mvan1

Excellent! -

It is always a good think when a trip ends on a high note. It seems that is what happened for you. Good trip endings keep good memories burning for the next time you will be there.

I know that he looked young but I did not know he was not yet in his 20s in 2004. I just assumed this because he appeared business like and knew how to keep his tour guide clients happy. He is bright and I wish him the best with his own tour agency.

Below is a link to an article (in English) that discusses a new federal law that became effective two days ago in all of Brazil. For several years, smokers were confined to a separate area of public facilities where their smoking was fairly well controlled, in my opinion. Now, with this new federal law, there is no more separate area for smoking - there is no smoking allowed in public facilities - period. http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-politics/ample-anti-smoking-law-implemented-in-brazil/#

I have not seen Danilo for several years. His presence was mostly in Rio but sometimes in Sao Paulo. That was in early 2004, 2005 and 2006. I go to Brazil often and am in places where he would likely be seen, if he is still a guide. However, I suspect that he has moved on to a different occupation. When he was a guide in Rio and Sao Paulo in 2004 - 2006 he was in his early to mid 20s. That was nearly a decade ago. Although it is possible he still guides (he was not an escort), it is unlikely. This could be why you have not heard from him. It is my understanding that, on occasion, OZ used to engage the services of a guide. It is possible that he might have used the services of Danilo and/or might know how to reach him. -

Have you yet determined when you will be in Sao Paulo?

By the way, I have non American friends who have visited Cuba. The reports they told of the gay night life (and day gay life) made me envious of not being allowed to go there (unrestricted), despite my ability to pay. I do not know what you expect to find while you visit Cuba. Whatever your interest, you should be able to find a great deal of information simply by doing a Google search and entering your item of interest along with the word Cuba.

You are lucky being Canadian. You can legally travel to Cuba as a general tourist. Americans, on the other hand, if they chose to visit Cuba, must travel with a licensed and approved "people to people" group. We must travel and have a group "supervisor" and the group and supervisor must stay at the same hotel and visit sites together. Americans cannot legally go off by themselves to enjoy Cuba, unsupervised. Even going alone to the beach is not allowed. Here is an article that discusses U.S. laws with respect to Americans visiting Cuba - http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/...cation-in-cuba As you can see from the article, some Americans disregard the law and visit Cuba via going through Canada or Mexico or through some other country. They go through a third country to conceal their unlawful visit to Cuba. It is not worth the consequences for an American to unlawfully visit Cuba. If an American is caught visiting Cuba, unlawfully, there are penalties and fines galore. The worst penalty, in my opinion, would be the loss of "Global Entry" for those who have that benefit with Customs and Border Protection. I would love to visit Cuba but visit only without restriction. Maybe someday in the far future the laws against Americans visiting Cuba will be rescinded.

I am back from Brazil and thought I would give a report of my last couple of night while there and also report on an unexpected and unusual occurrence while at the airport, leaving Brazil. Lagoa was, as usual, not busy on Monday night. There were only a few clients and garotos. I really did not expect much because of the day of the week. There is always next visit to Brazil to see Lagoa on a Wednesday and Friday when it is usually busy and fun. I enjoyed the short visit at Lagoa, somewhat, then decided to make another visit to Fragata. Fragata was about the same as Lagoa in that Monday was not a busy night to visit. I stayed there a short while then went to dinner. Tomcal mentioned in his recent post about the new airport Terminal 3 in Sao Paulo. I agree. The terminal is quite modern, with lots of shops and lots of restaurants. Everything is nice and shiny and cheerful. An extraordinary thing happened while I was checking in for my flight. I heard a male voice call out my name in the funny way my name is pronounced in Brazil. I looked up and saw a former sauna rent boy, I used to know, working behind the counter checking in passengers. I was surprised to see him working at the airline and quite hesitant to say anything to him considering how we knew each other. However, since he spoke to me first (by calling me by my funny sounding name in Portuguese), I thought it okay to talk and acknowledge him from a different venue. His face lit up and I knew that he was very pleased to see me. After checking me in for the flight (in Brazil Americans cannot check in on line and get a boarding pass), he reminded me that my flight was not due to leave for almost two hours. He then said he could take a break if I would meet him in one of the new fancy restaurants in the new terminal. Of course, I agreed. This particular guy had been one of my favorite sauna guys until I lost contact with him about six years ago. Before we lost contact with each other, I saw him often and once took him to Buenos Aires. That trip was his first time on an airplane. He is now married and has a child. He did not want anything and did not ask for anything. He just wanted to talk. I am very happy that he got out of the sauna business and now has a family and appears to be happy. We exchanged phone numbers and email addresses before I went out to the gate to catch my plane. I already received text messages from him and an e-mail. He was not just a simple encounter in the sauna. He was special from most garotos in a sauna. Brazil can create such fond memories, if you allow them to happen.

I will do my best to post a link to a map that shows the new metro stop (Estacao Fradique Coudinho). The metro stop is about three blocks from Fragata. For those who know the area, they will recognize on the map, MacDonalds as a land mark, at the corner of (cross streets) Reboucas and Henrique Schaumann. If the link does not work, I will look for something else to try. Brazil is slow. They have updated the metro map but they have not updated the "plan my trip" portion for the new metro stop. If anyone can open this link and show the printed map, it will be easy to gain a fix on where the sauna is in relation to the metro stop. I used Google Maps. Each place (the metro stop and the sauna are highlighted by Google maps. Maybe this will help some members from having to take a cab to Fragata. https://www.google.com.br/maps/place/Esta%C3%A7%C3%A3o+Fradique+Coutinho/@-23.5647351,-46.6842242,17z/data=!4m9!1m6!2m5!1sesta%C3%A7%C3%A3o+fradique+coutinho!3m3!1sesta%C3%A7%C3%A3o+fradique+coutinho!2sR.+Francisco+Leit%C3%A3o,+71+-+Pinheiros,+S%C3%A3o+Paulo+-+SP,+05414-025!3s0x94ce5778086f4f85:0x5107352add131c63!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0x94c8e1977879a092 Here goes either something helpful or something of a mess.

Here is a mobile app link to the new metro stop near Fragata. app.folha.com/mThe station name is - Estação Frade Coutinho (Yellow line)

What a strange remark. Many on this forum are interested in what is happening in Brazilian saunas. Many of us visit the Brazilian saunas on a regular basis.

I agree, drag shows can be a bit much and I generally do not stay to watch them. However, there was one memorable semi-drag show I really enjoyed. The show was at Fragata, about ten minutes long every week, and was performed by one of the managers who dressed in a ladies cooking dress for this show that preceded serving spaghetti to garotos and clients. Italian music was played during the semi-drag show just before the spaghetti was served. The manager was genuinely talented and I miss his performances. Some reading this post might remember him and/or his shows. The semi-drag show lasted until a few years ago, until the manager left employment at Fragata. The manager who did the show also did the cooking and preparation of the spaghetti that was served. The spaghetti was quite good. During his working hours, (I don't recall his name) the manager who did the Italian drag presentation and spaghetti preparation was a great manager and was well liked by garotos and customers and employees.. It was traditional to serve spaghetti at Fragata every Tuesday night. After the manager left, the Tuesday night spaghetti night was changed to Tuesday night pasta night. The current replacement for spaghetti night (the pasta) is a vile tasting and nasty product that very few people at Fragata will eat. The product rarely is consumed even though put on plates for sauna attendees. The last few times I was at Fragata on a Tuesday night, the nasty pasta was not served. The above discussion is but one more fun thing that no longer exits at Fragata. What an enormously entertaining place Fragata used to be. Now, Fragata is "okay" on certain nights but the "good old days" at Fragata are gone, likely, forever. Time marches on!

- I do not know what garotos currently pay as an entrance fee at 117 or at other Rio saunas. I do know how much they pay atLagoa and Fragata in Sao Paulo ($15 and R$10). If a garoto at Fragata pleads no money, he is allowed to enter without paying full price. At Lagoa, no entrance is permitted unless garotos pay or are one of Rodolfo's pets. I have seen many saunas come and go. Some had been in existence long before I ever arrived in Brazil. For example, sauna Rogers, in Rio charged garotos a R$2 entrance fee and that sauna was busy most nights it was open. Spa 73 charged R$5, Estacao charged R$5, Pointe 202 charged R$ but I don't know the current price. Those saunas were busy most nights but other issues caused them to close or change. In Sao Paulo, sauna Alterosa did not charge the garotos a fee and that sauna was busy most of the time (day or night) until it closed because of complaints from the church that was across the street from the sauna. Unquestionably, garotos are why clients visit saunas. Garotos draw clients to a sauna. Sauna owners should not make it a financial burden for garotos to enter the sauna. Without the garotos, there would be no clients. Without clients, there would be no saunas. The sauna owners would have to seek other ways to make money. It is tantamount to the egg and the chicken syndrome. -

I am still in Brazil and decided to visit Lagoa tonight.Being a Friday night, of course, the place was crowded with lots of paying clients and lots of paying garotos. Lagoa is a fairly large facility. There are several sections of the sauna and it never gets "too crowded" for comfort. Unlike in European saunas, clients have a separate locker area from the garotos (rent boys). Rodolfo (now, the sole owner of Lagoa) charges garotos fifteen reais (R$15) as an entrance fee. Certain handsome, (large penis, and favorite) gatotos do not pay an entrance fee provided they regularly have sex with Rodolfo, at a discount. Even though Lagoa has the largest selection of handsome and attractive garotos of any remaining rent-boy sauna in Sao Paulo, not all rent boys are successful at meeting a client to recoup the entrance fee paid. Even though the garotos' entrance fee is only fifteen reais, there is still transportation expense to and from the sauna for the garoto. Therefore, it could be more than twenty reais for a garoto to visit Lagoa. Given these costs, together with the possibility of not meeting a paying client, many garotos do not go to Lagoa as often as they did before Roldolfo increased the entrance fee to R$15 for the garotos. One must question his business decision with regard to charging garotos the amount of the entrance fee that is charged. My explanation for this comment is explained as follows: To be blunt, the garotos (rent boys) are the "inventory" of the sauna. Paying clients go to Lagoa to engage the services of garotos. Paying clients do not go to Lagoa to visit the owner or visit other paying clients; they go there to engage garotos. If there is a shortage of garotos, clients stay away from the sauna. Rodolfo loses money. The problem with charging garotos the amount that is charged, is that many garotos cannot afford to pay and fear that they will not meet a paying client in order to recoup the entrance fee and transportation costs to and from Lagoa. Many garotos told me that they stay away from Lagoa except on busy nights (Wednesdays and Fridays) because there is a good chance they will not meet a paying client and the garoto is out his entrance fee and transportation expense. Bottom line? If garotos stay away from the sauna for fear of not making any money, obviously, there are fewer choices of garotos for paying clients. Given the facts and concerns of the garotos, it is an obvious dumb business decision to charge garotos the amount charged as an entrance fee. Consequently, because of the high entrance fee for garotos many nights at Lagoa are "slow" nights, i.e., the sauna has only a fraction of the garotos and clients usually found on Wednesdays and Friday nights. Comparing the quality of garotos (handsome) at Lagoa with garotos at Fragata (average looking) it is clear that Lagoa champions over Fragata, the only remaining competition to Lagoa in Sao Paulo. I had a good time and will return.

I am back in Brazil and I decided to return to Fragata tonight, as Tuesday and Sunday are generally the best nights to visit.The first thing I noticed is that the garotos that arrived ahead of me were not searched, as per the new policy announced a short while back. I asked about the policy and I was told it was abandoned. That is good. Such a stupid policy could not be good for business or for the morale of the garotos. Tonight the place had a fair amount of garotos. Some were from the olden days of five and ten years back while there were many new young ones in their early twenties. I even saw a few twinks for those interested in twinks. Even though the place was fun, sort of, the place was not like it was a few years ago when the sauna was filled with lots and lots of available garotos. I looked again for tell-tale signs of the rumor of the sauna closing. I saw nothing to indicate a closure on the horizon. There are still empty buildings around Fragata but that is not conclusive evidence of closure of Fragata, a rumor that circulated for more than one year. I had a fairly good time tonight but not like I did in former days when the sauna used to be packed with countless garotos. Those days are gone even if the sauna is not gone. If you are in Sao Paulo, I highly recommend a visit. By the way, the new metro stop near Fragata finally opened only last weekend (the Yellow Line). This could avoid the necessity of a cab for those adventurous to use public transportation in Sao Paulo. -

Fragata was not very good last night. There was only a small turnout of clients and garotos. The searching of garotos is going to become a disaster for Fragata. The owner is too old to realize that the new manager's decision to search garotos is dumb and it results in lost revenue by causing both customers and garotos to avaoid the place. After a short time, I left Fragata and went to Lagoa. Lagoa was busy and had several garotos that formerly were seen only at Fragata. I notice that your avatar is a photo of the second tallest building in South America. That building was once the tallest building in Sao Paulo. The building is a nice tourist attraction and is inspired by New York's empire State Building. While in San Paulo, visitors should take time to visit the building and the observation platform at the top of the building. The view is spectacular. Here is a little bit of information about the building and tours that are offered there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altino_Arantes_Building

I returned to Brazil and have a new item to report concerning Fragata. If things at Fragata were not bad enough with the sporadic attendance of a sufficient amount of garotos, things just got worse because of the behavior (a decision) of a new manager recently hired by Fragata. Most of us realize that there are different management styles. Some styles increase the value of a company while other styles are detrimental. Those who have visited Fragata over the past couple of years have experienced "good" nights (lots of garotos) and bad nights (hardly a client or garoto on the place). Various explanations were offered to explain the major differences (good versus slow nights) over the past couple of years at Fragata. Many blame the low garoto and client attendance on the possible sale or closing of Fragata. Unrelated businesses near Fragata have been closed supposedly because the building that houses Fragata and adjacent buildings around Fragata will be demolished to make way for a new large condominium complex. Sometimes the rumors of the supposed closure seem appropriate while other times, there is no evidence in the facility to indicate a closure. It all depends on the night one visits Fragata. Sometimes Fragata is busy while other times it is not busy and almost empty. However, a new manager was hired recently by Fragata. To make a bad situation even worse, a new recently hired manager told, and continues to tell, customers that he will make Fragata "clean of drugs" of any kind which supposedly will increase attendance at Fragata. His method to make Fragata "clean of drugs" is to have each garato that enters the facility "strip searched" upon entry into the sauna. His philosophy is filled with flaws. First, garotos bring in only small amounts of marajuana with them. Small amounts can easily be concealed despite a search. Second, garotos can ask a client to carry marijuana into the sauna for garotos. Third, not many clients are aware of the marijuana use by garotos (or don't care). Therefore, the supposed use of marijuana by garotos has an unknown attendance effect (if any) on the experiences of clients who pay to visit Fragata. Needless to say, the garotos dislike being searched prior to entering the sauna. The attendance at the sauna prior to the searches was sporadically low. Now that the searches have begun, attendance by garotos is even lower than it was before the searching began. The better looking garotos now go to Lagoa instead of Fragata. This a not a good solution for Fragata's long-term survival. It will take more than one zealous "anti drug" manager to "fix" the little bit of marijuana use at the sauna. And, "fixing" that issue will not increase attendance at Fragata. In the meantime, since the searches began, business has dropped even more both for garotos and for clients at Fragata. Last night was rather slow. The new manager does not seem to connect the fact that if the garotos feel degraded by the searches, many of them stay away from the sauna. In turn, the lack of garotos, will cause paying clients to stay away from Fragata, a sauna that already suffers from a lack a decent quantity of available rent boys. I guess it is back to Lagoa for me and who knows for how many more clients and garotos. - Edit Post Reply Reply With Quote

1.00 USD = 2.62214 BRL US Dollar ↔ Brazilian Real 1 USD = 2.62214 BRL 1 BRL = 0.381368 USD Convert againView ChartMid-market rates: 2014-11-14 13:22 UTC The above is today's exchange rate. The real continues to decline in value against the USD. Goody, goody!

It is a huge world but, at the same time, it is a tiny world. So many of us have been to the same places even though those places are miles and/or continents away. What wonderful opportunities exist, if we act on those opportunities.-

Did you read the BBC article I referenced in my post? If not, here it is again - http://www.bbc.com/n...siness-28982555 Brazil only recently officially declared it is in a recession. What does this mean? It means many things that are not good for Brazil and its economy. One major thing it means is that the rampant inflation (in housing foods and other items) combined with the stronger real, will slowly reverse itself and will be scaled back and/or corrected in the Brazilian market place. Your post centered around hotels and housing. Think about it - - if tourism in Brazil significantly slows and jobs are lost, what good does it do for a hotel to advertise high prices if there are only a relatively few takers? It will take time for a major correction. The good news it that the correction has already started considering the increase in the value of many foreign currencies against the Brazilian real, together with the official declaration of a recession. Furthermore, unemployment is increasing in Brazil. These are all signs that a correction is eminent. Costs will never return to what they were ten years ago but inflation will come to a halt (in most venues) and eventually, prices at hotels and other places will have to reduce if businesses want to survive. No one can predict with absolute certainty that prices will drop but logic and the laws of price and demand will force a major reduction the officially declared recession. -

I am a little puzzled - I can't tell what this has to do with the subject of this thread. Maybe it is posted in the wrong place? Back to the subject matter and the stronger dollar, the Brazilian real closed today at 255 - 1. With luck, the trend of the stronger dollar (or Euro or Pound - etc) will continue. -

Funny!

A new incentive to visit or revisit Brazil? I know that many posters have lost interest in visiting Brazil. Inflation and our weak dollar are to blame for much of the decline in tourism to Brazil. A decade ago, or so, the currency exchange for Americans visiting Brazil was almost 4 - 1 in our favor. After a few years, the Brazilian monetary unit began to get strong which negatively affected the exchange rate for Americans. Over time, mainly because of the increase in prices (inflation) in Brazil together with the unfavorable exchange rate, Americans stopped visiting Brazil. During the weak dollar period, at one point, the exchange rate was 1.60 - 1 which made things cost a lot more in Brazil. On August 29 of this year, Brazil officially announced that it is in a recession. http://www.bbc.com/news/business-28982555 Consequently, the American dollar has gained against the real and our dollar continues to regain some of the strength it lost. Our dollar (and other currencies) has become stronger ever since the announcement of the recession. Today, the Brazilian real traded at 2.53 - 1 against the dollar, which isn't bad for us. If the trend of our stronger dollar continues, I suspect that more Americans will resume travel to Brazil and this section of the forum will come to life. Many of us have had wonderful experiences in Brazil. Many who stopped visiting Brazil because of the increase in cost will no doubt return, assuming the dollar continues to rise like it has since Brazil's recession was announced. -

Exactly - However, with the two shifts of escorts (plus the quantity of rent boys available in the facility), the probability of finding someone to ones' liking goes up fairly high, even though the risk still remains. -