msclelovr

Yes, but life is short. I say Go after Him. Regrets come later only if… you don’t pursue the object of your lust… or you analyse too much (price is excessive, contact flaky etc)

That’s a very useful post @Riobard. Would you perhaps post it again in its own separate thread so that it stands out? It’d be a shame for such useful info to get lost in this thread on @babybear2’s recent trip.

I don’t want to upset you but before you go, please check online for the local Covid-related restrictions. Various regions of Spain are relaxing their rules but NOT Catalonia so far. It has just extended the closure of nightlife for another week. And you need to wear the proper masks outdoors or risk being heavily fined.

Thanks for writing a full report @young11. You've had good advice here: Never pay upfront, and Exit straightaway if you feel threatened. You should have phoned the police (999 in the UK) once you were outside. I'd just add one caution: Never flash your wallet/money to a stranger. You should have put the money in one pocket, some extra plus a credit card in another pocket, and leave the rest in your hotel-room safe. I hope you have some good experiences soon, and put this bad experience behind you. At least, you avoided getting hurt.

Just FWIW…but two attractive young men were robbed last night at gunpoint in São Paulo and had their phones taken (but were not hurt). It happened to Andres Camilo and his boyfriend, Max Emerson. Many people here will know of them. Andres just reported on his IG.

I’m bemused by all the chat about poppers/amyl nitrite. Major airlines prohibit you from transporting it in checked and hand baggage. I recall that BA specifically highlighted its flammability. So travel with it is very much AYOR.

Just a gentle reminder that you can relatively easily leave the US…but it’s much more difficult to escape the reach of the IRS. It’s well worth paying for excellent legal and tax advice before you change your permanent residence. There are several schemes, such as that for Portugal described above, in various EU countries. One important factor, among many, is to decide whether you hope to work in your new country of residence.

Many people report using the Google Translate app to communicate with guys in the sauna and so I feel that the answer to your question is bound to be Yes @LondonF4 Clients often walk around and have their phones with them. The advice to keep a close eye on your phone (and any other valuables) is sound.

I don’t claim to understand your “American rental property math” @Novarunner For property owners, it’s not just a question of the income yield as property prices in Latin America are often seen as a currency hedge. I know that in Argentina and Uruguay good properties are always priced in US $ and they seem to hold their value. It’s a long time ago now but back in 2003, a condo (1 bed, 1 bath) with ocean/beach view in Leblon cost $250,000 - but I was dating a smart Carioca I’d met in Europe and he advised me on the purchase.

Good advice for any visitor anywhere* in Latin America *with the possible exception of the beach resorts in Uruguay

You would need to call ahead of any visit @young11. It’s the only way to check that they are open. Catalonia has a curfew (and other measures) to combat the rising number of Covid19 cases. The restrictions are in force until at least 20 January. I’m not sure how a sauna would be classed (nightlife or indoor play area?). The nightlife sector is closed, and leisure centres may only open with 50% capacity. Gatherings of only upto 10 people are permitted. Face mask use is mandatory indoors and outdoors (NB fines are heavy).

Wise words @speedoo1 I always do this when arriving somewhere in the early morning on a longhaul flight from Europe (usually Australia or South Africa). It’s great to be able to unpack, shower, put on clean clothes and then walk out in the morning sunshine. FWIW I put my arrival time on my reservation but follow up with a phone call the day before flying. It’s to make sure they know I’ll check in about 6am and want to go straight to the room.

I see what you’re writing @Primeone385 but I feel you’re not quite grasping the reality and the risks you might be running. If a guy showed you a fake ID and was underage, you’d be exposed to both criminal sanction (having sex with someone who is not an adult) and to blackmail (either by the boy and/or his family). I can’t imagine that consular assistance would be of much use, and a Moroccan jail would be a harsh environment. FWIW when I visited Buenos Aires, I recall being approached 4x by fit young men who claimed to be 18 but weren’t. Remember that in Argentina homosexual activity is legal and same-sex relationships have equality. Because I insisted on seeing ID, I never had a problem (and I sometimes treated the guy to a meal but I did nothing more than talk to him). I learned from a local lawyer that this often happened in BA. When a family had a handsome son, they sent him out to meet an older man. If a relationship developed, the family would threaten to go to the Police and report the man for engaging in ‘under-age sex’. The family would then accept/extort money to keep quiet while the younger man would receive support, gifts, vacations etc. I know that Argentine Courts take a harsh view of ‘under-age sex’ and the prisons are unforgiving places.

I’m not sure I understand your questions fully @Primeone385. The age of legal majority in Morocco is 18 and every citizen is obliged to obtain an ID (locally termed the Carte Nationale d'Identité Électronique or CNIE) once that age is reached. As to “trouble”, the homosexuality of visitors may well be tolerated or even accepted in tourist zones such as Marrakech, but engaging in homosexual acts is illegal. Morocco is a Muslim country. If you wish to meet someone, proceed with great caution and be discreet. Speaking French or Arabic will obviously be of great help. And if you should be caught by the police, you should do two things: be very polite and insist there was a misunderstanding, while offering a large bribe to the police to compensate them for being troubled.

Surely every passenger will have to produce proof of vaccination before boarding the flight to Brazil? Usually the airline is rather specific about what proof it will accept. It won’t want to run the risk of a heavy fine if a passenger is denied entry to Brazil.

Remarkable! For those who, like me, don’t speak Portuguese…I just ran this through Google Translate: Life in Ceará was very difficult… I was, because I came from a humble family, and we were in six brothers. Every northeaster's dream is to live in São Paulo, but when I arrived, I had worse trouble than in Ceará. When I arrived, I lived in an aunt's house. I suffered humiliation and neglect. And I started to work with everything that appeared: I was a clerk, a janitor, I ironed clothes in Brás, etc. And arriving in Rio de Janeiro, how was it? I ended up getting involved with prostitution on Avenida São Luís and an agent asked me if I wanted to go to a friend of his, a transvestite, in Rio de Janeiro. At the time I didn't know what a transvestite was. And I came to Rio, living in Baratão 200 [a building on Rua Barata Ribeiro with 507 apartments where, in the past, he became famous for appearing on television in police investigation programs]. I ended up being exploited by her too, and I was almost a "slave". I started working to pay her rent and all her expenses. Also, she barely let me out of the apartment and I still slept on the floor. It was only three months, but of intense suffering.

No, it was a chaotic shambles. Personally I didn’t agree with British troops being sent there in the first place. The best description IMHO came months earlier from a Conservative politician who was sharply rebuked for saying in Parliament that Afghanistan “was a medieval and barbaric country when we went in, and it will remain a medieval and barbaric country when we leave”.

I knew him when we were both young men. I’d never describe him as handsome as he had an angular face and a very big nose. We had what I’d call a nodding acquaintance as we’d acknowledge each other with a nod when we met. We weren’t friends as he was consumed with his film-making and I was heavily involved in the political aspects of gay liberation.

Very well written @Slvkguy . You’ve perfectly described the hazards of being a rich foreigner in Rio. Personally I have always considered Rio to be a more dangerous city than Cape Town simply because the poor areas are much closer to the tourist zones.

I’ve travelled solo a lot…in Latin America, Africa and Europe (but only a little in Asia and not at all in the Middle East)….and I’ve never encountered any problems. I do however act cautiously, even in places I know well. By this, I mean: I dress down and hide any obvious signs of wealth; I also ask various locals for advice on safety and what areas may be dangerous; and I keep a clear head (I like to drink with dinner but I stay sober) and always know the area I’m in. Places change over time and so I always check whether certain places or areas I like have changed since I last visited. I think @bert that as long as you’re savvy and stay alert, you should be fine in Brazil. I feel problems arise when visitors get too carried away by the delights of Rio in particular and Brazil in general (the charming, fit young men who prefer older men, and the relaxed atmosphere at the beach).

I read about the new variant in The NY Times yesterday. Their report was, to my mind, more alarming than this later report on the BBC. FWIW I agree with @vinapu that his “second option” is the way to live. And so I guess I won’t be going on my usual trip to SA in January.

Succinctly put @floridarob And if more people did as you do, there would be many fewer sad reports of assault (and worse).

Then I wish you good luck negotiating in Portuguese @Vanbcanthony. I speak 5 languages but I find it very hard to understand Portuguese when it is spoken rapidly to me. At least, if you write down the sum or rate that you’ll pay, there can be no argument later about what fee was agreed.

You might also carry with you @Vanbcanthony a small paper notebook and a pen. Then you can easily note down any phone numbers, time agreed on for a date or meeting, and of course prices when you are negotiating.

Do you mean what budget is needed for an expat American or European to have a middle-class standard of living @Vanbcanthony or for a local? I have a few Brazilian friends, two who are in the middle class and each of them has told me of how they live from paycheck to paycheck (with a nice flat in SP, newish car etc) but little savings.