Russian MIlitary

[Guest fedssocr]

On 60 Minutes the other night they had a feature about how the Russian military is in disarray and can't afford to pay the soldiers. Many have taken moonlighting jobs or to begging on the street just in order to be able to eat. It would seem that some of them must also have turned to prostitution in order to get by. Anyone have any info on where to meet these guys for discreet encounters? Some of them are just so adorable...

[Bilbo]

I remember when I visited an Air Force Base in Germany around 10 years ago, there was a bit of talk about how many American non-coms in nearby Army or Marine bases weren't being paid enough to support a family and were embarassing some of their commissioned officers by going full scale into dumpster diving. If we follow your logic, I suppose we might expect there to be a lot of porn and possible escorting happening out of San Diego where there is a large Marine base. (Oh, there is? Never mind. (Thank you, Emily Letilla.))

[adriano46]

Just to throw in my own 2 cents worth.

 

I had a few days with both a Russian and a Ukrainian escort in another country in Europe recently. As they were both formerly in the Soviet Army, we managed to talk about the scene now.

 

It is true that many Russian soldiers are desperate, and turn to hustling or escorting to make a living. That stated... not all of them are straight, and one can possibly find an interesting encounter.

 

HOWEVER, I also would approach this in the same way Bilbo did: don't go to Moscow or St. Petersburg expecting a paradise. While the soldiers are a terrific fantasy, contributing to their loss of self-esteem would be almost a crime.

[trilingual]

You do get around, Adriano! Although I haven't been to Russia, I've been in some other poor countries where this kind of hustling goes on. I don't think our friend will be contributing to the loss of these guys' self-esteem by patronizing them (assuming he finds any). If they're offering themselves, they've already made the decision and come to some some level of comfort with it. The important thing, particularly in a poor country, is to treat the guy he's with respectfully and as an equal. I've found that if there's anything these guys feel bad about, it isn't the sex, it's being poor and having to hustle. It's not their fault that the economies in their countries are such disasters, that decent jobs for young people are so hard to come by, and that they have to scrape to get by. By treating these guys with respect and understanding, and not as meat, our friend will get along fine.

 

Where to find soldiers? A friend just returned from Moscow and said there was hustling by the Metro entrance in front of the Bolshoi Theatre, and, if I recall correctly, at a john along the Kremlin wall. I recall seeing somewhere that there's a cruisy park near a major military barracks/academy. It might have been in the Spartacus guide, or maybe in http://www.cruisingforsex.com. Our friend might check there. Happy hunting, and dress warm!!!

[adriano46]

Hey Trilingual,

 

We meet here again.

 

I agree with your views, my only caution comes from the long conversations with these two former Soviet soldiers, both of whom are very very nice guys - and both now in Amsterdam :-)

 

It will be interesting to see how "free" hustling will be now, while Russia grapples with the decisions to move ahead with reform, or return to its darker police-state identity. There have been a few recent reported cases of harrassing by police (eg. never walk around without your ID papers!!!). Personally, as I travel extensively, I never carry my passport with me - to many risks of pickpocketing.

 

As for the hustling scene in Moscow, it is as your friend mentioned. Prices vary according to current currency rates. Oh how I wish someone had the business sense to set up something like "Michael's" in Moscow - like "Mikael's" or "Sergei's"!!!

 

Hope your trip to Amsterdam is a nice one - bring an umbrella, and water-resistent shoes and overcoat (with heavy lining). And for a nice dinner out with that special guy, check all the new restaurants that have sprung up near the water in the Red Light District, along Zeedijk Str. (it is beging yuppified). Remember too that they eat VERY EARLY there - most places begin serving at 18.00 hours. If you want a really funny experience, there is a gay restaurant along Spuistrasse (spelling - but the same street as the boy's clubs), an Italian place on the corner, where hey play campy Broadway showtunes all through. The mmenu is exceptional, and the place is a hang out for every kind of gay/lesbian. If you bring an escort along (I brought 2), the waiters are more than friendly....

[trilingual]

Now that you mention it, Adriano, I seem to recall there was a site http://www.gayrussia.ru that had some information. Also saw someplace that there are now some gay saunas (in the Western style, not the public baths) where it implied there was stuff going on. I guess it pays to get out and around and see what's happening!

 

As for Amsterdam, thanks for the tips. I'll be visiting one of my oldest friends, so he probably knows some of these places, but his health is a bit iffy, so it's good to know if he doesn't feel like going out and I go alone. I already know about the weather in winter, thanks, but then one doesn't leave California for Northern Europe at that time of year for the weather! :-)

[trilingual]

Ooops! It may actually be http://www.gay.ru

[CT Dick]

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Oops, indeed.

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What's wrong with that site?????

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[adriano46]

CT,

 

Ah the intricacies of dealing with a Russian site: they are terrific but one may need to also have a keyboard which "reads" Cyrillic, although with some persistence you can get to the best parts.

 

It also helps to have a minimum of Russian, but not at all necessary. There is one web site which has been up and down for years on "models" who are really delicious, out of Latvia I think or Estonia, but mostly Russian. Used to be one heck of a lookers' site.

 

a.

[Guest YR]

Or, you can just click on the "in English" link :-)