davet

Are there any gyms known for hot trainers who are available for extra services? And how would one make the approach? I guess I could get one of the many trainers at the saunas, but they might work in distant suburbs. I'm talking about an actual, legit weight training session followed by more personal and caring attention. Maybe starting right at said gym.

I also wonder whether there are house rules that the garoto must take a client to a cabine. It seems much can be done in various corners of the facility. I had some activity in the stalls at the old Lagoa and old Fragata, but it seems in Rio, the garotos resist such things. So sad to see all of them lined up, looking bored, and not being able to do any business.

This was the worst part about 117, on its "best" night. The wait lines must be terrible for business, for boys and house, because it locks up unused resource, just like at busy food courts where people grab and save tables long before they get their food. Is there another good night at 117?

What prize do we give the first person to give a report about Goiania?

Check out the Hotel Nacional. A genuine architectural landmark (Niemeyer), across from a safe, friendly beach, with an "interesting" recent history that involves near demolition and Justin Bieber. The location in Sao Conrado is about 30 minutes by metro and less by car to Copacabana and the central/south parts of the city.

The old Fragata was very fun once you get the hang of its vibe and schedule.

I'm surprised to hear that Plataforma is still around. I went there on my first trip to POA and, yes, despite the smaller crowd, it did surprise me with a few very companionable young men. On my last trip, I only went to Mezzaninu. The guys there were bad-mouthing Plataforma, but that was 5-6 years ago and maybe during its nadir. POA makes more sense if I'm coming up from Argentina or Uruguay.

The beaches near Santo Domingo are not good. The good beaches are several hours, at least, from the city. Of course, Rio de Janeiro fits your description (beach, gay scene, cosmopolitan city) but perhaps you are thinking of a resort and not a huge, real city. Other major cities on the coast (Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza, etc.) should have a gay scene, maybe a sex sauna or two, and decent food and entertainment options.

What I saw was good enough to visit. But the remodeling should be done and the entire facility accessible by now.

The reviews on Rentmen are not helpful. "Was your time relaxing?" - I want my time to be EXCITING, dammit!, not relaxing! And whenever anyone leaves a rating but cannot put two words together to explain it, I don't give the rating a milligram of credence. Rentmen doesn't even ALLOW a reviewer to add comments. It's strange to ask an escort to explain his bad reviews when it's the reviewers who should be explaining their reviews.

I didn't know esposas means handcuffs. Now that's what I call truth in etymology. But I can see where this text thread went off the rails. You asked him to handcuff you. He mentioned his own fantasy of bringing a female into the picture (he seemed to mean he'd rather not have a third male). You said "Your wife?" He said, "Noooo."

Now. What about the other guys selling stuff on El Conde, including the hunky art student/former military selling his oil paintings? I struck up a pleasant conversation with him but didn't have the skills to lead it somewhere interesting.

Boca Chica was already a dump 20 years ago. No beach town in the Caribbean is going to be a "real town," but I enjoyed the beaches in the north, which were geared more toward independent, activity tourists than to packaged tour tourists. That makes a difference. The beach butler I had there was a night-and-day difference from what Snwbdr describes. He was attentive, helpful, watched my stuff when I was swimming (an issue for solo travelers), and probably kept the other hawkers away.

There are lots of police in SDQ! It seems every other good-looking young guy is a cop or military cadet. I think it's a social welfare program. Or there's some Big Queen in the government tending to his harem. The "tourist police" seems like the most dubious cops (or promising, depending on your point of view on police discipline and morality). I wish I had as much knowledge - and courage - on my first trip to Sto. Domingo many eons ago when a gorgeous cop - complete with baton - sat next to me in the porno theater.

My sense is the guys move from agency to agency, with each agency having roughly the same set-up and price range. You get a nice room, unrushed time, and perhaps 24/7 scheduling (no waiting until 4 pm LOL). The guys can do whatever they do during the day, pop over to the house within an hour for an appointment, be done with their appointment in about an hour, go back to gym/girlfriend/go-go gig. The guys would fall in the top quartile of the former Lagoa service providers, and the website pictures are accurate. They are not as "participatory" as the sauna boys watching the competition, but I think extra participation can be negotiated. Yeah, pay more, get more, and still one of life's great little pleasures.

Stopped for a couple days in Zurich recently and here are the notes: 1. Paragonya's remodeling did not seem to get in the way. I don't remember what was closed off from my previous trip (more than a decade ago) but there seemed to be lots of cabins, showers, nooks. Every inch was Swiss-clean. The cabins had condoms, lube, paper towel, and alcohol sprays. The remodeling should be done in a few days so I'd love to hear from someone what that looks like. 2. There was a good crowd of clients and working boys. My estimate is at least 20 of each. 3. Days and Times: Definitely a weekend thing, in fact only open I believe Thu.-Sun. while remodeling is going on. Definitely an afternoon thing. By 2 pm, you will have seen everybody who will be available. (One guy who came around 4 was asked "why so late?") By 4:30-5 pm, the guys start leaving. 4. The talent: Lots of Brazilians, including one I saw in Barcelona just before. Lots of Romanians - smooth talkers, unreliable in the sack, very "business"; I used to enjoy this type but not so much anymore. Some Czechs, including a stunning muscle sweetheart. The rate is a firm 100CHF. I didn't sense an expectation of a tip. 5. The worst thing: I must have forgotten that Paragonya is a "private" club and therefore smoking is allowed inside. Although they must have some ventilation system at the bar to keep the place from turning into a BBQ pit, it was really getting to me. 6. Zurich in general. Still pretty expensive even with the favorable currency rates. Even the fast food and ethnic restaurants aren't a deal. The best concentration of passable eats and prices I found was, surprisingly, on the touristy pedestrian street right outside Paragonya. Otherwise, do what the Swiss do and get your sandwiches and coffee at the grocery store. I stayed at a pension in what turned out to be the edgy, ethnic, and slightly red-light neighborhood of Zurich. In addition to cafes and shawarma shops, think tattoo parlors, vape shops, strip clubs, and hard-working ladies still hanging out in fishnet stocking when the nippy morning came around. There were also plenty of guys in track suits hanging out in front of the clubs and ladies, including one hunky Russian-looking guy who gave me "a look," but I didn't have the opportunity to find out what he was selling. All in all, I'm already thinking about a return trip to Switzerland.

[moved to better topic]

There was a lot of rule-breaking in Istanbul. As long as the signs and posters were up with the rules, no one cared if anyone followed them. Closed or takeout-only restaurants would seat you at hidden tables in the back. First I heard of the no-touch test swab.

Thanks for the update. IIRC, Sunday at Mezzaninu was dead beyond dead, so you didn't miss anything by heading off to Rio. POA and Curitiba used to be almost great but now the best guys have gone to work in Rio and SP.

Turkish guys can be very hot and very sweet. Language is an issue outside the tourist areas. (And overbearing rug merchants are an issue IN the tourist areas.) Aquarius is okay if you aren't expecting a Brazil-level establishment and if you like Middle-Eastern, light skinned, somewhat hirsute guys. They readily accepted ~50-60EUR from me (this was last year, before the Turkish economy cratered even further). Many years ago, two probably underaged guys approached me on the street in a random, non-touristy area, making their purpose very obvious, and I moved away as fast as possible. Beware. But Istanbul is fantastic in so, so many other ways.

The Kosmopolit hotel appears to be mostly a working-class family hotel. Lots of East European and Middle Eastern groups with kids. And they happen to be, at least formerly, next door to a porno theater of the same name. Lots of hookers around the theater and lots of guys in track suits (you know that look) in front of the hotel who, frustratingly, aren't hookers.

This has happened to me numerous times and I'm as bewildered as anybody. Most recently this year in Rio, a god of a bodybuilder (easily the hottest guy on the low-attendance nights) completely ignored me, even brazenly walking away or pushing me away. And then one night I bagged him. I wanted to worship his bod and was expecting a disappointing interaction, but he turned out to be pretty good. He said he had 6 other dates that night. That made me feel real special, but I didn't ask why he was so aloof before. Another guy, also from this year's trip, seemed bound to another garoto and a client and would not reciprocate my obvious interest. Perhaps he was a newbie being trained by a veteran (a not uncommon scenario). I guess my answer is that it's nothing personal and just random logistical issues. However, the next time, I will ask whether he is in recovery mode. I actually like huge cocks that are flaccid, which rentboys find to be weird.

Any alternatives within the 100 km radius?

You mean he's a daddy now? yum! He said he has several brothers, all of them just as hung. One was briefly in the business.

That would not be Reinaldo because I don't think he ever goes to Rio. But now I'm very curious about Rey.