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It's always hard to know what is genuinely a need or what is the need in their mind. I love the Dominican Republic(as well as Brazil). In my mind --and I really hesitate to characterize-- the Dominicans seem to have the least trouble looking for a handout. For sure things are not easy there. On the other hand their concept of need sometimes means being able to live like their cousins or family in Miami who have managed to get a visa. I know one guy there who pleaded with me to bring him the latest iPhone because his phone wasn't working. I politely declined. When I got there he had a newer, larger phone than I did and it worked just fine. He sort of laughed when I called him on it. He asks me for money constantly sending me pictures of an empty refrigerator--but I am over it. In another instance I met a guy in the beach in the DR one evening. We chatted briefly and exchanged Facebook links, I had no interest in sex. The next day I got a message saying he had lost his phone and could I buy him a new one. By contrast the lower to middle class Brazilians (non sexual) I have met have never asked for a cent and are just grateful to see me and hang out. Of course I compensate the guys in the sauna appropriately.

I only leave my phone in the apartment when I go to the beach--otherwise I have it and use it as needed. I don't walk around with it out glued to the latest social media or news posts but use it for navigation and uber. A lot of people do indeed take their phones to the beach but things can disappear in an instant there. As far as the areas around 117 and 202--I think they are basically safe and I have never witnessed any crime near those venues and I have come and gone many times!

I just spent 3 days in Rio and had a great time. I had fun at both 202 and 117. The day and a half that were decent beach days were perfect--not too hot and good crowd at Farme. It's worth remembering security issues even if you've been there many times like I have. It three days I saw three thefts--including mine! First day walking toward the beach at the end of Farme I saw a crowd of people chasing a little kid (probably not more than 11 or 12) who I think had just taken a cellular -- crowd was catching up to him and he tossed the phone into the street and got away after the crowd went for the phone--lots of yelling but no violence. Second day I met up with some friends at the beach who live in Rio. They were trying to find me by texting me but I always leave my phone in the apartment. Glad I did that day. We were standing, talking and getting caught up. Suddenly I noticed that my bag which had been directly at my feet a second ago was gone. Only lost about 150reals and an old Kindle reader. I always keep my apartment keys tied to the string of my bathing suit and guard them more than anything. My friends all said(and these guys grew up in Rio) that I was smart to be a paranoid tourist--that if it had been their bag they would have lost keys, phones, cards. The third incident was the most dramatic. I met a nice German couple (boyfriend/girlfriend) at dinner. On Sunday I was walking the closed street along the beach in Ipanema and ran into them again. They were saying how Rio seemed so much safer than they expected. Literally not a minute later out of nowhere a guy ran up and grabbed a chain off the girl's neck. A loud scream and a welt left behind but otherwise no harm. He was a block away before anyone could react. We all know to leave our jewels at home but I guess they didn't get the memo--still shocking though. The point to recanting this is just to remind you not to get too comfortable and let your guard down. I have been pretty lucky in going there for 20 years but close encounters like these remind me to always be careful. I'm not sure crime is getting worse but 3 incidents close up in three days has me wondering.

The Room Mate Valentina closed permanently during the early days of Covid and the building is vacant now. I used to like it as well. Another nearby alternative that allows guests is the Hotel PF. It's a block or two away. I stayed there during gay pride in June and found it to be a nice older hotel. I didn't have guests there but my friend who stays there all the time says it's never a problem to bring someone in and I did not think the reception security seemed overbearing. They also run a Hotel called PF Suites which is slightly further away and seems a little more strict with visitors based on a friend's experience. One to avoid is the Hotel NH Reforma that is very restrictive about guests.

"In Bahrain and the Emirates nobody at the reception cares about visitors in your room....you could take a goat up to the room without having a problem :-)). Same goes for Oman and Yemen. No problems with a visitor." One of the funniest and most practical things I have ever read on this forum. Duly noted!

One of my favorite porn sites Latinboyz.com seems to have stopped updating for a few weeks. The site used to update very day or two. I wonder if anyone knows who happened to it? It is really the only site I have ever paid for and they have some of the hottest guys on there from Colombia and Mexico.

Another cultural sensitivity --don't ask to much about Pablo Escobar like he was some kind of Robin Hood. A lot of younger Colombians want to put that era behind them. A lot of gringos who come to Medellin seem captivated by the subject but many people of Medellin have been victims of his violence. When I was last in Medellin pre-covid the host of my Air Bnb volunteered that her 16 yo son was killed by the cartel in front of her eyes as they got out of their car together--she was wounded but survived. The glamour of the series "Narcos" aside--tread carefully on that subject.

If you do decide on the Atlantico Copacabana make sure you book a Deluxe room. When I stayed there years ago their standard rooms were painfully small--like barely enough room for a suitcase. Their air conditioning is a window unit and depending on how that unit is functioning it can be noisy. I had no complaints about the hotel other than if I ever returned--a larger room on a higher floor(lots of street noise on lower levels) is what I would prefer .

I hope as this pandemic evolves we progress pass stats, graphs ,lockdowns, and even masks to a place where we simply lead our lives. I think that's coming soon. Even England has dropped the negative test requirement to return home. I hope the USA does the same. I am a physician and have taken care of many Covid patients. If you are vaccinated and boosted the chances of serious illness in a basically healthy person are minimal now. I recently caught Covid and it was no big deal. In the future I hope we can all stay home when we are sick and get recommended posters and vaccines and get on with our lives..

When I was in Rio a few weeks ago I asked several GP’s if they were vaccinated and they all said yes. It wasn’t a deal breaker as I felt I had already assumed some risk that I was comfortable with by going to the sauna in the first place. Most had had two shots, some only one but all seemed proud that they had been vaccinated. Have fun!

At Pointe 202 there is a very attentive locker room attendant. It would be hard to break into one of the lockers there without him seeing it. He did hit me up for a tip the nights I was there which I gladly gave. My near loss was in one of the Cabines which I had always thought of as a safe zone and that is why I posted my experience. Also I realized the bar area has a lot of activity and distraction and after a couple of drinks it would not be hard to imagine your phone taking a walk if you set it down and weren't paying attention. I still feel the saunas are very safe and you won't be physically harmed in any way but just pay attention to your valuables.

I agree! Very strange and that's why I shared it. I've been going for years and never had a problem either. Maybe it was a guy who was only an occasional GP and saw an opportunity. I thought about what I would do if I had actually lost it. I realized that there are no real English speakers in Pointe 202 and it would have been hard to explain what happened to the front desk. On another night I saw one of the GP in the bar area with that panicked look on his face when he realized his cell was gone. He was sure it was stolen until he realized one of his friends had his phone. Phones--especially nice ones are a hot commodity in Brazil Most of my experiences in the sauna have led me to believe that the guys are sweet, hard working and honest to the point where I think all of the warnings about "never bring one home" are a bit overblown. That being said I thought I would pass this along as a caution to not let your guard down. By the way--Pointe 202 packed on Monday , Wednesday, and Fridays--feels like the old days are back!

I just returned from a wonderful trip to Brazil. One safety suggestion I would pass along is to watch your phone very carefully if you take it to the cabin to maybe snap a pic or two of your new friend. I took a GP at 202 the other night upstairs for some fun and brought my phone along. I didn't even snap any pics of him but when I exited the shower in the cabin after some fun my new iPhone which was on the floor next to the bed was gone(the guy was still there). I asked him rather firmly where my cellular was and he gave me a look like "I don't know." At this point I figured he had passed it off to a friend and it was gone forever. He made a big show of showing me his bag and lifting up the sheets to show me the phone was not there. When I kept on repeating "where is my cellular!" he lifted up the mattress and somehow it was there. Funny how it made it from the floor to under the mattress. I think he thought I wouldn't notice it missing and he would retrieve it later. In the future I am just going to leave my phone secure in the locker.

Given the hard economic times did you feel that security issues were any different in Rio at this time? Also--sorry you hit a rainy stretch. It really does change the feel of the city.

It's been 15 years since I've stayed there and yes the rooms are very small and the old style AC can be noisy. It's a great value currently and may work for some. When I stayed there price was in the $60-80usd range and then when the Real got strong the rate went to over $120. At the current price almost worth booking it as a second accommodation to use for hookups and for the pool.

Could you bring in a new guest every day if you wanted to? Some hotels will allow you to bring in just one guest and register them for the duration of your stay. Ironically I have found some upscale gay boutique hotels to have the most restrictive guest policies. I always stay in apartments to avoid problems bringing someone home but I do understand the allure of a nice hotel.

My guess is not but I do not know for sure. Places like the Copacabana Palace are crawling with security and will certainly notice you bringing in a local.

The more fancy the hotel the less likely they are to allow guests to visit. The nice Hotels in Brazil tend to be very strict on security. I have some friends who are a very wealthy Spanish couple who left there Copacabana Palace and checked out after they were not allowed to bring a short time guest.

Rio officially cancelled their Carnival for 2021. They had tried moving it to July but now realize that is not realistic. I wonder how many worldwide Pride celebrations will be cancelled as well this summer. It seems like every time I start to think that things could be somewhat normal by a certain date that date gets pushed down the line.

As a frontline healthcare worker I received the Pfizer vaccine when it was first released a few weeks back. I had zero side effects other than a sore arm. In fact I ran 7 miles the day after the second shot. I encourage everyone to ge the vaccine as soon as it's available to you. It is the only way we are going to get out of this mess!

A recent picture from The Week in Rio and an attempt at social distancing measures. I think the cages actually make things worse and it's just plain crazy! I didn't take the picture--a friend who lives in Rio posted it and he is similarly dismayed.

Actually you should check with your insurer. Many have a provision where they cover you outside of the USA. When I was injured and in the hospital in Fortaleza I paid the hospital directly on my credit card before I left and Blue Shield reimbursed me 100%--but there are different policies managed by Blue Shield so check and get it in writing! For sure medicare will not cover you outside the USA.

It was a fractured ankle which I knew was better fixed in the USA. I did spend a few days in a hospital in Fortaleza while they organized the flight.

By private jet

Be aware that this insurance most likely is not evacuation insurance which is usually a separate policy. I got evacuated out of Brazil once after an accident there and it was great insurance to have. Most evacuation policies specifically state that they will not evacuate you if you actively have Covid however--so if you get sick and require hospitalization you would be stuck in a Brazilian hospital until no longer infectious.