SolaceSoul

He’s been going to Brazil several times a year for many years, and is well-known among garotos, clients and sauna employees as a nice, personable, generous guy who doesn’t exactly spend his time counting pennies, lives the good life, and likes a lot of good sex. Did I just crack some secret code for you?

Of course, a winning personality does wonders. However....

Google is all sorts of free today. It must be having a big sale! https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/world/americas/brazil-coronavirus-cases.amp.html

If you do decide to go, whether alone or with a travel companion, but especially alone under your circumstances, I would recommend a gay tour guide. Fernando Bingre is the best one in the Bahia. He’s all over social media under that name and Bahia Tour Guide or Gay Tour Guide. He has plenty of international tourist clients from all over the world.

I’ve been regularly going to Salvador and the Bahia state for over a decade and it’s absolutely one of my favorite places in the world. I love the people, the history, the food, the culture, the music, the dialect, and yes, the men — and I’m a bit protective of it all. I’ve seen good and bad visitors come and go. I’ve seen people have wondrous experiences and I’ve watched tourists “get got”. From my perspective, I will address your concerns: Safety: No, it’s NOT “safe”, and also, yes it IS “safe”, depending on where you go, who you are, and who you’re with. The touristy area of Barra around the beaches (Porto da Barra and Farol da Barra) and the streets which face it are the safest in the day and relatively safe at night along the beach boardwalk. If you like to put your life on the line, you can try cruising at night around the lighthouse or the small Christ statue, where rough trade and malandros are just waiting with knives for horny gringo turistas. Also, the world-famous UNESCO site the Pelourinho district is nice to visit, but not adviseable to do at night alone if you’re new and stick out like a sore thumb (in recent years, it was being heavily patrolled by police to make it safer for tourists but lately, due to the economy, that’s backed off and the crime and drugs seemed to have taken over once more). So again, use caution — even someone who “fits in” shouldn’t be dumb enough to walk around those dark alleys at night. Areas like Rio Vermelho and Pituba are considered more upscale but may be out of the way for other areas of interest. Remember, there are lots of pockets of favelas all over Salvador, including on the outskirts of Barra, Ondina, Rio Vermelho and Pituba, and while most people are good and honest and frankly, unconcerned about you, there are plenty of poor, desperate people (especially young men) looking to prey on an out-of-place, non-Portuguese-speaking gringo tourist — especially one who is alone and without the benefit of locals. Crime and violence is higher in the Northeast of Brazil, where Salvador is. You can keep your chances of being a statistic down by staying in well-lit, well-traveled tourist areas in the daytime (where you’re a lot more likely to find English speakers), having a local guide for everything else, and sticking to Uber or cabs. If you look Caucasian or Asian, you’ll stick out like a sore thumb in Salvador. Of course, if you open your mouth, it’ll remove all doubt. This won’t matter much in well-traveled touristy areas, but can be a cause for concern elsewhere, which is why traipsing around Salvador alone under these circumstances is not such a good idea. Saunas: They’re not 117 in Rio or Lagoa in São Paulo. Perhaps they are more comparable to 202, but not on its busiest nights. Salvador is of a slower pace. The atmosphere is more laid-back, and the garotos de programa there are fewer and in most cases, more average to slimmer builds (with some exceptions). As mentioned many times before, 90% of the inhabitants of the city are black or mixed with black, so you’ll find a multitude of shades, but not much “white” (branco) there — if that’s what you seek, you should go to Porto Alegre in Rio Grande do Sul. The prices ARE already cheaper in Salvador and in the entire Northeast, so don’t be a dickcheese asshole and try to talk them down too much. The exchange rate would currently make 100 reais around only $17 USD. If you’re haggling over that at a sauna for a sexual encounter with a living, breathing human being, then you are seriously psychologically damaged and ethically compromised. Be prepared to take cabs or Ubers to and from the saunas.

Maybe the twinks and twiggies go for this rate in South Florida. I wouldn’t know, as it’s not my thing. But what is my thing, I DO know, and I am not aware of any muscled, physique or bodybuilder types in South Florida who go for less than $250 USD an hour.

Corrected above In bold. There is a 2 hour edit limit.

This sauna very recently changed its named from Termas Olympus (maybe because of new ownership or new management), which has been around for years. Believe it or not, it has actually gone through a renovation / visual improvement, but in terms of garotos, it’s always been very hit or miss. And every time you go there, the staff will tell you that it just happens to be slow at that time, but it is better later or on another night. Unsurprisingly, it never gets much better! But it sometimes on rare occasions can offer a good diversion, if you happen to be in the area (Tuiuti). This is most likely due to the COVID pandemic. Sauna Fox is usually busier and just as if not more lively than Clube 11, and that was the case during my last visit last year. Because they are on opposite ends of the peninsula, the two saunas tend to get two different neighborhoods of garotos and clients. I rarely see the same garotos at both 11 and Fox. But then again, in Salvador as in all parts of the Bahia and Northeast Brazil, the economy is comparably worse and businesses can often change or close at the drop of a hat. A few years ago, there was a sauna called Persona 12 that had the most beautiful men from the region. A year later, it was dead. A year later, it was closed. Same thing with many neighborhood gay clubs, bars and restaurants. During the pandemic, I’d expect this to worsen. As another black person in the USA who discovered for himself the beauty, history and kinship of Salvador and the Bahia over a decade ago (it was the first place in Brazil I ever visited) beyond just the sex tourism, I am genuinely very glad to read this part of your report. You’ve learned for yourself why an increasing number of black Americans (and just from the American South) have fallen in love with Salvador da Bahia and either are moving there permanently or consider it their second home. Salvador is actually the most African place in the world outside of the continent of Africa, and people of African descent from all over the world feel spiritually connected to the city, the Bahian state and its inhabitants. And yes, there ARE definitely things you can learn and experience there as a black person that non-black folks just won’t be able to even if they try to co-opt or colonize. I would move there in a heartbeat if there were work for me in my field (there is not much at all, unfortunately). Liberdade is an amazing comunidade (favela). If you’re invited by a favela resident, you can be welcomed into their parties and even their homes with open arms. What Salvador lacks in public LGBTQ bars and parties, it makes up for in comunidade and favela watering holes, parties and gatherings.

Understandable, but when in Rome...

Not in Brazil. The term “boy” (which in Portuguese is “garoto”) is only used to mean a “garoto de programa”, which is a male prostitute / hooker / escort / call guy. If you hear a BrazilIan Portuguese speaker use the word “boy”, that’s exactly what they mean — NOT the definition that you provided above. You will often hear garotos de programa refer to themselves as “boys”. However, it’s ONLY used in that context in Brazil. Referring to a BrazilIan with that term (“boy”) who is not a garoto de programa could cause you some serious embarrassment, anD perhaps even some physical problems. In the United States, referring to adult black men as “boys” is historically Insulting and highly problematic, but for different reasons from the ones discussed here. Perhaps universally not referring to ANY adult men as “boys” would be a better approach.

Also, I don’t think that most garotos at the saunas identify as gay. My observations over the years are that maybe 90% or above identify as straight (some bi) and are just gay-for-pay or gay-for-the-stay. Maybe another poster with plenty of experience at the saunas can chime in if they think my numbers are off. Gay men looking for other gays for sex can go to the non-payboy saunas in Brazil, of which there are quite a few. There are plenty of regular, run-of-the mill, “guy next door” type gay guys at those kinds of saunas, the kind you might see as a customer at a regular gay bar in Brazil — and then, you can really put your attractiveness and charm to the test, since money is not a motivator. Rio G Sauna in Ipanema in Rio is one, Wild Thermas or Chili Pepper in São Paulo are two others, Sauna Rios or Paradise in Salvador are some others.

I think good sex is all in the head, so if your partner is not someone you would be very attracted to or turned on by, you’re less likely to think the sex is great. Or maybe that’s me! Some people are just wired to be (or maybe are trained or conditioned to be) sexually attracted to specific types, while others have broader sexual tastes. I can give examples from my Immediate social circle of wolves — one likes hairy, swarthy Mediterranean / Arab types; another is only into smooth twinks; another likes tall, dark, skinny basketball player types with huge dicks; another likes short, fire hydrant-height bottoms; another likes street trade with “character faces”; another wants them to look like a model fresh out of GQ Magazine; the last one wants to get fucked by anything with a huge dick, looks be damned! I prefer masculine, muscular men, dark or olive-skinned. Sometimes, my friends and I can overlap in what we like, but not that often. One of my friends told me that “I’m missing out on the good twinks”, yet I remain unmoved. I try to get him into one of my favorite guys, and he says “there’s nothing that a statue can do for me”. As one of my good friends likes to say, variety is the spice of life.

Hello, Babybear: I have spent quite a bit of time all over Brazil over the last decade, and continue to do so. I’m a bit hesitant to delve again into pricing discussions here because oddly, some posters seem to equate the amount of money they pay for sex (whether it’s a smaller or a larger amount) with their self-worth or their physical attractiveness — and it has to do with neither of those things (It’s purely transactional. Stop. The End.) Nevertheless, regarding overnights with garotos de programa in Brazil, I will provide you with my personal experience and the experience of my travel partners (all of whom vary in physical appearance and personal tastes in men, but are in the same socioeconomic class in the USA and Europe): Asking prices for pernoite (overnights) can vary widely — depending on what Brazilian city you’re in, the demand of the garoto from other clients, how he looks and his self-perceived value. In general, the “guy next door types” / average guys / twinks will expect and cost less, while the Greek Gods / body boys / muscle guys : supermodels / “Beach Barbies” expect and ask for more. (I suspect that at least one of the garotos that quoted you the 800 - 1000 R range fit in the latter category — or at least perceived himself to be In it.) Also, consider that some garotos, due to family or other obligations, do not even like or want to do overnights, and consider pricing them simply on a time basis (by the hour, instead of pernoite), and thus, will charge accordingly. So again, it depends. I have seen or have been quoted overnight prices from anywhere from $200R to $2000R. Yes, I said $2000R. Now, I don’t know anyone who admitted to actually paying that amount out — I certainly did not — but that was the garoto’s quoted overnight price. A good rule of thumb is to follow the 80/20 rule. High 3 figures to 1000 reais in SP and RJ is not an unusual overnight asking price for a number of the “Greek God” types. Estimated about 10% will ask in this range. The lower range of around 200R or so from the average “guy next door” or “man on the street” types is probably around another 10%. But in the mid 3 figures (which would include your expected range of 400 R, but that’s usually a variable, not a hard and fast number), you should be able to happily secure an overnight with about 80 percent of the available garotos, which should include a wide range of looks and body types. (Prices are generally less in the North and NE regions of Brazil. It should not be shameful, insane, indentured servitude less, but slightly less due to cost of living differences.)

For severe COVID-19 illness, hospital treatment is care to support lung and other vital organ functions. You’re suggesting that respirators and ventilators, and not the actual complications due to COVID-19, are the cause of death for those with serious advanced COVID -19 illness? Or are you asserting that clinical trials of Remdesivir and convalescent plasma are killing hospitalized COVID patients? Here is Mount Sinai’s current protocol for treatment for patients with COVID-19. Why don’t you take a look and tell us which currently medically approved procedure for managing the care of patients infected with COVID-19 is, in your opinion, actually their cause of death. https://www.mountsinai.org/files/MSHealth/Assets/HS/About/Coronavirus/MSHS-Treatment-Guidelines-COVID.pdf

WHAT “treatment”? There currently is no effective treatment for COVID-19. Where are you getting your information from?

Hello, Alaskabear. i have been going to Salvador regularMy since 2009. My last visit was late last year, pre-pandemic. Unless there have been some drastic decor or design changes, that is not Club 11 (formerly Planetario), Sauna Fox or Sauna Olympus. I have never been to the Thermas Clube 13 near the airport. so I can’t speak on that one. I’d also point out that, since he’s in shorts, the photo was probably not taken at a sauna (although some garotos do wear shorts, it’s less common).

There is a saying in Brazilian Portuguese that in English, translates best as “The finger is worth more than the ring.” Putting it bluntly, some malandros will cut off a finger just to get to the ring, or slice an ear just to grab the earring. Or slice the wrist to take the watch, or the neck to grab the necklace. A few meters away, most cannot tell the difference between a cheap watch / necklace / ring and an expensive one. They’ll only find out after they grabbed it off you and ran away, and hopefully for your sake, you weren’t sliced or diced up in the process. I am entering my 11th straight year of going to Brazil, and about half of those visits are months-long stays. I wouldn’t advise a new traveler to behave as familiar with the place as I do, and even after more than a decade, I am not cavalier. One can still enjoy Brazil and exercise caution. I think it’s important, @Tomcal, for us both to disclose to new(er) posters here that, even as much as we love Brazil and as much as we travel there and feel “familiar”, we have both “gotten got” (been victims of crimes, or attempted at least). Yours (as you posted before) was by gunpoint outdoors in very upscale Ipanema. Mine was a snatch and grab (by a malandro on a bike) in broad daylight at the edge of Copanema and Ipanema. I know more brasileiros and regular-visiting foreigners who HAVE gotten got than have not. I also have a good friend who has been robbed on the streets of São Paulo three of the last four times he has visited. Some things are avoidable, but sometimes it’s just a numbers game and when it’s your time, it’s your time. Don’t wear a target on your shirt and tempt fate.

Hello, Don: Hete is a good primer site ViaHero for you. I find this blogger / website to be quite reasonable, especially for newbies. This one section on “safety” is good, but I also recommend reading the whole site. “Here are some more tips to keep you safe in Rio: Don’t... leave your bag unattended. put your wallet in your back pocket or the outside pocket of a bag. walk alone on the beach at dusk or at night. take out and/or use your cell phone more than absolutely necessary. wear jewelry in the street. openly carry a camera. take more than you need to the beach. Do... put your money, credit cards, passport and ticket in the safe deposit box of your hotel. take cabs rather than buses. roll up the windows of your car or taxi if you are stuck in a traffic jam. ask the police for help if you need it. Don't travel blindly. Work with one of our locals” https://www.viahero.com/travel-to-rio-de-janeiro/is-rio-de-janeiro-safe

Never wear jewelry, watches or cameras in the streets, and keep your smart phones tucked away in your pockets. Wallets should never be in the back pocket. I would also advise against any headphones and Bluetooth ear pieces as well as AirPods. A camera is a definite NO. The savvier malandros will carry a sharp knife with them to cut the cord From your neck, arm or ear and just keep running with your items. The others might just rip it from you with their bare hand strength or sometimes, hold you up for it with a weapon. Although foreigners (no matter how often they visit and start to feel “comfortable” or “blended in”, and no matter how intimidating they may think they are) should not do any of these things, even a local brasileiro would say that it’s a bad idea for them to carry these things on the street as well. Just because you’ve been doing these things and you haven’t yet “gotten got”, that doesn’t mean you’re immune to it. It just means that your time hasn’t come up yet. Why tempt fate? Anyone (here or in the real world) who advises you otherwise is not your friend, your pal, or your amigo, and does not have your best interests at heart.

The advice to go to a Provider’s location instead of having him come to yours was incredibly wrong headed. If you do not know the garoto well, DO NOT do an “in call” (at their place) — especially if you are new to Brazil / the area, or are unfamiliar with the people and the language. There is a lot of really bad advice given at this forum — often by those who portray themselves as experts. But this — recommending visiting a garoto for a programa at his location or apartment — is absolutely one of the worst. If you (understandably) can’t or don’t want to do the programa at your apartment or hotel, then get a room at one of the many “love motels” in the area. It’s what almodt every brasileiro who has a quickie or an affair does with their tricks and mistresses. It’s why the love motels are so common and so popular. They are usually by the hour. And they are much safer.

But selfish assholes don’t care about this. And if anything, this pandemic has proven that too many Americans are selfish to the core.

There’s no scientific evidence that previous exposure to or infection from the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 creates any future immunity. In fact, the most recent evidence is showing quite the opposite: ”People who developed only mild to moderate symptoms tended to produce fewer neutralizing antibodies than people with severe cases of COVID-19. A recent study found that 65 days after infection had passed, only 17 percent of participants still had potent levels of neutralizing antibodies in their blood. Early research has found that people who’ve recovered from COVID-19 do carry SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells” https://www.healthline.com/health-news/covid-19-antibodies-may-fade-quickly-what-this-means-for-herd-immunity

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-cardinal-mccarrick-beach-house-sex-ring-suit-20200722-5n6kcz4aczbt5b2yrjuwpfkmyi-story.html ——————————————- Former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick ran a depraved sex ring of underage boys at a beach house on the Jersey Shore, a disturbing new lawsuit claims. The suit, filed by a man using the pseudonym Doe 14, claims that in 1982 and 1983, when he was as young as 14 years old, he and other victims were taken on weekend overnight trips to a Sea Girt beach house. “McCarrick assigned sleeping arrangements, choosing his victims from the boys, seminarians and clerics present at the beach house,” according to the suit filed in state court under New Jersey’s Child Victims Act. “On these occasions, minor boys were assigned to different rooms and paired with adult clerics.” The victim claims that he fell into McCarrick’s clutches in 1982 through Brother Andrew Hewitt, who was then principal at Essex Catholic Boy’s High School. Hewitt allegedly abused Doe. He also introduced McCarrick to Doe as someone who could help pay the boy’s school tuition, the suit claims. At the time, McCarrick was Bishop of the Archdiocese of Metuchen. He became a cardinal in Feb. 2001. Hewitt died in 2002. The suit names other members of the Catholic Church who also allegedly abused Doe. It alleges that McCarrick steadily climbed the hierarchy of the church despite being dogged by accusations of abuse for decades. The Archdiocese of Newark, which is named in the suit, did not respond to an inquiry. McCarrick, 90, in 2018 became the first cardinal in nearly a century to resign from his position following his suspension for a credible sexual abuse allegation involving an altar boy in New York. He’s denied wrongdoing.

Two BrazilIans I know showed up for the 202 re-opening, and the doors were locked. It looks like the opening has been postponed.

That Bacardi bottle is almost as big as he is.