Bogotá, December 2022/January 2023

[Latbear4blk]

38 minutes ago, macdaddi said:

Gigolo first then...I doubt you will leave that early with so much on offer. Plus I love watching the second wave of punters show around 11pm, many of them still horny from Dark Club. Checking...live sex show is Saturday nights but they are now adding a new Sex Room feature some nights.

Should be interesting...

The problem with places like Bogotá is too many choices. Whatever I pick, I will anyways suffer from FOMO. 

I think I should go to Theatron on Saturdays, I guess I must go through the experience at least once. 

[macdaddi]

On 12/18/2022 at 8:57 PM, Latbear4blk said:

The problem with places like Bogotá is too many choices. Whatever I pick, I will anyways suffer from FOMO. 

I think I should go to Theatron on Saturdays, I guess I must go through the experience at least once. 

Teatrón is THE spot on a Saturday in Bogotá and you can hang around in the central courtyard area and people watch (until that too becomes an open air dance floor as the night progresses).

[speedoo1]

On 12/19/2022 at 2:17 AM, macdaddi said:

Gigolo first then...I doubt you will leave that early with so much on offer. Plus I love watching the second wave of punters show around 11pm, many of them still horny from Dark Club. Checking...live sex show is Saturday nights but they are now adding a new Sex Room feature some nights.

Unless it has changed since Aug., live sex show at Gigolo Erotic House is on Fridays (from around midnight).

I agree with the comment that it gets busy from 11 PM and onwards.

[Latbear4blk]

ALERT: The Gigolo Hot House strippers are on vacation. I went last night and the doorman told me that they will not be back until January 7th, the very day I am leaving. Damn.

[12is12]

They too deserve a vacation. 

I never travel btw 25/12 and 7/1.

 

[Riobard]

3 hours ago, Latbear4blk said:

ALERT: The Gigolo Hot House strippers are on vacation. I went last night and the doorman told me that they will not be back until January 7th, the very day I am leaving. Damn.

Many of the strippers (more accurately, skimpily clad dancers, or gogos, as I don’t think there are actual stripping performance themes), work downstairs, including weekdays when the club is not operating. I suspect it is the club venue that is closed but many will be plying their trade earlier in the evening. In fact, perhaps some of the strippers that don’t typically work out of St Moritz will have a go for some holiday cash.

I prefer the sauna anyway because I tend to rise early in the morning after a good night’s sleep. Just set your watch’s afternoon time to midnight and ignore that you seem to be in Ushuaia. Also, the sound speakers are really cranked up in Gigolo Erotic House and it’s a small space; hard on the ears. 

[Latbear4blk]

3 hours ago, Riobard said:

Many of the strippers (more accurately, skimpily clad dancers, or gogos, as I don’t think there are actual stripping performance themes), work downstairs, including weekdays when the club is not operating. I suspect it is the club venue that is closed but many will be plying their trade earlier in the evening. In fact, perhaps some of the strippers that don’t typically work out of St Moritz will have a go for some holiday cash.

I prefer the sauna anyway because I tend to rise early in the morning after a good night’s sleep. Just set your watch’s afternoon time to midnight and ignore that you seem to be in Ushuaia. Also, the sound speakers are really cranked up in Gigolo Erotic House and it’s a small space; hard on the ears. 

Is this a Brazilian style sauna? I have never been in the actual sauna in the saunas, but instead hang out fully dressed in the bars areas. Can I do that here?

 

[12is12]

No disrespect meant, but isnt that kind of maybe showing that u r 'out of the game'.....   ?

[Riobard]

48 minutes ago, Latbear4blk said:

Is this a Brazilian style sauna? I have never been in the actual sauna in the saunas, but instead hang out fully dressed in the bars areas. Can I do that here?

 

Yeah in Brazil I do both according to my whims.

I may have written about the St Moritz playbook in the past. Being clothed is discouraged. It’s not at all like Brazil. There is no stage entertainment. It is more like a traditional sauna (gay baths). And you get a very skimpy towel that you may as well just carry, so I wear a bathing suit, my own sliders, and at times a T-shirt. You might get away with more clothing in the small sofa/TV area or adjacent bar that has barstool seating, both in view of the change room, maybe as far as that level’s toilet at the back. Certainly not upstairs. The masseurs all hang out on that same entrance level where the 3 tiny private massage table stations are, and you won’t miss seeing and intersecting with any of them even if you plunk yourself down on a locker room padded bench the entire time. 

Drinks service at the small bar; no roving waiter. Admission paid upfront on arrival. Other house charges put on your locker key#, computerized. 

On “nude days” (Tues/Thurs/Sun) one pays more (typically COP12K extra) for the prerogative to wear more than birthday suit, so the implication is that some clothing is optional, again, as the towel dispensed won’t cover much anyway. I believe I usually obtained a second towel without a hassle. Oddly, the masseurs usually wear a towel or Speedos or panties on non-nude days, but a thong or some garment covering genitalia on nudism days, seemingly contradicting the rule. However, I have not seen the extra charge stated on social media lately, so I will likely ignore it upcoming. Like in Brazil, I tip the equipment/cleaning attendant. 

If you take a private massage+ you will have needed to leave your clothing in your locker because there is no surface area to speak of in the massage cubicles to put stuff down on. Just massage table and a few square feet for the masseur to move around. No mirror to catch hot reflections during sex. 

There is a small table and chairs by the locker room. I wouldn’t see sitting there clothed to be necessarily forbidden and you could still chat up providers. The desk attendant can view you there, so he would know you aren’t wandering the premises in your street clothes. There are also two comfy armchairs across from his station. I have sat there clothed with my phone and not been questioned about it. 

Anyhow, you’d need to check it out yourself. 

[floridarob]

14 minutes ago, Latbear4blk said:

Is this a Brazilian style sauna? I have never been in the actual sauna in the saunas, but instead hang out fully dressed in the bars areas. Can I do that here?

 

I never change into a towel in Brazil, I like to keep things in my pockets not a locker.....but here I did change to a towel, I came prepared with nothing valuable....but I think you could go without a towel, there is a bar area....just won't have the chance to go cruising in the steam/sauna areas. But the working guys will hunt you out...."massage" rooms VERY basic...so you may have to take off the clothes to go to the showers....

[Latbear4blk]

6 hours ago, 12is12 said:

No disrespect meant, but isnt that kind of maybe showing that u r 'out of the game'.....   ?

I do not mind being real. I am not into pretending. May be you are, if it is a concern for you.

[Latbear4blk]

6 hours ago, floridarob said:

I never change into a towel in Brazil, I like to keep things in my pockets not a locker.....but here I did change to a towel, I came prepared with nothing valuable....but I think you could go without a towel, there is a bar area....just won't have the chance to go cruising in the steam/sauna areas. But the working guys will hunt you out...."massage" rooms VERY basic...so you may have to take off the clothes to go to the showers....

I am just in my day two, and I do not see a reason to try something that may make me uncomfortable. I hooked up today in Grindr, and the perspective is that I will have to find time to pay for sex during a break in between for free hook ups. I just had dinner with a 30 y.o. Venezuelan who owns a Spanish restaurant north of Chapinero. He closed the restaurant at 6pm and we fucked in the kitchen. Then he went to his house and I returned to my nest. I am waiting for him right now, we will go to Leonos (I think that is the name of the bar, or something like that) and then, of course, to The Theatron. 

[12is12]

LatBear, I apologize if I have offended you.

[Latbear4blk]

As often happens in my trips, the beginning was challenging but soon I started to enjoy the experience. I am loving Bogotá.

My two flights last Friday were unexpectedly on time and without incidents. I dodged the storm and its inconveniences. Trouble started when I walked out of the yellow taxi and found out that the address posted by my host in the Airbnb site was wrong. Fortunately, it was 4 pm and I speak the language, besides being quite obvious which one was the only building that could be my destination. This was the first time I seriously complained to an Airbnb's host. If I were a Gringo unable to speak Spanish and arriving at night, something bad could have happened.

The issues continued during checkin. My host did not send the email to authorize my entrance, and the code to open the lock box was missing. The Recepcionist was super friendly and fixed all this issues, but after almost no sleeping all these incidents did not set me in the right mood.

I am not happy with this Airbnb, although many of you would love it. There is so much security! It is a brand new building with a shopping center in the first two levels. The building is so new, that some of the pictures in Google Map show the construction site. Everything is trendy and modern, you do not need to walk out of to the streets if you do not want to, as there is even a 24 hrs OXXO supermarket in the complex. To move around and use the elevators, you need a magnetic card. I had no problem bringing a friend in who stayed overnight, but all my movements were monitored by CCTV and my entrances and exits watched by security guards. 

My unit is in the 15th floor, with a beautiful view of the mountains and even The Theatron.

It is a roomy studio divided in two sectors. One would be the living room/kitchen, including a closet with a washer/dryer and a 1/2 bathroom, the other one would be the bedroom, with a walking closet and a full bathroom. It does look great, but soon the disappointments started. I pooped in the 1/2 bathroom upon arrival and it took me a long time to flush my shit away, the water does not drain properly. The full bathroom does not have that issue, but the water does not drain properly in the lavatory. The shower looks amazing, but the water pressure is low.

Everything else is fine, I especially love the WiFi, faster than all my previous ones, even faster than my home wifi. But I found out other challenge that has nothing to do with the airbnb.

I felt tired and short of breath, and found out that I was probably suffering from soroche. I attempted a walk but returned to my base to lay down. Not only I was suffering from the height, but also the temperature. Never believe your Caribbean friends when they tell you that a place is cold. Bogotá is not cold. It is weird, though, the thermometer shows temperatures that I would consider cold in Washington DC or other places, but here it feels mildly cool. I was overdressed, and packed to many warm clothing. So far (I am starting the night of my day #3), all I needed to feel comfortable was two layers and no jacket.

On day one, when I returned to y base to rest after my failed attempt to walk, I got busy with Grindr and make a few interesting contacts. With one of them, I even arranged for a meeting that night. First, I wanted to explore Gigolo Hot House, it is a 10' walk from my nest. As I shared before, I found out the boys are on vacation (after walking on the wrong stripers club, my first straight strippers club experience ever), and returned to my base. That short walk left me exhausted, I cancelled my date and went to sleep. Day one was not good.

On Day 2 I woke up feeling better after a good sleep. My research on soroche indicated that I needed to sleep well, rest, drinks lots of water, and eat carbohydrates. I stayed in bed up to late, and then made a short expedition around Chapinero. I was still feeling my breath short, but I was able to walk for a couple of hours without feeling totally exhausted. I returned to my base and contacted my Grindr date. He invited me to his Restaurante located north of Chapinero. I do not want to give much detail because of the trolls in the forum. 

He invited me at 5pm, so I had a few hours to rest after my walk. I took advantage of that time to contact a few escorts I find appealing. The prices I was quoted were between 100K and 150K Colombian Pesos. Our friend @tassojunior (are you there) has reported that the prices in Bogotá were higher than in Medellin, and the boys less attractive. My short adventure so far indicates otherwise. There are boys in Bogotá as hot as in Medellin, and the prices are lower.

At 5PM I arrive to the restaurant, a surprisingly nice Spanish cuisine establishment. My hook up is a partner and chef, the other owner is a Spaniard from Catalunya. The food was excellent and the chemistry with JM (lets call it that) was right.

I will continue with this report later, I have to get ready to go out now. 

[macdaddi]

Honestly the most effective treatment for soroche is mate de coca. There are many cafés in Bogotá that will serve you the traditional mate. Ask your friends, I am certain that they will know a  local place that offers this relief. There are a couple of places in nearby Palermo on the diagonales that I can suggest.

[macdaddi]

On 12/24/2022 at 8:38 AM, Latbear4blk said:

ALERT: The Gigolo Hot House strippers are on vacation. I went last night and the doorman told me that they will not be back until January 7th, the very day I am leaving. Damn.

okay there is another new male stripper club in Chapigay. I will message you.

[Riobard]

Mainly twinks, but these two are cute enough … 

[iendo]

8 hours ago, Latbear4blk said:

I felt tired and short of breath, and found out that I was probably suffering from soroche. I attempted a walk but returned to my base to lay down. Not only I was suffering from the height, but also the temperature. Never believe your Caribbean friends when they tell you that a place is cold. Bogotá is not cold. It is weird, though, the thermometer shows temperatures that I would consider cold in Washington DC or other places, but here it feels mildly cool. I was overdressed, and packed to many warm clothing. So far (I am starting the night of my day #3), all I needed to feel comfortable was two layers and no jacket.

 

It is the first thing I mention to people who want to go to Bogotá. I lasted for 2 days and left for lower grounds on day 3.

Sadly so, because I would love to visit Theatron.

[12is12]

Guys, there is a VERY simple way to avoid the prblm, by taking prvntv pills 48 hours b4 arrival. 

I twice suffered from ignorance of the altitude effect: Chile Andes and Peru Cusco. Since then I use the pills; no prblm.

[Latbear4blk]

THANK YOU, @macdaddifor all your tips. You have been the Supreme Advisor for my Medellin expedition, and you are doing it again for Bogotá. I should have thought of the tip on mate de coca. I knew that In Bolivia, Perú, and the northwest of Argentina the locals chew coca leaves to deal with the height's side effects. My brain just did not make the connection. Damn old damaged brain. The condition feels very mild right now, but as soon as I can get some mate de coca I will try it. Interestingly, I am hanging out with a group of Venezuelans and some of them are suffering soroche and did not even know what it is. I will bring this tip to them and my credentials as a pretentious-know-all-Argentinean will rocket up.

Going back to my reporting, I had a delicious authentic Spanish diner (pernil de cordero con papas) and a great time chatting with JM and his Catalan partner. It was almost Nochebuena, and very few patrons were sitting. However, they were delivering tons of orders, I saw many paellas going out. At 6:30PM hey closed the restaurante, JM's partner and the employees left, and we stayed while he would close the books for the day. Once he finished his business duties, we step to the back and have a quick first time in the kitchen. Hot.

He is Venezuelan, 30 y.o., living in Bogotá for 6 years now, former soccer player and boxer. He does not have the hottest looks, but he is hotter than half of the men I have seen in Brazilian saunas. And this is an ongoing story, as you will see. He learned about my preference for younger athletic men, and sent me his pictures from a few years ago, damn he was porn material.

Once we did our quicky, he invited me to join a group of friends to expend Nochebuena with them and then go to Chapinero for rumba, and I said yes. We called an Uber to go to our nests and at 10 PM we were meeting again at his friend's apartment.

His friends were all Venezuelans: a woman in his 50s and her daughter in her 20s, and a gay guy in his 20s. The home made diner was delicious (stewed pork, tamales, Russian salad, and Venezuelan ham) and the conversation interesting. Although none of them like Chavism, they did not emigrate because of political reasons. They encouraged me to visit Caracas together with them, and I am definitely adding the city to my list. Soon after eating we all headed to Chapinero.

By the way, there is some kind of magic chemistry between me and Venezuelans. Everywhere I go, I end meeting and having great friendships with them. I shared about the Venezuelan I met in Buenos Aires a few years ago to become long term FWB, and about the boy I met last April in Medellin who I am still in friendly contact. And there are many others who were just short term relationships. The pattern is always the same: we hook up, we have grave sexual and friendship chemistry, and I discover that they are Venezuelans in the process (because of xenophobia, often they do not share their nationality). Big older men like myself seem to be a fetiche for many hot younger men in Venezuela. If anyone has any doubts, I am NOT talking about transactional relationships.

So we went to Chapinero. We checked a bar called El Perro y la Calandria, famous for the music and the musical videos, but very few people was there. So we moved to Leo's Bar. The place was full, with several rooms with different music styles and ambiences. We settled in the terrace so we could smoke (yes, I smoke tobacco when I am traveling). As they invited me for diner, I invited them with whatever they wanted to drink. They chose Absolute vodka ($COL 170K), and the bottle came with abundant ice, lemon juice, and two jars of orange juice a server would keep always full. All this extra were included in the bottle's price, apparently. I say "apparently", because JM seems to be very popular and know a lot of people everywhere, he may have gotten us special treatment. 

 

When the drag show was about to start, we moved to the main dance floor. The drag queen was not the prettiest, but her show was one of the best drag performances I have ever seen. Started with lips syncing, but not a regular musical hit as usual. Instead, she edited a sound track with many excerpts from countless songs and TV or movies dialogs. It was really hilarious and engaging. The best part came after her performance, though.

She called to the staged for two men and two women, got an extra male volunteer, and announced a competition. They had two minutes to dance and strip. The two volunteers with the less clothes after two minutes, were getting a bottle of I do not remember what. After that, she announced a new competition. The two patrons who dance with more passion and energy for 30 minutes, would get another bottle. The dance floor got immediately packed with dancers who started to perrear and dance as crazy. SO-MUCH-FUN.

Originally, we intended to go to El Theatron after the bars. However, my friends started to check their social medias and found out that only four rooms were opened, although a lot of fun seemed to be going on, and decided to finish the night earlier. At about 3, JM and I said goodbye to the friends and headed to my Airbnb to have a full session after our rushed quicky in the restaurante. He left at 7am, and I tried to continue sleeping. The music from El Theatron was loud and kept sounded almost until 10am.

On Sunday, about 10am, I quitted trying to sleep. I was with alcohol hangover, very tired, and with very few hours of sleeping. I walk out to get something to eat and the Chapinero I saw was unrecognizable. 90% of the shops were closed. I did not find anything appealing and returned to my building to check the food offerings in the complex, trying to avoid ordering through Rappi. Most of food stands were also closed, so I was forced to try a typical dish I had never heard of: cayeye. It was ok, but I do not think I will look for it again.

At noon I was calling an Uber to join my new friends in Parque Simón Bolívar. By the way, I tried Cabify (legal) and Uber, and despite not being legal the latter's service is better. The day was sunny, and beyond my soroche and hangover, we walked a lot. I forgot to bring sun block and right now I am red but not in pain. After the walking, we had a little picnic, and fun with the three dogs with us. The Park is huge and beautiful, and it was full of families and friends relaxing and enjoying the shiny day. I found remarkable that all the dogs around were unleashed and playing with each other and after hours I did not witness any incidents. 

Around 4pm the clouds started to look threatening. We decided to finish our outdoors day, and we made the right decision. Raining started when we were in our Uber. I did not have much time to get ready for the next plan. We all were going to play tejo, a game I had never tried before.

I was expecting a call from one of the friends around 6:30 to arrange the ride. When it was 7, I called JM to let her know that no one had called me. He shared that his friends changed their minds and were not joining. Instead, he was hanging out with his brother (27 y.o.) and his cousins. I told him that I should stay and let him enjoy his family. He responded "yo solamente quiero estar contigo". I could not say no.

I arrived to the Club de Tejo 76 and met his party. His brother with his wife, two cousins with their girlfriends, and one very young cousin who looked like a teen. Everyone else looked as in their 20s and very thughish and heterosexual. JM introduced me as his new boyfriend and they all were very friendly, especially JM's sister in law. We played and drunk. If you are curious, there are many photos of the place in their website. I just want to highlight this:

The establishment has a full bathroom in the front, where the bar is located. Besides, they have this caged sink that the players use to rinse the clay out of their hands and to pee. I could never pee there. The guy you can see in the picture is the teen cousin. We stayed up to 11pm, it was so interesting to hang out and make up with JM amidst this 100% straight environment. Not only straight, but also socially humble. Besides JM and myself, everyone else in our group seemed to be coming from quite humble and uneducated backgrounds. JM was paying all the bills. When my Uber arrived, JM gave me a passionate session of goodbye kissing in front of everyone, and I left totally exhausted and quite drunk (again). 

Today I got up at 7am, feeling rested but with a mild headache. I think I am declaring a day of resting and catching up with my blog network, and perhaps writing something for my blog. JM texted me at 10 am, definitely he is giving me the boyfriend treatment. Although I love the unexpected turn this trip is taking, I do want to stick to some of my original goals: having time to rest and write. Tomorrow I am planning an expedition downtown, probably focused on the Museo del Oro and the Museo Botero, and perhaps something else like a stroll around La Candelaria. Hopefully, at night I am meeting with an adult entertainer for an interview. You will know who afterward (sorry, again because of the trolls).

 

 

[floridarob]

I was good in Bogota, but felt the height when I went up Monserrat

[Boy69]

I loved Montserrat had been there month ago although it was not easy walking. I was in Theatron and didn't like it too much crowded and monotonous Music on crazy decibels more enjoyed the local gay clubs went with my Colombian friend. 

[macdaddi]

23 hours ago, Latbear4blk said:

I arrived to the Club de Tejo 76 and met his party.

 

Tejo!! You are quickly approaching cachaco status.

[Latbear4blk]

3 hours ago, macdaddi said:

Tejo!! You are quickly approaching cachaco status.

I am not sure if I got so far. I do confess I have considered getting a hat. 😇

[Latbear4blk]

Interview to Alex Rosso. The conversation is in Spanish, you have to use the automatic translation feature in YouTube's CC setting to get the subtitles in the language you preferred. This is the post in my blog: https://ilikepinga.com/2022/12/29/interview-with-alex-rosso/