mvan1

Last year I was in Medellin. I stayed in the El Poblado area of the city, which is a very nice and safe area. I decided to go into town to see Club Tobi. After two different cab drivers could not locate the place, I finally found it by walking to it from one of the main streets downtown. After I got to the address of Club Tobi, there was no sign at the door (stairway). There were only numbers written above the stairway entrance. Even though there was no sign saying Club Tobi at the street entrance, I ascended the stairs and located the entrance to the club (which also did not a name on the outside door). Once inside the club, I saw mostly very young and many thin effeminate twinks. However, there was one masculine good-looking guy in the place who noticed my entrance and my apparent disappointment at seeing the mix of patrons in the club. We spoke and we got along very well. He ended up staying with me during the remainder of my trip in Colombia. Twinks are not my thing, which is why I was not impressed with Club Tobi. Had I not lucked out and met the masculine guy in the club, I would have to give Medellin a minus grade compared to other places I visited. I was at the club only one time. I am wondering whether I arrived at the Club at the wrong time or on the wrong day. Needless to say, my opinion of Club Tobi is different from some of the opinions I have seen written in this forum. -

Are you aware that there are many visa service companies that claim they can get you a Brazilian visa in one day? The fee for the rapid service varies. The visa, itself, is $160.00 and the service could be as much as $180.00 additional. Here is but one such service - http://samedaypassport-visa.com/la/visa/brazil/fees-processing-times/ Check Google for other similar type services. Getting a Brazil visa from Argentina might work but it could be easier and faster if you use one of the rapid visa services. Good luck -

There is no hop op. hop off service in Rio - See this Tripadvisor post: 1. Re: Hop on Hop Off Bus Jun 05, 2015, 9:04 PM There used to be (briefly) a Hop on Hop off bus in Rio, but it is no longer in operation. I'm not aware of anything similar. Tours tend to be a bit pricey, but if you don’t mind spending the extra money, a tour to Corcovado and Sugar Loaf may be worth it, although I still believe you can do these tours safely and easily on your own by using inexpensive taxis to move from one venue to the next. Viator and Grey Line are two of the more popular tour companies in Rio. Viator:

I agree with tomcal - 100%. I never had a guide on my first trip to Rio back in 2003. I have taken more than 140+ trips to Brazil since then. It all depends on you, like tomcal implied. If you are timid and afraid to do things alone, then, by all means, hunt for a guide. However, I would make a huge wager that any guide you hire would not know half of the information that has been posted to this forum. Prior to your departure, you should print pages from this forum that have names and addresses of places you will want to visit and print pages on how to get around transportation wise. The information is on this forum. You said your sister-in-law is Brazilian. You hinted that you might know a little Portuguese. Based on the foregoing, and if you copy the information I suggested, you will not need a guide. If you want a guide for comfort sake, you might very well meet a compatible garoto in one of the saunas that might accompanying you around acting as sort of a guide for you. Good luck

Not a pretty picture: https://www.yahoo.com/health/can-brazil-zika-proof-in-time-for-the-olympics-151845123.html -

You are not diverting the thread by asking questions relative to safety and hotels recommended for stays. I have been to the DR only three times. The first time was with friends and the last two times I traveled alone. My last trip was this past October of 2015. While the DR is not as exciting as Brazil and the DM has no rent-boy saunas, the DR can be a lot of fun. The hustlers are in great abundance and are of all types and shapes. Most are quite charming because they want you to choose them over other hustlers in the area. I don't know the type of guy you desire. Most of the hustlers are Blacks and/or Mulatos. The hustlers are usually masculine but there are a few skinny feminine twink hustlers found among the guys offering their services. As to your question of safety, I never had a problem or even an issue of being concerned about safety. The hustlers are quite aware that many gay tourists come to the DM for tourism and to meet with hustlers. The hustlers do not want to scare away a source of income - (money made from hustling - selling sex to tourists). Therefore, there is an understanding that tourists located in the hustler area, be treated friendly and made to feel non threatened. Of course, there is the expected language issue but that is easily overcome by keeping the conversation brief and to the point with poignant expressions and questions. The hustlers know why you are there. You do not have to know Spanish fluently to communicate your interests. Just make sure that you have the hustler write down on a piece of paper, the amount of agreed fee he wants for his services. Although there are nicer hotels available, I recommend only one hotel because I like it and because it is owned by two gay guys who do not hassle guests when a visitor is brought back to the hotel. The hotel is not exclusively gay. There are even families with children in the hotel. The name of the hotel is Hotel Duque De Wellington. The hotel is clean and well run. The location of the hotel is great for meeting hustlers. It is not far from the Malecon where hustlers are in great abundance. Often you will find hustlers on the street near the hotel. If you are out late at night and/or are wandering around the Malecon alone, you could be inviting a robbery or worse. However, the hustler area is usually fairly busy with lots of hustlers and tourists and non gay tourists. I, personally, would not go the the hustler area late at night. As to restaurants, there are many in the area of the hotel. Depending on your food preference, you will find a restaurant to your liking. There is no danger around the restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel I recommended. Bottom line - don't be concerned about safety provided you use common sense, although common sense is not common, nowadays. -

Scott said that he plans a 90-day stay in Brazil and should learn Portuguese. I am wondering if the "awkward moments" he mentioned were those of Scott, himself, because he does not feel comfortable with the garotos due to his inability to communicate in their language. What might be awkward for some may not be awkward for all. For example, I never have any so-called "awkward moments" while I am around or with Brazilian garotos. I am in Brazil at the present time and I spent most of today with a garoto that I met at Lagoa several trips ago. Among other things, we visited some local sites, watched the Bolivian Festa in Sao Paulo for a while, then went to dinner at a nice restaurant. There was nothing awkward about my day, nor did I experience any awkward moments. EDIT: One more thing. The garoto mentioned above is married and has a couple of children. He was one of the unfortunate Brazilians that lost his job due to the Brazilian economy. The garoto is happy that we met and does not express any "awkward moments". He left this evening around 9:00 p.m. When he arrived at his home, he text me to tell me that he had a great day and looks forward to our getting together again. Awkward? I think not. -

- Funny! We never found out why he said he would never use American Airlines, United Airlines and Air Canada. The suspense and curiosity are growing. -

The hustler bar you mentioned is now closed. About 10 years ago, the bar was the "in place" for hustlers in Zurich. The name of the bar was Carousel Bar. Sadly, over time, the mix of hustlers changed to almost all Romanians plus skinny feminine hustlers from Thailand. Prior to the "anschluss" of the rip off Romanians, the hustler mix was Brazilians and Europeans. The Brazilians and Europeans were just out for a good time and to make some money while doing so. With the increase in the number of Romanians in the bar, the increase in clients being ripped off increased. Word got out about the Romanians ripping off so many clients. Eventually, clients stopped going to the bar. Without customers, a place cannot survive. Hence, the demise of Carousel Bar. Here is a link to the bar with a couple of old reviews of it: http://www.gaycities.com/bars/1436-carousel-bar-closed I now return you to the South America forum. -

- As the proverb goes - "Half a loaf is better than none." -

- Are you talking about Zurich's Paragonya sauna where this event took place? -

Based on some of your very informative posts, I can tell that you know the garoto scene in Sao Paulo very well. I have enjoyed your prior posts. However, I do not agree with your statement "There is an unbelievable sense of hierarchy among sauna boys. A boy seeing masturbating in public or walking around naked with a hard-on is telling to his colleagues he is cheap and ain't worth much and is perceived as such by the regular customers, so only the most undesirable ones go to these extremes, hoping they can catch an eventual size queen." I know lots of garotos that walk around the saunas naked or masturbating in public areas of the saunas. Those guys have little inhibitions and sometimes walk around like that for amusement, but mainly to attract clients. I cannot imagine that other garotos regard them as "cheap and ain't worth much and is perceived as such by the regular customers, so only the most undesirable ones go to these extremes." Those exhibitionist prone garotos ask for the same prices as garotos that do not walk around similarly. Seeing garotos running around the sauna and behaving that way is part of the entertainment of visiting the saunas. I don't regard them any different than I regard timid garotos. -

- tomcal covered the issue of public sex in the saunas in his post directly above.. I want to add a comment about your post where you stated "The ongoing debate on garotos in SP showing-or-not their meat - - ." First, there is no debate about that matter. That comment was made by one poster saying that the garotos at Lagoa do not show their penis. All I can say is I have been to that sauna countless times and each time I was there, garotos were readily masturbating in public places (in plain view of all customers, garotos and employees) in hopes of snagging a client. I am not clear how garotos can masturbate like described above and not show their penis. -

Too bad you don't have a longer layover in Madrid. There is a fun hustler bar called Black & White. The problem is it doesn't get busy until midnight and later. I agree with you about Adan, I don't like it at all. Adan is the only rent boy sauna in Madrid. Adan could bring in a fair return for the owners if they put in a little effort and money. The place needs upgrading and a total training of the rude and inefficient employees running the place. A good start would be if the owners of Adan copied or used as an example,the excellent rent boy sauna in Barcelona - Thermas. Maybe you could use your time visiting the Prado, one of the famous museums in the world. -

What happened with you and AA & UA? To be willing to spend "a whole day at the airport" to avoid these carriers must have been something awful. Whatever is was, statistically, you will not have another bad experience in the future with these airlines.

Of course I will remain with AA. I also have top tier status with UA, Air Berlin and Austrian Airways. I intend to stay with those airlines as well. Are the airlines without problems? Not at all. However, when we want to travel to places we enjoy, we have to take the less pleasant along with the pleasant. When you have tier status with an airline there are many benefits. One important benefit for me is when there is a missed connection or a mechanic delay. Having status takes away a lot of the aggravation of being re booked. Often, you don't need to talk with an agent. You simply check your smart phone and you will find your replacement flight already posted. With respect to AA, they have the most flights to Brazil than any other carrier, excluding TAM and GOL. Why would I choose to not stay with AA when they have so many options for contingencies, despite the probable downsizing of aircraft to Brazil? In other words, if you miss your flight or connecting flight, AA has so many flights to Brazil, the missed flight is only an inconvenience. If you took UA, for example and routed through their hub, Chicago or IAD or IAH or EWR, UA has only one flight each day from those hubs. If you happen to miss your connection or there was a mechanical, you would have to wait until the next evening to travel to Brazil. It is a no brainer to stay with AA, if you are a frequent Brazil traveler. -

You don't have to care. The OP alerted those of us who use AA to the fact that AA is cancelling the day flight from MIA to GRU and is downsizing and downgrading the type of planes used from MIA - to GRU on the evening flights. The planes are going out with lots of empty seats. AA cannot continue to use its newest and most modern aircraft on less profitable routes. Hence, the switch to older and smaller planes for the MIA - GRU route. If the AA flights from JFK and from DFW also continue to go out with lots of empty seats, logic tells us that AA could also expand the older planes to those other Brazil hubs. The change to a less comfortable aircraft is something many of us will not like. The older planes that will be taking over the route do not have wifi aboard and the seats are not modern. The lack of wifi and modern seats make the long ride seem longer.

Thanks. I was wondering when the newer planes would be pulled from service considering the fact that the flights often go out with lots of empty seats. I am on the Brazil flights almost every month and noticed the increase in empty seats more than one year ago. All good things come to an end, sooner or later.

Do you recall where you learned about the reductions? Thanks

Are you referring to yourself? If so, I certainly agree. Thank you for your honesty. It shows a real classy guy.

No, I wrote cheio - It is a common word often heard on busy nights in the saunas in Brazil. Very colloquial - ___________________________________________________________ col·lo·qui·al adjective definition: (of language) used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary. synonyms: informal, conversational, everyday, nonliterary; _____________________________________________________ Translations of cheio adjective full completo, cheio, pleno, inteiro, repleto, lotado replete repleto, cheio, empanturrado, saciado, completamente cheio fraught cheio, carregado, pleno stuffed recheado, cheio, estufado thick grosso, espesso, denso, cheio, cerrado, carregado bursting cheio, prestes a rebentar teeming repleto, prolífico, cheio, abundante, fértil, apinhado overflowing transbordante, superabundante, cheio, exuberante, super cheio overgrown coberto, cheio, repleto flush cheio, corado, rico, rosado, abundante, vigoroso plump roliço, carnudo, cheio, categórico, arredondado, amplo round redondo, inteiro, circular, arredond

Just about anytime is a good time to visit Rio and the saunas. The only time you might find it dull and with few clients and garotos is just before xmas time. Many of the out-of-town sauna workers and clients go away for the holidays, which means the saunas are without many clients and garotos. Throughout the year (except xmas time) you might find the saunas not busy (fraco) then other times you might find the saunas packed (cheio). There is no logical explanation for the fluctuation from busy to not busy. Sometimes heavy rain might explain the weak nights but, changes just happen. Those two Portuguese words mentioned above (fraco and cheio) are words used by the sauna owners and other Brazilians to describe whether a sauna is busy or not busy with clients and garotos. You said you read the posts in this forum about Brazil. That being so, I want to caution you (just as I have cautioned other first time visitors to Brazil) to limit your association with garotos to within the confines of the saunas. You are safe in the saunas. After you visit Brazil a few times and learn a little Portuguese and some of the lay of the land, you might want to venture out and invite a garoto to spend time with you outside the saunas. On the other hand, you might be a very confident person who adapts to most any situation. My caution and opinion are based on my having spent a lot of time in Brazil and after more than 140 trips here. Have a great time in Brazil.

"Do these guys go to saunas? Are they safe if not at sauna? Are they versatile? Thanks for your inputs" If the saunas, you mean Rio or Sao Paulo I can say that I have never seen any of the individuals shown at a sauna in either Rio or Sao Paulo. I am currently in Brazil and I have made more than 140 trips here. I would say that I know the saunas as well, or better, as anyone knows them. As to the guys in your photos being safe if not at sauna, I must caution you (your being a new visitor to Brazil) to avoid meeting with garotos away from the saunas. You are a new visitor to Brazil and you already disclosed that you do not know the local language. At the saunas, you have protection that nothing will happen to you while in the sauna confines. If you take a garoto to or meet a garoto in your hotel, anything can happen to you from "goodnight Cinderella" to mugging or even death. Over the years, I have known Americans to experience all three events. You might wonder how so many of us report our experiences with garotos away from the saunas. Let me tell you, it took a long time and a lot of luck and a lot of "sixth sense" to know when to trust a garoto away from the saunas. It is something that you cannot learn in a "how to" book. You learn it through trial and error and treating the garotos you invite out, with respect. As to sauna guys being versatile, I believe that most garotos are versatile. It all depends on their mood, their perception of themselves and it also depends on you, if they like you. I hope my narrative helps make your upcoming Brazil visit more rewarding and pleasant and safer. Brazil is a splendid place; it really is. -

- I would not classify your list as ordinary sex phrases in a sexual setting. The items in your list are akin to a bondage type of sex. I can think of no garoto that I know or know about in Brazil who would acquiesce to the things you listed in your inquiry. Of many things I learned from my frequent travels to Brazil is that the garotos in the saunas talk among themselves about clients. If you were to engage a garoto and take him to a room then request the garoto to do the things listed in your post, I would wager that no garoto would comply. Furthermore, after the garoto told his fellow workers about your requests, you would quickly become a persona non grata in the Brazilian saunas. The above statement is my opinion and reaction. Others may disagree. -.

I think it is great that different people have different opinions about the same or similar facts or incidents. Quite simply, as the famous philosopher Plato said “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder” which simply means we each see things in our own manner. I have just one question of you. Do you also agree that the guys at Lagoa did not show their penis, as Scott said? And that they are "an uptight group of boys?" Just curious.