SouthOfTheBorder

One of the main reasons for her popularity is exactly because of the kind of person she is, or the kind of person her fans perceive her to be. She’s relatable as they say. Of course, she’s talented, beautiful & very very smart too. Social media plays a big part, but not for the reasons you might think. Younger generations raised on social media are followers. They quickly jump on a trend and it becomes ubiquitous- they are desperate to be part of a tribe, finding common ground & then there’s FOMO. If you visit certain cities that are overrun with “influencers” or “digital nomads” like Barcelona or Lisbon as two examples - the younger people all look the same: same fashion, same scooters, same tech equipment, same vacant look as they stare into their screens. They think they’re all unique & different- yet all being told what to think, how to dress and what’s on-trend based on their social media feeds. It’s brainwashing on a global scale more or less, with algorithms designed to keep users engaged & influence thinking/buying decisions all served up by the social media platforms who are in it for money.

I saw A STRANGE LOOP - a fantastic & mind-blowing original work. So out-there in the very best way, I’m surprised it ever made it to Bway. Wanted to see it again, but couldn’t make it work w my schedule Todays Broadway is usually recycled “revivals” or movie adaptations that are formulas for tourists & suburban people. The movie adaptations are typically boring as hell/predictable (Tootsie, Pretty Woman, etc) and the revivals are hit & miss. A truly original piece of new theatre is a rarity on Broadway these days. And then there’s always the mediocre jukebox musicals. Funny Girl is not a good show or an interesting one - it relies on a superstar vocalist in the lead role to make it work & overlook the lack of everything else.. I saw it with Beanie (horrible) and I saw it w Leah (fantastic). Before Covid, I saw about 12 Bway shows each year. After Covid, not so much. Even if there is an interesting show to see, the audience is routinely rude with all the talking & texting. If it’s a well known musical, then it’s basically a sing-a-long for tourists. It’s just not worth dealing with the rude people and then paying $400-$500 for 2 average tickets. The more serious or obscure the show, the more likely the audience will be well-behaved & not full of tourists. As I recall, A STRANGE LOOP had none of the typically rude tourists or suburban people because of the subject matter. It was real theatre. I saw MUSIC MAN w Hugh Jackman - boring & flat. I’ll see Cabaret (again) w Redmanyne ….it’s a difficult show to screw-up. And Merrily because of the off-Bway reviews. Depends on prices tho. Cabaret will be flooded w tourists. Merrily doesn’t seem like it will have tourist appeal. Selfish tourists seem to ruin everything these days - including Broadway. Definitely prefer to see things off-Broadway if possible as it’s always a better experience: no talking/no texting/no tourists - and much more reasonable ticket prices

exactly this !!!!

that makes sense completely. Never really thought about it before. seems like a self-inflicted mindfuck tho because being desired contradicts the whole idea around paid sex & creates even more chance for disappointment. if all goes according the script, then maybe it’s all worth it also interesting that the providers active on this site mostly say that what the client looks like either way, makes no difference.

I never expect/require an escort to cum. I don’t get the fascination with it, but I know it’s common. I assume the escorts have other clients and I wouldn’t want to impair their next appointment. The escorts always seem to surprised that I don’t care. Some want to cum and of course that’s great. And I certainly wouldn’t expect a masseur to cum either. When happy endings for me happen organically in a massage setting, then fine. The issue here is many guys really want a discounted rate by booking massage & then expecting escort services. Of course, totally different if you’re going to a place or person for massage and it is known/accepted that happy endings are part of the deal. If you’re not sure, then don’t expect it. It’s always a mistake to have a preconceived idea/expectation of what is going to happen in an escort/massage situation, unless you have discussed your requirements clearly and the provider has agreed. This requires very clear communication & that seems to be difficult given the shame around sex, paying for sex and fear of judgement. If those type conversations are uncomfortable, then it’s a very healthy exercise to work through it - expressing wants & needs clearly is empowering. I recently got a new massage therapist, who I see at least once a week. He was a referral from a friend and there was no expectation of any sex. He’s super hot/sexy, gentle with a firm touch and the movements/strokes feel sensual, but not sexual or erotic. On the table, I usually get turned on and get hard at some point. And then my mind wanders to other things. I realized that what I really like with this new guy is the ability to feel completely vulnerable & safe and very intimate all at the same time, without it being sexual. I let him touch me in places (not sexual) that I am too sensitive with others. But, for some reason it’s ok with him. I absolutely love sex, but sometimes it’s not about sex all the time.

passport control lines at both Tokyo airports can easily be 90 minutes or more. Japanese authorities are thorough and lots of people do not have their paperwork in order, adding to the wait time & confusion. Hotel check-in also seems to take much longer than usual, which was totally unexpected at large American brand luxury hotels. The hotel sector is still recovering from Covid shutdowns with properties & staff still struggling a bit to deliver high level of service. I tried to schedule a provider in Osaka - no such thing as a timely call-back and if they eventually did call back, they were all booked for same day and next day. Planning ahead is essential and a lot of patience. I gave up - too much hassle. Japan overall is amazing & I’d go back in a second.

the word friend is wildly overused. Being friendly & makIng friends are two very different things. being friendly wherever you go yields more pleasant interactions and friendly acquaintances, rather than actual enduring friendships that require time, energy, reciprocation, maintenance & nurturing. Facebook and similar have destroyed the meaning of what a real friend is. There’s all kinds of studies showing humans have a maximum capacity for something like 100 friendly acquaintances & then typically a very small circle of actual real friends, less than 10. So, can a provider be a real friend for some people ? - yes, it’s possible. Is it probable given circumstances of the relationship & human bandwidth ? - no, not likely. I’m not “friends” with my doctor, dentist, lawyer of massage therapist. I’m a client in those professional relationships with a friendly rapport.

exact same when I tried friendship w a provider that one time, it did create some jealousy and insecurities w my partner. Totally natural and I’d probably feel the same way. My partner is now pretty comfortable w how things work w my provider dates because it never interferes w our sex life, I usually do everything out of town and he knows there are no attachments of any kind. He wants to know general things just to make sure Im ok & has an idea where I am and when I’m expected to check-in….kind of safety followups. But he never wants the details. It works and there is zero guilt.

good question & interesting dialogue I’ve never been one to have sex with friends, just not my thing for whatever reason. I once had a provider where we became very friendly & did some non-sexual things off-the-clock. We had a lot in common, similar interests & he is/was a great person. It kind of ruined the sexual part of the relationship tho, because it was no longer purely transactional animal sex. I found that i really like having paid sex as a separate outlet with no other attachments. Never say never - but it didn’t work the one time I gave it a shot

Does anyone have experience subscribing to porn channels on privacy.com.br or onnowplay.com ? seems like these are Brazil versions of OnlyFans/JustFor Fans mainly interested to know if the sites are secure for credit card payments or any other comments

lol - in my first NY apartment, there was a female provider on my floor. EVERYBODY knew. It wasn’t really discussed as she was discreet & a lovely person/neighbor. She had small client list with the same guys coming & going at reasonable hours. If it had been random/different people at all hours, I imagine that would have been a problem. NY apartment dwellers and building staff know everything that goes on, especially on the same floor. There are no secrets & they all gossip.

good question re; types of guys. From my recent visits - most of the working men are guy next door types, depending on your country of residence Most were very fit and lightly muscled with a few twinks and a few I’d consider bearish. It was not overrun with twinks as some posts here indicate. I can see where some older guys may perceive “twink” just because as a whole, it’s a younger group of men working - I didn’t see it that way tho. There were no steroid bodybuilders or huge muscle guys. Thermas did have some bodybuilders around before the pandemic, I haven’t seen them there since. The majority of the working guys are Brazilian & same as you’d find at Lagoa - a few have actually worked at Lagoa which is not surprising. Age range is 20 -35 with the majority in the middle. In BCN, there seems to be some cross-over between sauna guys and online guys, however very few. The sauna guys can be taken off-site for 100euros, but that’s not for a full hour - more like 40 minutes. Standard rate for online guys is 150/per hour - if they think you are American/Canadian/Australian the quote is frequently higher. Research all the online sites in Spain (Hungz, Telechapero, Rentmen) & when making contact do not tell them you found them on RM - that’s almost always a much higher rate because it’s the go to site for Americans. Also helps if you contact people from a non-US identifiable phone number if possible. And use google translate to Spanish even tho that is obvious sometimes. If an online guy quotes more than 150hour, find someone else because there are plenty. A provider friend in BCN recently gave me a stern warning to be very careful with online guys because of frequent & heavy drug use (crystal meth) it’s very common and leads to other things like petty theft, performance issues, etc. There is some drug use in the sauna too, but mostly just smoking weed. In BCN, the sauna is the best choice for most as you can see exactly what you’re getting in a controlled safe environment with lots of options. I like to stay very close to Thermas so I can come & go as it’s open 24/7. They don’t allow re-entry, so that’s an extra cost but minimal for what you get. Lots of good restaurant options within a block or two makes it all very easy, safe & civilized. PM me if you need hotel recommendations. Enjoy !

good ! There are very few of these type saunas remaining with most of them in Brazil. The Thermas facility is definitely bigger than the new Lagoa. And it feels bigger than Pointe 202 & 117. It gets very crowded for sure, but doesn’t feel absolutely packed like the Brazilian saunas mainly due to Thermas larger facility. There is no such thing as waiting for a room at Thermas because there is always somewhere to go - there are lots of free cabins there that will do for 30 minutes. Don’t pay too much attention to going during peak hours - I think that’s a big mistake for most, especially if unfamiliar with the layout and guys. My best experiences have been off-hours when it’s not crowded. On my last visit, I went on a Saturday at about noon - the cashier told me there was only one working guy there and 3 other customers. I didn’t have any other plans, so I thought why not just enjoy the facilities for a while ? Within 30 minutes I met one of the most beautiful, gifted and kind Brazilian garotos anywhere. I spent a couple hours with him in sessions and having drinks & chatting (he spoke enough English to get by). I left the sauna at 3p as the working guys were streaming in. Went to hotel, took a nap and returned for round two at 7p as the crowd was starting to thin-out. The moment I walked through the door on the return, I met one of my all time favorites and spent the rest of the night with him. Success in the sauna doesn’t require any special expertise - other than an awareness that you are being watched, sized-up & discussed by the boys. Treat them all with respect and don’t waste their time unless you’re really interested. The guys I know from there all take pride in their appearance and go the extra mile in personal hygiene - they appreciate it when clients do the same. A prepared client who is polite, respectful & generous is a popular client who can get whatever they want. While the base rate is 50, tipping for extraordinary service is appropriate and small tips to the attendants and bartender goes a long way too. If you can manage some basic Spanish, that’s a game-changer. I’m a huge fan of Thermas and have so many great memories from there. Happy to share.

go to Barcelona - pick a hotel within walking distance to Sauna Thermas. You’ll have the best of both worlds - a sauna venue with plenty of choices & extensive online options. All in a very safe environment & nice hotels at reasonable price points.

fyi - the going rate at Thermas is 50euro. Not 40, not 70. It’s 50 now (as of a week ago) and it’s been 50 for as long as I can remember. Keep in mind that for 50, you get about 30 minutes, more or less. It’s absolutely not for one hour. Instead of asking how much, it might be better to just confirm that you know it’s 50. If you’re told otherwise, then walk away from that person because they just failed the first test & it’s unlikely to improve. I could potentially see some discussion for a higher rate if requesting something specific that is not routine. And I’d be careful about that because the very best guys will usually decline the moment something gets complicated. And be careful of the guys that approach you immediately with pressure. The guys in demand don’t operate that way. btw - Thermas is better than ever. Something for everyone, very clean facility, polite staff & completely safe. No drag shows or other distractions. Majority of guys are Brazilian, Venezuelan, Colombian & Dominican. All things considered, it’s way better than Lagoa or any of the Rio saunas.

this is also a major difference between the two cities - São Paulo is a global city and the financial capital of Latin America. Better restaurants, better hotels, basically better everything compared to Rio - unless the beach is something you can’t live without. And even then, prepare to be robbed. Really depends on the type of tourist you are and your requirements. If you like fine dining, beautiful hotels, a safe & sophisticated environment, then São Paulo is for you. If you don’t mind subpar sketchy beach hotels, mediocre food and constant danger, then Rio is your destination.

no - actually you jumped into this thread to respond to @mixer17 this is how trolls do it: manipulate the conversation to start the political controversy that you really want…..& is now banned here. have you ever been to São Paulo or Rio ? Let’s hear about that & how it compares re: personal safety to other places. Or, extra precautions that may need to taken, or places to avoid when in Brazil.

this is a thread about São Paulo, Rio and attendant safety concerns. But thanks for hijacking it to make your political talking points. Well done

you must not live in the US, or have lived here long. Public Mass Shootings: Database Amasses Details of a Half Century of U.S. Mass Shootings with Firearms, Generating Psychosocial Histories | National Institute of Justice NIJ.OJP.GOV Persons who committed public mass shootings in the U.S. over the last half century were commonly... A Troubling Upward Trend The research examined an era of marked increase in the number and deadly effect of mass shootings in the United States. To summarize that trend: The project spanned mass shootings over more than 50 years, yet 20% of the 167 mass shootings in that period occurred in the last five years of the study period. More than half occurred after 2000, of which 33% occurred after 2010. The years with the highest number of mass shootings were 2018, with nine, and 1999 and 2017, each with seven. Sixteen of the 20 deadliest mass shootings in modern history (i.e., from 1966 through 2019), occurred between 1999 and 2019, and eight of those sixteen occurred between 2014 and 2019. The death toll has risen sharply, particularly in the last decade. In the 1970s, mass shootings claimed an average of eight lives per year. From 2010 to 2019, the end of the study period, the average was up to 51 deaths per year.

agree - and there is a Brazilian crime problem, which may be comparable to some other places. Then there is a separate & different Rio crime problem against tourists that is unique, mainly due to geography & demographics: meaning a couple of very small beachfront areas where wealthy foreign tourists congregate, which are surrounded & adjacent to several high-crime favelas. Then add a very corrupt Rio police force & it’s creates the perfect conditions for crimes on tourists en masse. There is no other global tourist destination with these unique dynamics at play. Of course, it’s important to note many of Rio tourists are seeking paid sexual encounters with unknown people and/or seeking out drugs. What exactly would anyone think could happen under these circumstances ? To try to make a comparison, start with major global sex tourist destinations that have millions of wealthy foreign tourists descending in a tiny area surrounded by the most violent high crime/extreme poverty areas in the subject country. Hint: there is no other place with all the same variables and the corresponding crime against tourists. Lots of people here don’t want to acknowledge the additional risks that exist for sex-tourists in Rio, visiting Copacabana and/or Ipanema. Much better to be realistic about it & prepare vs “it could happen anywhere” I’ve been to Rio at least a dozen times. And it was great when I was younger. Now, I no longer wish to vacation in a place that requires so much extra vigilance & extra security considerations. It’s just not fun or relaxing. São Paulo is now my Brazilian destination of choice, without all the crime & close-in favelas. Easy to get into trouble in SP too, but much less likely. Stay in Jardins near Paulista and then crime equals or is less in comparable areas in major European cities btw - hotels & restaurants in Rio are dumps compared to SP.

I have no doubt that many providers are treated poorly by clients - either flaking, stalking and/or other inappropriate behavior. When things don’t go the clients way, then Karen comes out to get revenge - and that happens here, unfortunately. I know of at least two members here that use this forum to actively stalk providers - they also stalk some other members here. Some have openly threatened people in these threads. Does that sound stable ? Let’s be real - there are unstable members here, too. It’s not just some of the providers.

agree - yet, there are multiple posts here from people doing precisely that. some might think it’s cool to do a “favela tour”. or, they think the American media has wildly overblown the criminal elements in the favelas. And then there are just some really stupid people

agree the maps were to make two points: first, in Rio the tourist areas are surrounded by favelas & adjacent, thus the need to be extra vigilant. second, the situation is completely different in SP where favelas are nowhere close to tourist areas. it was to illustrate the difference between the two cities for those who don’t get it. It’s a subject of ongoing debate here for some reason

waiting for the edit

the member referenced has a long history of verbose/pretentious/incomprehensible ramblings that he posts mainly because he has so much time, evidently. an expert on everything, yet all his time devoted to various online forums - this is just one. he’s actually improved a bit lately (believe it or not) because he’s still carrying on the charade that he’s not operating under several aliases, here & elsewhere. Nobody is supposed to know, but basically everyone does. FWIW where art thou Riobard ?? As for the OP question - I think a reliable sex-worker is more fastidious about their health & preventative measures than the average person on the apps, condoms or not. Everyone has different preferences & it’s not productive living in fear and/or shaming others for their choices.