Traveler365

Is it accessible by metro or better by UBer?

Guadalajara is a beautiful city with a large gay population. They say that Guadalajara has the most attractive men and women in Mexico. There are several gay clubs but you could probably find fun on Grindr.

Thinking of a visit to Sao Paulo for a weekend mid-november during my trip to Brazil. Does anyone know if the old Lagoa will still be open? I would hate to go to Sao Paulo and get caught in the period between the old Lagoa closing and before the new location opened.

One of my friends booked a room through Mister BNB in Rio during carnival. The host was straight and his slightly disapproving girlfriend was there in the apartment the whole time. Needless to say he couldn't bring guests back to the place if it was someone who he "just met."

There is a series on Netflix called "Inside the Worlds Toughest Prisons" where a British ex-con goes inside to "live" inside a tough prison for a week to document conditions. Not surprisingly many of the toughest prisons he visits are in Latin America. Check out the episodes where he is in Brazil, or Colombia and it is not hard to imagine some of the tough guys that he interviews working in either 117 or 202. There are a lot of hot, shirtless guys in this series but more than anything it shows me what a fine line there is between a hot, seemingly well spoken guy and someone who could be a killer. It's worth watching not just for the eye candy but to remind us all to be careful south of the border.

I think an important distinction in hotel guest policies is whether or not they will allow multiple different guests to register with you during your stay. At the old Ipanema Plaza(which I am pretty sure is closed for good) you could register one guest for the duration of your stay which was great if you had a boyfriend join you for your vacation. On the other hand some hotels will allow you to register multiple guests as long as they are one at a time but will charge you a fee for each one even if you have a double room. Some hotels won't allow any guests to register at all past the original check in.

Well I always use condoms --100%. Recently two friends who are on PREP were in Rio and they really wanted to have bareback sex and they had a hard time finding garotos who were in to that--and their impression was that all the garotos played with condoms only. I guess it depends on the night, the client , and the $$.

Bogota is 8660 feet above sea level. I've never had a problem with altitude sickness there but some people may. You may feel a bit winded going up stairs for a few days until your body adjusts--but that is not altitude sickness. If you have a history of altitude sickness then you should start taking Diamox 1-2 days before arriving for it to be effective.

Amazing that a lot of gay people still voted for this guy. Unfortunately that shows how desperate Brazilians are for a change of some sort.

Do you guys have any recommendations for hotels near Sauna Thermas? I have stayed at Rommmate Hotels in Mexico City and I know they have a few locations in Barcelona that I will check out. Any other suggestions?

I didn't really get into details since I couldn't hook up. I was just surprised by how many were so open about it on grindr. This was mostly in the larger cites of Aukland/Christchurch. I certainly wouldn't book a trip there just to look for rent boys--but its nice to know that you wouldn't be without options if you visit New Zealand for all of the other natural scenery!

I was just in New Zealand for a few weeks. Amazing country to visit with stunning scenery and great people. I was traveling with friends so I didn't hook up. I was surprised by the number of guys advertising on grindr, some quite cute, for fun with "rewards welcome" which indicates $$. Chatted with a couple but didn't waste their time since I really couldn't get away to hook up. All were very nice.

Planning my first trip to Barcelona this summer. It sounds like Sauna Thermas is great and I am looking forward to checking it out. I will try not to raise my expectations too high so as to be disappointed. Since it is my first trip to Spain I will be splitting my time between Barcelona, Stiges, and Madrid and doing a lot of tourist things as well as visiting friends. The sauna scene will definitely be a nice addition to my trip but not the whole purpose. That being said--are there any nights that are so dead at Thermas I should not waste my time? I understand Friday, Saturday are the best nights but what about the other nights?

Not sure if has improved at Thermas California but on each time I have visited, there were at least a half dozen or so working guys--unlike Dragon Club which has only had one or two. I really can't figure out Fortaleza. It has so many gorgeous guys walking around and from what I hear bisexuality is even more common in the Northern Region of Brazil but the sauna scene for working guys has always been disappointing.

Uber is good in the city but sometimes traffic can be crazy there. Don't be afraid to try the Metro which has a stop close to your hotel It's much more efficient for getting around CDMX and is cheap, safe, and somewhat of a cultural experience! You can even ride the Metro back to the airport.

Maybe try Thermas California. More working guys there.

I seem to remember one of the historic plazas being populated with hustlers in the early evening hours. My friend from Lima told me that that is where guys went sell themselves. Since I was with group I didn't have a chance to pick anyone up. Sorry I can't remember the details but there is a scene there.

Lots of guys making out on park benches in the city as this article describes. https://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/la-fg-mexico-city-pda-capital-20190408-story.html

BB bar a few doors from your hotel has strippers that you can hire for private dances. There can be great looking guys there or just so so depending on the night. It gets started around midnight. That whole street is packed with clubs and if you are willing to buy a few beers for the guys it can often lead to something else. Grindr is also active. I love Mexico city and I am sure you will enjoy your stay.

Depending on which rate you get it can include breakfast. I love the fact that breakfast is served until noon.

Roommate Valentina on Amberes. Right in the middle of the gay clubs in Zona Rosa so if you are a light sleeper the noise might bother you. Higher floors are pretty quiet. Although a smaller Boutique style hotel never had a problem with guests. It is gay owned and gets great reviews on Trip Advisor.

Hi there--I enjoyed your postings about Santo Domingo. I travel to the DR at least once a year. I was wondering if the guys ever hit you up for money after you've left with the usual story about the sick grandmother, etc. I've travelled a lot of places in Latin America and Asia and in my experience the Dominicans I've met have been the most persistent in asking for money via email or messages even when you say no 3 times! It makes me want to avoid the temporary boyfriend experience that you describe when visiting there in the future.

Here is the story about the shooting in Ipanema during Carnival--just down from the gay beach. https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-politics/rio-de-janeiro-registers-seventy-shootings-during-carnival/

Already a day after carnival things are much calmer and returning to normal. You still need to be careful but it feels much more relaxed.

I am here in Rio now and Carnival is over tonight. As a USA friend who lives here said--Carnival is the best and worst of Rio--and I tend to agree having been here for four Carnivals. On the good side the city is generally in a festive mood with street parties everywhere and many people wearing costumes that are amazing or some just simple and fun. There are lots of hot guys in gender bending costumes that adds to the eye candy. The saunas have been full of guys and the party is full on there! The Sambadrome where the floats that make Carnival so famous is really an incredible spectacle that I never get tired of. There is a gay party on Friday night of Carnival that gives you front row seats and open bar with admission called Candybox. You can buy tickets online a few months before. There were heavy rains earlier in Carnival this year but it didn't stop the party. One final good note---city services and trash collection seemed to be pretty organized and cleaned up effeciently after the big events--unlike a previous year I attended when they chose Carnival to go on strike. On the bad side crime and yes violence is rampant. First day of Carnival I saw tear gas fired by police at Ipanema to break up crowds causing people to panic. Another night I was walking on Farme de Amoedo and someone attempted to rob me--but since I had nothing with me they got nothing(this was an aggressive grab in my pocket while I was distracted by three twinks whom I suspect were working with the guy. My cell and most of my money were locked away in my apartment). Two other well traveled friends had their cell phones taken within hours of arriving( one wall pulling it out to call an Uber). Tonight several local guys told me that 5 people were shot in a fight between "gangsters" and police at the beach in Ipanema just down from the gay beach toward the Arpoador--and again more tear gas fired. Since I did not see this incident I cannot confirm it. What i did see tonight was a big fight on Farme de Amoedo that spilled into Gallitos Grill despite metal barriers with several staff joining in and customers fleeing. Police eventually arrived and occupied the restaurant with about 20 officers standing guard. Well for me that was the end of the party. I still have a lot of fun at carnival but it is a crazy time in the city and I really feel it is not the best time for someone's first trip to Rio. Anyway I thought I would share my observations.