How to Pick a GP

[Anthonyvan]

I am total new here, but all these crazy sex talks make me want to go visit Brazil really soon. 

Do you have any suggestions in terms of where to visit first and how to arrange the trip? Guest tomcal, TotallyOz, axiom2001, lurkerspeaks, and many others seem to have tons of insights about the colourful life in Brazil. I can be a shy guy, so not sure how to initiate the whole GP and sauna thing. Will that be an obstacle?

Thanks in advance for all the valuable advice!

[Guest bobbalino]

Check your visa requirements first off. A strike in US, CDN consulates, etc just ended but there is a processing back-log.

[redxs]

13 hours ago, Anthonyvan said:

I am total new here, but all these crazy sex talks make me want to go visit Brazil really soon. 

Do you have any suggestions in terms of where to visit first and how to arrange the trip? Guest tomcal, TotallyOz, axiom2001, lurkerspeaks, and many others seem to have tons of insights about the colourful life in Brazil. I can be a shy guy, so not sure how to initiate the whole GP and sauna thing. Will that be an obstacle?

Thanks in advance for all the valuable advice!

If able, can you write which country, region or city you are based?

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

Read all the info here and it tells you exactly what you can expect

[Guest bobbalino]

Welcome, Anthonyvan ... concrete, specific questions that can be answered briefly on this forum are more likely to yield responses, preferably inquiries you may still have after thoroughly reviewing the relevant post threads. 

A broad open-ended question is difficult to answer. Being shy presenting obstacles? "It all depends..." is the type of answer you might expect. But there are many generous members open to accommodating new or innovative inquiries where there may be gaps in the information on this site.

Thanks for reaching out.

 

[Anthonyvan]

9 hours ago, redxs said:

If able, can you write which country, region or city you are based?

From Toronto, Canada. Asian background and in my early 30s. Any suggestions?

[Anthonyvan]

8 hours ago, bobbalino said:

Welcome, Anthonyvan ... concrete, specific questions that can be answered briefly on this forum are more likely to yield responses, preferably inquiries you may still have after thoroughly reviewing the relevant post threads. 

A broad open-ended question is difficult to answer. Being shy presenting obstacles? "It all depends..." is the type of answer you might expect. But there are many generous members open to accommodating new or innovative inquiries where there may be gaps in the information on this site.

Thanks for reaching out.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I am totally new, so not sure what type of questions will be better suited for this forum. Any suggestions?

[12is12]

Please pardon my ignorance:

What's a GP ?

[trencherman]

9 hours ago, Anthonyvan said:

Thanks for the suggestions. I am totally new, so not sure what type of questions will be better suited for this forum. Any suggestions?

How about reading the threads that seem to touch on your interest then posting the first question that you may still have.

I'm sorry but you make it sound as though you are completely helpless.

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

GP is Garoto de Programma , which is Brazilian Portuguese for "working boy" or escort.

[Guest bobbalino]

Anthonyvan, do you possess a Canadian passport? Or are you a national of another country. That will determine visa requirements.  

Canadians require a visitors visa to Brazil. Not all nationalities do. You cannot plan without this step. If you find it too overwhelming, as it can be a challenge ... I am a person of reasonable means and experience and had to make 3 trips to consulate in person and also sacrificed several hundred dollars due to a visa delay necessitating trip cancellation for first voyage from Canada ... then maybe this is not for you. 

The Toronto and Ottawa consulates appear to be more flexible than Montreal. It is wise to bring a hard copy of all your financial assets to show the agent. You initiate the process online. You may be asked about your interest in Brazil in particular, especially if your passport is not "peppered" with evidence of some degree of international travel.

If you are Canadian, I will consider passing on to you a few additional tips I may have missed to facilitate the process,

Unfortunately, Air Canada pulled direct flights TO-Rio. One can book to Rio or other locations but the connection will be in Sao Paolo on a codeshare with GOL or Avianca. GOL is now linked for Star Alliance Aeroplan points for domestic legs. I have not used US airlines from Canada to Brazil, but Copa flies from Toronto or Montreal to several Brazilian cities via Panama City. 

Make sure you have had Hepatitis A and B prior exposure or vaccination. Take the Dukoral oral vaccine for GI issues, and bring Cipro for more extreme GI complications. I contracted dengue fever from Aedes Aegypti mosquito in Rio my second trip, non-hemorrhagic, but an enjoyment deal-breaker nonetheless. Bring an accurate body temp thermometer; the higher-grade Ovulation calibration is best. Make sure you have medical travel insurance.

[paulsf]

Are you trying to help him or scare him?   

[MsGuy]

I contracted dengue fever from Aedes Aegypti mosquito in Rio my second trip, non-hemorrhagic, but an enjoyment deal-breaker nonetheless.

Babalino, not to play Chicken Little, but...

I've read that Dengue comes in five or so variants and exposure to one confers long term immunity only to that particular variety.

Worse, though all of the variants normally produce only mild to moderate disability, for unknown reasons an initial exposure acts as a kind of booster for subsequent infections from a different version, often producing a very serious or even fatal illness the 2nd time around.

Just thought I'd post something cheerful to help you relax on your next trip.

[likeohmygod]

LOL bobbalino...I would not be so concerned about getting dengue fever, hepatitis A or cholera (i guess you're taking Dukoral to prevent it, since...it does nothing of proven against Traveler's diarrhea) in Rio, while following standard safety measures (like not eating raw food, drinking water only from bottles, using mosquitos repellant, avoid using strong perfumes during summer) and while staying in a tourist area of the city, i seriously think you should avoid at all cost traveling to South America, and more generally avoid saunas with escorts, where you can get much more serious diseases than dengue....like MRSA.

The fact that you got dengue in Rio just makes you very unlucky.

Check at this

It's easier to get a serious injury by driving a car at night. There is 0% risk during cold seasons.

Remember that Brazil attracts nearly 7 million tourists each year...in 2014 FIFA world cup has brought nealy 1 million people. Among tourists there have been 3 cases of Dengue, which all occurred in Belo Horizonte.

@Anthonyvan: just follow the following link to get all the information you need with bureaucracy

IATA Travel centre

By the way this has completely gone off topic.

@MsGuy: there are 4 "types". Prior exposition to DENV-3, makes DENV-2 infection worse. Same for DENV-2 and DENV-3 after exposition to DENV-1. Again...this is not something which is going to happen unless you leave main cities, or you visit favelas where it's easy to find conditions for mosquitos to reproduce.

[Guest bobbalino]

Yeah, I have published academically in several Infectious Diseases - themed periodicals, including Genitourinary Medicine, so know a little about the epidemiology of tropical and STdees. Maybe the 'skeeters get a whiff of that and it inflates my host appeal. Unlucky to be sure, but so worth the delights of Brazil. The incidence/prevalence at that time had peaked to about 1/1000.

My cautionary tale and travel clinic 'preachiness' was evidently less appealing to some.

So by all accounts, prophylaxis where possible and travel med insurance not so warranted?

My thrust was to be down to earth and reality-based, as that seemed to be the tenor of earlier responses. Both heads we possess can be upward-directed when faced with the prospects of those luscious GPs, but we want to circumvent needing a subsequent visit to our local GP, right? 

Heads in the clouds OK during plane time over Mississippi with visions of our mutual gods, oh my.

[likeohmygod]

Well I have to face "IDs" every day. I guess we may do the same job.

Your cautionary tale may look a bit scary to someone who reads "I contracted dengue fever from Aedes Aegypti mosquito in Rio" in a thread where the author is asking..."how do i meet GPs during my first travel in Brazil?". That's all i wanted to say.

Prophylaxis against Hep A and B is good (as it is a travel insurance), but what will keep you at safety in "civilized" South America is just "basic safety measures".

1/1000?...i guess it was in 2010.

[Guest bobbalino]

All good, thumbs up, coolio igrejas!

Dengue peaked in 2013 and slightly higher peak in 2015, my travel annus horribilis. One trip a wash and cancelled due to visa complications, second trip molten-lava grade travellers diarrhea in spite of OCD precautions, third trip febrile delirium due to dengue. All within 6 months.

Happy to report clean bill of health for my 2016 trips to Brazil so far. And I am likely a statistical outlier, so no need to shiver ye timbers, anyone.

BTW, nil reports of zika post Olympics from athletes and visitors.

[Anthonyvan]

2 hours ago, bobbalino said:

All good, thumbs up, coolio igrejas!

Dengue peaked in 2013 and slightly higher peak in 2015, my travel annus horribilis. One trip a wash and cancelled due to visa complications, second trip molten-lava grade travellers diarrhea in spite of OCD precautions, third trip febrile delirium due to dengue. All within 6 months.

Happy to report clean bill of health for my 2016 trips to Brazil so far. And I am likely a statistical outlier, so no need to shiver ye timbers, anyone.

BTW, nil reports of zika post Olympics from athletes and visitors.

Thank you for the input on the health issues. Are you an epidemiologist? 

Does the knowledge of all these infectious disease make you worried about getting together with the GPs? Or you just went to Brazil for the nice scenery and other activities?

Yes, I am Canadian and read that Brazil currently issue 5-year visa for Canadians who wish to travel to Brazil. What is your experience with the country and guys in general besides the infectious disease stuff? 

[Tomcal]

I have been to Brazil more then 75 times since 2001, visited the saunas every day i have been there without exception(i am here right now) and i have never got anything including a cold! Just saying

[Anthonyvan]

11 minutes ago, Tomcal said:

I have been to Brazil more then 75 times since 2001, visited the saunas every day i have been there without exception(i am here right now) and i have never got anything including a cold! Just saying

Good to hear that. With so many guys trying to get the patrons' attention at the sauna, how does one select? Any signs to watch out for?

[Guest bobbalino]

Here goes, Anthonyvan ... No, I am not worried about sauna venues and sexual partners as vectors of illness. Outside of tropical disease misfortune, my experience of Brazil has been 5-star. I intend to continue sucking the marrow out of that bone. Like most of us here, I prefer being cryptic about personal details other than what I have already put forward to contextualize some points. There is a saying Those who can't do ... teach. The majority of this forum are do experts. It requires getting on that learning curve, trial and error, eventually dovetailing your expectations and specifications with what is available and strikes your fancy. I do not patronize the stripper clubs in Toronto, and I understand one of them has gone the way of all flesh due to bldg development, but you might consider trial runs for the nuanced interactional aspects you allude to in terms of your info-seeking, notwithstanding some fundamental differences 'tween the 2 environments. In addition, one's initial forays in Brazil serve in a sense as dress rehearsals for scanning, long- and short-listing, the specifically focused GP, the mating dance, closing the deal, the slow dance, closing the loop on the transaction, and so on and so on.

[redxs]

7 hours ago, Anthonyvan said:

7 hours ago, Anthonyvan said:

Good to hear that. With so many guys trying to get the patrons' attention at the sauna, how does one select? Any signs to watch out for?

Good to hear that. With so many guys trying to get the patrons' attention at the sauna, how does one select? Any signs to watch out f

You will have no problem picking your guy. Go in the place, undress in locker room, walk around, check out the sauna, get a drink at the bar, relax a little, sit by a guy you like and make eye contact. Guys will come up and say hello to you, it will be pretty obvious and you can't miss it. Some may be shy, some more forceful, just go with what you are comfortable with. 

On your second visit you will be an old hag at this and giving other people advice! (The top three threads on Rio are good so read them, even if they are a few years old).

[Guest bobbalino]

13 hours ago, bobbalino said:

Dengue peaked in 2013 and slightly higher peak in 2015 ... 1/1000 incidence

Sorry, I was being bobbalino-centric and mislead ... southeast Brazil was 1/100 probability overall for each of those 2 full years. I adjusted my personal odds to account for being situated there for 5 weeks during 2015. Now being my own stickler.

[Guest bobbalino]

Back to the topic: I forgot to add that prior to my acquaintance with this forum, I had found a comprehensive piece on etiquette ... gay saunas with rentboys to be useful: manlymanners.wordpress.com is the source.

[Tomcal]

If you see someone you like wave them over to your table to use a old phrase "you snooze you lose"!  I Have several friends that are a little on the shy side and then see a guy they like and by the time you get enough Courage to ask him out he was gone with someone else! If he's cute grab him otherwise someone like me will. .-)