solacesoul

this has been written about ad nauseum.  
the real question is it safe for older (white) gringos traveling alone & who don’t speak Portuguese, as sex tourists to visit Rio ? Now add in mixing with much younger unknown local people who know you have money & then frequently bringing those people back to wherever the gringo is staying.  Thats more like the real question & scenario 
given everything I’ve personally witnessed in Rio - no, it’s not safe compared to other major global tourist destinations.

There’s no question Rio is one of the most beautiful cities in the world with the mix of tropics, mountains, beach & beautiful people.  Yet, it is incredibly dangerous.  
For older gringos looking for sex, you’re basically a slowly walking target.  If you think you fit in and they don’t know where you’re from - wrong.  If you think they don’t know what you’re doing there - wrong.  And that doesn’t matter except it makes you stand out as even more of a target. 
Americans have this odd presumption of safety & security and it puts them at significant risk when they fail to understand the actual environment and how they appear in that environment.  

The OP probably knows Brazil better than anyone here & frequently posts how dangerous it is for tourists.  nobody seems to remember that for whatever reason 
and back to topic about the murder of the American man - did it turn out it was safe for him to visit Rio ?  NO, didn’t work out so well 

Suspeito de matar galerista americano no Rio é preso
OGLOBO.GLOBO.COM Brent Sikkema, de 75 anos, foi encontrado morto em casa, com perfurações pelo corpo Translated into English from O Globo:
Suspect of killing American gallery owner in Rio is arrested
Brent Sikkema, 75, was found dead in his home, with stab wounds to his body
Per Giulia Ventura - Rio de Janeiro
01/18/2024 08:50 Updated 42 minutes ago
This Thursday, the suspect in the murder of American galleristBrent Fay Sikkema, aged 75, was arrested. There was an open temporary arrest warrant against Cuban Alejandro Triana Trevez. The arrest was made by teams from the Capital Homicide Police Station (DHC), with the support of the Federal Highway Police (PRF) on Highway BR-050, in Minas Gerais.
— Crime in the South Zone of Rio: Suspect of killing American gallery owner took dollars from the house where the murder took place
— According to friends: Gallery owner killed in Rio was going through a million-dollar fight to get a divorce and see his son
Police said Trevez took three thousand dollars from Sikkema's home. According to investigations, the suspect was in São Paulo, came to Rio to murder the American and returned to the state after the crime. Afterwards, he went to Minas, where he was trying to escape when he was arrested at a gas station between Uberaba and Uberlândia.
According to the police, Trevez is the man who appears in the Gabriel company security camera images , which captured his arrival and departure from the American's house. The suspect stayed at the property for around 15 minutes.
Sikkema's body was found inside his house, on Rua Abreu Fialho, in Jardim Botânico, South Zone of Rio, with puncture marks, on the 14th. He was a co-owner of a famous gallery in New York, in the United States .
Brent was found by his lawyer and friend, Simone Nunes. Sikkema came to Rio a maximum of three times a year and stayed in the property where he was killed, bought around 10 years ago. The region houses the studios of artists such as Beatriz Milhazes, Adriana Varejão and Gabriela Machado.
Simone went to the house because she was surprised by Sikkema's lack of responses over the weekend. According to the police, she had the keys to the property and, upon entering the room, found her friend dead in the bed.
The lawyer would meet with the gallery owner last Monday and, after that meeting, he would return to the United States. The trip was scheduled for this Tuesday.
Gallery in Chelsea
Sikkema was co-owner of Sikkema Jenkins & Co , in Chelsea. The gallerist was defined as “a wonderful person, very kind, generous, defender of social issues” by his friend and lawyer. He left a son.
The American barely spoke Portuguese, so he didn't have much contact with his neighbors, who only knew him by sight. When he was in Rio, he usually spent the day away, only returning to sleep. A person who works in the region explained that the street where the house is located is very quiet and that everyone goes home early.
On his social media profile, Brent shared moments from some of his trips around the world. He made no secret of his destination preferences being Brazil and Cuba. During trips to the island in Central America, he showed his approximately 1,000 followers everyday scenes, such as the sunset in the capital Havana, a bouquet of white butterfly flowers, a national symbol. The American spoke of the two countries in a publication of a landscape in Zurich, Switzerland, when he wrote:
"Zurich tonight. I'm usually a chaotic guy — you know my kind of place — where the fighting is real every day — Cuba and Brazil — but I have to admit that an occasional visit to Switzerland is something of a relief!"
Alejandro Triana Trevez is accused of killing American Brent Sikkema — Photo: Reproduction

This is an odd take. Having an apartment in Rio isn’t what got him murdered. Whether he was killed by a stranger or someone he knew, this could have happened at an AirBnB, or even a love motel (as recent events have shown). 

Suspeito de matar galerista americano no Rio é preso
OGLOBO.GLOBO.COM Brent Sikkema, de 75 anos, foi encontrado morto em casa, com perfurações pelo corpo Translated into English from O Globo:
Suspect of killing American gallery owner in Rio is arrested
Brent Sikkema, 75, was found dead in his home, with stab wounds to his body
Per Giulia Ventura - Rio de Janeiro
01/18/2024 08:50 Updated 42 minutes ago
This Thursday, the suspect in the murder of American galleristBrent Fay Sikkema, aged 75, was arrested. There was an open temporary arrest warrant against Cuban Alejandro Triana Trevez. The arrest was made by teams from the Capital Homicide Police Station (DHC), with the support of the Federal Highway Police (PRF) on Highway BR-050, in Minas Gerais.
— Crime in the South Zone of Rio: Suspect of killing American gallery owner took dollars from the house where the murder took place
— According to friends: Gallery owner killed in Rio was going through a million-dollar fight to get a divorce and see his son
Police said Trevez took three thousand dollars from Sikkema's home. According to investigations, the suspect was in São Paulo, came to Rio to murder the American and returned to the state after the crime. Afterwards, he went to Minas, where he was trying to escape when he was arrested at a gas station between Uberaba and Uberlândia.
According to the police, Trevez is the man who appears in the Gabriel company security camera images , which captured his arrival and departure from the American's house. The suspect stayed at the property for around 15 minutes.
Sikkema's body was found inside his house, on Rua Abreu Fialho, in Jardim Botânico, South Zone of Rio, with puncture marks, on the 14th. He was a co-owner of a famous gallery in New York, in the United States .
Brent was found by his lawyer and friend, Simone Nunes. Sikkema came to Rio a maximum of three times a year and stayed in the property where he was killed, bought around 10 years ago. The region houses the studios of artists such as Beatriz Milhazes, Adriana Varejão and Gabriela Machado.
Simone went to the house because she was surprised by Sikkema's lack of responses over the weekend. According to the police, she had the keys to the property and, upon entering the room, found her friend dead in the bed.
The lawyer would meet with the gallery owner last Monday and, after that meeting, he would return to the United States. The trip was scheduled for this Tuesday.
Gallery in Chelsea
Sikkema was co-owner of Sikkema Jenkins & Co , in Chelsea. The gallerist was defined as “a wonderful person, very kind, generous, defender of social issues” by his friend and lawyer. He left a son.
The American barely spoke Portuguese, so he didn't have much contact with his neighbors, who only knew him by sight. When he was in Rio, he usually spent the day away, only returning to sleep. A person who works in the region explained that the street where the house is located is very quiet and that everyone goes home early.
On his social media profile, Brent shared moments from some of his trips around the world. He made no secret of his destination preferences being Brazil and Cuba. During trips to the island in Central America, he showed his approximately 1,000 followers everyday scenes, such as the sunset in the capital Havana, a bouquet of white butterfly flowers, a national symbol. The American spoke of the two countries in a publication of a landscape in Zurich, Switzerland, when he wrote:
"Zurich tonight. I'm usually a chaotic guy — you know my kind of place — where the fighting is real every day — Cuba and Brazil — but I have to admit that an occasional visit to Switzerland is something of a relief!"
Alejandro Triana Trevez is accused of killing American Brent Sikkema — Photo: Reproduction

this could happen to any visitor to Rio - “lifestyle” or not.  It’s a sad & tragic story in any context.
the thing that everyone forgets is there are so many desperate people in Rio & when that meets wealthy tourists, then anything can happen.  I don’t remember these same type stories from 10-15 years ago - robberies & muggings yes, murder no.  The same type crimes are happening to tourists that understand Rio well & Brazilians too.  

This is an odd take. Having an apartment in Rio isn’t what got him murdered. Whether he was killed by a stranger or someone he knew, this could have happened at an AirBnB, or even a love motel (as recent events have shown). 

From CNN Brasil this AM. The English translation from Brazilian Portuguese:
NY art gallery partner found dead in apartment in Rio
According to the Fire Department, the American had stab wounds; Civil police will listen to witnesses to try to identify the person responsible for the crime
The Capital Homicide Police are investigating the death of the partner of a New York art gallery, in an apartment in Jardim Botânico, in the south zone of Rio de Janeiro. Brent Sikkema, 75 years old, was found dead on Monday night (15), with stab wounds, which could be caused by scissors, a box cutter or a screwdriver, for example. 
According to the Civil Police, the investigation was carried out in the victim's apartment. The body of the American, who is a partner at Sikkema Jenkins & Co, was removed by firefighters to the Legal Medical Institute (IML), in the center of Rio, for examinations. 
The American founded the gallery in 1991. At the time, it was called Wooster Gardens, in reference to its original location, on Wooster Street.
In 1999, the exhibition space was expanded, moving to its current location on 22nd Street . According to the official website, the venue, which hosts exhibitions of paintings, illustrations, installations, photography and sculptures, has featured names like Kara Walker and Sheila Hicks, as well as up-and-coming photographers including Nikki S. Lee and Deana Lawson. 
 
Link:
Sócio de galeria de arte de NY é encontrado morto em apartamento no Rio
WWW.CNNBRASIL.COM.BR Segundo o Corpo de Bombeiros, o norte-americano tinha perfurações de arma branca; polícia civil vai...  

4 months ago, an “R Gueirra” posted this really brutal review of Point 202 (inexplicably labeled as “Termas e Academia Ibiza”) at Google Maps in the reviews section:
”Black Travelers and Black Queer people AVOID; this is a racist establishment that is hostile and abhorrent towards black foreigners. The amount of open racism towards people inside this establishment is a disgrace; given that these establishments are marketed to be inclusive to all. White customers are allowed to enter and pass and treated totally different. They assume in Rio that all blacks are uneducated, poor, and servants for white men. The behavior from the reception was unprofessional and 100% racially motivated. Blacks are only good in this establishment if they are commodities being sold to white men. The owner would never communicate with black customers and looks down on them. I hope that the management educates themselves on the definition of racism and discrimination. It’s a reason why it’s hardly any black customers inside. Blacks should avoid this establishment if they care anything about their life.”
Far be it from me to discount anyone else’s negative experience. He must have left bad enough of a taste in his mouth to feel it necessary to post and warn others. But as a regular, longtime (decade-plus) black / Afro-Latino traveler and patron of these “South of The Border” establishments, including this one, I’ll just say that this reviewer’s experience at Point 202 has not been my or my traveling friends’ experience.
Racism and colorism and classism do exist in Rio, Brazil, and all parts South of The USA, and often manifests itself ways differently than are seen in the US. I don’t know what this poster experienced or witnessed, but most likely it was not much different from what he would encounter at the other clubs and saunas like Club 117. The owner Junior, like many Brazilians who grew up in or around poverty, makes initial sweeping class assumptions about color and race, but most traveling black and brown North Americans and Europeans would be far removed from those class assumptions from Brazilians. To put it bluntly, that traveler of color with the American “blue passport” and a 5:1 BRL:USD currency conversion is going to be treated a lot more kindly than the kid from the favela in Jacarepaguá.
So… “hostile to black foreigners”? Seems like a reach, to me.
And sometimes, as I have semi-regularly witnessed, some customers / clients (of ALL races, colors, nationalities) can be obnoxious, entitled, arseholes. Not to say this is what happened here, but let’s not act like “the customer is always right” (as was mistakenly the motto of 20th Century Western retail, pre-Karen). 

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 !

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 was the beach at Leme this weekend (Posto 1, right above Copacabana whose first beach starts around Posto 2). The beaches in Rio this weekend were particularly crowded and hot  — almost 40 degrees Celsius, even though it was officially the last weekend of winter.
Arrastãoes have been becoming increasingly more frequent in Rio. An "arrastão" in Rio de Janeiro refers to a type of criminal activity where a group of individuals, often gang members, thieves or robbers, work together to target and steal from unsuspecting victims, especially on crowded beaches. They typically move in large groups swiftly through the crowds, usually armed, grabbing belongings and creating chaos. Arrastões are a concern for both locals and tourists, so it's advisable to stay vigilant and take precautions when in crowded areas in Rio de Janeiro to avoid becoming a victim of such incidents.
Alerta Zona Sul (@alertazonasul) • Instagram reel
WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM 11K likes, 1,102 comments - alertazonasul on September 24, 2023: "Arrastão na praia do...  

Ok, you’re evil and you’re sitting next to me at the next Palm Springs dinner….lol

This was the beach at Leme this weekend (Posto 1, right above Copacabana whose first beach starts around Posto 2). The beaches in Rio this weekend were particularly crowded and hot  — almost 40 degrees Celsius, even though it was officially the last weekend of winter.
Arrastãoes have been becoming increasingly more frequent in Rio. An "arrastão" in Rio de Janeiro refers to a type of criminal activity where a group of individuals, often gang members, thieves or robbers, work together to target and steal from unsuspecting victims, especially on crowded beaches. They typically move in large groups swiftly through the crowds, usually armed, grabbing belongings and creating chaos. Arrastões are a concern for both locals and tourists, so it's advisable to stay vigilant and take precautions when in crowded areas in Rio de Janeiro to avoid becoming a victim of such incidents.
Alerta Zona Sul (@alertazonasul) • Instagram reel
WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM 11K likes, 1,102 comments - alertazonasul on September 24, 2023: "Arrastão na praia do...  

I have zero reason to believe that four independent board members — three of which are long-time, well-respected members with extensive travel history and imparted knowledge on the boards — would make up the same / similar story about him. One of them is arguably one of the most respected, storied, and universally well-liked members / travelers on these boards. So... they’re ALL lying and just out to get this poor old harmless sap?
At this point, the only person who is gaslighting and saying it didn't happen, “so who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?”, is the accused with multiple independent accusers.
And as we all know, this is the very same person who, in spite of clear, well-established mounting evidence that he posts across the gay sex tourism / pay sex forum-verse under at least three different usernames, he denies it is he.
Everything I say can be backed up with documentation and correspondence. Remember, he wouldn’t have run to mods at that other place to shut down a case of mistaken identity. 

Six visits, you say? What an expert!
Zona Sul Urgente Ⓜ️ (@zonasulurgente) • Instagram reel
WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM 199 likes, 25 comments - zonasulurgente on September 22, 2023: "Absurdo! Roubo na Rua...  

Six visits, you say? What an expert!
Zona Sul Urgente Ⓜ️ (@zonasulurgente) • Instagram reel
WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM 199 likes, 25 comments - zonasulurgente on September 22, 2023: "Absurdo! Roubo na Rua...  

Discouraging travel and informing people to be vigilant and aware of danger when traveling are two very different animals. 

Discouraging travel and informing people to be vigilant and aware of danger when traveling are two very different animals. 

Physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals nowadays, due to HIPAA and other privacy concerns, are trained not to approach patients in public, and only acknowledge them once they approach the healthcare worker.
My urologist completely avoided me at the supermarket even though we crossed paths in the aisle. I circled back to say hello, and he explained that he does not approach or acknowledge his patients in settings outside the medical office due to patient privacy concerns. But if the patient acknowledges and approaches him, he will have a friendly exchange.
This is also probably the best approach for providers. 

Physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals nowadays, due to HIPAA and other privacy concerns, are trained not to approach patients in public, and only acknowledge them once they approach the healthcare worker.
My urologist completely avoided me at the supermarket even though we crossed paths in the aisle. I circled back to say hello, and he explained that he does not approach or acknowledge his patients in settings outside the medical office due to patient privacy concerns. But if the patient acknowledges and approaches him, he will have a friendly exchange.
This is also probably the best approach for providers. 

Nothing about this statement rings true to me at all. 
Usually, fully-clothed garotos either have previously scheduled appointments with other clients or are so well sought-after that they never need to disrobe — they just show up and almost immediately get booked and are whisked away, off-site by a client.

Nothing about this statement rings true to me at all. 
Usually, fully-clothed garotos either have previously scheduled appointments with other clients or are so well sought-after that they never need to disrobe — they just show up and almost immediately get booked and are whisked away, off-site by a client.

Physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals nowadays, due to HIPAA and other privacy concerns, are trained not to approach patients in public, and only acknowledge them once they approach the healthcare worker.
My urologist completely avoided me at the supermarket even though we crossed paths in the aisle. I circled back to say hello, and he explained that he does not approach or acknowledge his patients in settings outside the medical office due to patient privacy concerns. But if the patient acknowledges and approaches him, he will have a friendly exchange.
This is also probably the best approach for providers. 

Physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals nowadays, due to HIPAA and other privacy concerns, are trained not to approach patients in public, and only acknowledge them once they approach the healthcare worker.
My urologist completely avoided me at the supermarket even though we crossed paths in the aisle. I circled back to say hello, and he explained that he does not approach or acknowledge his patients in settings outside the medical office due to patient privacy concerns. But if the patient acknowledges and approaches him, he will have a friendly exchange.
This is also probably the best approach for providers. 

Physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals nowadays, due to HIPAA and other privacy concerns, are trained not to approach patients in public, and only acknowledge them once they approach the healthcare worker.
My urologist completely avoided me at the supermarket even though we crossed paths in the aisle. I circled back to say hello, and he explained that he does not approach or acknowledge his patients in settings outside the medical office due to patient privacy concerns. But if the patient acknowledges and approaches him, he will have a friendly exchange.
This is also probably the best approach for providers.