Touch and Go ?

[Guest needtraining]

I'm working my way through all the previous posts on the Rio saunas; it's printed out as quite a booklet! About 1/2 way through, I've got a few questions...*Is it the norm to rent one "cabine" for one's whole visit where one keeps the key and returns there each time a boy is chosen? And if so can this room take the place of a locker? *In the "courting" selection process, what is the norm about touching? I've read that the guys advertise quite a bit but is it only visual or do they initiate or accept some touching in the bar and other areas? *I'm not pleased to read how many hotels want extra $$$ for visitors to their rooms. Is this the norm? What good hotels don't do this? The Atlantico which seems popular with many of you? Is the "security" of the extra charge and monitoring really necessary? As always... Thanks!

[trilingual]

1. "Cabines" are rented per use, and for specific time periods that run from about 40 minutes to one hour. Usually, but not always, the time period is posted somewhere if it's for less than an hour. It's not customary to keep the key to the cabine indefinitely, but as long as you're willing to pay the cost of the cabine for the entire time of your stay, I don't know why the sauna would object. Just remember that the meter is running, so the longer you keep the cabine, the more expensive it will be. If you have questions about cabine rentals, you can ask at the front desk.

 

2. Some touching is permitted "pre-cabine." This may occur in the sauna rooms themselves, in the porno movie room, in the dark room area, or even in the bar or shower. Sometimes the guys themselves will just take your hand and deposit it on the goodies! If not, ALWAYS ASK IF IT'S OK before you touch someone in an intimate area. ("Posso tocar?") This isn't necessary if you just want to place a hand on an arm or a knee, or brush your hand across someone's chest, for example. Brazilians are used to much more casual body contact in their ordinary social interactions than Americans and Northern Europeans, and will frequently initiate such contact themselves. That usually doesn't extend to a full-fledged grope-fest in the more public areas of the establishment, however. If you spend more than a few minutes with someone in "pre-cabine" physical contact but end up not going with them, at the minimum offer to buy them a drink or snack. If it's been a considerable time, offer some money (R$20 - 30).

 

3. The hotel policies on charges for visitors vary. You'll have to ask at the desk, and other posters here (I hope) can answer your questions about the policies of specific hotels. Regardless of whether or not your hotel charges something extra, the registration and monitoring of visitors IS FOR YOUR OWN PROTECTION. Be grateful that they do this, because as a tourist who's unfamiliar with the language and culture you may not pick up on any warning signals yourself about whether your intended visitor might be risky. Even though it's rare, on occasion bad things happen to men who bring home other strange men. Anything that reduces the risk of such an experience is a good thing! If you're feeling absolutely intrepid, however, and don't want any scrutiny of your guests, you should consider renting an apartment. However, I don't know how to repeat this enough: it's not a good idea to bring someone you don't really know to your hotel or apartment. The sauna guys are something of an exception, because they're more of a "known quantity." However, even with a sauna guy there could be a problem, particularly if he's someone new to the scene and not well-known by the sauna staff or the other guys there. Taking your new acquaintances to a "motel" is by far the better part of wisdom. There are numerous "motels" around, but one that I used recently that's conveniently located in Copacabana is the Hotel Lido on r. Ronald de Carvalho at the corner of Viveiros de Castro (one block inland from Av. Copacabana).

[trilingual]

P.S. Besides the sauna guys, escorts from a reputable agency should be OK to invite to your hotel or apartment. Definitely DON'T do that with street tricks or someone you pick up at a bar until you know them very well.

[Guest needtraining]

Thanks so much for your answers trilingual. Just out of curiosity, how did you become fluent in Portugese? And when did you first visit Brazil? How long has the sauna scene been the way it is now? It's really interesting... as well as exciting as I prepare for my first visit!

[Guest Jake]

I agree with Tri's suggestions totally and when I do stay in a hotel -in this case the Astoria Copacabana - they do take the identity card of a visitor and call when he's leaving to verify everything's OK. (They also charge for an extra occupant for the night - even if it's only for an hour in the afternoon - maybe $10, which I manage to get removed before checkout.) I also have never had anyone to the hotel I didn't know reasonably well or wasn't OK'd by a local friend - until this last trip.

 

A week ago Saturday I was on the Metro back to Copacobana from dinner with a friend and noticed a REALLY cute blonde kid at the other end of the car. At the next stop, a guy got up from a seat somewhat closer and I moved on up. After a succession of mutual glances, we both got off at the last stop in Copacabana and managed to stay very close to one another through the long tunnel and escalators to the street, and when he took a slightly different path leaving the station, we both stopped to mess with our cel phones. With that, I walked up with a smile and invited him across the street for a drink at the corner juice bar.

 

I judged him to be very open and OK with good vibes, sooo, with my somewhat limited portugese and his limited english, we took it from there --- to my hotel. What a cutie! Definitely going to be one of my regulars. I think, though, that this was an exceptional experience and I usually would not consider picking someone up off the street.

[Guest Tomcal_]

Jake, I just got to try and emulate you more!! are you going to be there in April (10th to 21st)? Have you been to 117 and seen Andre? he wasnt' there last time I was there and he was one of my top 3 favorites!

[trilingual]

>Thanks so much for your answers trilingual. Just out of

>curiosity, how did you become fluent in Portugese? And when

>did you first visit Brazil? How long has the sauna scene been

>the way it is now?

 

As a diplomatic brat in Mexico, I grew up speaking Spanish along with English. In college I became interested in Brazil and in the Portuguese language, and taught myself to read it with the use of some basic Portuguese grammars, which helped me understand the key grammatical differences between the two languages. I never actually spoke any Portuguese until my first visit to Brazil in 1983. As I had a two-month trip planned, and a non-refundable ticket, I realized that I needed to learn to communicate quickly, or I was likely to have a rotten time! So I just opened my mouth and tried to reproduce the sounds that I heard. The vocabulary was a bit tricky at first, because even though 95% of the vocabulary in Spanish and Portuguese is identical, it's that other 5% that comprises a lot of everyday commonly-used words that one needs to know. In particular, words for foods and many items in commn use (Iike household articles or clothing) are different between the two languages, so there's a learning curve. It didn't take very long, though, and only a couple of weeks into my first trip I found myself being the surprise (to me!) featured speaker on the AIDS epidemic at the Grupo Gay da Bahia! My first public-speaking venture was a smashing success, and that encouraged me that I was on the right track, so I just kept on speaking and imitating. By watching TV (especially the news and novelas) and reading in Portuguese, I was able to expand my vocabulary and pick up expressions and turns of phrase that wouldn't have been obvious, otherwise. It's an endless process; I'm still learning and still enjoying it. Portuguese is a delightful language, with enough endearing quirks to keep you charmed!

 

The saunas (not as many as now) were in business when I first visited Brazil in 1983. Roger's had it's 30th birthday party not long ago; I believe someone told me it had opened in '72 or '73. I think Fragata in SP may be even older; I recall someone telling me recently that it was the first of the saunas with escorts. In addition, there are also the non-escort gay saunas, many of which were in business back in '83 (and still are in business today). I don't know when the first non-escort gay sauna opened, though.

 

For a fascinating (homo)sexual history of Brazil, which has evidently been a red hot spot since it was founded in 1500, try to track down "Perverts in Paradise" by the brilliant João Silvério Trevisan. The edition in English is the first one of the book. A revised and updated edition, in Portuguese, came out a couple of years ago. In Portuguese, the title is "Devassos no paraíso," and any large Brazilian bookstore should have it or be able to get it for you.

[Guest Gringo]

"Perverts In Paradise" is available from GMP Publishers Ltd for $9.95. The ISBN number is 0-907040-78-0. Enjoy

[Guest Jake]

Hey Tom -

 

I'm heading back on the 28th for Carnival for 10 days and may well be back in April sometime during your stay. CTDick is also due to be there. (In fact I'm trying to buy a home there. It looks like it's going to happen after MUCH work - things ARE different in Brazil in many ways. But getting closed, getting remodeled, etc. is probably still 3 or 4 months out.) I'll keep you posted.