Gotti

I remember countless times seeing 4 or 5 performers at Point stage with hardly twice as many people watching, it's just absurd, I agree that some entertainment is desirable but if is hurting the bottom line they should think of something else. The saunas are always in bad financial shape, but the shows are never affected, while the fee the boys have to pay to work keeps going up.If the attractive boys stop showing up attendance will dwindle, drags will not sustain.

Hi Tom, as I pointed out on my commentary Grindr and other apps did hurt gay bars and discos, but saunas offer a diferent kind of experience, and we we know what kind of experience that is after all we both go to Brazil and elsewhere, thosands of miles away and thosands of dollars as well, mainly because of the saunas and we both have Grindr on our phones. As I pointed out the owners don't give the boys the importance they deserve, while they put a lot of energy trying to program some stupid Revue almost every night of the week, the boys are just "tolerated", if they pay. In Curitiba there is a sauna (without drags) that some years ago, the 2 boys with more customers each night would get free admission next time they would stop by, I don't know if stil goes but what clever Idea, stimulating the most popular boys to return. Changing subjects Gaiety in NYC closed because the building was sold. It broke my heart, I used to Go there every weekend for almost 15 years. The most importamt hustle bar in NYC, called Rounds was closed by Giuliano Gestapo, an undercover cop went there and hired a prostitute, same with another bar on 10th Street on the West Village, and very likely with Stella. I had some contact with Denise after the closing of Gaiety, she was trying to re-open but Giuliani zoning laws targeting sex clubs made it impossible. You are right about gay bars, they will keep closing at alarming rates and the main culprit is the internet, saunas however one or two night survive in Big cities despite the economic hardship and the stupidity of the owners.

I don't. necessarilly agree with the Idea that Grindr and similar apps will be responsible for closing saunas in Brazil or anywhere else. People go to saunas cause they can't get anyone on Grindr, at least someone they fancy. Grindr has affected gay bars and discos, cause guys Who use to Go to these places for hook ups (the vast majority) can easily find somebody on Grindr without paying admission or absurd drink prices. People go to saunas to get the young attractive boys they dream about but can't get cause they are too old or too fat or both, so they will keep coming back, they might go less frequently for financial reasons, but Grindr is no solution for them. Also security is a concern when someone has to pay for sex and this works on sauna's favor. The problem with Brazilian saunas is the stupid owners firmly believe they are in show business spending money with the pathetic drag queens, while the boys, the only reason people go to the saunas, are just an afterthoght. While the drags are paid money to their pityful lyp synchinc, the boys have to pay to get in. I only imagine what a creative New York promoter would do with 3 dozen semi-naked (or even naked) young boys, only if they could, while their Brazilian counterpars, some of the few in the world that can work with this situation, can't think of anything cause they are a bunch of stupid morons. Big wigs and corny shinning dresses decade after decade.

Nice to know Lagoa is doing so well. Getting ready for an upcoming trip and will not skip São Paulo!

What a doll!

So Point will get back to its origins, trying to pass for a nightclub, with strobe lighs, horrible DJs and hardly any patrons with more drag queens on stage than people on the audience!

This Guy is called Peterson at the saunas and Smith at the Escort agencies (Malícia in São Paulo and Netgay in Rio). Saunas he does Lagoa in SP and both Point and 117 in Rio. He is in the 120/150 range at the saunas and 300 escorting for an hour or so, don't know about overnights. He claims to be top only and never budge. I would assume some regulars in the Brazilian scene are well acquainted with him. His number can be easily obtained on the Escort services sites He is more often in SP than Rio. Very reliable, what you see is what you get.

I've been during Carnival in 3 diferent years and was open most nights ( If not all), Tuesdays always packed, the boys usually charge more cause they know almost everyone is a horny tourist (both Brazilian and and foreign) and If you don't score during Carnival you haven't been to Carnival. Be prepared to Pay 50 % more for the boys and obviously there will be no free suítes.

I Totally beleve Oz did the right thing and substantiated it with similar opinion of NYT, Sorry If I've been misenderstoid.

Several European newspapers are mocking the whole story (including London's Daily Mirror) Where on earth people are robbed of all belongings but allowed to keep their cellphones? In a city with 80.000 troops in the Street thieves would dare to put 4 athetes laying on the street while robbing them at gun point! The cab driver that drove them from the party was not the same that took them to the Olympic Village. None were found despite all transactions being eletronically recorded. The footage of their arrival at the Olympic Village after their ordeal shows four guys laughing and at ease. Ryan Lochte is a well known media-whore. Right after his first Olympics he hired a manager to get him reality shows, endorsements and public appearances. He was with Prince Harry on the occasion of his nude photos in the notorious Las Vegas orgy and the day after the Rio thing he became the most looked up person on Google. Just saying...

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/08/16/opinion/brazils-uplifting-olympics.html Recently Our administrador Totally Oz took the extreme actiion of closing an entre topic cause he thought was unfair and vile to one the most beloved cities by members of this forum . Well, the venerable New York Times although did not go as far also took an unusual position of declaring sick and tired of the unfair criticysm of the city and the well put together Olympics games.. Please read the link above.

What puzzles me Rio is the fact that is paradise beutiful and is a big city at the same time. You are in Ipanema on the beach at 2 PM looking at the most beautiful scenario, surrounded by gorgeous people with a beyond unique atitude and you decide to go home you walk 2 blocks and are inside the subway, with people in suits, making a living like they do everywhere else, thats ureal. Paradise and business are usually mutually exclusive, but not in Rio, the only place on earth where the 2 things coexist.

Small nightspot at Copacabana neighborhood. Gay friendly but not exclusively gay, caters to a young, trendy/druggie crowd. Boychasers should not bother. Heard about Buraco da Lacraia in Lapa neighborhood, only accesible by taxy/uber. Supposedly there is a backroom and the waiters wear nothing underneath their aprons, very enticing. Unfortunately was not open the night I wanted to go, I believe opens only on weekends. Hopefully somebody bites and we get a review in the near future.

I didn´t know 117 raises prices on Tuesdays nights to make up for the free suite offer. Kinda a scam isn´t it? Anyway, I´m under the impression that I paid less than R$57,00 on a Tuesday several months ago cause is the night that I usually go since is the most crowded. The important thing is the boys didn´t raise their fees in this period, at least the ones I talked to, while everything else in Brazil did go up. Also it should be noted that my impression on the quality of the boys was based on one night only, so should be taken into consideration, could have been a good night although less crowded than usual.

After an 8 months absence I was back at 117 this past Tuesday night. I was very curious to find out if the economic crisis in Brazil had improved the quality of the boys. Too much responsibility to make a statement in such a macro-economic issue, since it might hightened the expectations of a lot of people and possibly cause some disappointment, but I´m inclined to confirm that yes the quality was noticeably better, although nothing spetacular, there were several aspects that should be taken into consideration: It was not that crowded, it was a cold night and the fact that there were a few guys that interested m ein such a smaller pool is significant, I´m the type that in the past have left the place without a program in more than one occasion cause did not fancy anyone and this time there were a good 5 or 6 possibilities. I notice inflation in almost everything in Rio, but the boys were still asking for the same price (R$100,00), while the price of admission did go up (Is now R$57.00 on a Tuesday, don´t remember exactly how much was before but it was lower than that). I´m not the haggling type, if the guy asks R$100,00 and I think he is worth it I go for it, some people might get for less. If the guy asks more than that I Just say "no thanks", but nobody went over the treshold, another sign that the boys did not apply the inflation on the period. Lots of new faces, the old ones were all in best shape,so they are working on it. A curiosity: of the 4 boys I consulted with, 3 were called Rafael! On a sad note a delicious boy poped up at the end, when I was already commited (Rafael) waiting for a suite. Blondish type (probably dyed), killer body, young and masculine, winning smile. . His name is Hugo. Rafael was a bit of a letdown, probably not his fault my mind was with the other guy that made such a impression, yes, I´m like that, Thank god I manage to get his phone number; A huge popular member of this forum was in attendance the same night, he does not know that I know who he is and I´m not mentioning his name since he might want to be incognito, let he write about it if so he choses.

One off-topic note: Having trouble posting using Android, in the present topic had to use a regular PC. Now going to the point: Rio´s most famous straight sauna Termas Centaurus has just closed it´s doors after more than 30 years in business. Located in fancy Ipanema neighbourhood catered to the moneyed elite plus occasional international visitors like European soccer players and the like. A few years ago made international headlines when Justin Bieber was photographed leaving the premises while still a minor. The business model is pretty similar to the gay saunas, the difference being the ladies wear clothes, not towels. The admission costs twice what the gays places charges and the women cost about 3 or 4 times what a 117 sauna boy gets. The reason for the closing, they claim, is renovations, but of course nobody believes it. What business that attracts tourists would close its doors on the eve of the biggest world event, specially one heavilly male oriented. The crisis in Brazil must be pretty intense, so if you have never been and fancy the famous saunas, book your flight as soon as possible. You never know...

Some newbies that have never been to Brazil during weeks and months gather information from previous post on this forum and ask questions to its members to such detail that reaches the point of almost making the trip redundant. They finally feel secure to take the plunge, spend time there, have a blast, get back home and not a single line about their experience. When we gonna learn?

Continuing: exceptions of course), while in São Paulo most boys are very connected on whats going on, in São Paulo nightlife is the soul of the city, while in Rio this place is taken by the beach. There is also a considerable difference regarding drugs, a lot heavier in São Paulo. In case anyone is wondering, poppers is considered a drug in Brazil and impossible to find anywhere.

Since it hás just became in topic there is an important cultural aspect in after-sauna activities in Rio and in São Paulo. Sauna boys in Rio are not that much aware of night-life scene as their counter parts in São Paulo. I was surprised to find out how many sauna boys had never been to Le Boy, or had just been there once or twice (there were exceptions

Sure.

People blame the closing on the economic crisis, but for what I hear is going downhill even before the crisis (I haven't been there in 2 years or more). I believe the reason is the same gay discos and bars are closing at alarming rates everywhere in the world: Grindr and similars. People don't have to pay admission and absurd prices for booze to find a hook up. Saunas, however, are not in danger, after all people go there to get what they fancy but are no able to get for free.

The end of big gay discos finally caught on with Rio. Le Boy the huge 20 years old disco has closed,so no more 3AM blow jobs in the back room. There ain't no party, there ain't no disco, there ain't no fooling around...

Hi Luker, first time I address you on this forum, but you can be sure there is a sizable audience eager to hear about your staying in Brazil, the fact you were away for 3 years makes it even more compelling, you certainly will perceive changes that other frequent travellers would be oblivious to. I can't figure out how anyone intersted on the Brazilian sauna scene would pass on your input. I will be PMeing you and would be very happy with any report. You are right about this forum, is going down down, who could do something about it is not willing to take the right action, maybe is the reason your friend Tomcal is not a regular member anymore and despite the fact that he is currently in Brazil we will not have his outstanding insights. What a waste!

Le Boy even has a sauna upstairs where you can Take boys that you have test-driven in the back room an do everything you were not supposed to do thre, like going horizontal. Important:The sauna does not employ rent-boys, but you can find them on the disco. In São Paulo try Chili Peppers supposedly the first gay hotel in Brazil that is also a sauna, you can go there for just a few hours like a regular sauna or you can stay for days, like a regular hotel, they also don't employ rent boys, but if you are staying at the hotel, since is a gay stablishment the will not make objections to your company, just tell the boy not to look for business afterwords. Never been there, but have heard good things about it, looking forward to read a review on this forum to such novel concept.

In Rio: Le Boy on tuesdays has fully nude strippers, good if you are into buffy types, if you like them lean, swimmers body you are out of luck. Showtime is around 1AM. The place has also a notorious back room that unfortunatelly only opens at 3AM. The last time I was there was nearly 2 years ago and was alright, but some posts on this forum claim is rather slow on week nights nowadays. It might still worth a visit on weekends (the backroom I mean, never cared much for the disco and it's loud techno music). In São Paulo Bar Fama hss strippers and more most nights, showtime is whenever (since is late). Lap dances are not common in Brazil, at least I've never heard of it and no wonder: Why go half-way when you can go all the way?