RIP Kadu

[pauleiro]

For those who are familiar with sauna 117 in Rio, they certainly know Kadu who was a very friendly bartender. 

He passed away a few days ago. I do not know the circumstances but I think it was linked to the fact that he was gay. 

RIP, Kadu. I will miss you

[SolaceSoul]

6 hours ago, pauleiro said:

For those who are familiar with sauna 117 in Rio, they certainly know Kadu who was a very friendly bartender. 

He passed away a few days ago. I do not know the circumstances but I think it was linked to the fact that he was gay. 

RIP, Kadu. I will miss you

It was most definitely linked to him being gay.

His service is on Monday. Out of respect for him, his loved ones and his family, I will refrain from going into detail publicly. But just know that, especially for those here who like to come here thinking it’s a sexual playground, Rio and Brazil can be a VERY dangerous place. 

Rest In Peace, Kadu. 

 

[scott456]

1 hour ago, SolaceSoul said:

It was most definitely linked to him being gay.

His service is on Monday. Out of respect for him, his loved ones and his family, I will refrain from going into detail publicly. But just know that, especially for those here who like to come here thinking it’s a sexual playground, Rio and Brazil can be a VERY dangerous place. 

Rest In Peace, Kadu. 

 

This makes me think he did not pass in a peaceful way.  😭

[babybear2]

so young and handsome

is this related to gay hatred violence? 

[buttercawan]

RIP.

I had fond memories of him teaching me how to pronouce certain bebidas in portugues 😢

[SolaceSoul]

13 hours ago, scott456 said:

This makes me think he did not pass in a peaceful way.  😭

It was not. It was violence. 

[scott456]

OK.  I am all set to go to Rio for Carnival, now I am scared .  I don't want to die.

[TotallyOz]

3 minutes ago, scott456 said:

OK.  I am all set to go to Rio for Carnival, now I am scared .  I don't want to die.

I have been to carnival at least 10 times and never had violence. You must be careful. Keep the sex to the saunas and the boys you know and trust can come to your hotel. Don't go out with groups for parties and leave drinks unattended. Carnival is safe as tons of police. I only got robbed there once and it was from the military police and it was just for money.

[Riobard]

Unless I’m reading too much into it, an odious sexual orientation-related hate crime snuffed out a harmless 37-year old sweetheart’s life on his hard-earned well-deserved day off from diligent responsible conscientious service industry employment … in a social gathering context embracing LGBTQ+ diversity. Breaks your heart.

Stop the clocks.

Recent research reports suggest on average one such homicide per day in Brazil. 

[Riobard]

1 hour ago, scott456 said:

OK.  I am all set to go to Rio for Carnival, now I am scared .  I don't want to die.

You are probably a high additional multiple factor likely to expire as the result of an Über traffic crash getting into town. Accidents, of course, can be senseless. However, what happened gives pause for its attitudinal backdrop, so not to diminish its tragedy (or over-interpret a horrible event) but your worry is relatively unfounded if following the level-headed guidance as expressed here over and over. 

[mixer17]

21 hours ago, SolaceSoul said:

It was most definitely linked to him being gay.

His service is on Monday. Out of respect for him, his loved ones and his family, I will refrain from going into detail publicly. But just know that, especially for those here who like to come here thinking it’s a sexual playground, Rio and Brazil can be a VERY dangerous place. 

Rest In Peace, Kadu. 

 

I really don't understand why some members make generalizations about the totality of Brazil being being dangerous.  Yes, there are dangerous places in Brazil. Yes, parts of Brazil that are more dangerous for foreign people.   But there are many parts of Brazil that are safer than many other parts of the world. 

Unless you live in https://digitalemigre.com/relocation/safest-countries-in-the-world/#11-safest-countries-in-the-world-2023-edition,  there are probably some parts of your country that are more dangerous than Florianopolis, Brasilia, Curitiba or Belo Horizonte. I live in the USA and belonging to several minority groups,  I have not felt completely safe to do certain things or go to certain places for a while now.  Violence is everywhere not just Brazil. Guns are everywhere, certainly everywhere in the USA.  It's up to you, on how you keep yourself safe. 

[SolaceSoul]

2 hours ago, mixer17 said:

But there are many parts of Brazil that are safer than many other parts of the world. 

Wow. Completely unnecessary observation, and congratulations for missing the entire point.

[sydneyboy1]

3 hours ago, mixer17 said:

I really don't understand why some members make generalizations about the totality of Brazil being being dangerous.  Yes, there are dangerous places in Brazil. Yes, parts of Brazil that are more dangerous for foreign people.   But there are many parts of Brazil that are safer than many other parts of the world. 

Unless you live in https://digitalemigre.com/relocation/safest-countries-in-the-world/#11-safest-countries-in-the-world-2023-edition,  there are probably some parts of your country that are more dangerous than Florianopolis, Brasilia, Curitiba or Belo Horizonte. I live in the USA and belonging to several minority groups,  I have not felt completely safe to do certain things or go to certain places for a while now.  Violence is everywhere not just Brazil. Guns are everywhere, certainly everywhere in the USA.  It's up to you, on how you keep yourself safe. 

Let me assure you if you are mugged you view Brazil from a different perspective.

[scott456]

You can live in total isolation in Amazon, Brazil. It's perfectly safe there.

[sydneyboy1]

58 minutes ago, scott456 said:

You can live in total isolation in Amazon, Brazil. It's perfectly safe there.

Really? With the rapacious deforestation going on there you would challenged to avoid the trucks, bulldozers and heavy earth moving equipment. 🤣😂

[W312312]

RIP. He was a kind person and always gave off such good vibes, it will not be the same there without him. 

[BlkSuperman]

@TotallyOzyou got robbed by Police officers? #HolyISH

That would have been my final trip to Brazil. Would be too afraid to return.

[mixer17]

6 hours ago, SolaceSoul said:

Wow. Completely unnecessary observation, and congratulations for missing the entire point.

Wow, just accept you've been countered. I got your point, I just know what you were conveying is wrong.  A general statement that the WHOLE of Brazil is VERY dangerous is just wrong.  

5 hours ago, sydneyboy1 said:

Let me assure you if you are mugged you view Brazil from a different perspective.

When I was younger, I was mugged in the county I grew up in, in the city I attended university at, I know what that danger feels like and don't wish it on anyone. The police was not supportive when I made a report and pretty much told me that my homosexuality was to blame for what I experienced. I am sure there are parts of Brazil where I will experience the same if it happened to me, as much as I am sure it can happen in parts of the USA as well.  I am not underestimating danger; I just don't do stupid things when I travel. I am also sure I will feel the exact same way if I get mugged in any other foreign country I am visiting.    

[scott456]

4 hours ago, mixer17 said:

 I am also sure I will feel the exact same way if I get mugged in any other foreign country I am visiting.    

Let me know how you feel after you get mugged in Brazil.😇

[mixer17]

1 minute ago, scott456 said:

Let me know how you feel after you get mugged in Brazil.

Oh here's someone who does wish ill of others.  Must live a very sad life. 

[SolaceSoul]

7 hours ago, mixer17 said:

I am not underestimating danger; I just don't do stupid things when I travel.

Many of the people who live and work in Brazil as well as many of those travelers who visit who have been victims of violence were not doing “stupid things”. 

Sure, absolutely take all the precautionary measures, but anyone who has lived, visited or stayed in the major metro areas of Brazil, even in the best, safest areas of the cities, will share with you that eventually, no matter what color you are, your age, your physical build, your language proficiency, you’ll “get got”. If petty theft is the worst thing that happens to you during your forays into Rio, São Paulo, Salvador or Recife, then considered yourself quite blessed.

16 hours ago, mixer17 said:

Yes, parts of Brazil that are more dangerous for foreign people.   But there are many parts of Brazil that are safer than many other parts of the world. 

Of course, no one with a working brain who is reading this is going to think I’m referring to every single part of the vast land in Brazil! This is about areas that are well-traveled and often-visited by the kinds of people who would be most likely to read this board: men who have sex with other men. Santa Catarina, Joinville and to a lesser extent Fioranopolis and Brasilia, are considered safer towns in Brazil, but they are not going to be on the radar of the vast majority of infrequent travelers to Brazil — just as foreign tourists in the USA prefer to see NYC, LA, Vegas and Miami over St. Paul, Minnesota.

Interestingly, super-safe Fioranopolis, Brazil is the place where a gay man in his early 20s was brutally gang raped on the street in 2021, and it made international news (not really in the USA, because most Americans only care if it’s about “us”).

In terms of absolute number of murders in a year, Brazil has the most murders of any country by total number, followed by India, the USA, and Mexico. Also, Brazil has one of the most alarming rates of violence and discrimination against LGBT people in the Western Hemisphere and definitely amongst democracies. The stats have gotten even worse in the last several years — possibly due to political shifts to the hard right. Small pockets of Rio and São Paulo may cull one into a sense of safety or protection, but it’s important to remain vigilant and keep situational awareness at all times.

Rest In Peace, Kadu.

[pauleiro]

On 2/3/2023 at 1:22 PM, TotallyOz said:

I have been to carnival at least 10 times and never had violence. You must be careful. Keep the sex to the saunas and the boys you know and trust can come to your hotel. Don't go out with groups for parties and leave drinks unattended. Carnival is safe as tons of police. 

I do not think that it is not respectful to Kadu to share what I learned since my first post. It will illustrate what TotallyOz mentionned above.

Kadu was Brazilian, almost real Carioca and pretty much aware of the risks. After his service in 117 on sunday, he went to an hotel in Lapa where he met a boy - certainly not a boy from 117. He was found the next morning robbed and killed. Police is investigating. 

Inviting a new boy from 117 to your place or - worse - going to his place is not always safe. From a reliable source I heard the story of a gringo going to a 117 boy's place in Ipanema and being almost thrown through the window in order to get his money and credit card codes ... 

Finally, I was in Copacabana for year end and I was amazed to see how much police was there. All groups of boys and girls likely coming from favelas were systematically searched by police. It is the same for Carnaval : lot of police.

When I was in Rio, there was a crime which was heavily commented, committed on a tour guide who was walking back to his place in Centro. He was killed by 2 girls on a motorbike. The whole scene was filmed by cameras. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/g1.globo.com/google/amp/rj/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2023/01/06/guia-turistico-reage-a-assalto-e-acaba-morto-a-facadas-por-duas-mulheres-no-rio.ghtml

[pauleiro]

On 2/3/2023 at 1:22 PM, TotallyOz said:

 I only got robbed there once and it was from the military police and it was just for money.

Last year, I went to Buzios with a boy I knew well. I was planning to hire a car. I discussed with an American  friend of mine who told me that a few years ago, he was with another friend and 2 boys going to Buzios in a rented car. They were stopped by the military police who claimed that the car was not ok, that the documents were not conform, ... and who threatened to block the car and started asking for bribes. They finally let them go after they got all their money ... 

So I went to Buzios by onibus 

[TotallyOz]

57 minutes ago, pauleiro said:

Last year, I went to Buzios with a boy I knew well. I was planning to hire a car. I discussed with an American  friend of mine who told me that a few years ago, he was with another friend and 2 boys going to Buzios in a rented car. They were stopped by the military police who claimed that the car was not ok, that the documents were not conform, ... and who threatened to block the car and started asking for bribes. They finally let them go after they got all their money ... 

So I went to Buzios by onibus 

This happens in Thailand quite a bit as well with motorcycles and cars. The longer I'm here, the smarter I get. I had a cop car try to pull me over last year on a side street with no lights or anything, but I kept going until a nice 7/11 and then pulled up to the front. The cop car kept going and did not stop. I knew what he wanted.

[BlkSuperman]

@pauleiroOMG! That is so sad and tragic. I was warned about traveling to Brazil before my first visit and was skeptical about going because of some of the violent things i had heard and seen on social media. then i discovered this forum and was happy to see all the positive posts about brazil and its legion of hot guys. If you are a new traveler and havent been to rio, please go. just be careful as you would in any country including your own. Fortunately, I dont have to travel alone, but im still cautious even though im with my husband. sometimes you let your guard down and slip because we get relaxed after having a good time and the alcohol begins to kick in.

Plan that trip and go have a good time. There are a few safety videos on youtube regarding brazil. I also watched those and they helped calm my fears. Times are hard for people all over the world and people are becoming more desperate to make or steal a dollar even if it means taking someones life to get it. 

Dont make yourself a target by wearing jewelry, expensive clothes, shoes, watches, etc. In one of the STRAIGHT travel groups im in on social media some guy was robbed last week because he wore his expensive chain in colombia. He was a big guy with a tour guide and 2 friends with him. After his chain was snatched, he lunged at the guy and the robber quickly pulled out a firearm, but didnt fire it.

a 38 year old attorney was robbed and killed a few weeks ago in chile because he was in the wrong neighborhood taking pictures.

go go go. you will love brazil. when leaving 202, my husband and i call for an uber and wait upstairs on the 2nd floor until the car arrives. we both wear undergarment waist pouches that cant be seen. we each take one credit card and only take enough money for 2 sex romps while at the sauna. we also wear cargo shorts and keep our cell phones in the lower pockets buttoned up. 

we also take collapsible canes as a deterent when were out at night. who knows if it works, but it gives us piece of mind and might make someone think twice about mugging us. In these desperate times a mugger wouldnt give a ish.

also, try to get a an apartment that has around the clock security and be extremely friendly to the front door attendant. if we go eat, i ask the attendant if theyre hungry and would like for us to bring them food back. believe me, this goes a very long way with them and a quick and easy way to make an alli to help keep you safe. If youre a horny slut like me then only getting sex in the club wont be enough. you can ask the front desk clerk to take your visitors identification and only give it back if they personally get a call from you. 

as stated by other travelers in this group, dont make yourself a target and always be aware of your surroundings. its also a very good idea to maybe meet some other travelers in this group to travel and hang out with them, if they allow. I know this is done in a lot of groups on social media. someone who is traveling for the first time to another country will post in the forum and meet up with other guys who are traveling at the same time.

dont allow fear to overtake you and miss out on the fun that many of the contributors in this forum are engaging in. trust me, we keep going back to these countries for good reason. the good far outweighs the bad. 

dont forget to check out some of these youtube videos. they helped me to overcome my fears

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0GGmpGpoAc