ihpguy

I needed to go into the city to do some business so I thought I would stop in on Monday at Meio Mundo. As I walked through the entry, the scent of old, musty locker room invaded my nostrils. Not in a nice way. At 5PM, there were lots and lots of cute guys. Well attended. Went to my locker and of course, smell was even worse. I can remember back to when the addition was new and the vinyl sofas in the lounge were unmmarker and a comfort to relax on. Now, missing legs and each with cracks and large sections of old foam visible. I do not want to even imagine what bacteria fester within. The last two times I have been there, the steam sauna was only luke warm. This time a bit better but certainly not scalding. And now for the past three visits the dry sauna has basically been the temperature of Farme on a summer day. Not to even mention all of the broken and stained wood. Missing wood protection around the heater. Of course, no hot water in the shower. Not absolutely cold like the other two, but what Brasilians call "agua morna" , we Americans would call cool or chilly. And once more, no soap in the dispensers. And of course, no bars of soap like the non-rent saunas provide. In the past, I have mentioned problems to Acyr. I've given up on this. Since Vinicius is no longer the manager, things have seemed to gotten worse. Although Monday's are well-atteneded, I think no more for me. Really easy to get to Praca XV there and back but I'd rather spend the extra Reais and be in a nicer atmosphere at 117. Last night I had a very nice programa and paid extra for one of the rooms. Still had one of the sheets that wouldn't cover the crappy mattress and a door that would not lock. About three months ago, maybe longer(?)right before Vini left, I remember that he had problems getting guys to even dance. He threw a sunga at one garoto to put on and the garoto threw it back at him. I suppose that the free entry in exchange for dancing wasn't worth it. Most have been a portent of things to come. Of well, I guess I'll have to try Pointe more often. And Tuesday's at Clube117. Last night's guy and Gabriel from the week before both work out of that sauna and were only at Meio Mundo for the Monday action. Besides Saunas Catete and RioG for non-rent.

At Long Last Love? Xanadu? Doctor Doolittle? Absolute favorite moment is Christian Bale wailing "Santa Fe" in Newsies. Definition of tragic.

I was in Krakow 10 years ago. Quite a strange place. Gay life was not so much. Had fun at the baths. Located right near the base of Wawel Castle. The walks up and down and the inside tour were good. Arranged a couple of guys through gayromeo(or similar) that were fun. The old city inside the walls and the central cloth market were interesting. In summer, the surrounding restaurants and bars ran out onto the plaza. I hadn't a clue how interesting the salt mine would be. They had just begun the restoration of the old ghetto. But, and an enormous one....on the other hand....AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU 1 & 2.

I'm back, Malcolm.

Anyone have the real 411 on the whole Merman mess? Besides the obvious?

The craving might be satisfied by complex carbohydrates instead of the fructose. I have also recently discovered something great on my recent trip back to the USA. Low-fat frozen yogurt. Very satisfying and a quarter of the calories in Haagen-Dazs.

Watching Dr. Drew this morning, during the Debbie rains and finally understood what are "bath salts"

Aw, shucks. And here I was hoping for a nude photo of Mark Salling.

Returned to the USA and been here for a month. Arrived in Florida and the big news was someone eating someone else face on a Miami causeway. It took me weeks to figure out that the "bath salts" weren't something like the "Epsom" variety that I use to soak my feet. Not a clue about this stuff even existing. Then the guy in Canada FedExing body parts of his chinese boyfriend and then the guy in NJ flinging sections of intestines.

Seven weeks away from Rio de Janeiro and my own bit of paradise to visit with family and friends back in Obamalandia as opposed to Cinelandia. We say agredoce here. Bittersweet. To say the least. I've got a temporary caseiro looking after things. So no worries on the Brasil end. Today I gave the dogs their annual rabies and parvo/distemper and tomorrow morning is the monthly Frontline application.

Branco De Brasil yesterday gave me 1000Reais for US$488.11. Happy to get over 2 Reais/Greenback.

Already posted in an earlier thread.

I thought the pictures were really something. Not sure even how to describe them?

I was reading about this and supposedly due to the traffice jam on so many trying to summit at the same time while going through the "death zone," http://www.buzzfeed.com/toddvanluling/dead-bodies-on-mount-everest "The first question which you will ask and which I must try to answer is this, 'What is the use of climbing Mount Everest?' and my answer must at once be, 'It is no use'. There is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever. Oh, we may learn a little about the behavior of the human body at high altitudes, and possibly medical men may turn our observation to some account for the purposes of aviation. But otherwise nothing will come of it. We shall not bring back a single bit of gold or silver, not a gem, nor any coal or iron. We shall not find a single foot of earth that can be planted with crops to raise food. It's no use. So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won't see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means and what life is for." - George Leigh Mallory.

Rachel whalin' for Madame Tibideaux http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik683CThV5o&feature=relmfu

Dragalicious Unique Once Again http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB_oS-UvqbQ&feature=relmfu and New Directions response http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MY0pjiSBKw

I'm a fan of the my Brasilian cantoras. Dames Shirley should stick to things like the James Bond themes. Give a listen to Alcione, Maria Rita - daughter of Elis Regina(think Liza and Judy do Brasil) - Ana Carolina or Gal Costa. Five of my favorites.

In another thread, there are complaints about high hotel prices here. Well, the state of Rio de Janeiro is a boom town. The center of a vast oil industry growing larger all of the time. Huge expensive public works developing the pre-sal discoveries in the Atlantic. This is besides the preparations for the World Cup, the 450th anniversary of the founding of this city and then the 2016 Games. Lots and lots of people are coming here for business and I suppose that they just figure in the high hotel prices as a cost of doing business. I took a frined through the Copacabana Palace in February and there were about two dozen biz people getting into SUV limos with briefcases and roll-a-boards. Not sure if the hotel mnagement even care about bargain-hunting tourists. As opposed to when I first came in 2003, people are no longer as guarded about displayes of wealth. It seems every week/month, something else is getting fixed up, modernized, reformed. You blink and another building has framing and tarps. Normally there are between 80-100 oil service ships and tankers in the bay. Plus all the ships of the navy at their ports in Niteroi and Rio.The new oil refinery in Sao Goncalo. 2-3 billion. The second new metro line connecting the docks in Niteroi to Itaborai where the new oil refinery is being built. A billion more. And partly financed by Petrobras. About two weeks ago, I noticed that they had moved an oil drilling rig into position behind the fantail of the carrier Sao Paulo. Another new building, this one with a tall crane for a highrise under construction for another tower addition for the Forum complex. At the same time the Plaza of Exploration on the other side of the forum has finally been opened for pedestrians. Still waiting for the barriers to come down around the historic fountain and obelisk. Next year in 2013, the first part of the Perimetral near Praca XV comes down. Last week as I walked by the naval base entrance, the street was closed, "Detour, Will Robinson, detour," they are building the tunnel to replace the four overhead lanes of traffic. A bit further north, the new Calatrava museum is a go. http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/museu-do-amanha-o-novo-cartao-postal-do-rio/'>http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/museu-do-amanha-o-novo-cartao-postal-do-rio/ and then the other new Museum of Art: http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/videos/?v=7354'>http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/videos/?v=7354 About a month ago, Djilma and our Prefeito Eduardo Paes signed the documents for a new, 6-line streetcar system connecting the bus station Novo Rio, the Leopoldina train station, Central, Praca XV and Santos Dumont Airport. A billion dollars for 6 new lines. http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/videos/?opc=3&v=4842'>http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/videos/?opc=3&v=4842 http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/porto-maravilha-obras-transformam-antiga-via-trilhos-em-um-dos-trechos-do-binario/'>http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/porto-maravilha-obras-transformam-antiga-via-trilhos-em-um-dos-trechos-do-binario/ No NIMBY protests here. They just are doing it. Matter of fact. An overview of the plan: http://www.portomaravilha.com.br/web/esq/summary.aspx It seemed one day, buses ran normally, and the next Avenidas Rio Branco and President Vargas had half of their lanes expropriated for the new BRS system. I can't even imagine the vitriol if auto owners in the US had half their lanes taken over by buses. Oy. Here is a video for the new BRT Transoeste system running from Santa Cruz through Guaratiba and Recreio to the Alvorada bus station and convention center. Quite a distance covered in less than one year. http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/video/assista-evolucao-das-obras-na-transoeste/'>http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/video/assista-evolucao-das-obras-na-transoeste/ And they are doing the same from International Galeao - Tom Jobim Airport to Jacarepagua. By the Maracana, they are starting to put on the supports for the new partial roof and pouring concrete for the new ramps. Lots more on the this site: http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/ Last Friday, I was in Gamboa and saw them doing their stuff. Bulding the new entrances to Morro de Conceicao and restoration of the Jardim do Valongo. For anoyne interested, through the center of this comunidade, is a path to follow with a number of artists ateliers and larger galleries to visit. All very close to Meio Mundo and the Cultural Centers near the intersection of Presidente Vargas and Primeiro de Marco. http://www.cidadeolimpica.com/jardim-do-valongo-passa-por-processo-de-restauracao/ Action everywhere. Lots of jobs. Lots of money flowing freely. Means one other thing. As to the sauna guys, many can get decent jobs if they care to work. The ones left, in many cases, are the vagabundos and malandros - vagabonds, scoundrels, tricksters, loafers.

Well, I hope the winner impresses me more than Samuel Larsen.

The negative concerning a trip to Colombia versus Rio de Janeiro is that Rio is quite a nice place to visit, or to live, besides the saunas with garotos de programa. #1) Not much compares to drinking sundowners on the beach at Farme de Amoedo and watching the sunset set over the Dois Irmaos.

My Pinoy love toy.

There is a very nice sauna, on the very gay Frei Caneca, which now has boys. Named Labyrinthus. And don't missed Saturday in Liberdade for Japanese/Korean food and shopping. Also from Anthony Bourdain, the mortadella and cheese sandwich at the Mercado Municipal on the Rua da Cantareira. Here is a nice blog with some highlights of what Sao Paulo has to offer: http://saopauloshots.blogspot.com.br/

Well, supposedly Kelly Preston does have him tightly locked into the COS closet. The taped auditing disclosers are quite a strong incentive to stay inside the COS. For a public figure with a film career, it is very difficult to break from this cult. Ditto, the same situation for Tom Cruise after Mimi brought him in. As the rumors go. Jokes can be made about come out, come out, but actually not too easy to accomplish.

Yes. Junior with the hairy chest.

Things are definitely changing here in Rio. People are much less afraid to show money and not so concerned about counting their centavos/pennies. In the neighborhoods I visit from Centro near the Bolsa south through Largo do Machado to Ipa, Humaita and Lagoa, most of the sidewalk sandwich boards now advertise their featured brews as Heineken, Stella Artois and Devassa. Brahma follows and bringin up the rear, as it were are now Skol, Antarctica and Itaipava. I personally like the places that feature Brahma as they carry eight different varieties in bottles and it is kind of fun to have a group and sample them all. But definitely the Euro-recipee domestically-produced have a stronger flavor.