Xclay

Thanks for the great pics and details! Now I've gotta return! I was there about 20 years ago and, like you, I found the helicopter flight a spectacular way to get an amazing, big picture view of this enormous waterfall unlike any other. You made a good choice skipping the boat ride. Boats cannot go far into the long channel, so you just go to the first little waterfall, get wet, and that's it. Some people like it, but I thought it was a waste of time. I loved wondering all around the labyrinth on the Argentine side and standing for an hour mesmerized by the thundering power only a few years away at Devil's Throat. Do you recommend staying at Samna? Looks very nice. The classic old Hotel das Cataratas on the Brazil side and the Gran Meliá Iguazú on the Argentine side are wonderfully close to the falls but you pay for their prime locations and their prices have skyrocketed.

Not my experience at all in Rio and SP in this past Nov/Dec. I said 200 firmly and they said OK.

I don't know anything at all about Manu but perhaps -- if you subcontract "procurement" to Manu -- his GPs will be safe enough to take to your lodging. But, as a total newbie, I suggest you be sure right away to try out the safe sauna experience. You may enjoy meeting and interacting with the range of GPs you will see there. For the record, many frequent travelers only hook up at the saunas. Practices differ. Looks like my helpful comrades are recommending Rio over Sao Paulo, due especially to Manu. I think that for an older newbie, SP's Lagoa is a more congenial setting than Rio's 117 & 202. But maybe Manu, if he is a good at they say, tips the advantage to Rio.

P.S. Suggest you avoid admitting that this is your first trip to Brazil. A little white lie here would be valuable. Maybe allude to Rio (or tres Rio) because it may be obvious you're not familiar with Lagoa.

As a newbie, definitely stay away from online in Brazil. Stick to the safe saunas. Assuming you are reasonably fit and have no mobility issues, here is a draft plan just to throw out some suggestions: A nice easy first trip might be one-two weeks in Sao Paulo. Get a nice hotel on Paulista Avenida. See great museums during the day. Around 3:30-4:30, take an Uber to Espaco Lagoa Sauna. Bring ear plugs, seriously. Like you, I like affection along with serious sex. You can definitely find handsome young men who will be highly affectionate (I have found some great guys on this current trip), but they will vary a lot. In my experience, the most highly affectionate GPs tend to be bottoms, but some tops can be great at hugging and kissing. Finding them can be tricky because most will claim they like to hug and be romantic, but that does not guarantee they will follow through in the room. Be cautious about making much eye contact unless you think you have at least a semi-finalist to "interview." More and more of them have Google Translate on their phones now, so communication is not too difficult. It sounds like you might be at risk of having your heart broken and be seen as a sugar daddy monthly ATM if you are not careful. So try to resist falling in love right away and being exploited. Many posts on here discuss payment strategies. Let us know how it goes.

UBER⁉️ Assume you mean AirBnB. Congrats on your victory!

Exactly, plus in Rio you may lose 8+ minutes round trip from the front desk to the room upstairs! Now, as soon as I get handed the room key at the front desk, I immediately say into my phone: "Set alarm for 33 minutes" to make sure I do not get double charged and have evidence. That has helped me avoid some debates we had in the past.

Quoted? Sorry, but I just don't understand why any client would ask. Given this opportunity (which makes it seem like you do not know the score), many GPs will of course jack up the number. So these clients now either have to make the GP lose face and bargain them down to accept less -- or pay the higher asking price. I don't see any advantages in this approach, but apparently many clients use it. Instead, may I suggest: In Rio/SP, just say (without asking!) in a matter of fact way (not a question) "200." Over the past six weeks, every single one of my multitude of great GPs in Rio and SP agreed. (A couple hesitated for a split second, but then said OK.) In Porto Alegre, I stated "150" as my offer, and had a few ask hopefully for 200. Of course, as has been discussed on this forum, GPs may insist on more reals from clients with bad breath, for example, or a reputation as a big spender, etc.!

The moral of this story: When you want to get topped in a subway sanatório in Salvador, do not — repeat, do not — hop up on the sink to spread your legs or even lean on it. This poor young bottom suffered nasty injuries — include one cut perilously close to his genitals — when the sink collapsed last week from too much weight and/or pounding. For the record — and not because it looks like the talent might not be so bad and might be worth investigating — this misfortune happened at the Bairro da Paz station. The news story even helpfully explained that at this station one needs to go up to the mezzanine for the banheiro action. Salvador's enlightened subway staff rushed the young guy to the hospital and did not call the police. (Wonder what he said when the doctor asked, "What happened?")

True, most SP businesses were closed on NYE. But, as you probably know, but for those who do not... SP has a massive New Year's Eve celebration on Avenida Paulista! Attendance is usually estimated at two million people. The party starts getting warmed up at 4:30 in the afternoon and lasts until about 4:30 in the morning! I was there when the "gates" first opened. People were screened entering from every side street. Some were patted down, but, sadly, I was not. When I entered at 4:30 (see my photo above), some country singer was starting the 12 hour concert. I'm told some big-name stars were on the program. Jumbotrons and blasting speakers were erected almost the entire three kilometers of Avenida Paulista. Later in the evening a majority of the crowd wears white, not as universally as they do on Copacabana Beach. Many strikingly handsome, fit, same-sex couples were in attendance. I did not see any freelance GPs cruising. My ear plugs (never leave the hotel without them) made the sound tolerable. And it was fun to people-watch for a while before walking back a couple of blocks to my hotel.

Little Trancoso only had 8,400 residents as of 2021. Don't even see a gay bar listed on Google Maps. So, no chance of a sauna with GPs. Sorry. Even most Brazilian cities like Maceió with nearly a million people lack a GP sauna. (Maceió has two active saunas but no GPs.) Lots of posts here by experts on using Brazilian escort websites. And there is always Grindr. It can be an advantage being the new guy in town in a town that doesn't get many new guys.

Arrived from sunny Fortaleza (with only a 15% daily chance of rain) to São Paulo (where the daily chance of rain is 65% in late December). My view of Praia do Meireles every day versus my morning view today of this mess in SP a block away from my hotel which had its own tributary of the Amazon in front of it. Also, especially from 6 to 7:30 every morning along those sidewalks and running tracks in the Fortaleza photo on the left was a steady stream of runners with some very handsome eye candy. Many runners were so attractive that typically five or six photographers would shamelessly sit right by the track. One afternoon coming down an escalator at a big Fortaleza shopping center I did a double take when I saw this large 5' advert: "The best gift for an icon." Then, out of curiosity, I stood around where I could unobtrusively see if anybody else needed to "process" the pic. Sure enough, at least half the men turned their head a bit as they walked past and two did almost comical double takes. And my last pics on behalf of the Fortaleza Chamber of Commerce... The not so obvious entrance to Dragon which Uber drivers often miss. Some more pics of Dragon (still in need of GPs to match the impressive, spacious facility). Plus less elegant but much more popular California Thermis Club:

To wrap up my nine days in Fortaleza... I like to keep Fortaleza in rotation more often and longer than do some of the excellent recent posters in this thread. I like variety and do not need a large selection of GPs from a specific niche (e.g., minimum inches, height, skin shade, BMI, musculature). If you do, like most of my friends, that’s totally cool! I’d been with different physical types (except emaciated) over the past week here and only once failed to screen out someone who would not have great chemistry behind closed doors. I find more than enough here who are personally warm and physically hot who aim to please and do. Outside of the sauna, I really enjoy the city, especially the Praia do Meireles area. It is maybe my favorite urban beach in Brazil. In sharp contrast to Rio, it is not crowded and not loud. The beach cafes play music softly, not deafening as on Copacabana. Even the people seem more sedate and tranquil than the RIo mobs. I can walk for hours without anybody asking for money or selling things. Overall, it is far more peaceful and chill. Rio will always be special, but I like the calm of the Meireles urban beach. And if the surf does indeed release all those calming ions, as many claim, the setting here gives those ions a chance to work their relaxing magic.

Today, Dec 24, both California and Dragon were closed. So, after a long walk along the peaceful Praia do Meireles, I went to see if anything was happening at Cine Vídeo Star. Once again three GPs (different from the three last week) were in residence at about 3:30. None were payment-worthy to me but all three seemed like sweet, healthy guys, affectionate even, unlike the rough, dicey characters who sometimes work such places. I started to leave and in walked a handsome, fit, 6'1", stunner I'd seen at California. He flashed a sexy smile. He knew he'd be the king of the hill, so he hugged me, and took my hand to go to a little room where he could lock the door. He stripped and enthusiastic hijinks ensued. Later, since I was in the neighborhood, I stopped by nearby Cine Arena (see my post above). Only one man (early 30s, not bad looking) was there. He wanted to play, but I thought he might be a GP and I hate unexpected bills. He was not, so free hijinks ensued. Nice afternoon, following by a two-hour walk back to my hotel by the Praia do Meireles. Love Fortaleza. Onward to São Paulo tomorrow.

Thanks for the valuable update! I visited Vitória two decades ago and was not impressed, but you have put it back on my radar. Were your days weekdays or weekend at Sauna Tempu when there were few GPs?