Rio Nov and Dec 2022 Observations and advice

[HiThereAll]

Hello All:

On another trip into Rio now, have also been a digital nomad from here part of the time. Internet seems better than pre COVID.

When Bolsonaro lost the election in November, like Trump in the US, lots of lying and unlike the US, lots of street "issues", mostly shows of support more than any bad trouble. Tons of police followed to ensure the peace. 

During the World Cup (FIFA) Brazil matches the town seems to close during the actual match, even supermarkets and drug stores. Perhaps true country wide. When Brazil lost to Croatia, the town seemed to deflate, at least until the Argentina match an hour later !  So, I assume things will normalize here during matches again.

When given a chance, the locals are very nice. More than once I have miscounted my R$ bills and extra bills have always been returned. When dropping things out of torn supermarket bags, folks always let me know.

I do speak some PT and SP – it helps a great deal. However, I am in no way conversant in PT.

I meet several new people each day even if in a line or over a drink. Folks are very friendly here.

To allow anonymity, I will not mention names. I met someone who I believe has posted here. From far away. Super nice and speaks more PT than me. Suggested an apt vs hotel and to try staying someplace besides Copa. Great advice. Someone else suggested Leblon, and it is indeed much nicer than Copa. En francais, plus sympa et chic. Yes, it is more expensive. But in sheer Euros, Pounds (Europe’s new “Peso”), or Dollars, not a great increase in costs. Yes, less overall to do as well, but not many people sleeping on the street or begging either. The bars are more like in Europe, so yes, less authentic Brazilian.

On and off over the past weeks the Boys (GPs) and selection have varied greatly. I made mistakes by not asking for their contact info. That said, I do enjoy having different GPs each time. Busy times tend to be later than noted on some postings. Perhaps due to FIFA games. 1930 hrs has often been a good time. Best times I have noted: Tues at 177, Weds at 201/202, Fri at 117, usually good after FIFA matches or 1800-2100 hrs (when shows start).

Compared to prior trips (pre COVID) fewer younger guys on Grindr, Hunqz and such. The cdn.garotocomlocal.com.br website and telechapero website can help fill needs as well. I have not used them, but the GPs are very hot.

As for gay bars, there are several just to the west of the Arcos do Lapa.

Rua Riachuelo, Rock Experience (or similar name) has a gay night sometimes. A bit further NW on Ave. Mem de Sa are several gay bars (obvious walking by). After MN and perhaps best at 0200 hrs. I did not enter, as many hanging out outside the clubs seemed to be groups of friends and my PT is not that good.

In Copa to the south, is LaCueva, R Miguel Lemos 51. I had fun last Saturday night. Rumor has it there are some younger guys who like older guys there and at Rock Experience. I did not enter the latter. At La Cueva the age range was 50+ to old embalming fluid for most customers. There were a few guys perhaps 35-45 yrs old with their daddies. Not a pick up bar from my 1 night’s experience. I danced by myself to videos from the late 70s to 90s. Cover that night was 50R$ and included 2 drinks, not just crap beer. Fair price. Music was not too loud. Uber at 2am from Lapa to LaCueva was under 20 R$, and it is a long trip, 15 minutes I think. 

The Week (party club) occurs Saturday night, Sunday at 2-5 am in centro. I did not go. I am not 25 anymore and my 6 pack is long gone. But if I spoke better PT I might have gone.

In the daytime, there are 2 places for play. Cinelandia, in a back alley next to the RJ City Admin offices, R Alvaro Alvim, west side: one is called Sexy Rose and has cabins and some gay porn, plus dark room. Total mix of folks, young, old, BR and foreigners, etc. Trannies are rare. No pay for play that I ever noted.

Just to the south, about 2 doors down in the alley is a cinema showing straight porn. No obvious sign that I could tell. Like an old West End Theatre or movie house from a hundred years ago, but you cannot tell this from the street. Older guys and some younger guys. Younger can be free to do. Some are pay to play, 20-50R$. Several trannies sometimes.

I find both to be enormously fun sometimes. You never know, but I have met folks for future stuff at the Rose more than once. Multiple BJs and multiple anal encounters almost always possible, even on weekends. I start at the cine for an hour and move to the Rose to finish (Start at noon / 1300 hrs, and leave the Rose around 1600 hrs). Then eat, then 117 – which for me is a long walking distance away.

Might not be the style for others. When I cum I still often go to the GP places to follow.

Grindr: I seem to do better when near centro or in Gloria than in Copa these days. LOL. Not so many 20-25 yr old guys now vs pre COVID.

Meet at their place. Yes, I know, always an element of risk.

 

Security and ATM cards: I feel pretty safe. I do not drink much and with my looks I could be mistaken for a local until I speak much. I can speak a few works of PT in most situations, same as a local. My dress is well sort of crappy when I am out and about here, but I think the locals know I am not BR. If I hear footsteps behind me, I do turn and look the others in the eye, but not in a nasty way. I also keep to streets with others in them at night. No guarantee of safety though. Always have ATM issues abroad. Call your bank, etc before leaving on a trip to give a travel alert, always have more than 1 card on you and at least one left in your room. ATMs like at the M stations often have fees added. Some banks reimburse these costs. Some do not. My cards work only at some BR bank ATMs and not others. Always decline any attempt from the ATM or POS device for a currency conversion. In BR it will cost you 8-15% -  and for nothing – just a bank rip off.

When I go to 117 or 201/202, I always try to have over 500 in cash on me in case I get too horny. I often see punters paying the house bill by cc or debit card. Yes, the drink prices are not inexpensive. I often buy a drink for me and the GP before or after a programma. In BR always let a business know if your card is debit or credito in advance. Tapping the card reader almost always works. Yes, there often a conversion fee from your bank or cc company. It could be as low as 1%. Experience has taught me the best cards to use abroad.

Use lots of sunblock at the beach – better to be a bit un tanned than being burned !!

 

If anyone on the forums is in Rio now, feel free to say hello

 

Ciao !!

 

 

 

[floridarob]

2 hours ago, HiThereAll said:

Use lots of sunblock at the beach

What is this place, The Beach 😝

[Latbear4blk]

We need a whorehouse on the beachfront, so @floridarobwill learn where The Beach is.

[HiThereAll]

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)

 

 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2022 by HiThereAll
pics out of order

[xpaulo]

Nice write up. I was in Brazil in 2014 and it was amazing on home game days. On a Thursday afternoon R. da Consolação in Sao Paulo only had a few taxis and city buses. I was in Belo Horizonte for the opening day and there was a riot. A woman ran down the deserted street by the cafe with her children yelling something, the male customers and staff began piling up tables and chairs at the front while the women and children were moved to the back. Police officers barricaded the front of their station across the street with police cars. But the rioters, there weren't many, went another direction. I've never had trouble dressing down on vacations, it's my natural state. Even the guys selling time share condos on Puerto Vallarta's beach front ignore me.

[Latbear4blk]

4 minutes ago, xpaulo said:

Even the guys selling time share condos on Puerto Vallarta's beach front ignore me.

🤣

[Heba as-sa3udeya]

Merci HiThereAll

Tellement plus intéressant que ce que j’ai pu lire auparavant. Surtout concernant les cinémas. 

[HiThereAll]

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.