The Reopening of Brazil to Foreigners: some observations

[BrazilianBoiChaser]

13 hours ago, numazu1 said:

Brazil Health Theater – Sao Paulo Edition

Some thoughts about the COVID-caused changes that I’ve seen here in Sao Paulo. We are indeed living in a changed world. 

Brazil Bans Pillows

https://onemileatatime.com/brazil-bans-pillows-airplanes/

This seemed ridiculous at first when I innocently asked a flight attendant, while I was getting setup for my Houston to Sao Paulo, why there are no pillows, and there are extra duvets available in Business Class. 

Apparently Brazil has waged a war against pillows, but not blankets and duvets.  Thank goodness I always take a travel pillow with me in case I need more extra cushioning, but the duvets were enough to act as a pillow as well. I wonder why did Brazil banned pillows on flights. I am unsure what the exact science in behind the decision was, but here we are.

Sao Paulo Hotel Measures

I’ve considered the Staybridge Suites in Itaim bibi, Sao Paulo, to be a good first hotel to stay to start up a Sao Paulo trip, before I spend time in my main AirBNB digs.  This is primarily because with my IHG status, checking in at 9 AM is no problem for them and I get a room in no time to sleep the flight off.

Some interesting measures they have executed for COVID:

There was a Health questionnaire at check-in, which was pretty standard I think. Just asking if you have a fever or ever been close to a COVD positive person n the past 14 days. And also a plastic barrier at check-in. Very common nowadays:

At the room, you see a lot of things wrapped in plastic, I guess to show that those items have been sanitized and you don’t have to worry about getting COVID though them:

Remotes:

The free coffee:

Utensils, carefully wrapped individually:

Also you get a complementary COVID kit, with a mask, mini hand-sanitizer, and moist towelettes.

They even had hand sanitizer dispensers powered by foot everywhere:

I did feel that the hotel was doing its best to assure their guests that they take COVID seriously. I felt pretty safe and COVID was the furthest from my mind.  This is all well and good, but then again I invited guys over to my room numerous times during my 3 night stay, so this COVID-free façade of mine may not have lasted long.  Oh well, you can’t win it all, you can minimize risks, not eliminate them, unless you just stay home forever.

Uber Safety

I haven’t used the Metro in SP yet, but Uber here had varying degrees of engineering controls and COVID equipment to protect drivers and riders from each other. Uber has a mask requirement now for both rider and driver, and I’ve seen all drivers with masks.  And all the rides had hand sanitizers available in the car as well.  But I’ve been in one ride that took things further and installed a plastic shield, separating you from the driver, and also advising you to keep the windows open for ample ventiltion, which is smart:

The drivers will just go ahead and help you with your luggage, so if you’re pretty sensitive with having others handle your stuff, make sure you handle the baggage yourself.

Ghost Towns and Half Measures

I did not expect things to be normal, or even half normal, upon my return, but I mainly saw fairly deserted spaces with chairs taken out so people can’t conglomerate. The two main restaurants that were my favorites when staying at the Staybridge were super sad:

The gay bars in Frei Caneca were populated, albeit probably 20% of normal, and no one had a mask on, because people were drinking:

Sunday is always exercise day for SP, and during COVID, this was still the case, with Uber making sure everyone exercising were wearing masks, and most of them were:

Finally, grocery stores also had plastic barriers, and alcool gel at the ready:

What Not To Do: 25 de Marco and Bras Shopping

These two shopping areas, filled with street vendors and vendors with shops, and filled with cheap Paraguayan and Chinese (and Brazilian) swag, has been open since June, and while everyone was wearing masks, if you know how the mix of street vendors, hawkers, narrow alleyways and shop fronts, and people eager to find a deal, looks like, then it is impossible to do any meaningful social distancing in this type of setup.

Not sure what the city of Sao Paulo was thinking with reopening this, and I am not sure what we were thinking when we went as well, but I guess we were also very eager to find deals. I would not recommend going to anyone, but yet, I did, and will probably go back before the trip is done.

What Not To Do: Clandestine Parties

AGAIN don’t do this, but I must admit that I wanted to see what it looked like, which is a dance party in the middle of COVID. There are many reasons why Sao Paulo has the most cases and deaths among states in Brazil.  One of them are the clandestine dance parties that has happened, and continued to happen, during this COVID times.

Once the BF and I reunited, and in the succeeding days met with our friends, we immediately got invited to the next “balada clandestina” or secret parties that usually happen in smaller towns just outside the city limits of Sao Paulo. We did not want to go, but at least wanted to see what it looked like. Photos and videos were frowned upon, but going into the party, I saw a world before COVID, as in no one was wearing a mask, nor social distancing, no anything. We didn’t stay long, probably best we didn’t go at all.

 

https://www.sbt.com.br/jornalismo/sbt-brasil/noticia/144528-estabelecimentos-funcionam-de-forma-clandestina-durante-pandemia-em-sp

What To Do: Parque ibirapuera

One of the places I love in Sao Paulo, even more than Lagoa, is Ibirapuera Park. I’ve been numerous times before, but the current BF had a way to make this place a must-go every trip. And outdoor places are having a renaissance nowadays with the restrictions in indoor gatherings during the age of COVID.

Everyone seemed to get the memo too, as there was a lot of people waking the trails of the park. There is strict mask wearing all throughout, and with the winter in Sao Paulo making the sun bearable with a mask, it was actually a pretty amazing time just being in Brazil, with Brazilians, in a way that does not make you want to wash your hands 20 times afterward. And with the sun out this week, not a bad venue to eye many a hot Brazilian running shirtless.

Probably the best thing I’ve done here this trip, so far.

I’m off to Rio tomorrow. I’ll update when I can. Beaches during COVID should be fun.

I can't believe they let the gay clubs be open. @numazu1 Do you know if there is any trade at the gay clubs usually? Did they at least have reduced hours at the clubs?

Thanks for the detailed report! Can't wait to hear about Rio!!!

[numazu]

On 8/12/2020 at 4:02 AM, floridarob said:

Thought you were going to say that , I watch pennies....I do, lol

You should post this on Gay Thailand.....The gay scene isn't cheap there compared to Brasil, Mexico, Colombia    

Yes, the scene in Thailand is not cheap at all. It's still fun tho. Too bad tho that they don't seem to be opening anytime soon, like Brazil did.

20 hours ago, floridarob said:

I'm heading down tomorrow, In Cancun now...where I live, they instituted the dry law to help with covid 

Can you imagine me being in a dry law place even when I have enough stocked up?

You must be traveling now as I type this.  Too bad I am now in Rio for the foreseeable few weeks. Maybe next time in Mexico.

Ugh, how dare they impose "Ley Seca" on you. And no I can't imagine you staying put in a dry anything.

On 8/12/2020 at 11:38 AM, dallastexas said:

Numazu1: Thank you for sharing your sexperience on the forum.  Very appreciative and living vicariously through your adventure.   

Not much sexperience talk for this trip, as I have grown weary of sauna shenanigans, but I will share when I can for sure. Is everyone being smart and staying home and I and @floridarob are the only fools risking the COVID wrath?

20 hours ago, davet said:

@numazu1  Maybe the Golden Era is irretrievably gone, but what you describe is still probably the best concentration of talents in this field anywhere in the world. Nice as it was to leave the Old Lagoa counting how many other stunners I could have done had I not a flight to catch (or, frankly, had I not exhausted myself) but really, you only need 1-2 doable ones to have a worthwhile time and 4-5 to have a blast, and a few days of that to make it a worthwhile trip. It sounds like Lagoa can still supply that. 

Old Lagoa really did have so many stunners concentrated in one place. I would say Clube 117 in Rio would place in that same rank a few years ago. I am hopeful that Espaco Lagoa can reclaim this old magic, or maybe some sauna can pick up the slack. And ahem, "4-5 to have a blast" per trip?  How about per day?

20 hours ago, davet said:

But oh, to think of my first trip, when the rate was 3-to-1 and the quoted fee was 50R. And then to find out that was my sucker newbie gringo price - the fee they would have accepted was 30R, because the real during the 90s had been pegged 1-to-1 to the dollar. The real collapsed in the early-aughts but, surprisingly, inflation did not soar, so steaks were $3 and hotel rooms were $18! The current situation looks similar.

If you compare the 90s to what you saw in 2017, how did both eras compare? Do you miss the old days?  Was the quality better in your opinion?

I'm always curious to compare eras from peope who have been in those times. 

5 hours ago, bcdaron said:

I can't believe they let the gay clubs be open. @numazu1 Do you know if there is any trade at the gay clubs usually? Did they at least have reduced hours at the clubs?

Thanks for the detailed report! Can't wait to hear about Rio!!!

Well, just like Lagoa, the bars are allowed to be open for 6 hours a day till 10 PM, with the usual mask requirement and social distancing guidelines. However, the Frei Caneca gay-ish bars are really just store fronts, and the patrons drink in the streets.  I saw about 20% of what it was before, much less, but still free of any COVID mitigation. 

Just like with other gay bars, trade really isn't the main thing with the patrons. My BF has been propositioned a number of times for a free in bars, so it happens.  I've never tried to ask anyone if they would do it for a fee.  For free tho, I've done it numerous times.

We just arrived in Rio. Its gonna be a hot and sunny weekend so looking forward to some (COVID-era) beach time!

[Walker]

10 hours ago, bcdaron said:

I can't believe they let the gay clubs be open. @numazu1 Do you know if there is any trade at the gay clubs usually? Did they at least have reduced hours at the clubs?

Thanks for the detailed report! Can't wait to hear about Rio!!!

People usually don't do trade at regular gay clubs in Brazil.  If there is any opportunities, you would need to speak Portugese.  @numazu1 speaks passable Portuguese, (or better than passable ).

Edited August 14, 2020 by Walker

[Walker]

Duplicate.

Edited August 14, 2020 by Walker

[yellowheart]

Thanks numazu1.  That was really informative!

[sfcastro]

18 hours ago, numazu1 said:

We just arrived in Rio. Its gonna be a hot and sunny weekend so looking forward to some (COVID-era) beach time!

Are both Copacabana and Ipanema beaches open to tourists?  Are the normal vendors (tents with chairs, umbrella and drinks) on the beaches? 

[tassojunior]

Assuming the worst (not unreasonable), how good are Brazilian hospitals if you come down with coronavirus ? 

[msclelovr]

Very good question @tassojunior but I don’t know that anyone can answer…unless they have a friend or relative who’s ill and hospitalized currently in Brazil

[Lucky]

On 8/12/2020 at 7:13 AM, TotallyOz said:

The baht is strong but  I can still get good sex for less than 70 USD any day of the week. Most on Hornet ask for 1500. The GoGo bars 2,000 baht. I have no complaints at all.

 

When I first went to Thailand, the cost was 300-400 baht for short term. The baht was then 22 to the dollar, so less than $20. Not that I don't support the guys getting more money...

[Lucky]

12 hours ago, tassojunior said:

Assuming the worst (not unreasonable), how good are Brazilian hospitals if you come down with coronavirus ? 

See my post on COVID in Rio...

[yellowheart]

Hey Numazu1..I looked at the Berkshire Hathaway site and it does provide travelers insurance but do you have to show COVID specific coverage?  the Berkshire coverage doesn't succinctly notate that COVID Coverage.

[floridarob]

2 hours ago, yellowheart said:

Hey Numazu1..I looked at the Berkshire Hathaway site and it does provide travelers insurance but do you have to show COVID specific coverage?  the Berkshire coverage doesn't succinctly notate that COVID Coverage.

Yes, you need covid coverage. They will write in your passport the exact number of days you can stay in Brasil, based on the covid coverage dates up to 90 days. Be prepared to show a return plane ticket as well.

I use www.squaremouth.com or www.insuremytrip.com to buy travel insurance. Preference towards squaremouth, because if you have a problem with a claim, they have an ombudsman that steps in to help...happened to me before and things got straightened out within a week.

 

[numazu]

2 hours ago, yellowheart said:

Hey Numazu1..I looked at the Berkshire Hathaway site and it does provide travelers insurance but do you have to show COVID specific coverage?  the Berkshire coverage doesn't succinctly notate that COVID Coverage.

Echoing what @floridarob said about Squaremouth.  If you go to their webpage, you'll eventually find these filters, which shows COVID is covered:

 

[Latbear4blk]

@numazu1, thanks for the reports! Super useful as always. Have you noticed the use of UV devices in buildings entrances? My contacts in Argentina tell that they are experimenting with these devices at the entrance of public buildings and hospitals. 

[BrazilianBoiChaser]

53 minutes ago, numazu1 said:

Echoing what @floridarob said about Squaremouth.  If you go to their webpage, you'll eventually find these filters, which shows COVID is covered:

 

@numazu1 Thank you for sharing info. Do you happen to know what the minimum coverage is? Do you need 100K or outpatient care? It looks like all they want is travel insurance that has a medical component that covers you in medical emergencies or the need to repatriate for medical reasons. Am I right?

Edited August 16, 2020 by bcdaron

[numazu]

Where My Beaches At?

I can understand that this thread is by and large problematic, not the least of which because we are in a global pandemic and any activity that does not mitigate the spread of the disease is seen as irresponsible. I agree with that to a point, and as I have stressed before, the risks taken are solely my own, and this thread is made in the spirit of imparting information to some of you who either are thinking of taking the Brazil plunge in these very uncertain times (for which I do not recommended doing), or just want a good read and to live vicariously through my modest exploits.

On 8/14/2020 at 11:35 AM, sfcastro said:

Are both Copacabana and Ipanema beaches open to tourists?  Are the normal vendors (tents with chairs, umbrella and drinks) on the beaches? 

I thought I’d briefly post something about the RJ beaches since the question was asked, and since today is a cloudy day and not conducive to much beach going. This is about yesterday's beach trek. Oh, this is a non-sex post.  Its OK right? Not everything has to be about sex right?

<Listens to the crowd>

What? Everything is about sex? OK then, feel free to skip this post if you do not want to read about non-sex observations. 

Oddly enough, my favorite time to go to the Rio beaches is during their winters. Probably the best fun I’ve ever had in the gay parts of Ipanema beach was on a late August Friday. The sun was out but it never got sweltering hot, humidity was low, and the men were out in full force in their tiny speedos. I had similar hopes for this trip, though if you know winter weather in RJ, it may be susceptible to some cloudy days and some rain. It’s good when it’s good, like yesterday, and it’s bad when it wants it to be, like today.

The BF and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful day by walking the 30 minutes from Botafogo, where our AirBNB rental is, to Posto 2 of Copacabana. Along the way, we generally saw that people were wearing masks, and making <some> effort to social distance when possible. There would be the usual agglomeration of youth in our path where both mask wearing and social distancing were nowhere to be seen, but in general people have been pretty respectful of city ordinances.

We get to Avenida Atlantica where we find a healthy mix of people walking, running, and bike-riding. It seems like any normal morning in Copacabana, except (some) people were wearing masks. The mask wearing in this strip of Rio was about 30%, and the majority were not wearing their masks, or were wearing it down to their chins, so that might be problematic for some. Still, it was sunny, windy, and outdoors, so we braved through this possible COVID cluster and just enjoyed the day:

This Saturday in Rio was suppose to be the day where everything in the beaches would get back to normal, or the COVID version of normal. It is mainly the return of the "barracas", or those makeshift stores in the middle of the beaches where you can get anything from chair and umbrella rentals, to churrasco, grilled shrimp, and even sometimes drugs (it is Brazil after all). The Rio City ordinance still prohibited the rental of chairs and umbrellas to beachgoers, and just adviced people to bathe in the water, bring their own chairs or beach towels to sit on, and buy food and drinks from the storefronts. But as the BF has stressed “This is Rio. People will do the fuck they want.” So lo and behold, in some parts of the beaches, we find some barracas with chairs and umbrellas:

At this point, on the sand, by the water, there was zero mask wearing, except for *some* of the street hawkers, as well as all the barraca employees. You were almost transported to a time before COVID, which was nice.  Among them:

Beach street hawkers, some wearing masks:

Some not:

You can get a (tourist-trap) Caipirinhas again:

 

Food (like grilled cheese on a stick):

and a million other things that was sold before.  It seemed to be that there were no restrictions to ambulantes (street vendors) at this point, and everyone was back to normal, with masks, and some hand sanitizer.

Even normal beach activities, with no mask wearing, are back:

The water was freezing, this being winter, but that hardly mattered. It was just nice to be out, even if I may pay for it later.  Then again, I can think of 1000 other things that I partook in the past days to get to this beach, that would have exposed me to that virus. Is it risky? 100%. Is it irresponsible? Most probably. Is it reckless? Maybe. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. 

Next, a quick trip to somewhere familiar, that may have been a mistake.  Everyone can probably guess where this is:

[Bucknaway1614502762]

Thanks for posting this report and I can't wait for the next installment. I've been waiting for this and I was close to asking for an update on your life and times.

I enjoy your writing and love that you freely share your experiences with us.

More! More!

[Primeone385]

On 8/11/2020 at 7:01 AM, Latbear4blk said:

Wearing a neck gaiter may be worse than no mask at all, researchers find

 News sources have a video on which mask actually do a better job of protecting you and others from spreading and getting the virus. Also the guy is eye candy.  

 

 

 

[davet]

On 8/13/2020 at 4:57 PM, numazu1 said:

If you compare the 90s to what you saw in 2017, how did both eras compare? Do you miss the old days?  Was the quality better in your opinion?

I'm always curious to compare eras from peope who have been in those times. 

I first went in 2001. It was more or less the same in terms of quality, selection, and skills as now. Just prices go up and down according to the divergent graphs of exchange rate and inflation. That's why I hope that the scene will bounce back from covid-19. It's been a part of the culture for a long time. Despite the availability of online markets, I repeatedly meet guys who said they preferred the sauna because it was easier to bag 1-3 customers and go home. 

Then again, I thought about the Latin American porno theaters would never die, but they were done in by the internet, so who knows.

[numazu]

On 8/16/2020 at 8:01 AM, Latbear4blk said:

@numazu1, thanks for the reports! Super useful as always. Have you noticed the use of UV devices in buildings entrances? My contacts in Argentina tell that they are experimenting with these devices at the entrance of public buildings and hospitals. 

I haven't seen these UV devices yet, or maybe I haven't been paying attention.  There are other technologes that I've encountered in the shopping malls, which I will show later.

On 8/14/2020 at 2:48 PM, tassojunior said:

Assuming the worst (not unreasonable), how good are Brazilian hospitals if you come down with coronavirus ? 

Well, I mean, there are excellent hospitals in Sao Paulo that are world-class, as well as hospitals in the southern states, including one in my BF's city where I will park myself for a few weeks, to work remotely.

But there are still a lot of unknowns with this virus, so the quality of the hospital will help you fight this for sure, to a point. People with comorbidities are especially susceptible to go down with a serious case, but also people normally healthy but having underlying susceptible physiology may be in trouble as well. A lot has been made in the news about a 38-year old singer here who seeimingly was heathy as a horse, handsome, athletic, but is down with a grave case of the COVID. His GF, seemingly more frail, has only come down with a fever and nothing else.   I'd say if you are in the high-risk group for this virus, don't go to Brazil now. But even if you are a seemingly healthy and horny guy who can't wait to get back on the horse, maybe don't go anyway since it is still fucking risky. 

https://g1.globo.com/go/goias/noticia/2020/08/14/cauan-da-dupla-com-cleber-esta-internado-com-coronavirus-em-goiania.ghtml

All this worries me, of course (and that is why I don't watch much news anymore, for mental health). But I always go back to this: Life is a series of calculated risks – nothing more. Everything that you decide to do has a margin of risk. No outcome is ever 100 percent certain and, therefore, any attempt at anything has a chance of complete failure. We risk everything, every day of our lives without knowing it. So I stop worrying, try to make the best decisions that I can, and just live life and have a good time. 

On 8/12/2020 at 7:13 AM, TotallyOz said:

Numazu, so glad you are sharing this adventure and having fun. You are a BRAVE man for sure. Can I say big fucking balls without offending?

Not offended hehe. In fact, going to Brazil during COVID-times is one of the less-risky things I've done on this continent. I've risked waaaay more. Maybe I'll share at some point.

Edited August 18, 2020 by numazu

[numazu]

Not Exactly On Point

Generally, at least with what I saw in my small sample of visiting the two great Brazilian cities, I would say that Sao Paulo is treating this pandemic more seriously than Rio de Janeiro. Maybe it's because I spent more time in the more upscale confines of Itaim Bibi, Moema, and Paulista in Sao Paulo, to contrast it with the relatively quaint Botafogo and beachy enclaves of Copacabana and Ipanema in Rio, that I see the obvious reasons why Rio is more casual with its pandemic theater (masks/distancing/hand sanitizer), than Sao Paulo.

Also, it maybe because Sao Paulo, like its analog to the USA, New York City (both gigantic cities with the huge crush of people living on top of each other and having a connection to Italy, the once epicenter of the pandemic), was the center of the pandemic early on, so therefore you can see the average Paulista treating this pandemic more seriously than the average Carioca. Coupled of course with the difference between Rio and SP, culturally/economically/style etc etc etc, I can see why Rio is reacting the way it is.

This comparison is actually much more like Los Angeles vs San Francisco in California (same 6-hour drive to and from, casual vs buttoned up, beaches vs the City etc etc etc), with similar COVID outcomes as well.

I probably then shouldn’t be surprised with the similar disparity in pandemic readiness between Sao Paulo’s Espaco Lagoa, and Rio de Janeiro’s Club Point 202, the only saunas in the two cities open as of this week. Yes, my preferred Club 117, and my least preferred Lions, are still closed. The middle of the sauna pack, Point 202, can be a great time or a shit show, depending on the day, weather, and other things.  But again, in the age of COVID, beggars can’t be choosers, and in this late Saturday afternoon, after the BF said he needed to sleep off yesterday’s <ahem> exertions, it was my cue that I can stray and check out pandemic-era Point 202 sauna.

As teased, the familiar entrance to the club, which is a fall-risk when it rains:

Upon entering, I get checked-in by an unfamiliar face, younger guy wearing a mask, who tried very hard to speak to me in English, even when I answered his every question in Portuguese. To my surprise, he gave me a towel to change in and flip flops, which is a departure with Lagoa, where they had everyone clothed in the sauna, and had the towel and flip flops available fresh in the cabins, rather than at check-in.  I think Lagoa’s approach is more hygienic, having fresh stuff every time.  Lagoa 1 Point 0. 

He pointed me to the door behind me, like it was my first time here, letting me know that the lockers were just behind that door.  I see the big hokey “USE MASCARA” handwritten in black marker. Very ad hoc:

Getting to the lockers, I can see some customers already here, dressing down to just their towels. Damn, so everyone was in towels in this place? Very unlike Lagoa, yet again, where everyone was clothed. I kept my clothes on, because I was feeling vulnerable. After I put my wallet (and towel and my shoes) in the locker, still wearing my mask, I venture to the main bar area to find none of the customers, and none of the boys, were wearing masks. The massage boys were wearing masks, however.  The owner, the enigmatic Junior, was wearing one as well, except down to his chin. The bar guy, who recognized me and greeted me warmly, had his mask down to his chin as well. It was nice to see his smiling face, but why even wear a mask at this point. I get my usual cocktail.

So, in keeping score, I guess this is a point for Point since towel wearing and no masks means we can see actually boyflesh like before? But maybe a point to Lagoa in that we are in an indoor space so therefore more effort on COVID mitigation is in order? Some of you will fall into the former camp of “since the sauna is open why not have the boys naked” and some others will fall into the camp of “the sauna will not be helped by increased transmission within its walls so mitigate the virus whenever possible.” So it’s a wash, Lagoa 2 Point 1.

While I waited for my drink, another ad hoc “use mascara” sign at the bar.

The moment I sit down, 4 boys, who were milling around the general area, immediately make their way toward me. They were all in towels. No masks. Which was strange to me these days. Two of them were clutching their hard ons through their towels. Hmmm, this is working for me. Introductions and then flirting. I forget about COVID for a minute. Compared to Sao Paulo, Rio really is the more extroverted city, and this fact extends to their sauna boys. They have no scruples about making an introduction and immediately gunning for your business. So unlike Lagoa, at times. Boys there are sometimes aloof, and with masks it makes them even further to me than ever. Right now, I am liking the attention, and the feelings of previous fun times in Brazil saunas came rushing back.

Having boys whisper in your ear and laugh with you and massage your shoulders and grabbing your hand to have you feel their hardons: all things not to do during a pandemic. Yes I am here, liking it. Is it bad?  Sue me. Lagoa 2 Point 2.

I’ve talked before about a certain aesthetic that I see and like in Rio (and in Brazil in general, but much more in Rio): bleached blond Carioca boys with tanned skin. I do not know what is it about this look. It looks hideous in other places, but in Rio, it just works. If you have forgotten, it is much like Pietro Balthazar and Elthon Charles in this GIF, they are the blonde ones on both sides of the singer below:

During our Copacabana beach day the day before, I have noticed these “cabelos loiros” pop up once in a while.  A sample:

So among the 4 boys that were chatting me up, on of them was like these blonde beauties. Of course he caught my eye right away. Out of the four who were crowding me and trying to get my business, this blondie was in the back, quiet, playing along with his more extroverted friends, but staying in the background. His sauna “name” was Jonny. I began talking to him and he draws closer. He is tall, with a tight body and insane abs. He is tanned like the others, but his face was what got me, so pretty. 21 years old he says. Looks young for sure. He whispers something in my ear “let’s go upstairs.” I oblige. He wanted to make his case in private. So be it.

It was 7 PM on a Saturday and the sauna was still deserted for some reason. We get to the upper level bar, and the light weren’t even turned on yet.

We both sit down in one of the table setups and he starts to smoke. We talk about the days since the sauna opened.  Still very few customers. Few boys as well. Sometimes it picks up, like last night, Friday, even with the sauna open since July. To him, business is still far away from what it was, and what he needed. He mainly sustains himself with his “clientes fixos”, customers who he has repeat business with.

His demeanor was smooth and soothing. He enjoyed making you feel good being with him. He had no qualms when I reached into his towel. Big boy. His money maker is certainly worth the price of admission.  Suddenly, the emptiness of the sauna actually was to my advantage. I made it grow. All I can say is damn.

Of course we get to this part: we settle on 150 reais with cum. He finishes his smokes and we head back downstairs to get the suite key. We go back up where the suites were, and we were probably the only ones who got a room.

Familiar Point surroundings. Hardly anything that would mitigate COVID, but that was furthest from my mind. I had penis on the brain. He immediately takes the towel off and his dick swings back and forth. Oh boy.  I was still in my clothes so I take them off and my shorts fall to the ground and I get on the bed and join him. He takes my shorts from the floor and tells me that the “floor is super gross and they hardly clean it” and hangs my clothes on a clothes hanger. Gross. Lagoa 3 Point 2.

I must say what happened next was why I keep coming back to this crazy country. Fully versatile! Fully passionate! Kissed my mouth off. Ate my ass off. Fucked like nobody's business. Superlatives all around. 150 seems like a steal, more with the dollar the way it is. Whatsapp exchanged because of course.

As I prepare to leave, I see more customers and boys start filling the sauna. No doubt I arrived early. Maybe tonight was going to be a good night. I won’t know, since the BF is waiting for me.

So, overall, the sauna scene seems less than what it was before COVID, as with everything else in the world. I found the handwritten “use mascara” signs in Point a little bit less reassuring than the more professional Espaco Lagoa constant signage, and the largely available hand sanitizer:

Coupled with the dirtiness of the sauna, and the crumbling infrastructure, if we are comparing, I’d say Espaco Lagoa is better prepared and has put more thought into this pandemic thing, than Point 202. So for me: stay in SP where more mitigation efforts are being done. Then again, the Carioca style is very hard to replicate anywhere else. One only has to see it in action once, to understand why the Brazil hype is real, and maybe worth risking a lot, even a pandemic, for.

Also me: There is still a pandemic, so don’t go just yet.

Edited August 19, 2020 by numazu

[Latbear4blk]

Out of all your writings, I think this one is my favorite, @numazu1.

[numazu]

Brazil Health Theater: Rio de Janeiro Edition

(come to Rio)

The greater powers of Rio (and the world) have a conundrum to solve: how to get life and the economy back up while still trying to mitigate the spread of COVID.  With the rates of transmission decreasing and deaths declining as well, I can see why Brazil decided to open its borders when it did.  The virus is far from solved here (or anywhere) of course, and there is still a lot of suffering happening, but I do see the powers that be here are trying to forge a way forward, Bolsonaro notwithstanding.

So here are some more things I’ve noticed on the Brazil Health Theater front, this time around Rio, while it tried to forge a new normal:

Shopping Mall Temp Checks

This seems to be above what Sao Paulo was doing – the two shopping malls I’ve been here, mainly Shopping Rio Sul in Botafogo, and Barra Shopping in Barra da Tijuca, are employing these temperature scanners:

Coupled with people lanes to direct crowds and avoid agglomeration, and signage to social distance, I guess these would be good enough for mitigation in a shopping mall.  Not sure how effective these are, but its something, right?

Restaurant Measures

The fact that indoor dining is allowed here is light years from what is allowed in most of California where I live. How it's executed with mitigation measures, however, is a mixed bag. Some old-timey padarias have social distancing measures like prohibiting seating in every other table, others just exist as usual with no such distancing at all.  But a few observations:

1. Those “por quilo” buffets are ripe to become disasters with COVID transmission, but so far I’ve seen these plastic gloves available at the start of every buffet line, so at least you are handling those community utensils to shovel your food on to your plate with a clean barrier from your COVID hands.

Around the “quiosques” in Copacabana and Ipanema, you can encounter these good housekeeping “seals of approval” posted, and if you follow the QR code, will show you a website that states that the establishment is following current city guidelines for mitigation of COVID. Again, unsure if one can just print one out and pretend to be compliant, but it’s a nice things to have. The signs are in Portguese, Spanish, and English (three signs total), geared towards the tourist set, obviously.

Whenever I am in Copa, I am partial to a shrimp and strawberry caipirinha lunch, for some reason:

There’s multiple things happening in this next photo, which was taken at a usual café near the Copacabana beach front:

1. Hand sanitizer in every table
2. Mask wearing required for every restaurant worker
3. Tables spaced further away to promote distancing
4. Menus now available online via QR codes so you don’t have to handle a physical menu

I appreciate the effort. It made this $1.25 cup of coffee worth it.

Even with COVID Changing Everything, Barra da Tijuca Is Still The Best

This week I’ve been to the beach complexes of Copacabana, Ipanema, and Botafogo. While all three are excellent and largely popular with tourists, to me, the beaches of Barra da Tijuca is still the best among the Zona Sul of Rio beaches.

Sure, Copacabana will be the one teeming with tourists during Reveillon, or the stretch of Ipanema near Farme de Amoedo street will be teeming with slutty gays, or the Botafogo beaches boasts views of both Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf mountain, capturable in one photo, but to me, it is the Barra da Tijuca beaches that blends the best combination of it being a more of a beach for locals, with better services, and less tourist troubles.

Some reasons:

1. Some barracas are connected to the qiosques, so you get better food, drinks and access to their bathrooms if you need it, to join your umbrella and chair rentals in the beach:

Coisa linda. And it tasted even better than it looked. I contrast this with less exciting food found in Copa and Ipanema, which is usually from barracas with less resources and skills, than you find in a full blown restaurant.

2. The street vendors are less pushy and less annoying for some reason. Maybe because less tourists and more locals are here, and they are less enthused with bullshit.  Also, we were in for a treat this trip. The day we went, we recognized one of the street vendors, selling biscuits, from a news show we were watching days ago.

His story is a cute one. He is an engineering student who is trying to help his parents who lost their jobs by selling “biscoitos” in Barra Beach.  He is being celebrated as a sample of Brazilian resiliency in the face of crisis. I was thrilled that we spotted him in Barra, and had a good chat with him about his newfound fame, selling biscuits, and his future plans. I even got a selfie with him:

The biscuits were $1 each bag.

3. Barra has more sporty people coming to play and surf. Not bad to look at as well.

In closing, even with all the uncertainty in the world today, I am glad this fact still remains: The best summer I’ve ever experienced, is a winter in Rio.

Edited August 21, 2020 by numazu

[BrazilianBoiChaser]

@numazu1Awesome report! I wanted to ask you about  two guys at Lagoa, would you happen to know if these two men are still working? Scouting...

 

[Latbear4blk]

32 minutes ago, bcdaron said:

@numazu1Awesome report! I wanted to ask you about  two guys at Lagoa, would you happen to know if these two men are still working? Scouting...

 

I think we could team up to go hunting without any conflicts. After the pandemic.