Winding-Down in Rio - Third Report

[Mavica]

Well, just two more days in Rio before heading back to the U.S.

 

Wednesday we went on a favela tour with Marcello Armstrong´s group, and it was the one real disappointment of the trip. This guy´s trips to favelas are highly touted, but our experience was that more time was spent on tryint to sell you trinkets, t-shirts, artwork, etc., than the stated purpose of visiting a favela representative of that lifestyle in Rio. Middle-class areas were represented as being slums, and the tour leader (Alfredo) was horrible. But, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

The news reports today focused on an alarming increase in crimes against tourists . . said to have risen by 40% in January 2003 as compared to January 2002.

 

After the favela tour we cabbed-it over to Marius seafood restaurante on the beach in the Leme section of Copacabana . . . and had the best seafood dinner of my life. The m.o. of this restaurant is similar to the all-you-can-eat beef places. There´s a spectacular salad/seafood buffet, and staff bring lobsters, huge shrimp, grilled fish, dugeness crabs, oysters, etc., to your table, non-stop, until you say ENOUGH! It´s not an inexpensive place, the tab for two (with drinks included) was R$202.

 

I skipped the saunas yesterday and opted to visit some gay bars. I went to Blue Angel and Le Boy. Blue Angel is a lightly-visited cocktail lounge, with an absolutely stunning bartender. It´s a very nice bar, but no customers. Afterwards, I walked over to Le Boy, and WOW!. The Le Boy complex is, hands-down, the finest gay business complex of its kind that I´ve ever seen or read about. There´s a lesbian bar, a quiet bar, a disco, a health club/sauna, and a clothing store. The highlight of the disco is its 4-story high ceiling dance area, with balconies around, spectacular sound system, inexpensive cover/drinks, many good looking guys (including a dozen or so hustlers from the saunas - looking for work). Le Boy is a platnum-class operation. I wasn´t in Le Boy a half-hour when I was approached by a group of three local college students, one of whom left with me to spend the night at my hotel. There was a lot of cruising going on, and I could have had several non-professional types.

 

Thursday, we took the Metro to Centro, strolled around . . . and then took the ferry to Niteroi. After returning from Niteroi we went for late-lunch at Confeiteria Colombo. The inside of the building reminded me of the restaurant inside Sanborn´s Casa de Azuelos in Mexico City. We opted for the second-floor buffet, and were sorry we did. The advice given by guidebooks to stick to the coffee and pastries on the first-floor is, in my opinion, well given. We had our first bad meal of the trip, when we chose the buffet. But, live and learn.

 

My traveling companion had a date with his new squeeze Kevin, and I was off to check-out Club 117 again. I took the Metro, which, as said by others, makes the trip from Copacabana an easy/fast one. There were about 40 garotos there when I arrived at 6 p.m., and about 20 customers (5 or 6 of us were Americans). I´d qualify half of the hustlers as throw-aways. The place is larger than Rogers and Estacao, which makes it easier to circulate, meet different guys in different environments, etc. I looked for an guy I had been with on my other trip, and he soon arrived. I´m having a bit of diffculty understanding names, but he pronounces his name Britu (bree-tu). He´s about 6`2, just about black, very musclular (but not gym/steriods) and I find him an excellent top, when I´m in that mood). We quickly pared-off, and he was as good the second time as the first. As I was preparing to leave, I caught sight of Mike, who I had seen but not spoken to during my earlier visit. Some of you probably know Mike. I´d describe him as black, 5´9, pumped gym body, big meat, huge lips . . . he says he´s been in several porno videos, and that he travels to work as an escort in Spain during the Spanish summer. Mike speaks some English and very good Spanish. We spoke for about a half-hour, did the sauna thing, went to a room for a massage (the only truly air-conditioned room I´ve been in thus far), and has a bit of sex afterwards.

 

I went back to the hotel, showered, grabbed my friend, and off we were to the yellow awning (his choice, not mine), La Cueva, Le Boy and Blue Angel. La Cueva was one of the saddest bars I´ve been to in a long time. About a half-dozen worn-out hustlers hung around 4 customers (in addition to us) who were a step out of the grave. I haven´t seen a bar like this since the early 70´s! Cabbed-it over to Le Boy, and was equally impressed on this second visit. My friend says it reminds him of Heaven in London (and, I agreed). Excellent and handsome crowd, with about 30 boys seemingly working the floor. This appears to be a major stop on the hustler circuit. Oh, the bar has dancers every (or most?) nights, but they could use some lessons on how to move - they´re not much more than sticks standing there). We ended the night at Blue Angel, the only customers (but, there was that gorgeous bartender!).

 

Well, today is for the beach, at Ipanema (the section handled by Miriam, or MR . . . a nice gay boy). I´likely skip the sauna´s today, and try to visit Point 202 which is supposed to open tomorrow afternoon. I´m off for the airport at 8 p.m., so maybe I won´t get to check it out. I´ll be at the beach tomorrow too . . . because it´s cold and cloudy back home!

 

One other thought: I´ve noticed a lot of street cruising in the last day or two, probably because I´m becoming more acclimated. Some older guy fondled by 77 year-old friend in Centro yesterday, which made his day! And, in Niteroi, there was obvious cruising activity in the shopping mall next to the ferry terminal, and on the ferry itself. I had a playful interlude with a statuesque black guy on the way back to Rio . . . after which he departed with his friend.

 

Same observation: Rather than calling them escorts, I´ve adopted the term hustler for the majority of guys I see working the saunas . . . because that´s what they seem to be. I think it´s an insult to true escorts to confuse the two. And, in comparison to the average guys I see moving around town and walking down the street (or in the gay bars/disco). . . the hustlers are definately sub-par as far as Brazilians go. Like Clara Peller liked to shout in the Wendy commercials, I´m wondering (about the saunas) Where´s the Beef!

 

I´ll probably wait to post my final report until I return home on Sunday. And, I´ll post something again the week after, when things have settled again. I´ll also, probably, post something comparing my experiences in Brazil with what I´ve experienced in Mexico.

 

Again, thanks for your comments.

[duke37]

Mavica,

 

Thanks for your report. I really appreciate someone taking the time to take what appears to be a contrarian view to that usually expressed.

 

Would you briefly describe yourself? If you already have I apologize. I ask because for me I would neither have the looks nor the confidence to pick up a hunky college age guy on the street. I understand you don't think the garotas measure up to ordinary Brazilians but that advice is only practical to the extent we can be as successful as you at the cruising game.

 

Perhaps the views of your older friend might be useful if you have the time and the inclination to relate them.

 

On the subject of street crime its probably not a surprise that in a time when Brazil is in some economic distress that crime rates will shoot up. I have been thinking about going this summer and plan on taking all the precautions I can not to add to the street crime statistics.

 

Again thanks for your posts.

 

Jeff

[Guest Deweywop]

Mavica, did you get the impression or were ever informed that the go-go dancers at Le Boy were on the market for private dances? I remember thinking they were quite devastating.

 

Overall, I did not stay at Le Boy very long. It seemed rather high on attitude and too indistinguishable from big American and Euro discos, and I don't really like those even in their home countries.

[trilingual]

I'm not sure which evening or what times you went to Blue Angel, but at least from Thursday through Saturday it's quite crowded from about 11:00 p.m. They've been in business for several years now, and they wouldn't have survived with no customers! But things may be slow earlier in the week. Blue Angel (with its shrine to Marlene Dietrich) is deliberately expensive by Brazilian standards to attract a middle/upper-class crowd.

 

Another "upscale" place is The Copa, on r. Aires Saldanha (a small street parallel to Av. Atlântica, one block in from the beach) near the corner of Bolivar. I understand it serves food earlier in the evening and then becomes a pretty thronged bar later on. I was there with friends on a Saturday night around 11:00 p.m. and by midnight it was packed. The crowd was of mixed ages. It was really too late for dinner when we went, but appetizers and "light" meals are served until the wee hours. I put "light" in quotation marks because I ordered a sandwich and what arrived was simply huge! It was an enjoyable place and I'd go back.

 

Additional night spots catering to the middle/upper-class crowd are on the block of r. Teixeira de Melo (in Ipanema) running from Praça Osório towards the beach.

 

As for the go-go boys at Le Boy, I'm sure a discreet discussion with most of them would produce the opportunity for a more private encounter!

[trilingual]

"After the favela tour we cabbed-it over to Marius seafood restaurante on the beach in the Leme section of Copacabana . . . and had the best seafood dinner of my life. . .There´s a spectacular salad/seafood buffet, and staff bring lobsters, huge shrimp, grilled fish, dugeness crabs, oysters, etc., to your table, non-stop, until you say ENOUGH! It´s not an inexpensive place, the tab for two (with drinks included) was R$202."

 

On the other hand, the best seafood dinner of your life wasn't THAT expensive. At current exchange rates, it cost you $28 each! :-) I'm sorry you didn't enjoy Colombo. Both times my traveling companion and I have eaten there in the past year the buffet was excellent (including the selection of salads and desserts).

 

On another note, the Niteroi ferries have a reputation for cruisiness. Glad to learn first-hand that there's something to the stories! So, how playful did your interlude become?

[gulliver]

guys, this may sound a little naive, but, how does one know who are the escorts (hustlers) at Le Boy and who are just regular young, not for hire patrons??

I would not mind meeting an escort outside a sauna/ could anyone give some advice?

Will be leaving Wednesday for one week? Is it more exciting or crowded in the saunas pre carnival?

[trilingual]

Except for the go-go boys (and not all of them hustle) there's no real way to tell. Asking directly is awkward, because if the person isn't hustling, he could easily feel insulted and turned off by the question. And even guys who don't consider themselves hustlers may ask for help with "cabfare" after your encounter. It's really a hit-or-miss proposition. Le Boy is not predominantly a place for escorts, though, so the majority of patrons aren't hustling. You're likelier to run into that at Incontrus, but even they try to keep a lid on things and not let the place get overrun with escorts. .

[Mavica]

Responses/Comments

 

For Jeff: About me: 53, 6’2”, 180, red hair/blue eyes, fair skinned, short/medium-length hair, an active and versatile sex partner (actively participate in either role), know where to find sex partners when I’m in the mood (no color barriers - tend to like the gym boys, tight defined bodies in the under 28 year-old range (not too pumped and no obvious steriods), don’t like too much body hair on a guy) - infrequently pay for sex (not in the U.S. in a couple of decades), professional and former professor, communicative, opinionated and, generally . . . very confident. My traveling companion (a good friend): 77, 5’9”, 215, gut/out of shape, obvious hairpiece, lots of body hair, top only, regularly engages escorts in the U.S., and in other countries, real estate agent, very personable, generous with his affections and money, likes ‘em on the white side of the color scale. I didn’t attempt to much street cruising in Rio because I don’t have the necessary language skills. However, if I did, I’d have spent lots of time doing it. Limiting oneself to the hustlers in the commercial-sex saunas is no doubt convenient, but just because it’s convenient doesn’t mean one finds what he might think is the best quality. About crime: there’s enough posts on this board that cover all viewpoints at the moment, and all I’d add is that people need to familiarize themselves with the issue and reach their own opinions/judgments.

 

For Deweywop

 

I saw nothing at Le Boy to make me believe that the three guys dancing at Le Boy were soliciting business. Both nights I was there there were between 200-300 patrons. I believe that the guys use the opportunity to showcase their bodies, and, in return, most likely secure private “bookings” on other days. I don’t think there’s a “table dance” type of arrangement/facility at Le Boy. None of the dancers I observed go-go’ing were my type, so I didn’t pay too much attention to them. In the crowd, circulating, were many hustlers from the saunas . . . obviously (to me) looking for customers. About the “attitude” at Le Boy, I didn’t feel it; but, I was there just twice, and both times during the week. I was asked to dance, and asked others to dance, and was approached by locals both times (including by the one young man who accompanied me to my hotel for the night). I don’t hit the discos much anymore, but I try to keep current on them whenever I travel (and in my home city), and, as I’ve said, I like Le Boy very much.

 

For trilingual

 

I was at Blue Angel twice last week, at Midnight and at 1:30 (Wednesday/Thursday). . . and there was never more than one or two customers in addition to me, and when I went the second time with my friend. The place was dead, and the bartender stood outside both nights, talking to the door-person. There’s a R$10 charge to enter (beer was R$3), and I think it deters more people from coming in. There’s one of those corner beer/snack places almost next-door, and many guys were there drinking (for a hell of a lot less!). Maybe the place hops on the weekend, and when there’s a special show. As you know, it’s a small place, but I found it very comfortable. About the “antiques,” well, that’s a bit of a joke. There’s some glass on display, and I’m not the one to ask about its value, but it was filthy and not well presented, IMHO. I was aware of the Copa, but I’m not much of a bar person anymore . . . so I wanted to sample a couple of places that I’d read/heard about to get a feel for what’s offered in the Copacabana-area. We did hit a couple of street-side places in Ipanema, but not the discos. As you know better than I, there’s a huge amount of activity outside . . . and the scene is different than the traditional gay bar scene found in much of U.S./Europe/Canada. About the “interlude” on the ferry - well, it reached the fondling, groping of crotch, phase (we were on the fast ferry, so there was less than 15 minutes to play) . . . under/with the watchful but protective eyes of my new friend’s friend. One guy followed me into a clothing store in the shopping center next to the Niteroi terminal, and a couple of other guys were also cruising in the men’s department (we didn‘t take the time to go to a beach, regretfully!). I’m told there’s one or two gay clubs in Niteroi, and I’ve seen the webpage for a very upscale gay motel/sauna there, also.

 

For gulliver “guys, this may sound a little naive, but, how does one know who are the escorts (hustlers) at Le Boy and who are just regular young, not for hire patrons??” I recognized many sauna hustlers in Le Boy, they weren’t dancing, and they were circulating . . . like a hawk stalking prey! On Thursday night, a foreigner I’d seen at Club 117 earlier than night arrived with four hustlers in tow, and was having a gay ‘ol time (he plucked a couple more from the crowd ). I think that the “regular” patrons were acting like any young person does at a top dance club . . . they were talking with one another, buying drinks, dancing, cruising, making-out on one of the balconies, etc. Most guys seemed to arrive with other friends, in small groups of three and four (the guy I took home was in a small group of friends).

[trilingual]

RE: Responses/Comments

 

Mavica's right, Brazilians almost never go out to clubs and bars alone. It's just too bizarre, from their point of view! That doesn't mean you can't meet someone, though. Just cruise as usual; if the object of your attention is interested, he'll manage to detach himself from his friends and find a way to talk with you, or give you an opportunity to talk with him. So DO follow him into the bathroom or to the bar, for example, if you've gotten any return signals of interest from him! :-)

 

Hmm! Maybe the Blue Angel crowd is going elsewhere suddenly? I was there on a Thursday night last month, around midnight, and had to push to get through the crowds! I guess I didn't really notice the "antiques," (maybe they were hard to see because of all the people) but the shrine on the wall to Marlene was visible! The Copa, which was fairly empty when we got there around 11:00 p.m. on a Saturday night, was packed by 12:30 a.m. Apparently they do a dinner business; I'm guessing it must be earlier, around 9:00 p.m.

 

Thanks for the details of your cruise to Niteroi. Clearly I'm going to have to get to know the place better! ;-) The Niemeyer flying saucer art museum is worth seeing for its building and scenic location, and one of the finest view points in the entire region is the hang-glider ramp in the city park, but other than that I have no experience on that side of the bay. Further exploration obviously could be productive!