HiThereAll

I think you have to be more careful due to your frailty. Some folks can blend in and get around ok, plus speaking some of local language always helps. I would agree that you do not want to be the only person on the street.

Hi Folks: Getting out of the heat and heading to Rio. Ticket prices are very wonky now, seeing one way prices from 350-3500 USD at different times of the same day or for one day, but not an adjacent day! Did not find good fares to Fortaleza, perhaps due to connection or airline partner issues. Did see some reasonable non Rio or SP fares, but only to Belo Horizonte. It is a bus ride from BH to some charming Colonial cities. FWIW Bogota, Panama City, Ecuador, and Peru had good fares. Montevideo via Copa and Buenos Aires, Santiago (via multiple airlines) were a bit pricier vs Brazil, but not super high. Cheers.....

Might bring back a few memories. Not sure is this really was from 2013/14/15. No idea if this is current location or contact information. If all is changed post COVID, feel free to delete to avoid any confusion.

There is also a porn theatre just to the left of Sexy Rose. Mostly older guys, so keep your expectations low, but when it's hot the theatre is super hot. There is some pay for pay at the theatre, often around 20 RS, but quality varies. I have been to both places noon-1700 hrs ish before 117 or 202. Sexy Rose gets many guys mid 20s-40s, but none seem to be pay for play. There is another porn theatre near centro, but I have not been there in years. As for cruising bars, there is supposed to be a good one in centro, but you might have to try a net search to find it. Meio Mundo gets bad reviews from punters I met at 117 or 202 a few months ago. The gay bars and clubs of Ipanema late night party fame seem to be no more. I posted on a club on the Aproador side of Copa previously, but it was mostly for drinking and dancing, not pay for play. Same is true for the clubs at the Leme end of Copa. You might try various phone apps like grindr or scruff; might be others. Hunqz (?spelling), planet romeo, garotos.com, etc for website shopping. I seemed to do ok on grindr, including for free sex with younger guys, and yes, some guys who tried to hustle me as well. I do speak some PT which helps. I am no model, but not an eye sore either, and sometimes get great non paid sex with average younger guys. Of course, for the hunky guys, it's pay for play at 117 or 202. Given the several love motel murders in the past year, safety is an issue. I have used the one in Copa towards the Fort end. There is another in Cinelandia that I have not used. About 100 RS, I think for an hour or so. That said, I have done grindr hook ups at the other person's place multiple times. Mind you, no drugs and I am not drinking at the time either. I carry my own water and usually leave soon after we are done.

Brazil CPF application instructions, June 2023 and doterra dot com Hello Folks: This is not intended to be a discussion of whether or not to get a CPF. For me the decision was easy as on prior trips, things would have been easier and less expensive with a CPF. For those only spending a short time in Brazil it might not be worth applying - up to you. No doubt there is more than 1 way to do this, but the method I found via the doterra.com website was accurate and I received an email with my CPF number in less than 1 week. Once received, I printed out the document. For a longer stay in Brazil, I would suggest printing several copies and keeping one on your cell phone. The doterra instructions were very helpful. There is no cost to apply. https://media.doterra.com/br-otg/pt/flyers/gac-step-by-step-english.pdf (You can also use: https://www.gov.br/mre/pt-br/embaixada-helsinque/consular-services/cpf-taxpayer-registry-for-individuals and link to: https://servicos.receita.fazenda.gov.br/Servicos/CPF/cpfEstrangeiro/Fcpf.asp) Use your full name, including any middle name, as your name on the application must match that of your non Brazilian passport. Not sure how or if the Brazilian folks processing the application know about mom, but put a first and last name, not just a maiden last name. Save a pdf of the Brazil generated application form with your information on it, print it, sign it and scan it. You will send this back to Brazil via email, along with the items below. Perform a good quality scan of your passport picture and signature pages. Get a good quality head (selfie) photo with your passport’s face picture along with the ID information on that passport page clearly showing by your head. I pasted all 3 into a MS Word document and sent that back to Brazil via email. Put your name, date, and application number on each page. I also made a pdf copy of the word document to send back to them as well, along with the signed application form as a separate document, so 2 pdf documents and 1 MS Word document were attached. I also put my full name, date, and application number in the email subject line. I also included a short application memo in English and google translated to Portuguese (as my language skills are not perfect) in the email body – which included my address, phone number and email address. Hello: Attached please find a signed and scanned pdf copy of my CPF application along with copies of my passport photo and signature pages, and me holding my passport. Microsoft Word and pdf files are attached for your convenience. Please let me know if additional information is required. Thank you Olá: Em anexo, encontre uma cópia em PDF assinada e digitalizada do meu pedido de CPF, juntamente com cópias da minha foto do passaporte e páginas de assinatura, e eu segurando meu passaporte. Os arquivos do Microsoft Word e PDF estão anexados para sua conveniência. Por favor, deixe-me saber se informações adicionais são necessárias. Obrigado Email to send attachments: cpf.residente.exterior@rfb.gov.br Hope this helps.

The Boyberry in Barcelona sells some sex toys and is a bit of a gay video store too. They have some lockers for 1 Euro, returned when you leave for your coat etc. Then they have some video cabins with some small sliding doors over 20 cm or so glory holes. There is a downstairs too. I think it is open Tuesday and Sunday. Many booths simply to have sex in. Downstairs also has some dark rooms. The Boyberry in Madrid seems more like a bar up front. You have to get a drink or soda, etc to enter. 1 Euro or so for coatcheck, no lockers. Then more limited booths and a downstairs with booths as well. My guess is that both Boyberry places need many folks to pay 6-8 euros or so to enter or have a drink for them to stay in business. The places were about as clean as possible for piggy sex type places. Neither is a stripper place. I was never aware of any pay for play guys. But like I said, there were a few very good looking guys. Both places had a mix of guys looking for sex with other regular guys. Not too many bears or very old guys. My guess would be a mix from mid-late 20s to early 60s, a few gym rats, but mostly average build guys. I am not in my 20s or 30s, and I do not look like a fashion model, but still had plenty of fun, as an average sort of guy who plays nicely with other guys. Although the sauna boys would likely have been very hot, I am usually ok paying less than 10 euros to get off with others rather 50-80+ euros with a sauna boy. If i am looking for something special, the pay for play sauna will be there, well, at least in Barcelona.

In Spain, both in Barcelona and Madrid, there were a few guys at Boyberry and standing around the outside of a few gay bars / clubs that were super hot and could have been by the hour. That stated, I simply assumed that the Abercrombie surfer dude or moderate sized but cute and muscular latin types were just regular folks. I did try playing a bit with one such guy but he was not interested, so I let things pass. Also, someone has recently noted that the boy sauna in Madrid is no more and perhaps Sauna ? Paraiso has taken its place. I cannot comment.

Barcelona: Had incredible luck at Boyberry. Even found someone to have a date with !! Therefore, I did not do Thermas, etc. Pretty cold, so I did not do the leather bars or discos, especially as regular guys at Boyberry were fine for sex. Grindr was also busy. Granada, Malaga, Cordoba, and Sevilla: Grindr had traffic, but the local guys seemed desperate. They would send me messages and pics and then be pissed as we never hooked up. Mind you, I never contacted them and often never replied to a single message due to lack of interest. Sevilla was better. From years ago, I thought Sevilla had a boy bar, but could not find one this trip. Madrid: Seemed like Chueca had tons of gay places. Guys at Boyberry fulfilled my needs so never needed the other bars or Grindr guys. Definitely some pay for play boys on grindr in Barcelona and Madrid; maybe Sevilla. Not sure of prices. Hunqz had nice looking guys listed as well as morbototal. For all of these places, tourists looking to get off and various local horny guys will vary with the seasons. As for boys, seemed like many more in the bigger cities, as expected.

Update for January 2023 and thank you to the OP and all of the other posts: The peri post COVID world is a very different place. I had great luck on Grindr with regular guys as in the past. I think I only saw 1 pay for play boy and I was not interested. In Athens the Kosmopolit Cinema is closed. There are folks hanging out in the alley away from Onomia Square and towards the police station half a block away. Usually only 1-4 at a time, and I assume mostly druggies. There is one nice looking guy from pre COVID days that does hang out in front of the Cosmopolit Hotel occasionally. He also hangs out with the druggies too, LOL. Sometimes the police hang out in this area and thus there is no trade to be had. The hotel can still be used by the hour. 30 E for the guy and 10 E for the hotel. Only saw a very other folks hanging around and possibly plying trade in this area and towards Omonia Square sort of at the side of the Hondos Center and alley / street. Another hotel by the hour is the youth hostel on a perpendicular street about 2 blocks away. 10 E for 1 hour. Only saw women hanging out for trade here. The park north of the archeological museum still has some action, but far less than in the old days. The park is moderately large and I only walked around the several block areas near the Athena statue and entrance Konstantinos on horseback statue. Not sure of the cost, as I was not interested in those offering pay for play. Several potential boys never got away from their cell phones to say hi. All of the guys seemed to be in their 20s - 40s. Be aware that lots of kids and families now hang out in the park. Very few did in the past, when druggies predominated. Several times I did see some truly hot guys but going into the hotels with a client or likely on the way to meet a client. I do not speak greek or arabic and I think this is what those boys spoke. Never saw these boys again. Never sought trade in the big park near Plaka that folks talk about. Never sought trade much after sunset in a park. Also, too cold to do this at midnight. Samy's Bar is open, but I did not go there 1 am on a Friday / Saturday night. In the past, this general area had folks plying trade. Did not see anything obvious on this trip. Also did not see any places with "open" doors for folks to romp around in this trip. I would guess the local politicians have invested major resources to clean the area up. I had good luck at a very clean adult porn theatre about a 10 minute walk west of Cosmo. Just average horny guys, no pay for play. About 7-10 E entry fee. There is a grimier adult cinema perhaps 25 meters from the Economy Hotel, the one closet to the corner and perpendicular to the hotel, not the adjacent one a bit further away. Another porn places faces the Economy, but seemed permanently closed. Wow, had lots of fun here. One guy, likely in his 40s was about 10 E, others wanted more. Usually only 1-4 boys when I went and sometimes 1 or 2 were asleep sometimes on a couch or in the main theatre, LOL. Some spoke some English, others spoke no English, French, Spanish or German. Guys always asked for more when paying. Up to 30 E. There is an upper level and a lower level with lockable door rooms, but you need a cell phone for lighting, as there is none otherwise. One guy stole about 25 E from me and accosted me in the locked room as he wanted far more than agreed to. So be warned, some of this is rough trade. Despite screaming, no one will try to assist you. Did tell the guy who takes your 5 E entry so he could make sure the guy does not come in again. Also had the best sex in Athens trip with another boy to follow !! We had another romp a few days later in a hotel for an hour. Couple weeks later he calls me on what's app trying to get me to send him money, LOL. I mostly was looking from around 1400-1800 hrs in the park and Cosmo areas and as late as 2000 hrs at the cinema by Economy. All in all, despite a bit of danger, I had fun

Forgot to add: Koln has one of the nicest bath houses in Europe, if still open due to COVID. It is also a very good gay city with many bars of all types (memories of pre COVID travels). The old center has been partially rebuilt and is very pleasant. Kolner Don survived the war. Easy airplane access (close to the city center) and a good HbF.

FWIW: I have been to Rio for NYE. Great fun, but remember they might require pre purchase of Metro tickets to go to or leave the area of your party. Otherwise, good luck getting back to where you are staying - might have to walk. Same was true at Mardi Gras from what a friend told me 10 years ago. If you are staying in Copa there might be fireworks at the beach. Will 117 or Pointe have a party, I would not think it likely. NYE 2023 might be slower than pre COVID, who knows. Be aware that many people still mask in Rio !! For Germany, NYE: Silvester in Frankfurt am Main (nicht zum Oder !!) it's cold but very enjoyable. Not known to most non Germans. There are leather bars with backrooms near the center and hotels near the DB HbF are not that expensive. MN on one of the bridges was very much enjoyable. Lots of security too, which is a good thing these days. Celebrating New Year's Eve in Frankfurt - Frankfurt-Tipp www.frankfurt-tipp.de/en/specials/new-years-eve-celebrations-in-frankfurt.html Yes, speaking German would help. Koln, Colonie, Cologne for Karneval, Carnaval, Mardi Gras. Not known to the English speaking world. But huge fun for the German speakers. www.bing.com/search?q=koln%20carnaval&qs=n&form=QBRE&=%25eManage%20Your%20Search%20History%25E&sp=-1&pq=koln%20carnaval&sc=10-13&sk=&cvid=F162934925C9438A9206BABA49EEF774&ghsh=0&ghacc=0&ghpl= The Cologne Carnival (German: Kölner Karneval)

Brazil cell phone Sim cards and the CPF etc: Huge topic that I cannot resolve here. Any assistance more than appreciated. There are many posting for recent advice via: How to Buy a Brazilian SIM Card & Stay Connected • I Heart Brazil www.iheartbrazil.com/brazil-sim-card/ This website seems to have the best information as of now (late 2022). Combined with my lack of full success, here is what I know: Buy a SIM card from some place: kiosk, drugstore (if they sell them) or an official office of one of the big companies. Perhaps, kiosk guy will offer to add the CPF, if so, pay him immediately !!! Well worth most any cost !!! My kiosk guy thought I was BR and did make the offer. When the SIM card of 12GB for 29.99 R$ stopped working after 48-72 hours another guy was working the kiosk and sort of said tough luck buddy. The official company office will add your passport information, so yes, bring your PP. Needed as foreigners likely do not have a CPF number or official ID card with this information. (The CPF also provides many discounts when shopping, again, not available to those without it. Yes, it is very difficult for a foreigner to get a CPF on a short visit – would require another topic set of postings). And yes, seems only one of the very few true company offices can do this. In Rio, for Claro, there is one at Rio Sul Shopping Center. I went to the actual company HQ on Pres Vargas in centro, adjacent to a M stop. What a cluster – after 2 hours only thing resolved was the addition of my docs to my sim based new Rio phone number – and only so long as the phone number is active ! Briefly, I was told in PT that my 30R$ only bought a SIM and absolutely nothing else, despite me showing them the packaging re 12 GB of data. They then said the balance was 0 GB. I accepted being ripped off for 30 R$. After watching them sell many SIM cards at this office, they told me there was a “problem” that could not be resolved at their own HQ store and they could not sell me a new sim card to add data to my cell phone (this alone took them about 20 minutes). Have you ever had a bad experience with a government agency in your home country? That is what happened here. They said I should buy the original card at the official company store along with providing PP at same time. Then at various times told me to buy original sim card at kiosk 10 meters away or a nearby drug store, bring the sim in with my PP and have them activate it. Each person gave me a different story and even the same people gave me different replies minutes apart. Two people spoke some English and tried in their own way to be helpful, but in the end they were not helpful. Surprisingly, even with Her Majesty’s passport which has lots of English and French, the woman who spent 15 full minutes typing in all of my information (also insane) insisted that every word we spoke be in PT. Insanity to the max. The sim seemed to function fine for another 48-72 hours, then stopped and I received some messages via text in PT with non functional links from Claro. Went to a drugstore to “top up” or buy data GB - but they did not sell the data plan cards, etc. No one had any clue as to what 10 or 20 etc R$ would actually provide for me, besides 30 days of service. I paid 10 R$ at the register and in minutes data worked. But no idea how much data was available to me. I had 3 calls with an old friend, perhaps the 10 R$ covers calls at 2.68 R$ per call. But not sure. As for data, I have used 500+ MB in over a week and only about 100 MB (not GB) since going to the Claro office. Mostly used for google maps or a fast email check. I realize this has been a lengthy post and without full resolution. But this is all I know and I suspect many others have had cell issues in BR. Anyone with additional helpful hints? If so, please post. Obrigado

Grindr and scruff have been very weird lately. Five times in 3 days just before completing arrangements for a meet up for R$, the Boy's profile disappears. Perhaps I am having worse luck than the highly rated national football teams (at FIFA, a strangely high number of top rated teams have lost matches). Love Hotels: One of the hottest possible GPs I saw was walking towards 117 from the M Gloria area. I was about to say hello. Then he crossed the street and went to the Alameda Hotel (Love Motel) across from 117. Oh well. There is at least 1 love hotel / motel in Cinelandia near Sexy Rose on the parallel street to the west. In mid south Copa there is the Vanity Hotel. I think there is another in Copa near Leme, and another might be in Leblon. I have not been to any of these places this trip. Nor have I seen anyone else here post about using them. At 100 R$ or so (cost prior to COVID) seems a very safe place to romp with someone if 117 or pointe is too far away or if you do not require the social scene, etc. I have used Vanity in the past even for non GP encounters when neither of us was hosting. The rooms were clean.

Humor: Well, in the great cold north we have heard of places where the ocean meets the land and has sand. Average water temps are often very cold in the North. To go to this mythical warm water place called the “beach” the Great Spirit invented Ibiza, Jamaica, Mykonos, Mexico, Sydney, and of course, Rio. To get to these places something called “Economy Class”, aka steerage was also invented. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away…. In the Pacific NW we have heard of this thing called sunshine, but locally it is often simply a rumor. See the picture below of a nice day in Vancouver. Without high-speed film you missed the ray of sunlight. LOL. (see pic below) Remember, we do not tan, we rust !! In the Pacific NW (rainforest from Portland, OR, to Seattle, WA, to Vancouver BC, and up to Alaska) we have the biggest blood suckers anywhere, the fabled Moose-Quito: (see pic below)

Moderator, Please let me know if I posted to the incorrect area. Thank you. Obrigado