mvan1

Hi, you did such a good job in describing all the fun places in Brazil, I want to correct one thing you said about Lagoa. Readers might read your post and look for the changing area you mentioned in your post. You wrote - "In 117 (and also in Lagoa in SP) the place where boys change street clothes to sauna towels is in the basement. You can sip your beer on a bench and look at the boys undressing." In Lagoa, the changing room is not in the basement. Only in Rio at 117 is the changing room in the basement. At Lagoa, the changing area is not a room. It is a large space directly close to the small swimming pool. I want to avoid new visitors to Lagoa from looking for a basement at Lagoa when there is none available to clients or garotos.

That reads like something Kelly Ann Conway would say while she is defending Trump.

Although it is interesting to see the fluctuation of the number of tourists that previously visited Brazil, I do not think those statistics explain why there was been a major lull in available garotos during the past few weeks in Sao Paulo. Too bad there are no statistics that show those facts.

Thank you for your thoughts. Maybe you should try one of the saunas.

Thank you for your well thought out analysis of the negative situation that I find lately in the saunas and other venues in Sao Paulo. What you wrote makes sense, particularly "The situation is the same as usual, the garotos need money and sex in saunas has always been a reliable and easy way to get it." I agree wholeheartedly with that quote of what you wrote. However, during my current trip of the past couple of weeks, I noticed a major change in the Sao Paulo saunas and other venues. A change I do not like and a change I have not seen in my many travels to Brazil over more than fifteen years. As a coincidence, another former member had a similar experience of finding the saunas lacking in the type of garoto he used to find. Out of disappointment, he ended his Brazil trip early. Therefore, the changes in the saunas and other gay places is not isolated to my observations. Clearly, each of us has a particular "type" of garoto that interests and attracts us. I think it is great that you and your companion (the other forum member) enjoyed Lagoa Friday night. However, for me, the place was a disappointment because the type of garoto I prefer (and usually find at Lagoa) was not there in sufficient quantity to overcome the bingo game that kept many of the non twink type garotos glued to their bingo card in hopes of winning the R$1,000 prize. The bingo game was an isolated instance of distracting garotos from meeting clients. There has been a trend since my trip began that the saunas and other venues have changed negatively. If my current trip had been my first trip to Brazil, I would not have returned. Of course, it could be that I just picked a bad time to visit here. I do not know. I have been here many times over many years at different times of the years and never experienced a decline in the saunas and other venues to the extent I have seen during the past two weeks. I will cut my losses and leave Brazil earlier than planned. I will return to Brazil in a month or so in hopes that things returned to the way they were during my prior visits. There is an old proverb that I think is appropriate for my current dilemma. “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”

I am sure you had a great time. Perhaps I was too critical of how I reported Lagoa. I am used to a different mix of garotos than were there Friday night. Unquestionably, the mix of garotos has changed at Lagoa- The bingo game was a distraction for the garotos as many tried to win the R$1,000 and were not available to make contact with clients. For many people, the place was fine. I am glad you enjoyed yourself. My complaint is that the mix of available garotos has changed.

There you go again. Making statements that lack logic. Your previous post recommending that an occasional traveler to Brazil spend years learning Portuguese so they could read a local newspaper is really up there for being wacko! You don't know how many languages I know and speak. Consequently, your recommendation for me to learn Portuguese is silly and an example of your lack of logic. I see from your prior posts that you previously were deemed to be a troll. Can it be that it is time for your booster anti-troll shot? Here is something for you to read that might assist you in getting off your know-it-all horse: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/05/17/remain-silent/

I hope not. Brazil has been like no where else. Hopefully, the changes are temporary. One Brazilian friend said that Bolsonaro, Brazil's new right winged president, is saying such hateful things about the gays that possibly the garotos are staying away from the saunas and other gay areas out of embarrassment. I don't know how much credibility can be placed on that possibility. I hope things go back like they were.

A visitor to Brazil should " - make a serious attempt to finally learn the language? Problem solved." __________________________________________________________________________________________ Do you have any idea how many years it would take a non Portuguese speaking person to be proficient in Portuguese to read a newspaper or a news source written in Portuguese? So, an occasional visitor to Brazil should trash a good faith effort news source (The Rio Times) and spend years learning Portuguese in order to read a local paper or other news source! Brilliant - just brilliant!

You are not off the post topic. You merely reported a similar situation in Salvador that I have experienced in Sao Paulo for the past two weeks. You also reported a similar situation that caused you to cut short your scheduled time in Brazil on your previous trip. The issue is an absence of garotos of the quantity and quality we formerly found in the saunas and elsewhere. I found a high quality over the past fifteen years until now. I am not picky but I do have a type. I am talking about saunas (Lagoa and Fragata) that had more clients than garotos. That was the case at Lagoa last Wednesday and Tuesday at Fragata. Last night at Lagoa there were more clients and garotos than there were on Wednesday. However, there was a larger amount of twinks which are not my thing (not intended as a slight). One forum member reported meeting a garoto last night at Lagoa and having a good time. However, I do not know the forum member or the garoto he met. I do not know what type of garoto he likes. Based on reading some of his posts, he appears to favor the twink types (please, no offense intended). Thus, last night, for him. was great. To make matters worse, last night at Lagoa, Rodolfo decided to have a bingo game with a R$1,000 prize. Needless to say, the prize amount took away the interest of a large number on non twink garotos. I was told that some clients and garotos went to Lagoa last night solely for the possibility of winning the bingo prize. Instead of looking for clients or being available for clients, garotos filled the seating area working on their bingo cards hoping they would be the winner of the R$1,000 prize. That bingo prize of $1,000 was understandably enticing for the garotos. Are all these negative changes merely the luck of the draw? Will things go back in Brazil like I experienced them for fifteen years? Now, wouldn't that be nice?

The changes were already reported four days ago in another thread. Many are happy about not having to go through the visa process. Here is a link to the thread in this forum:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g303631-d7918927-Reviews-ABC_Bailao-Sao_Paulo_State_of_Sao_Paulo.html and http://www.timeout.com.br/sao-paulo/gls/venues/190/abc-bailao The above links are in Portuguese. Please remember that English is not used a lot in Brazil. Therefore, you can copy the written reviews to Google translate or any other translator you have.

Just curious, how many forum members do you think can read those "plenty of reputable local news sources available in the local language." Just as very few Brazilians speak English, even fewer foreign visitors to Brazil can read the local language. Although the Rio Times was not a "great" news source, it did a good job in reporting basic events for those who do not understand the local language.

I wonder if this ex priest is really accepted in the male dominant DR considering he was defrocked and convicted of sex with young boys. I find it hard to believe that he currently teaches at a boys school in the DR. Is the DR really so naive to have this guy teach their male children students? There has been so much written recently in this forum about the fun forum members had in the DM that when I saw this article, I thought of getting some opinions about this former priest. I was always taught that a leopard can never change its spots - but it sometimes can conceal them. Here is the article: https://www.nbcnews.com/video/defrocked-priest-who-molested-two-boys-now-teaching-kids-in-dominican-republic-1461763139542

I don't often agree with you. However, I must say that I understand your reaction to your most recent Brazil visit and your cutting short your time here. In fifteen years of visiting Brazil rather often, this is the first time I am seriously considering cutting short my current trip. Fragata was awful again on Tuesday night. Lagoa , on Wednesday was deadly dull and a major disappointment. To make it worse, the rains and street flooding add to the negativism of my time here. Depending on how Lagoa is tonight, I might, like you did, cut this trip short. On the other hand, a truck load of handsome garotos might make it to Lagoa tonight and all will be like the old times there.

For those readers who knew about this Rio publication, it will soon be no more. Here is way and a little history of the Newspaper: https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-business/the-rio-times-to-close-on-march-31st-after-publishing-for-ten-years/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRioTimes+(The+Rio+Times)

Generally, we can count on Lagoa sauna being busy with lots of handsome garotos on Wednesday and Friday nights. Yikes, I went there tonight and only about fifteen garotos were there and few of them were good looking. There were lots of clients. All I learned tonight was to not rely on "generally" as a predictor as to when Lagoa will have lots of available and handsome garotos. Needless to say, it felt good to leave there a bit earlier than I usually leave. Maybe this Friday will make up for this disappointing night. The best thing about going to Lagoa tonight was the fast arrival of the Uber driver - - the Uber took less than one minute to arrive after I pressed "confirm".

Of the many topics Bolsonaro had to say during his visit to see Trump, he announced that in 90 days, the U.S. and citizens from certain other countries will no longer need a visa to visit Brazil up to 90 days each visit, or up to 180 each year. Between now and June 17, 2019, Americans and citizens of certain other countries can get an electronic visa for Brazil via the internet. Visits to Brazil after that date will not require a visa of any kind. To read more about this announcement by Bolsonaro, check Google and/or this link: https://www.eturbonews.com/247761/brazil-announces-visa-free-entry-for-us-canadian-australian-and-japanese-citizens

This is the key or main point of his reporting the event. A busy area does not guaranty safety from muggers! Street people/muggers know they can likely do their deed almost anywhere and at any time without being hindered. Unfortunately, muggings have increased in Brazil, mainly because of the poor economy. Many local citizens are without work (and without money) because there are too few jobs available. People need money to eat and to pay rent for themselves and for their family. Mugging someone on the street is a fast way to get money when there is no work or paycheck. Just remember this and be cautious without being paranoid.

One more thing - My travel insurance carrier sends out newsletters every now and again. Their newsletter of today has some excellent suggestions about how to reduce the chances of someone stealing your property or money while you are traveling. Some of the suggestions are already in the forum but there are some different ideas about how to keep thieves away from your money and property. Most of the suggestions I already knew. There were a few different ideas. This company is very knowledgeable about reducing theft. Many of the suggestions help both the traveler and the insurance company because the insurance company does not have to pay for covered items not stolen. For those interested in seeing the newsletter - http://links.mkt1649.com/servlet/MailView?ms=MTUyOTM0NDAS1&r=MTkyNTI2ODYxNDMzS0&j=MTYwMTEzOTczMQS2&mt=1&rt=0

I am not sure that I agree with the word - worry. Rather than worry, I think visitors to Brazil need to exercise a little more caution than they did just a few years ago. There is no question that poverty and no jobs make otherwise good people (Brazilians) do things they would not normally do such as stealing and mugging. In my opinion, the above is a better way to look at the facts about visiting here. In my case, I visit Brazil often. I have traveled here for over fifteen years. That equates to more than one hundred trips to Brazil. If you believe in statistics, you have comfort and a high probability of not having any negative issue or a problem during your visit. Statistically speaking, you have a greater probability of having a wonderful time than a bad time. Although I am less comfortable than I was before my incident, I am now back in Brazil again. This is my second trip here since the mugging. Don't be discouraged about reports of crime. Just be a little more cautious. Philosophically, if your number comes up, you will have a problem regardless of where you are.

I traveled to Brazil more than one hundred times over a fifteen year period. I never had a mugging until late last year. Perhaps, because of my good luck over those years, I did not expect that two guys would suddenly see a gringo to mug who was hurriedly heading toward a restaurant. For those who have not been mugged - YET - it is easy to say "use common sense" or a variety of empty words that suddenly change after they, themselves, become a victim.

Just curious how you would have reacted to my mugging that took place in Brazil a few months ago. I did not go down a dark alley. I had just exited an Uber on a busy street and was headed to a restaurant I frequent often. It was about 8:30 in the evening. The restaurant was approximately 100 feet from where the Uber driver had to stop to let me out. Between where the Uber stopped and the restaurant, two guys came out of a doorway and there was no way I could have avoided them. The airline I use would not allow me to take that long flight back to the U.S. considering the injuries I sustained from the mugging. My travel insurance carrier had to charter a flight for me to get back to the U.S. where I live. I am baffled how using "common sense" would have prevented that occurrence. What would you have done in a similar situation? Sometimes, fortunately not very often, there comes a time in life when there is nothing that can be done in an unlucky situation.