaustion. He immediately disrobes all his clothes, gives me a deep kiss, and bolts to the bathroom, with his long dick swinging. After a while emerges from the bathroom, smelling nice and lovely. “I’m in Rio!” he explains, with all the giddiness of a young guy. He says he wants to at least hit the beach immediately, before checking out the sauna later. “But it is overcast outside. It might even rain.” I said. He said he didn’t care, as he has not been to a beach in months, which to a Brazilian is might as well be an eternity. After a quick run at McDonalds (his choice), we rush to Ipanema to the gay beach. It was overcast, and the gays were out but in small number, but we didn’t care. We were able to catch up with our lives in the rest of the afternoon over numerous pineapple caipirinhas, which gave us the buzz we needed to have a good time: At 5 PM we head back to the apartment to freshen up and head to 202, since it was Wednesday, and it is supposed to be the Copacabana sauna's busiest day. And it turns out that it was, as we get to the sauna to a packed standing room crowd. It was Kleyton’s first time in any Rio sauna, so as we check in and make our way into the premises, I give him the rundown of the place - where client lockers and boys lockers were, seating and stage at the primary floor, suites in the intermediate floor, and smoking area and sauna the top floor. I even lent him my luggage lock and key to use at the 202 lockers, as they ask the boys to bring their own padlocks, or rent one for 10 reais. I leave him by the boy’s locker room and tell him I’ll be around, and if he needed a drink or a snack, come looking for me. I promptly dove in to the crowd. Nothing like pre-Christmas cheer, and the pre-Christmas need for money, that makes a sauna light up. I sit down on my usual bench to perch (and it was the only space that was vacant, as the rest was packed with clients. I settle in for a caipirinha, and then my second. And pretty soon some boys came and pass me to gage my interest in them. Maybe because I was with Kleyton now, but I was interested in the younger guys tonight. And there were some nice choices. I find a very cute branquinho who was tall and could pass as white back home. I invite him to have a drink with me. He had a very smooth body, not too worked out but faily toned and sexy. Up close he even looked younger. I asked his age: 20. Indeed pretty young, at least for the average age at this place. I find out he was a carioca, though his accent wasn’t typical of one. He was interested about the USA and my work, and then quickly got to brass tax: full versatile, 150 reais. The sex was pretty good, and his ass tasted amazing. Definitely a repeat is in order down the road. During the show (and it was pretty good), another branquinho young-ish guy gets my attention. He had a more worked out body, and lean enough that you can see veins pop out. Very good Brazilian genetics. He wasn’t as tall as my previous programa, but he was as pretty. He sits down next to me and shakes my hand. He was 22, another Carioca, and sounded every bit of it. Once he found out that I was American, he switches to English. He actually spoke English very well, and probably better than my Portuguese. He made for a pretty awesome seatmate as we get through the show. The sex was fine, though was only a top so that diminished my lust for him a little bit. 250 reais with cum at the end. It was around 10:30 PM when I finished up. I didn’t see Kleyton at all tonight, but then I spotted him at the seating area by the stairs, staring at his phone. “How did you do?” I ask him. He said he did great, and had 4 clients tonight. He said he never has this kind of night in Sao Paulo, but then again he was new meat, so he was able to leverage that tonight. We get home, get some sushi from Uber Eats. In bed he whips out his erect cock. I was surprised it was hard. “I didn’t cum today so you get it all tonight.” I gladly oblige. The next day was Christmas Eve, and there were no saunas open. That didn’t mean that there wasn’t anything to do today. We have a late breakfast at Stalos, the famous 24-hour restaurant that was across the street from the AirBNB. I try the “American” breakfast that was on the menu. Bacon, grilled bread, cheese, ham and eggs. It was actually pretty good: At breakfast, he tells me about his ex. The ex was his age, 22, and lived in Rio. He shows me pictures, and his bf was stunner like he was. I ask him if the bf goes to the saunas. He says no, and said that he just does Garotocomlocal.com these days, as well as doing some porn on the website meninosonline.net. He then shows me his ex's handiwork, and it was pretty impressive. I ask him where he was. He says he was in Rio, and knows that he was here too. He has been asked if he wanted to meet with the ex. I ask Kleyton if indeed he wanted to see him. He said maybe. He said that the bf was kind of self-centered and selfish, and I'd probably not like him, but admitted that he was cute and at least would be good eye candy. I asked him if he wanted to invite the ex to the beach today. A few text messages later, the ex was on his way. We head back to the apartment. In and hour, the ex said that he was in Ipanema with friends, and to meet him there. An Uber ride later, we get to Ipanema. We get some chairs from the vendor at the gay part of the beach. After 5 minutes, Adriano, the ex, appeared. He was indeed gorgeous, probably the epitome of a white muscle twink. He was shorter than Kleyton at 5’8. He shakes my hand, and then leans over to kiss my cheek. He hugs Kleyton, and they kiss on the lips. He gets a chair from the vendor and sits by my side, away from Kleyton. The sun was out, and the gays were equally out as well. Adriano was pretty chill so far, and the self-centered boy that Kleyton described has not appeared. The boys chugged beers and talked and laughed, and Adriano described his life in Rio. Kleyton was relatively pretty quiet compared to Adriano, but he was kind of an introvert anyway. Adriano was the extrovert, and I can see how much trouble he could be if you let your guard down around him. I ask Adriano if he was going to spend Christmas dinner with his family. He said he was not going to do that, because he said his family was crazy. I text Kleyton to ask him if he wanted to invite Adriano to dinner with us. He was OK with it. After the beach we tried the Christmas spread that Siquiera Grill was offering, and it was pretty good: Adriano was pretty appreciative of the dinner. Kleyton then suggested that we have some Christmas drinks at one of the Copacabana kiosks that was open. We share a few beers and share a few more stories as we pass midnight, and that's when we give each other kisses and bid each other “Feliz Natal” as we commemorate another Christmas. We all walk home, pretty buzzed from the beers at the kiosk. At home we watch the series “Luna Nera” on Netflix. No threesomes. Just Christmas among friends. And that was fine with me, because its not like I am haven't been oversexed this trip anyway, and I was pretty buzzed from the alcohol, and I thought the Kleyton didn't want to cross that line again with the ex Adriano. Adriano sleeps on the couch. Kleyton spoons with me in bed. Next… Rio is beginning to look like Sao Paulo.