Goin' Down to Rio ...

[Guest pshaw]

Thanks to all in this corner of the message center who have convinced me to give Rio a try July 4th week, even if it is school holiday month. I'm already transcribing the sauna information and other tips for future reference as well as trying to cram some Portuguese phrases into this just-turned-50 skull of mine.

 

I think I have decided on the Hotel Debret (http://www.debret.com/) in Copacabana, which appears to be fairly nice, very reasonably-priced, and has an ocean view. If anyone has any information on this hotel, good or bad, I would appreciate hearing about it before I make the booking, probably next month.

 

Another question - does Rio have an adequate supply of internet cafes? I know that in Thailand (at least in BKK and Pattaya) you can hardly walk a block without running across at least one. I hate lugging a laptop around if all I'm going to do is check on email once in awhile.

 

Obrigado!!:-)

[trilingual]

July is a good time to go, because the beaches will be busier during the week if the weather is good. The Debret should be fine; friends have stayed there repeatedly. It's not right on the Copacabana gay beach, though, which is between the Excelsior and Copacabana Palace hotels. On the other hand, you'll have more of an excuse to walk the Av. Atlântica and admire the scenery on the way to and from the gay beach!

 

There aren't as many Internet cafes as in BKK, from your description of it, but enough to keep you in contact. Check out http://www.cybercafe.com for addresses. I've used one at r. Siqueira Campos, 43/901 -- it's in an office building at the corner of av. Copacabana, on the 9th floor. I'm not familiar with it, but the one located on r. Francisco Otaviano, 67 (Shop K) should be conveniently located, also.

[Guest Tomcal_]

We had no trouble finding internet cafes, we used one in Copacabana and one in Ipenema, they were both on the same commercial street that runs parallel to the beach two streets in.(I am sure Trilingual knows the name of this Ave.) One was not a cafe just a room with about a dozen computers and the cost was $3.00 U.S. for 15 min. the other was a cafe and you bought tokens the gave time in 15 min. increments for about $2.00. U.S.

[trilingual]

The commercial avenue that's the second one in from the beach has different names in different places. In Copacabana, it's av. Barata Ribeiro. In Ipanema it's Visconde de Pirajá. The place on Siqueira Campos (in the office building) was cheap, as I recall. Something like R$5 - 8 per hour.

[Guest pshaw]

Thanks for the quick replies. Even though the trip is still about 4 months off, it's hard not to get a bit excited even now. I just returned from Thailand last month and have found that the quickest way to get over "back from holiday" depression is to throw myself into planning my next trip.

 

As I mentioned, I'm trying to teach myself some rudimentary Portuguese. I haven't a clue how different Brazilian Portuguese will be from the language I'm hearing on the tapes. And in my mind I keep jumbling up the Thai I have learned with the Portuguese - and high school French occasionally pops in as well. I did come across the page <http://www.gay-rio.com/crashcourse.htm> for some of the more "intimate" phrases that one might use in the saunas or with prospective friends. If anyone has some more phrases/words that might come in handy, I'd be grateful if you could share a few.

 

Again, thank you all for the information. I think I will be happy with the Hotel Debret - I did not expect to pay such a reasonable room rate AND have the gay beach right right outside the lobby. After all, there's such a thing as being TOO greedy! A few minutes walk is close enough - I just hope I can find it.

[trilingual]

Be sure your tapes are for Brazilian (not Continental) Portuguese. The differences in pronunciation and vocabulary are probably greater than those between British and American English. Brazilian Portuguese is easier to pronounce and understand than Continental Portuguese. Grammar and syntax are somewhat more simple in Brazil. So are verbs; except in Rio Grande do Sul (Porto Alegre) you'll never use the "tu" form.

 

Search through these posts for one in which there's a discussion of vocabulary that's not in the phrase books. Don't forget there's a page two of this board, so it may be there.

 

The friends who've stayed at the Debret liked it, and they supposedly put on a good breakfast (in Brazil an abundant breakfast buffet is included in your room rate). To get to the gay beach, just walk towards Sugar Loaf (away from Ipanema). The gay beach is basically in front of the Excelsior Hotel, at the foot of r. Fernando Mendes. Just look for the soft-drink vendors canopies on the beach; one of them should have a rainbow flag flying. That's the spot! After the beach, cruising continues at the Rainbow kiosk on the sidewalk, just opposite the Copacabana Palace hotel, or at Maxim's sidewalk cafe, at the corner of r. Fernando Mendes.

 

BTW, a good gay-friendly restaurant called "La Trattoria" is on Fernando Mendes (which is only one block long). Unlike many Brazilian restaurants, the portions are somewhat scaled down so you don't leave tons of food behind. Be warned, though, that they're probably the last restaurant in town that doesn't take credit cards! So bring cash. R$50 per person should feed you quite well, with change left over.

[trilingual]

I took a look. The helpful phrases are on page two of this board, under "Tour Guides in Rio" (I think it's called), messages 13 and 14, or thereabouts.

[Guest pshaw]

Thanks again, Trilingual. I found the messages with the phrases and they are exactly what I am looking for. I always forget to check to see if there is a page 2 to the forum. The tapes I currently have are EuroPortuguese, but I will get some Brazilian tapes.

 

The Thai have one of my favorite sexual euphemisms. Rimming is called "laang too yen" - literally, "cleaning the refrigerator." The first time a Thai said that to me, I didn't know what the hell he was talking about. He demonstrated it quite nicely, though.:-)

[Guest pshaw]

Well, after saying I had decided on the Hotel Debret, now I'm not so sure. (That's what happens when you have 3 and a half months before you actually go on holiday.) I finally got a look at a good map of the Copacabana area and see that the Debret appears to be about a kilometer south of the gay beach. I really don't mind a short walk like that, but thought I might look a bit closer. The http://www.ipanema.com website has a rate of around $70 for the Copacabana Mar Hotel, which is just two blocks inland from the Copacabana Palace. I found a couple of good reviews of the place (I remember one calling it "positively chic") and was wondering if anyone had any actual experience with the place.

 

Another thing - are ATMs on the Cirrus/Plus networks really that scarce? I hate the thought of having to travel with wads of $$$ stuffed in my carry-on. And what is a reasonable amount of Brazilian cash to carry around for a day's expenses (including a visit to a termas)?

 

Thanks.

[Guest Jake]

There are plenty of ATMs around Copacabana on the Cirrus and Plus systems and that, in addition, is the best conversion rate going. If you start with the facts that an outstanding meal might cost you $R 20-25 (about $8 or 10 U.S.) and a looong trip to a sauna might cost you a little over $R 250 ($100 U.S.) figuring entry, THREE choice encounters, cabin rentals and tips all around, $R 500 (about $200 U.S.) is plenty for a very full day. Also, do not be afraid to use your credit card in the saunas for entry, cabins, food, refreshments, etc. - boys and tips are cash. Billings are safe and innocuous.

[trilingual]

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the Copacabana Mar, but the neighborhood is full of hotels. If it really is "chic" at $70, it's probably a good buy! If it's just inland from the Copacabana Palace, that's the neighborhood I prefer to stay in, because it's a convenient walk to the saunas, beach and metro station. If you stay there, report back on it!

 

R$500 should be more than enough to walk around with for a day. Usually that lasted me for several days! The "per kilo" restaurants (buffets where your food is weighed and charged accordingly) are cheap (R$10 or so) and don't necessarily take credit cards. The "Trattoria" on r. Fernando Mendes by the gay beach is nice and somewhat more expensive and also doesn't take cards. Almost every other restaurant does, however, so you don't need much cash to eat. Also, remember that your hotel will have breakfast included. That's usually an extensive buffet, so if you breakfast late you may not want more than an afternoon snack to tide you over until dinner. Bus/metro fare is just over R$1, so that goes a long way. At the baths you can charge your admission, drinks, snacks, massages, etc. You only need cash to pay for your "programas" with the guys. Figure R$50 each. A cab at night from Club 117 back to your hotel will run about R$7 - 8. (You don't usually tip cab drivers, but DO round the fare up to the next highest real.)

 

ATM's aren't THAT hard to find, although you may have to do a bit of hunting. There are a lot of HSBC branches, and my card worked there. Also try Bradesco branches and machines. There's a Banco do Brasil branch on Av. Copacabana right behind the Copacabana Palace that has an international ATM. ATTENTION: Because of security concerns, ATMs are no longer open all night. I think they close at 10:00 p.m. (check when you're there) so try to get money during the day to avoid getting caught short later. Also, DON'T take all your cash with you when you go out; leave some stashed back at your hotel. And if the ATM only spits out R$50 and R$100 bills, get change as soon as you can, especially for the R$100s, because you'll need smaller notes for bus fare, cabs, etc. The R$50s aren't very useful except in shops, to pay the boys, etc., and the R$100s are a pain.

[Guest pshaw]

As always, gentlemen, thank you. And such quick responses, too!

 

Copacabana Mar is sounding better and better in terms of location. I tracked down the "positively chic" review - I found it on the Frommers website thru a Google search. It said a comparable room in NYC would run about $250. Wherever I wind up staying, I will be sure to report back. This forum seems to be the best US site to find out what's going on in gay Rio.

 

If I can find just one ATM on an international network near the hotel, I should be set. The one behind Copacabana Palace sounds as if it will fit the bill. I understand about making sure you have small bills. In the major tourist cities in Thailand (sorry to keep bringing up Thailand, but it's where I have spent my last 7 major vacations) ATMs on the Cirrus or PLUS networks are quite plentiful, and there are plenty of cambios to exchange travelers cheques as well. But the ATMs there have the same problem - they tend to dispense 1000-baht notes (about $23USD). Since prices in Thailand are so low (a good Thai dinner for two at a street "restaurant" can run about 150-200 baht), the 1000-baht notes are hard to get rid of except at the larger stores and restaurants - and the gogobars and massage clubs. 100 and 20-baht notes and 10-baht coins are most commonly used. Before I set off for the day, I would usually exchange one or two of the large notes at the hotel cashier for "small money."

 

I'm sure other questions will occur to me as I count down the weeks, but I will continue to make sure to check the past threads first. Thanks again.