ihpguy

If you would want to enter separately, you would need to have the other's cell phone to tell him the number of the room. I cannot ever remember giving anyone at the check-in desk/glass-enclosed balcao my name. There is no registry per se. You choose what type of room you want, how long you intend to stay and pay in cash. I assume they take debit cards as everyone uses them in Rio. However, when I have been in Juiz de Fora and Sao Paulo as well, it worked the same way, whether on car or on foot. The first motel I stayed at in Rio was the Lido, at the time quite a simple place as to accomodations, and I met with a moneyboy from an agency. If I remember correctly from 2003, I called the agency and told them what room I was in and they were able to call into my room to be in contact with me and give me the guy's ETA.

Hospedaria Hostal Ltda. Avenida Gomes Freire, 151. Centro - (21) 2242-4321 Hosperdaria and Hospedagem are basically the same thing. Sorry, but I couldn't find a website. I can tell you that I have been there maybe ten times and it has always been clean, with a secluded second entrance through the parking garage on the ground level. Three types of rooms with the simple one with bath, mirror on the ceiling and racetrack lights. Upgraded one with dry sauna and another with dry sauna and a whirpool bath/hydromasagem. At the far end of the Praca da Republica is a cheaper. more basic place for picking up guys from the park who charge 20-30Reais for an hour or two. Bring iced beers and chips with you. Not the kind of place that has room service. Ditto the placed behind and east of the main rail station/CENTRAL.

Nope. Definitely not in the northeast. And even in Rio, July and August can be quite hot with daytime temps in the mid 80's to low 90's or the opposite. Depends on the weather coming out of the Andes and the humidity picked up over the Pantanal.

On the show, produced by the BBC(if that means anything) one of the final portions filmed at the National Center for Aging in Baltiore/Washington, showed test mice that actually grew new brain cells and neurons that were on the alternate-day (semi-fast) diet versus the sample that ate daily. I'm also still waiting for the book to arrive and read more on the research. On the program, the different centers shown in LA, St. Louis, Chicago and Baltimore had tested varied fasting intervals. So a thorough explantion was never given. But it was really quite interesting. Intervals could be every other day, two days in a row or even two or three days per week. I spoke to my sister who is up on all of the varied diets and exercise programs and she hadn't heard of it either. However, she took issue with the calorie total consumed on non-fast days. She emphasized that age and resting metabolic rate play a big part in the calculation for normal consumption. They had stated 1800-2000kcal/day. But shw felt that would be for someone younger and for women, pre-menopausal. At 57 and retired and not really too active, I defiintely should be lower than 1800kcals on a feed day, for example. One of the university researchers on the program had indicated a consumption of 110% of normal on eating days. That is why I posted my question if anybody on here had ever heard of this or tried it.

Thanks RA1, but dieting tips/advice is not what I was after. I had a significant weight loss that ended two years ago and have been treading water on the last 20 or 25. My interest was in the health benefits/physiology of this regimen. I thought the PBS show was quite interesting and can't wait to get the book that I order today from AMAZON. I am much more concerned with the claimed benefits to blood pressure, HDL/LCL and cognitive brain function and delay of aging as it relates to the body.

I was watching PBS this morning and this diet came on. It seemed to make a lot of sense to me. Anyone else heard about it or tried it? I have heard about people who limit their permanent caloric intake to 800kcal/day but nothing like this with 2 or 3 days at 500kcal for women and 600kcal for men and the other 4 or 5 days at 2000kcal/day. Here's one review from Amazon: I've never written a review before, but after trying the Fast Diet for almost 2 months, I felt compelled to share my experience. I've tried them all, from Atkins to Zone & everything in-between, but I feel like I've finally found an eating plan I'll be following for life. I didn't have a huge amount of weight to lose. But I felt uncomfortable in my favourite jeans & I didn't need scales to know I was starting to pile it on - again. So I started following Dr Mosley's Fast Diet after watching the BBC documentary 'Eat, Fast & Live Longer'. The Fast Days felt weird at first. I imagined I'd probably collapse in a heap half-way through the day, or start nibbling on my arm; but it's really not so bad. Hunger isn't a death sentence; it's just for today. You don't wake up ravenously hungry, but everything tastes incredible. Fast Days feel quite normal now. I usually don't eat anything before 3pm, I just drink water & tea/coffee. Then I may have oatmeal & raisins, or fruit. A late dinner may be chicken & vegetables. I even regularly save 100 calories for a drink or two. As I said, I didn't have a lot of weight to lose, but despite going on a long vacation & really enjoying my 'feast days', I'm at least 3kg's lighter, my 501's I've had since the '90's fit like a glove, & it all feels fairly effortless. The book is well worth buying, even if you've seen the documentary. It answers any questions you may have, & Mimi Spencer's input & advice & Meal Plans are useful. I'm not sure why some other reviewers experienced problems with the Kindle edition; I've got the original cheap model, & the format is excellent. If even half of Dr Mosley's claims are true, such as lower blood pressure, lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes & some cancers etc, then the Fast Diet is what we've all been waiting for, & weight loss is just the icing on the cake.

Okay. Since I live in Rio de Janeiro and cook for myself, my friends always tell me I should open a restaurant where I live, I do know food prices. This article is mainly BS for the average Brasilian. One must realize that some Brasilians are crazy for "brands" and know they have to pay a premium for the "brand." Absolutely the only brand I buy is thesoft serve, ice cream cone from McDonald's for 1.75Reais. Why anyone would buy KFC chicken instead of cook their own galeto which is about 5Reais at my local market is beyond me. I think the last time I swung by a Burger King they were pricing a Whopper Bacon Cheese with a medium fry and a large drink for 22Reais. Crazy. All over you an get a great roast beef sandwich or pork leg sandwich sliced off the bone with lettuce, tomato, cheese and dipped in the au jus for 7.50Reais. And a 500ml fresh guava juice is another 4Reais. I just made a huge pot of bolonghese sauce that I freeze in containers so I can remember that the trimmed of fat, freshly-ground chuck was 32Reais for 2.5kilos. So 5.5pounds of beef for $16US. I don't think that is too outrageous. Tomatoes were $2.00/kilo or under $1.00pound. The fresh lettuce here is 75cents/head. Garlic is 9.50reais/kilo. All pasta here is called Macarrao. There are many different varieties with different names than in the US. Fusilli are Parafuso for example. We don't have fettucinni, per say. Lasanha in Lasangna. Not going ot bother with the spellings right now. But a kilo(maybe I am forgetting and it is only 500grams? - sorry but baack in the US) package is normally under 4Reais or $2.00. I just bought a box of imported from Italy, DeCecco tri-color fusilli for cold-pasta salad to throw on my mixed slads for lunch. 8Reais. IT was a WTF moment. MY local markey was sold out. The same national tri-color pasta called parafuso is 4Reais. Milk everywhere right now is about 2.50-2.95/liter. Depending on the brand. So milk here is expensive at 6.00/gallon. But you can buy dried milk that you reconstitute that costs less but for me, I will pay extra for the convenience. Shopping costa at markets vary. The cheapest food store chains in Rio are Mundial, Guanabara and Prezunic. You'll pay more at the smaller placed in Gloria and Catete. Extra looks like it is cheap but it just a small percentage less than Pao de Aucuar as they are part of the same group. Only difference is that Extra doesn't take credit cards, only debit cards really. So there is a savings there. Similar to Costco and Sam's Club here in the US. The most expensive chain is Zona Sul normally. A few items that are part of the "cesta basica" or basic basket are price-competitive with the less expensive chains. The puff piece mentions the cost of beer. It really depends where one is consuming their beverage of choice. A choppe in a chic restaurant will cost more than a regular adega/botequim. Or a beer from a vendor at Farme de Amoedo. A latao(tall can)of Brahma is about 1.40Reais or 70cents if bought warm. Cold cans of beer on the street are 3 or 4 for 10Reais. Latoes(tall cans) are normally 4Reais each. Some vendors who want more volume and are more competitive sell them at 3 for 10Reais. Besides at time being a whore, I am a true one for acai puro. Non adulterated with strawberry, banana or tapioca powder. Right now acai sweetened with guarana near where I get the boat in Centro on Praca XV is 6Reais for 500ml. A pint. That same adulterated(less expensive to serve as bananas and tapioca are cheap extenders) on Farme de Amoedo will go for 10Reais OR MORE. So, there you go. Clothes, hardly any Brasilian will wear Levi's. They are just crazy expensive. Opcao and Toulon(very nice brands) are under 100Reais for jeans. My khaki pants and shorts from Wal-Mart will cost about 50Reais. Ditto from TACO, a Brasilian version of GAP. Haring which has very nice t-shirts, underwear, socks and other cotton products says a great pair of khaki cotton cargo shorts for about 90Reais. Higher-quality tailoring that I recently purchased. So really great cargo shorts for $45.00US. The brands closest to H&M down here are Marisa(mostly for women), Leader, Renner and C&A. Prices are not so high. But imported brands are off the charts for Lacoste, etc. I have a wide foot and cannot wear the great leather shoes from Mr. Cat. But I just got some rubber-solded Rockports here in the US at DSW for $90.00. Many, many models of shoes at Mr. Cat with great leather will be at that price or less. And DSW is consider at discount big-boxer and not higher-quality. There are cheaper shoes chains in Rio like SAVINI. With Oz and TomCal, we had lunch at Siqueira Grill. Very expensive por quilo at 52Reais/Kilo. But they serve freshly-trimmed and cut sashimi, lamb chops and duck breast. Really good quality. However, all over the city, simpler places that use the"balanca" or scale, will charge under 30Reais/quilo-kilo and even less,sometimes 22Reais if you enter before Noon or after 2PM. Same difference for a churrascaria that serves rodizio-style. Compare the prices of Monchique to Porcao. Over twice the price. Not that the food is bad. Just the variety and cost of the ingredients will be less. And if you go to a restaurant buffet you can find a prato feito with a protein choice or two to put on your plate with three sides for 8-9Reais. $4.50 for lunch is not too bad eating in a restaurant. Simple, food with clear flavors like roast beef, grilled chicken or fish. Nothing fancy with rice, beans and tomato and onion salad. It all depends what is important to you.

Thanks. Back in the US and visited my ex=cardiologist who diagnosed the problem and the procedure has a 95-99% success rate. Now to find a MD in Brasil that is covered under my health insurance down there or wait until October 1 when heath insurance in the US gets ride of the law on preexisting condtions.

Thanks. But only stabilized. My MD is the Chief of Cardiology at CardioTrauma which is their specialty. Now called HospitalCor. I see him tomorrow, cross my fingers and then back in the States on Tuesday and a visit to my ex-cardiologist with my numerous EKG's and blood work. The major reason I stopped working at such a comparably young age.

For sure my heart couldn't have withstood that level of excitement. Let alone the two drips staying inserted in my veins. And unfortunately the ER was only separated by curtains. But I likey-likey the thought.

Well I went to the ER yesterday afternoon with chest pains and a racing pulse and spent 17 hours on a saline drip and no food and beforehand hadn't eaten for another 9 hours since breakfast. So....another great diet tip. At this rate, I'll be ready for that tummy tuck faster than I thought. But I have to admit, that when I finally did get back home this afternoon, I did have a double scoop of Nutella Ice cream.

Devassa. My favorite place to drink and eat petiscoes in Ipanema and Lapa as they have like eight different types of brew to sample. And their frango a passarinho, well done with extra garlic and lime is a oral ecstasy, of another sort. For the past two and half years, I've been using Barraca da Miriam, #53. Before that, we used Sonia and Vanya. Oz, after seeing these photos, I am pretty sure that I need to switch back to Sonia.

No. Definitely the four beers were for him. Per PariRio, anybody wanting to have sex with anyone 40-50, or even me at nearly 57 would need to be especially drunk. Yep. Isn't that what he wrote? Besides the beers, I neglected to include the triple Famous Grouse on the rocks when we got home. I definitely wasn't going to waste any of my single malts on a programa boy. Good thing, as he only finished half, although he did finish himself off and me. Even better(?)(some gallows humor), I spent yesterday afternoon and evening, the rest of my day and the following morning in the ER of Hospital Cardiotrauma in Ipanema on Farme de Amoedo. I had thoughts all night long, and just on the very next block at To Nem Ai, of TomCal surrounded by hotties begging him to be his for a small donation of 150Reais for entire nights of pleasure and Paris Rio sitting at an adjacent table turning down ugly gross, 40-50 year-olds and even some younger with offer to him and his incredible hotness of $100-400US for an hour or less of sloppy, icky sex. He probably would have vomited on sight of this nearly 57 year-old, falling-apart corpus. By the way, it wasn't the fault of the boy, as I had some hints of problems earlier in the day, that I had pooh-poohed, even before meeting TomCal and Oz for lunch.

Actually 57 in a about 3 weeks, and last night's overnight went for the grand total of 115Reais and four beers.

That's "my Chico/Antonio" with the mohican. Told ya. He is not twinky, but the nicest guy anyone will ever meet at the sauna. In contrast to any other sauna boy, if you look in his backpack, you will find two or three books he is reading at the same time. Definitely not typical.

117 also offers robes.

There are a ton of motels all over Rio. Right across the street from 117 is the Alameda. Ditto one practically across the street from the Gloria metro stop and another right around the corner from 117 on Rua da Gloria. Years ago I was in a very nice one on the north side of the church on Largo do Machado. I found it a bit kinky to be watch a porn sex scene and it was taking place in a room exactly like one I had been in. And it would be difficult to have two of the same as it has a four sided, glass-enclosed whirlpool/shower in the room, right next to the bed. It was a very cushy place, much like a Hilton. Definitely much nicer rooms than the three I've seen at the Othon Palace, or certainly Atlantico Copacabana. But the questioner was asking for one that was gay-friendly, no dirty looks from the staff, not unpleasant. And since it is not too far from Central and many guys do live in the Zona Norte and come into the city on vans or the train, easy to get to. The second hidden entry through the parking garage would avoid any unintended encounters.

Nope Axiom. The location that you are thinking of is the old site of HELP disco in Copacabana. The Museum of Image and Sound. The new art museum is on the Praca Maua, which is where the cruise ships dock and the northern terminus of Avenida Rio Branco. It is about a block and a half north of Meio Mundo and next to the soon-to-close agglomeration of strip clubs, the old, very tall, being-rehabbed Radio Tower, Federal Police and Justice Ministry headquarters. The more modern half of the museum used to be a hospital. You can get a better feel in the second photo and the third show the new Calatrava museum.

The Lady Doth Protest Too Much, Methinks.

Unless I missed it, none of the GLEEK's here remarked on last week's hustling/gigolo musical number?

Have abdominal surgery, guaranteed to kill your appetite and any urges to overeat. It has worked for me for the past two weeks. Shrunken stomach and have almost all urges. Now I have to figure out what next type of surgery.

Hospedagem Hostal in Ave. Gomes Freire at Rua Frei Caneca/Rua Visconde de Rio Branco Definitely a gay motel. Been there many times and never seen women checking into rooms. Right near a busy corner so until the garoto makes the turn into the doorway, he might be heading anywhere. Different than Alameda for example, across from 117 where there are very few other reasons for being near the motel's entrance. Nice rooms, with sauna and whirlpool suites as well. There are tons of motels all over Rio, Every day I seem to notice another one and I live here. But the gay angle is a bit harder to figure out. The one I mentioned definitely has a gay-leaning clientele. You do know that they all have covered parking lots with discrete entrances? So no one else should see him entering with you?

Nice image of the new art museum on the Praca Maua, pretty close to Meio Mundo, with the soaring roof and the Policia Federal/FBI headquarters peeking out behind. And another showing the area where Meio Mundo is located. In front, way in the corner is the art exhibition space of the Mails Cultural Center, just to the right are the Casa Franca-Brasil exhibition space and directly behind and larger, Banco Brasil Centro Cultural, now with a large animation exhibition which followed a selection of Impressionist works from the Musee d'Orsay. And then to the right in the center of the Praca Pius/Pio X, Candelaria Church, right of that the twin buildings of Banco Santander and Seguros/Insurance Souza Cruz....and discretely hiding behind MEIO MUNDO. In the center of the shot is the main entrance to the naval base(I have been with two navy guys at Meio Mundo over the years and just to the west on the Largo Santa Rita is an outdoor semi-gay cafe where you can "encounter" others) and the currently being demolished, Perimetral/Elevated Perimeter Highway.

Thanks, Tom. Now I know the destination of one of Acyr and Jorge's disgusting sofas.

For anyone thinking of hiring a car, in the more modern and open cities that I have visited, such as the newer parts of Salvador, all of Belo Horizonte and Campinas, are easy to drive in. Certainly easier than the hilly parts of San Francisco. Much like Seattle and Portland.