Flying Down to Rio?

[trilingual]

If you are, and want to consider an alternative to staying in a hotel (which tend to make your life difficult if you want to invite a gentleman caller to visit you in your room) check out this website for a gay-owned apartment to rent in Rio: http://www.geocities.com/sf54_99

[Guest 7Zach]

Hey Tri, i seem to remember u live out of the country, have you done this?

[trilingual]

Actually, I live in the U.S. The apartment belongs to someone I know (a Brazilian architect who's lived here for 20 years or more and is now a U.S. citizen). I haven't stayed at his place, but I have stayed at other apartments elsewhere in Brazil on occasion. I'm going in January and plan to stay at the apartment then, for about 10 days.

 

A couple of notes: He just came back from renovating the place, so it should be in great shape. Right now there's NO air-conditioning, because Brazil is having California-style power shortages and rationing. People who use more than their quota get their service cut off!!! So he's going to wait until next year to install the a/c, when the rationing should be over. However, there are ceiling fans in both the living room and sleeping alcove. If you lower the shutter during the day when you're out, the apartment should stay cool.

 

Also, there's no phone, but there are pay phones everywhere. They use magnetic cards, like in Europe, and are available at every corner news stand. Ask for a "cartão telefónico." For long-distance/international calls, the phone company has an office in Copacabana where you can make

that kind of call. Otherwise, the apartment should have everything you need. If you have any other questions, just contact the owner.

[Guest alanm]

I had an entirely different experience. By visiting Rio for 6 days instead of 10, I was able to stay at the Caesar Park in

Ipanema. Its worth it to stay at a really first-class hotel.

The beach at Ipanema is beautiful and there is a special feeling of joy and good feeling, especially on the weekends. I have never seen anything like it. The Caesar Park has a special section. In essence, you get your own private beach boy who brings you anything you want. Mariah Carey was also staying at the hotel, so there was always a lot of people gathered outside. The staff always know that I was a guest and I never had to hassle with the crowd. Finally, I had a late night flight back to NY and the hotel let me have a late check out

(6 p.m.). Also, the area near the hotel in Ipanema is great, coffee bars, internet cafes, and other interesting stores and

restaurant. I've stayed in apartments in other cities and enjoyed it. But, I wanted to comment on a really special hotel.

There is also no problem with bringing guys back to the hotel.

[trilingual]

The Caesar Park is certainly a nice hotel, but for many of us it's out of the question unless we're on expense accounts. I can't speak for their policies on having guests in the rooms, but many less expensive hotels make a nuisance of it. That's not necessarily all bad, because they want to avoid unpleasant experiences for their guests, like finding that all their money/credit cards/videocams/etc. have walked out of the hotel when the "guest" leaves. :-) Also, darker skinned visitors are likelier to get a third-degree than someone white.

 

Staying in an apartment provides a very different experience than staying in a hotel, of course. For someone who wants more of the experience of living like the locals do, it's ideal. It forces you to go to the supermarket and local shops and interact with local people to a greater extent than is likely at an expensive "international" hotel. In the end, it's up to the individual traveler to decide what kind of experience he's looking for. Either way, in Brazil you'll have a great time!

 

As for Ipanema vs. Copacabana, Ipanema is definitely the more up-scale district. The gay beach there is heavily populated by the young and the gorgeous (not to mention the better-off). Although extremely scenic, those of us who are older and less fit aren't likely to find that it's a great pick-up spot. While not up to NY or LA levels, there is definitely a touch of attitude. The gay beach in Copacabana has a more mixed crowd, in style, ages and economic class. Some of the hunks are available on a rental basis. :-) Copacabana itself is more middle-class than Ipanema these days, but most of the bars and baths of interest to the readership of this site are located there, so it's very convenient, especially in the evening when you can walk to everything.

[trilingual]

For websites go to http://www.netgay.com.br then click on "Escort Boys." When you get there, don't click on the first icon, with the butterflies. It's a waste of time. The rest are fun. On the home page there's also Marcostudios. Then there's http://www.olimpos.com.br but it's more oriented towards São Paulo.

 

Read or re-read my review on Brazilian saunas in the Escorts Outside USA section; one of the web links in it (the Ipanema one) will lead you to hotel listings at various price ranges. There are also a few reviews on escorts, but there's a lot of turnover in the business. Not to worry, however; more than half the population of 170,000,000 is under 30, so the selection is, shall we say, staggering!

 

Hotels in Copacabana within walking distance of the baths are the Excelsior (on the beach, more expensive), and the Astoria Copacabana and the Apa, both smaller and very reasonable, on r. República do Peru two blocks in from the beach.

 

And be prepared to experience what Traveller, TruthTeller and the rest of us feel every time we get off the plane in Rio: you've landed in heaven. . .

[Guest awinkel]

Is there something in between the cheaper appartment and the deluxe hotel?

Is there a known great escort who is reliable, muscular and who loves to kiss and top me?

[Traveller]

>Is there something in between the cheaper appartment and the

>deluxe hotel?

 

Sol Ipanema - obviously in Ipanema

 

>Is there a known great escort who is reliable, muscular and

>who loves to kiss and top me?

 

Almost every Brazilian in Roger's Termas - which is in Copacabana. For the 142nd time, to a man they are almost all gorgeous, muscular, well-hung studs. They are cheap, which means you definitely want multiples each time; and you can rent rooms on site for the price of a pizza.

[Guest TruthTeller]

>Is there something in between the cheaper appartment and the

>deluxe hotel?

 

Praia Ipanema Hotel is perfect - it's amazingly nice, reasonably priced, large balconies facing the beach, hot fags at the front desk. If you're really, really good in life, when you die, you go to Ipanema for eternity with infinite wads of cash.

 

>Is there a known great escort who is reliable, muscular and

>who loves to kiss and top me?

 

There are two really good escort sites for agencies (I can't recall the URL; go to a search engine - search "Rio and Gay escorts") which have 20 pics or so of all different kinds of whores (in Rio, they just are NOT escorts). It's like shopping - you pick them out - call up - they even provide a room if you want. Every experience I had like that was amazing, but then again, I can barely breathe in Rio from arousal.

[trilingual]

I forgot to mention: friends have reported favorably on a new sauna called Estação on r. Toneleros in Copacabana, not far from Roger's. From the name, it's probably near the Metro station. You can get the address, I think, on http://www.netgay.com.br then surfing through "Thermas/Saunas." I'm getting mixed messages as to whether Roger's is very good at the moment or if it's having hot and heavy competition from Estação. If anyone goes to Rio, please report back on this critical issue. I'll be going in January, and will update my semi-world-famous "Brazilian Saunas" review.

 

By the way, I disagree with TruthTeller in one thing: the guys are not all whores. Some are, in the full meaning of the word. But many are nice guys who find themselves having to make ends meet and help out their families in a poor country with high unemployment and limited opportunites for young people. When you're in Brazil, remember that you're in a country where the minimum wage is less than US$200/month, and no one can live on that in a big city like Rio. These guys often have lives harder than you can imagine, yet they have that magical Brazilian gift of making light of it all and enjoying everything that is good and fun in life (like sex) with a gusto that's often difficult for First World-ers to understand. Don't treat these guys as whores, treat them with the respect you yourself expect. Respect is a BIG, BIG deal in Latin culture. You'll be amazed how high your popularity will soar by demonstrating your respect for the guys you meet while you're in Brazil, even if it's just for a half hour in a sauna!

[Guest TruthTeller]

>By the way, I disagree with TruthTeller in one thing: the

>guys are not all whores. Some are, in the full meaning of

>the word. But many are nice guys . . . .

 

I just don't look for these. I suppose if one, for some unfathomable reason, wanted to find "nice guys" in Rio, one could - but why go to Rio for "nice guys" when they're all over the fucking place? What Rio has is a lot of very NOT NICE, maliciously perfect men that simply cannot be found anywhere else on the globe.

 

>who find themselves having

>to make ends meet and help out their families in a poor

>country with high unemployment and limited opportunites for

>young people. When you're in Brazil, remember that you're

>in a country where the minimum wage is less than

>US$200/month, and no one can live on that in a big city like

>Rio.

 

That's one of the things that is so hot - the buying power you have. It's akin to landing in some country where the highest quality bottles of champagne are in great abundance and are $1/bottle. It's like having Monopoly money to buy the best things ever.

 

>These guys often have lives harder than you can

>imagine, yet they have that magical Brazilian gift of making

>light of it all and enjoying everything that is good and fun

>in life (like sex) with a gusto that's often difficult for

>First World-ers to understand.

 

When their huge cock is bashing your face in and slamming your throat until it bleeds, I think that, "First World-er" or not, you'll have no trouble understanding their "gusto" and "magical Brazillian gift".

[trilingual]

Well, TT, I prefer nice guys wherever I am. They just happen to be very available in Brazil!

 

What I consider a whore is just that, in the worst sense of the word. Chances are you won't have such a good time with them, because all they want is your cash, as quickly as they can get it. Con artists can be found anywhere, including Brazil. They'll take your cash, then not get hard, or not deliver the goods, or whatever. We've all been there, done that.

 

The nice guys will give you an unforgettable experience. Believe me, nice guys in Brazil also know how to give you a hell of a ride, without taking you for one!

 

For first-timers: If you go to the saunas, just be wary of the ones who come on too strong. If they're a little too desperate, pass them by and pick the guy(s) who appeal to YOU.

 

By the way, I did locate this other escort site in Rio you can look at: http://www.queroumencontro.com/agapollus

[Guest awinkel]

Thanks for the info. Is it easy ro take men to your room in hotel Praya Ipanema?

[Guest awinkel]

Is it easy to take men to your room at hotel Excelsior?

[trilingual]

I haven't stayed at the Excelsior myself, so I can't say. Frequently hotels in Rio make an issue about guests bringing "visitors" to their rooms. They've all had guests who did that and then found that the "visitor" walked off with the cash/credit cards/Rolex/video cam. Not, I'm sure, that any of YOUR guests would do such a thing!!! There is also some racial bias at work. If your "visitor" is darker skinned, you may have more trouble having him up than if he's white.

 

Some hotels will allow visitors, although they may ask them to register, which means that the "visitor" will have to show or leave his national ID card with the desk. That's obviously for your protection. You'll have to ask at the Excelsior when you check in about having "visitors" to your room. If they say "no," all is not lost, by any means. You can take your new friend to one of the non-hustler saunas (depending on the time of day) or to a "motel" anytime. "Motel" in Brazilian means by-the-hour sex hotels. There are a number that are gay friendly and your new friend will likely know where they are. Motels are cheap, and are often more conducive to what you're up to, since they're designed for hanky-panky: closed-circuit porn; mirrors; adjustable lighting; and in the nicer units built-in saunas and jacuzzis. If I recall correctly, there's a list of motels on the http://www.netgay.com.br site. Trust Uncle Tri on this: it'll all work out! Of course, if you just go to one of the recommended saunas, you don't have to worry about any of this, because you meet and carry on with your dreamboat(s) right in the same place! Things can't be easier and more convenient than that!!!

[Guest Verde]

I'm green to this forum. I was in Brazil last month (September) and before that in February. Aside from Rio, I also visited Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Foz do Iguassu, Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza and some other smaller towns. I had a terrific time both as an ordinary solo tourist and as a gay person hooking up and enjoying the company (or services)of some of the most charming, caring, friendly, gorgeous, sexy young men/boys this side of the hemisphere. It was sheer paradise for me. And when you consider how cheap it is down there it's just incredible. Back in February the dollar was around 1:2 reais, in September it was 1:2.70. But the prices remained almost steady. So,for example, boys in Rio's saunas were asking 50 reais in February (about $25)and the same amount in September (now only about $18). To have someone like Eduardo (find him in the cover page of netgay.com.br) who's 22 years old and movie-star material for $18 is just insane. Eduardo was moonlighting at Roger's. He goes there once a week (I think it's Thursdays) when he's off from his regular job at a casino. He's also just gotten married, and believe me he could easily command $250 p/hour here in NY. He's versatile, got big guns and no attitude. Doesn't speak English though, but can communicate in Spanish as most Brazilians do. The fairly new Termas Estacao is near a new subway station that's still under construction. It's bigger and cleaner than Roger's. I noticed though that most of the time there were not that many customers that in many cases the boys would "fight" over me. Competition is fierce among them. They complain "muito boys, pouco cliente". So I just feel sorry for many of those who go home emptyhanded (and these boys live far from the city center). There are not enough legitimate jobs around. It's just so tough especially for those who don't have the education and training. One or two I hooked up with up were even illiterate (just breaks my heart). But 99% are working as parttime prostitutes to supplement their incomes to survive and support their (big) families. BTW, outside of Rio and Sao Paulo, boys are even cheaper, 30-40 reais in Fortaleza, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba (many blonds). Best selection you can find in Sao Paulo (city is ugly and dangerous though, I got mugged in broad daylight in a very busy plaza in downtown). I can recommend to anyone a trip to Brazil. As for myself, I'm considering moving to Rio in a couple of years time and take up Brazilian residence. BTW, there's a bill in their legislature that would legalize or recognize same sex unions, similar to the one here in Vermont, I think. Also, I have fallen in love with a Carioca. He's straight though but open-minded and accepting and not confused about his sexuality.

[trilingual]

Welcome to the forum, Verde, and thanks for sharing so generously. Yours truly is also thinking of moving to Brazil after retiring at the end of '02. There's just a little question of Brazilian income taxes to clear up before I take that plunge -- from the website of their IRS equivalent it looks like the tax burden there could be worse than here! And you definitely don't feel that your tax money is going to worthy causes in Brazil, unless you feel charitable towards already rich kleptocratic politicians. I'm going down in January to do further research and talk with a lawyer and tax accountant to get some answers to these kinds of questions.

 

You're correct in saying that Brazil is considering Civil Union legislation, but it's not clear when it may be enacted, although it has been introduced in Congress where it has been pending for several sessions. Recent court decisions have given pension rights to surviving partners, granted parenthood of a child to a non-blood parent in a gay relationship, and ordered the government to grant a permanent resident visa to the foreign partner of a Brazilian citizen. There may be political corruption, and Brazil can still be Catholic, macho and conservative on the political level (even in Brazil there's the hypocrisy between what's done in real life and what's officially acknowledged) but there is unquestionably real progress, as evidenced by the gigantic gay pride parades in São Paulo the last couple of years. Those would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.

 

Your observations about the guys at the baths are right-on. It's painful at times to get to know these incredible men and realize so many have had such limited opportunities and have such limited futures. They truly deserve better. As long, of course, as they don't stop enjoying the finer things in life, like us!

;-)

 

Besides posting on this thread, please submit reviews and updates on the guys and saunas you visited on the Escorts Outside USA section. Much easier for everyone to find the info there when they're looking for it. Reviews of places not already covered in my semi-world-famous review of Brazilian Saunas (or additions to it) will be very welcome!

 

Falling in love with a straight guy: All I can say, is good luck and try not to get your heat broken! If he's really straight, as Brazilians understand the term, he's likely to get married as soon as he can afford to, and the relationship may end. For a lot of Brazilian men, messing around with guys is something you do when you're single, but you stop once you're married and have kids. Of course, there are exceptions to all rules, and you may find that before many years pass you'll be the interesting foreign godfather of a bunch of Brazilian kids! Some of whom will also grow up to be gorgeous and hunky and hung and. . . Nothing like contributing to life's never-ending pageant!!! :-)

 

P.S. Just for future caution, as I will be there in January, where exactly did you get mugged in São Paulo? So far I've had remarkably good luck in avoiding such things in Brazil, but who knows when that luck will run out?

[sf traveler]

Given the knowledge some people in this thread have, I was wondering if anybody could recommend a good gay "guide" in Brazil. In the recent thread on Russia a couple of guys were recommended principally as guides but also as people who could hook travelers up with escorts and just generally smooth things over for the traveler who doesn't speak Russian, or in this case Portugese. Given the general state of the Brazilian economy, I wouldn't imagine that such a service would be terribly expensive, but who knows? As someone who doesn't speak Portugese--but has certainly been a longtime admirer of Brazilian men--and isn't very experienced traveling in third world countries, I would really appreciate such a service.

[trilingual]

Although I haven't done this myself, I think it's certainly "do-able." You might be able to hook up with somebody once you're down there, but if you go to http://www.netgay.com.br and click on the MarcoStudio icon, that'll lead you to some guys who say they serve as guides. By clicking on the "Escort Boys" button, and then on the icon for the International Men (I think it is) agency, which is in São Paulo, you can see some other guys who are willing to travel ("viajar" in Portuguese, as in Spanish). I have a feeling guys on the other sites could be available, too.

 

Not having done this, I can't say for sure what a fair wage would be, but I'd guess R$100 - R$150 (~US$40 - US$60) per day would be in the ball park, considering that the monthly minimum wage is less than R$200! (That's NOT a typo!) Of course, you'd also have to pay for meals, and accommodations and travel expenses if you're going outside your guide's hometown.

 

Hope this helps. If you do this, let us know your experience and be sure to review your guide!

[Guest Verde]

True there are gay escorts who are available to travel and can act as guides, but whether they speak English is another matter. I didn't have to hire a guide while I was in Brazil since I could manage with some Spanish and lately I have learned enough Portuguese to get by. And, most of my Brazilian (non-gay) friends speak good English.

Tri, in answer to your question, it was in the area of Praca da Republica in Sampa where I got robbed. It was a case of grab-and-run, and I guess I deserved it because I was just acting so stupid I let my guard down coming out of a cambio where I went to change some money.

About doing a review of the guys in the baths, the best I can do is make a general evaluation of my experiences without referring to any specific boy. Besides, I can't remember their names anymore (most use aliases) and what's more they don't remain very long in one particular bathhouse. They're freelancers who come and go or are parttiming while in the city on some other business. In Rio, I regularly visited the termas Rogers and Estacao (in Copa) and Club 117 (in Gloria). As to which one has the better stable of boys I'd say it's a matter of luck depending on what you're looking for.

I noted though that there were better selections and more boys in February (their summer) than in September. Many are versatile or are willing to bottom because of competition. A lot of eighteen year olds (min.legal age) indicative of hard times for the young ones. It seems like there's a kind of price control because they all quote the same amount and one even instructed me not to pay more than Rs.50 to any rentboy be they from the baths or off the streets or advertised in the local rags. Of course, given that the dollar is getting stronger by the day, I would add a Rs.5 to Rs.10 tip as a token of my appreciation for a most satisfying encounter.

Tri, I haven't thought of the tax implications of residing in Brazil. I was going to apply through a programme whereby one can be granted resident status by proving that you have at least $2,000 monthly pension or income.

Oh, btw, my "namorado" tied the knot this month. He told me that he was not exactly in a hurry to get hitched but the gf was a bit anxious to legalize their relationship,not because of me though(..hehe)> In fact she "adores" me and is pleased that he and I are good friends. No ulterior motives here, they're profesionals from well-to-do families. My heart is not broken because of the marriage (I've matured enough to be able to handle this). I just have to adjust to spending less time alone with him when I'm in Rio. Oh well, I can always go back to the baths... thank goodness for that.

[trilingual]

Thanks, Verde for all the insight. I didn't actually expect you to remember the names of all the guys at the baths (although some are eternally memorable!). Your comments on which baths were currently more active, etc., were actually what I was seeking. A friend from Buenos Aires was just in Rio and reported very favorably on both Roger's and Club 117. He didn't go to Estação. He did hire someone from the want ads of the local paper one night and apparently was pleased!

 

For our other poster looking for an English-speaking guide, I think there might be one on http://www.gaydar.co.uk Search under Brazil, or Rio.

 

My most recent reports on prices are consistent with yours (i.e. R$50) or even lower. Some guys in Rio and São Paulo will stoop to accepting R$30. In smaller cities, like Porto Alegre and Curitiba, that's the going rate. I have a feeling they're not making a lot of money; it's just a way to have a pleasant evening being worshipped and getting their rocks off without really having to spend anything. R$30 probably covers their admission (I think they have to pay a reduced amount to get in) and any food or refreshments they consume on their own, plus transportation to and from. Of course, if they get lucky and spend time with more than one gentleman during the evening, it's all pure profit. By the way, the guy my Argentine friend hired from the want ads also charged R$50. I would have expected it to be more, but it's also "low season."

 

Retirement: I'd be applying for the same kind of visa as you're considering doing. Unfortunately, retirees aren't exempt from Brazilian income tax, and a foreign pension multiplied into reais can catapult you into the highest Brazilian tax bracket. That may be as high as 35% if proposed changes go through their Congress. This being Brazil we're talking about, there are undoubtedly ways to minimize your exposure, but it will take a good tax accountant to explain how to do it legally. That's why I plan on consulting one when I go down in January. Otherwise, I'll have to consider plan B, which is just to commute, spending perhaps half the year there and the rest elsewhere. (Tourists can stay in Brazil up to six months in any year.) From your spelling of "programme" I assume you're from a Commonwealth country? Check with your own income tax agency to find out if your country has a tax treaty with Brazil, and, if so, what it says about retirement pensions. That could solve the problem for you. If there isn't a treaty, check with the legal section of the Brazilian Embassy in your country to find out if there's reciprocal treatment of foreign taxes (i.e., that Brazilian nationals in your country can deduct their Brazilian taxes from your country's income tax, and vice-versa) which is known as avoidance of double taxation. Unfortunately, there's no tax treaty between the U.S. and Brazil, but there is mutual avoidance of double taxation. I'm not yet an expert on this, so I suspect what that means is that you end up paying taxes in the country with the highest rate, but at least you don't pay in both! If there's anyone on the board who knows about this stuff who would care to enlighten us, it'd be welcome! :-) One thing about the U.S. tax treaties I've looked at on the IRS website is that many exclude taxation of public pensions (which mine will be) in the other country. There are provisions like that in the treaties with Spain and Portugal, which means I'd only have to pay taxes in the U.S. and have no obligation to the other country, at all (unless there were other, non-pension income). That could be Plan C! I know I could handle Madrid or Barcelona!!!

 

Mugging: As I plan to stay near Pça. da República on my next trip, I'll keep your warning in mind. It's always a good idea to be alert; even after all these years I succumb to being dazzled in Brazil and dropping my guard. So far I've been lucky, but yours is a good reminder to keep ones wits around them in a place like São Paulo.

[johnnysneakers]

Avoiding Taxes!

 

If I may add to this discussion. I am just back from London where I had a chat with a high income friend who told me that if one spends up to 5 months in one country, then moves on to another country, one does not pay income taxes in any of these countries. I really do not know the details, but this chap seems to have several passports and a US green card, as well as a US address that I suspect is not really legal but he has a paper trail of paying expenses at that address, and to boot he has property in Australia, an apt in Paris and one in London!!!!!

 

If one does this, I am not sure if you can leave that country during your 5 month sojourn, but perhaps you can. You would need to prove that it is your principle address for that period. Is there an international tax lawyer in the house? This is worthy of discussion.

 

Tri, you are very perceptive over the spelling of "programme"!!! That throws some "colour" on this discussion!!!

[Guest Verde]

Right, it's hard to remember all the names although a few do stand out. Wanderson and Tony (garotos from Minas Gerais). Wanderson is a very good looking mulato (figure a 22 y.o. Harry Belafonte)and big where it counts. I found him at Roger's. Shy type, very charming, but uninhibited. I don't know if he really liked me, but he ejaculated twice all over me on our first encounter (I saw him 3x). He was just visiting some relatives in Rio at the time. He gave me his phone in Belo Horizonte and even invited me to stay with him in his family's house. Btw, he is married and has a baby daughter (showed me photos). As I was going to visit Ouro Preto, I decided to stop for 2 nights in B.H. purposely to hook up with him again. Unfortunately, we couldn't connect. His mother said that he was in another town on some business. Anyway, in B.H. I visited Sauna 1097 (Rua Guajajaras, Centro). It's a regular bath house but the boys' going rate was an unbelievable Rs.20 (approx.$8.oo-!!!). At that price, I decided to engage the services of two beauties at the same time. I thought I could at least be generous and thank my good fortune. The other guy Tony works at Estacao (you should try this place, it's newer & a bit upscale than Roger's, bigger cabins too). He's the stereotypical latin lover, VERY well-endowed and kisses like there's no tomorrow (I can still feel the taste of his sweet saliva), Only thing is he's strictly top.

In Fortaleza I went to two baths with boys. Termas 2000 is in a safe area near a hospital, check phone directory for exact address. The other is called D'boys (newly opened so not yet listed in phonebook). I recommend taking a taxi to go to these two baths. The going rate in Fortaleza is Rs.30.- but the selection during my visits was few and not exactly as exciting as in Sampa or Rio. Anyway, Sept.11, I was having fun at Termas 2000 and chatting up the boys when one asked me (after mentioning that I live in NewYork) if I had known that the WTC was blown up earlier. They saw the incident on T.V. I never bother to watch the news while I'm on vacation so that was the first time I have heard of the bombing.

Tri, I'm curious about the boys in the ads. I find a few advertised in the Rio paper OGlobo for as low as Rs.30, (check the website, go to classificados: casa e voce - "encontros pessoais"). My first Rio experience was actually with a hustler plying the Avenida Atlantica area. He turned out to be a great guy and in fact he was the one who introduced me to the baths, discos, bars. Although in hindsight I now think that I shouldn't have agreed to go with a complete stranger to his apartment. That's a NO NO for you guys. Don't ever do that because Brazil is still dangerous and the usual precautions should be taken although not to the extent of becoming paranoid about it.

[Guest Tomcal_]

Just got back from Rio (10/30/01)stayed at Sol Ipenema Hotel, right across the street from the Gay Beach, no problem bringing a "date" back to your room. Hotel has all the usual ammenities. Just wrote a review on the Rio Saunas, Every gay guy should make at least one trip there!! Unbelievable, Ghte guys are Stunning, and an hour with one in a private room at the suana is $6.00 for the foom and $18.00 for the boy!! For the price of one escort in NYC,Miami, etc., you can do "8" in Rio. Three of us went there and we stayed there each day at one of two saunas that we liked the best, fom 5:00 to 10:00p.m. and did anywhere from 3 to 6 guys, and there were always new ones each day. Most of these guys are from 19 to 28 yr., Most are very handsome and have great bodies, like most the guys you will see on the beach at Ipenema. If anyone has questions., email me or put it here and i will be happy to answer, I want these places to be around along time! We are going back in April and can't wait. All of the guys we met were very friendly, nice guys, never felt rushed. I also have pics of some of the guys taken in the suanas, and will email if anyone wants to see the type there. See the review published under Brazilian Suanas last year in Hooboy, that guy gives very accurate info, and was the reason we went after reading it. All i can say is he didn't exagerate, one exception to his report, we found the majority of the guys versitile, and I would say 75%would let you top them.

[trilingual]

TOMCAL: It's good to hear that my review inspired a trip and that you had such a good time! ;-) Looking forward to your updates! I'm sure your information on the guys' versatility will be of interest to a lot of readers. Being a "bottom" type myself it isn't something I specifically researched myself.

 

VERDE: I'll be on the lookout for Tony on my trip in January. I doubt I'll make it to B.H. this time (even though I've maintained contact over the years with a guy I first met at Roger's, owner of perhaps the biggest dick in the hemisphere). The Sauna 1097 was definitely a Hot House (as it's also known) and rates were very low when I was last there several years ago. Glad to hear it's still steamin'!!! The info on Fortaleza is also helpful. I haven't been up there in far too long; when I'm retired I plan a return tour of the Northeast. I've never tried the guys in the classifieds, although a few have sounded tempting. There are a few on the Netgay and Olimpos sites who look scrumptious!

 

JOHNNYSNEAKERS: Your acquaintance is probably moving around spending only five months each place to avoid being considered a permanent resident and therefore avoid a tax liability wherever he is. U.S. citizens can't get away with that, entirely, because we always owe taxes to the U.S. regardless of where we live. Taxes paid to foreign governments can be taken as a tax credit on our U.S. returns. As a tourist in Brazil, there'd be no tax liability, but there would be establishing oneself in the country as a retiree with a permanent resident visa. So some good tax advice can probably help cut down the amount owed in Brazil.