Latin America Men and Destinations

If it isn't one thing it is another. Tuesday there were striking bank guards outside many/most of the bank branches. Now yesterday afternoon I saw this. Fun times. And by the way, the Federal Police are the folks who handle immigration at the airports. Imagine that? Not a clue as to what is the unofficial inflation rate, but prices are definitely rising. Eggs have now taken a big jump in price. They were 4.40/dozen, then dropped to 4.10, last week they went up to 4.90/dozen. They used to alway be in the threes. Ditto chicken and beef prices. The taxis here have had a permanent price increase of 15%. The old Flag 2 price for evenings, holidays and weekends has bee…

Hey, Amazonas might be remote but it is quite interesting the general level of unrest over this World Cup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SdA4gWDrKU#t=77

When viewing look at what these dancers are trying to show is so screwed up.

I kid you not. In Ipanema, some sidewalks onRua Barao da Torre, the next street away from the ocean after the main one in Ipanema, Visconde de Piraja, and this is where they are tunneling the new Metro Line 4. Instead of blasting through the rock with the tunnel boring machine at 40 meters depth, they have been going through at 12 meters depth and excavating the easier sand mixed with rock. I'd guess to save money and speed up the pace for the Olympics. Non? In any event some sidewalks have now collapsed and the construction has been put on hold for 30-60 days. Between this and the non-cleanup of the Bay, what's next? Oh, yep. The plan to reuse the Velodrome from the…

This link to a NY Times is both sad and ironic. Sad that the politicisans have stolen the most of the first billion provided by Japan 20 years ago and continue to waste money instead of doing what needs to be done, whether visible to the populace or not - connect sewers to the built and in operation, but underused sewage treatment plants covering the metropolitan area. During the report, it is mentioned the "Ilha Fundao," this is the island where the large hospital for the Federal University's Med School can be seen on the other side of the causeway when leaving the airport. What is not even mentioned is that the treatment plants in Caju, just north of centro and at…

Why is it that after I have decided not to visit Rio this year, I still check the American Airlines AAdvantage Awards to see if I can get a low tier award travel ticket?

Great photos on the Advocate. I can't wait till the USA is able to travel there without restrictions. http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/photography/2013/05/18/photos-cuba-libre

Hotel Atlantico Praia Avenida Atlantica, 1456 Copacabana Rio de Janeiro (Rio De Janeiro), 22021-000, Brazil

http://www.priceline.com/hotel/hotelOverviewGuide.do?key=hv5skedf&propID=25899504&jsk=334a050a364a050a20140513221419f75010322524&plf=PCLH 4* vs 3* for Atlantico & has free internet. Does location outweigh the lower quality for a first time visit to Rio?

Last week they struck for one day to protest the future dismissal of all of the fare collectors. A majority of the buses have one. Some smaller buses do not. Today they are back on strike for a 40% pay increase. It certainly does make the streets quite empty in the city center. I was planning on hopping the metro, but with the strike, decided the crowds would be too much. The bank situation is ridiculous. Today, I had enough money to deposit that I wanted to hand it in to a person and not the teller machine. So I try to push the revolving door open. I'm not getting anywhere. I'm pushing. And pushing. And pushing some more. No movement. Hmm. I think well maybe …

Last week they struck for one day to protest the future dismissal of all of the fare collectors. A majority of the buses have one. Some smaller buses do not. Today they are back on strike for a 40% pay increase. It certainly does make the streets quite empty in the city center. I was planning on hopping the metro, but with the strike, decided the crowds would be too much. The bank situation is ridiculous. Today, I had enough money to deposit that I wanted to hand it in to a person and not the teller machine. So I try to push the revolving door open. I'm not getting anywhere. I'm pushing. And pushing. And pushing some more. No movement. Hmm. I think well maybe …

Largest LD screen in the world - beautiful stadium for the WC Opening (at about the 2:15 mark the screen images begin)

The photos look like a huge improvement over the two older terminals. 20 gates and what's even more important, even a Starbucks. http://www.panrotas.com.br/album-de-fotos-turismo/aviacao/conheca-o-t3-do-aeroporto-de-guarulhos-sp_100330.html

http://vimeo.com/87783218

Not sure if there was much coverage around the world about yesterday's riots/demonstrations. The center of Niteroi was closed down with streets and sidewalks blocaded by protestors. Two people were killed in battles between police and drug traffickers. The explanation from a friend in the know is that because then UPP (Favela Occupation Police) keep expanding, the drug sellers have moved across the bay to Niteroi and are trying to now defend their newly-occupied turf. To the north in the larger city of Sao Goncalo, there is the enormous favela Complexo de Salguero. Similar to the Mare and Alemao favela groupings near the Galeao Airport. Funner was this morning's exp…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV8pY_tR49o#t=27

Here's a link IN ENGLISH to the Museum Of Tomorrow. Coming soon, but definitely not tomorrow. Not even the day after. Nor the day after that. Oh, well.... http://museudoamanha.org.br/?lang=en

The Bondinho's!!!! YEAH!!!! are coming back in some form supposedly next month. And by the end of the year, the prediction is that the newly-laid rails will go all the way up to Silvestre, where there will be a connection with the funicular which heads up from Cosme Velho to the top of Corcovado. New 3-car trains with the center section even having a space for the handicapped. There will still be the traditional ledges for the hangers-on riding for free on each side. The trains are modern, but intended to lend a nod to the past. Tradition! Here;s a link to the story in O Globo. http://oglobo.globo.com/rio/ancelmo/posts/2014/03/29/a-volta-dos-bondinhos-529284.asp

I'm not sure how much coverage there has been in the various media about the newest favela to have sprung up in Rio, its phenomenal growth and quick closure/death. An empty building of the local phone company OI/ex-Telemar, near Norte Shopping and the Jacarezinho complex of favelas was invaded by squatters on March 30 of this year. Just 2 weeks ago. As of yesterday when the police invaded and evicted them, their umbers had grown to an estimated 5000. Yep. Hard to believe. Like an invasion of rats. As many came from a neighboring favela in the Jacarezinho complex - "Rato Molhado" or "Wet Rat" The phone company claims that they have had the building protected under a secur…

Right out in the open, got my shirt and pants all messed up, what with the sticky juices and gooey creams dribbling out of my mouth stuffed with Carioca deliciousness From the street, near the corner of Nossa Senhora de Copacabana and Barao de Ipanema Really, really clean and spotless Yummy, Yummy, Spoil My Tummy And directly across the street, just looking at the Cardapio/Menu got me close to nutting But when they opened that first aluminum top on the milk chocolate, I couldn't help it and creamed my manpanties!

First time poster, but been lurking I visited Rio twice in October 2013 after researching online about the best pickup / hustler spots there, as well as the saunas with the working boys. I went to Corujinha's a few times for lunch, dinner and late at night, but I didn't see the kind if hustler action I had read about. Is it still an active place for hustlers, rent boys and garotos? If so, what time of day and what days? If not, what restaurant, bar or street area in Rio now has the hustlers and working boys? Thanks.

A while back, a former poster termed "Lucky" accused me of living in a favela. Well, there are three of them here where I live. Smallish to be sure. Two are closer than the third. Here are photos taken at two of the three entrances to the Morro do PEC, Mountain of the Paqueta Esportes Clube/Paqueta Sports Club. The third entrance to Morro do PEC is by walking past our bird cemetery. Yes, crypts for canaries, as it were. Entry with a small lanche or snack bar Communal mail boxes Three photos of the connections to the city electrical lines with the extra wires being tied in illegally by "gatos"/ "cats" or people that piggyback on to others legally connected utilit…

I am traveling to Sao Paulo and wondered if anyone had suggestions on a hotel where guests would not be bothered much, but where the hotel was still nice enough. Something along the lines of a Marriott or Sheraton here, nothing uber fancy. I was also wondering if anyone (Tom?) had recommendations on recent good overnight guests...especially those that deliver larger packages. I found a blog called cambiodeboys.blogspot.com which portends to offer escort reviews. While the reviews there are good and very detailed, there are just a handful of them. I will be going there in late May. Thanks

Here are a couple of photos of what is going on in Rio's great transformation and why the center of the city is such a mess transit-wise. Incredibly traffic isn't any worse than I expected, but that isn't saying much. Taxis are only allowed to pick up fares at designated stops, one-way streets have been changed to run the other way, one-way Avenida Rio Branco is now a two-road with a central lane going in only one direction for taxis and vans only, one thousand parking spaces were obliterated to force commuters out of their cars and every bus line transiting downtown has been altered, switched, canceled. And to top it all off, as you can see from these photos, the Perime…