davet

I'm surprised to hear that Plataforma is still around. I went there on my first trip to POA and, yes, despite the smaller crowd, it did surprise me with a few very companionable young men. On my last trip, I only went to Mezzaninu. The guys there were bad-mouthing Plataforma, but that was 5-6 years ago and maybe during its nadir.
POA makes more sense if I'm coming up from Argentina or Uruguay.

Stopped for a couple days in Zurich recently and here are the notes:
1. Paragonya's remodeling did not seem to get in the way. I don't remember what was closed off from my previous trip (more than a decade ago) but there seemed to be lots of cabins, showers, nooks. Every inch was Swiss-clean. The cabins had condoms, lube, paper towel, and alcohol sprays. The remodeling should be done in a few days so I'd love to hear from someone what that looks like.
2. There was a good crowd of clients and working boys. My estimate is at least 20 of each.
3. Days and Times: Definitely a weekend thing, in fact only open I believe Thu.-Sun. while remodeling is going on. Definitely an afternoon thing. By 2 pm, you will have seen everybody who will be available. (One guy who came around 4 was asked "why so late?") By 4:30-5 pm, the guys start leaving.
4. The talent: Lots of Brazilians, including one I saw in Barcelona just before. Lots of Romanians - smooth talkers, unreliable in the sack, very "business"; I used to enjoy this type but not so much anymore. Some Czechs, including a stunning muscle sweetheart. The rate is a firm 100CHF. I didn't sense an expectation of a tip.
5. The worst thing: I must have forgotten that Paragonya is a "private" club and therefore smoking is allowed inside. Although they must have some ventilation system at the bar to keep the place from turning into a BBQ pit, it was really getting to me.
6. Zurich in general. Still pretty expensive even with the favorable currency rates. Even the fast food and ethnic restaurants aren't a deal. The best concentration of passable eats and prices I found was, surprisingly, on the touristy pedestrian street right outside Paragonya. Otherwise, do what the Swiss do and get your sandwiches and coffee at the grocery store.
I stayed at a pension in what turned out to be the edgy, ethnic, and slightly red-light neighborhood of Zurich. In addition to cafes and shawarma shops, think tattoo parlors, vape shops,  strip clubs, and hard-working ladies still hanging out in fishnet stocking when the nippy morning came around. There were also plenty of guys in track suits hanging out in front of the clubs and ladies, including one hunky Russian-looking guy who gave me "a look," but I didn't have the opportunity to find out what he was selling. All in all, I'm already thinking about a return trip to Switzerland.

This has happened to me numerous times and I'm as bewildered as anybody. Most recently this year in Rio, a god of a bodybuilder (easily the hottest guy on the low-attendance nights) completely ignored me, even brazenly walking away or pushing me away. And then one night I bagged him. I wanted to worship his bod and was expecting a disappointing interaction, but he turned out to be pretty good. He said he had 6 other dates that night. That made me feel real special, but I didn't ask why he was so aloof before.
Another guy, also from this year's trip, seemed bound to another garoto and a client and would not reciprocate my obvious interest. Perhaps he was a newbie being trained by a veteran (a not uncommon scenario).
I guess my answer is that it's nothing personal and just random logistical issues. However, the next time, I will ask whether he is in recovery mode. I actually like huge cocks that are flaccid, which rentboys find to be weird.

Stopped for a couple days in Zurich recently and here are the notes:
1. Paragonya's remodeling did not seem to get in the way. I don't remember what was closed off from my previous trip (more than a decade ago) but there seemed to be lots of cabins, showers, nooks. Every inch was Swiss-clean. The cabins had condoms, lube, paper towel, and alcohol sprays. The remodeling should be done in a few days so I'd love to hear from someone what that looks like.
2. There was a good crowd of clients and working boys. My estimate is at least 20 of each.
3. Days and Times: Definitely a weekend thing, in fact only open I believe Thu.-Sun. while remodeling is going on. Definitely an afternoon thing. By 2 pm, you will have seen everybody who will be available. (One guy who came around 4 was asked "why so late?") By 4:30-5 pm, the guys start leaving.
4. The talent: Lots of Brazilians, including one I saw in Barcelona just before. Lots of Romanians - smooth talkers, unreliable in the sack, very "business"; I used to enjoy this type but not so much anymore. Some Czechs, including a stunning muscle sweetheart. The rate is a firm 100CHF. I didn't sense an expectation of a tip.
5. The worst thing: I must have forgotten that Paragonya is a "private" club and therefore smoking is allowed inside. Although they must have some ventilation system at the bar to keep the place from turning into a BBQ pit, it was really getting to me.
6. Zurich in general. Still pretty expensive even with the favorable currency rates. Even the fast food and ethnic restaurants aren't a deal. The best concentration of passable eats and prices I found was, surprisingly, on the touristy pedestrian street right outside Paragonya. Otherwise, do what the Swiss do and get your sandwiches and coffee at the grocery store.
I stayed at a pension in what turned out to be the edgy, ethnic, and slightly red-light neighborhood of Zurich. In addition to cafes and shawarma shops, think tattoo parlors, vape shops,  strip clubs, and hard-working ladies still hanging out in fishnet stocking when the nippy morning came around. There were also plenty of guys in track suits hanging out in front of the clubs and ladies, including one hunky Russian-looking guy who gave me "a look," but I didn't have the opportunity to find out what he was selling. All in all, I'm already thinking about a return trip to Switzerland.

Stopped for a couple days in Zurich recently and here are the notes:
1. Paragonya's remodeling did not seem to get in the way. I don't remember what was closed off from my previous trip (more than a decade ago) but there seemed to be lots of cabins, showers, nooks. Every inch was Swiss-clean. The cabins had condoms, lube, paper towel, and alcohol sprays. The remodeling should be done in a few days so I'd love to hear from someone what that looks like.
2. There was a good crowd of clients and working boys. My estimate is at least 20 of each.
3. Days and Times: Definitely a weekend thing, in fact only open I believe Thu.-Sun. while remodeling is going on. Definitely an afternoon thing. By 2 pm, you will have seen everybody who will be available. (One guy who came around 4 was asked "why so late?") By 4:30-5 pm, the guys start leaving.
4. The talent: Lots of Brazilians, including one I saw in Barcelona just before. Lots of Romanians - smooth talkers, unreliable in the sack, very "business"; I used to enjoy this type but not so much anymore. Some Czechs, including a stunning muscle sweetheart. The rate is a firm 100CHF. I didn't sense an expectation of a tip.
5. The worst thing: I must have forgotten that Paragonya is a "private" club and therefore smoking is allowed inside. Although they must have some ventilation system at the bar to keep the place from turning into a BBQ pit, it was really getting to me.
6. Zurich in general. Still pretty expensive even with the favorable currency rates. Even the fast food and ethnic restaurants aren't a deal. The best concentration of passable eats and prices I found was, surprisingly, on the touristy pedestrian street right outside Paragonya. Otherwise, do what the Swiss do and get your sandwiches and coffee at the grocery store.
I stayed at a pension in what turned out to be the edgy, ethnic, and slightly red-light neighborhood of Zurich. In addition to cafes and shawarma shops, think tattoo parlors, vape shops,  strip clubs, and hard-working ladies still hanging out in fishnet stocking when the nippy morning came around. There were also plenty of guys in track suits hanging out in front of the clubs and ladies, including one hunky Russian-looking guy who gave me "a look," but I didn't have the opportunity to find out what he was selling. All in all, I'm already thinking about a return trip to Switzerland.

Stopped for a couple days in Zurich recently and here are the notes:
1. Paragonya's remodeling did not seem to get in the way. I don't remember what was closed off from my previous trip (more than a decade ago) but there seemed to be lots of cabins, showers, nooks. Every inch was Swiss-clean. The cabins had condoms, lube, paper towel, and alcohol sprays. The remodeling should be done in a few days so I'd love to hear from someone what that looks like.
2. There was a good crowd of clients and working boys. My estimate is at least 20 of each.
3. Days and Times: Definitely a weekend thing, in fact only open I believe Thu.-Sun. while remodeling is going on. Definitely an afternoon thing. By 2 pm, you will have seen everybody who will be available. (One guy who came around 4 was asked "why so late?") By 4:30-5 pm, the guys start leaving.
4. The talent: Lots of Brazilians, including one I saw in Barcelona just before. Lots of Romanians - smooth talkers, unreliable in the sack, very "business"; I used to enjoy this type but not so much anymore. Some Czechs, including a stunning muscle sweetheart. The rate is a firm 100CHF. I didn't sense an expectation of a tip.
5. The worst thing: I must have forgotten that Paragonya is a "private" club and therefore smoking is allowed inside. Although they must have some ventilation system at the bar to keep the place from turning into a BBQ pit, it was really getting to me.
6. Zurich in general. Still pretty expensive even with the favorable currency rates. Even the fast food and ethnic restaurants aren't a deal. The best concentration of passable eats and prices I found was, surprisingly, on the touristy pedestrian street right outside Paragonya. Otherwise, do what the Swiss do and get your sandwiches and coffee at the grocery store.
I stayed at a pension in what turned out to be the edgy, ethnic, and slightly red-light neighborhood of Zurich. In addition to cafes and shawarma shops, think tattoo parlors, vape shops,  strip clubs, and hard-working ladies still hanging out in fishnet stocking when the nippy morning came around. There were also plenty of guys in track suits hanging out in front of the clubs and ladies, including one hunky Russian-looking guy who gave me "a look," but I didn't have the opportunity to find out what he was selling. All in all, I'm already thinking about a return trip to Switzerland.

Stopped for a couple days in Zurich recently and here are the notes:
1. Paragonya's remodeling did not seem to get in the way. I don't remember what was closed off from my previous trip (more than a decade ago) but there seemed to be lots of cabins, showers, nooks. Every inch was Swiss-clean. The cabins had condoms, lube, paper towel, and alcohol sprays. The remodeling should be done in a few days so I'd love to hear from someone what that looks like.
2. There was a good crowd of clients and working boys. My estimate is at least 20 of each.
3. Days and Times: Definitely a weekend thing, in fact only open I believe Thu.-Sun. while remodeling is going on. Definitely an afternoon thing. By 2 pm, you will have seen everybody who will be available. (One guy who came around 4 was asked "why so late?") By 4:30-5 pm, the guys start leaving.
4. The talent: Lots of Brazilians, including one I saw in Barcelona just before. Lots of Romanians - smooth talkers, unreliable in the sack, very "business"; I used to enjoy this type but not so much anymore. Some Czechs, including a stunning muscle sweetheart. The rate is a firm 100CHF. I didn't sense an expectation of a tip.
5. The worst thing: I must have forgotten that Paragonya is a "private" club and therefore smoking is allowed inside. Although they must have some ventilation system at the bar to keep the place from turning into a BBQ pit, it was really getting to me.
6. Zurich in general. Still pretty expensive even with the favorable currency rates. Even the fast food and ethnic restaurants aren't a deal. The best concentration of passable eats and prices I found was, surprisingly, on the touristy pedestrian street right outside Paragonya. Otherwise, do what the Swiss do and get your sandwiches and coffee at the grocery store.
I stayed at a pension in what turned out to be the edgy, ethnic, and slightly red-light neighborhood of Zurich. In addition to cafes and shawarma shops, think tattoo parlors, vape shops,  strip clubs, and hard-working ladies still hanging out in fishnet stocking when the nippy morning came around. There were also plenty of guys in track suits hanging out in front of the clubs and ladies, including one hunky Russian-looking guy who gave me "a look," but I didn't have the opportunity to find out what he was selling. All in all, I'm already thinking about a return trip to Switzerland.

The reviews on Rentmen are not helpful. "Was your time relaxing?" - I want my time to be EXCITING, dammit!, not relaxing! And whenever anyone leaves a rating but cannot put two words together to explain it, I don't give the rating a milligram of credence. Rentmen doesn't even ALLOW a reviewer to add comments. It's strange to ask an escort to explain his bad reviews when it's the reviewers who should be explaining their reviews.

I didn't know esposas means handcuffs. Now that's what I call truth in etymology.
But I can see where this text thread went off the rails. You asked him to handcuff you. He mentioned his own fantasy of bringing a female into the picture (he seemed to mean he'd rather not have a third male). You said "Your wife?" He said, "Noooo."

I think it’s seasonal migration and that much familiar Brazilian trade’s social media depicts their travel to Europe in summer (their winter). I thought that Thermas sucked for what I like, May 2019 and May 2022. So the temporal window may be key. This year a few rolled in final day. In mid-20teens more thrilling but I cannot recall the months. But then I find it hard to judge based on others’ impressions and I see peers there hiring 6 tricks of an evening, on consecutive nights, providers that wouldn’t interest me even if free. In May I hired from Hunqz, separately, a Rio circuit stripper and a former Theatron Pelicula gogo peeler, necessary to supplement the disappointing Thermas inventory. One of the two cross-affiliated to Thermas and I hired him to mercilessly screw a Colombian power-bottom there … who should have paid me for the treat! assuming his arousal was more than performative. Naturally I compensated them both for the show. Again, as my stay was winding down.

I agree with you about Brazilians, more broadly Latinos. They tend to work hard to satisfy you, that's why I like hiring them. But also they tend to be good kissers and usually good in bed too. Recently I hired a British guy because he was very hot but performance was really underwhelming, not a good kisser, very friendly but I felt like he is just doing the job more robotic way, not passionately but I guess everyone is different. I am so used to Brazilians that I completely forgot there are guys like him 😂
I also agree that thermas has timings so I also avoid certain days but I am also a bit particular about muscled body so maybe that is why. But I didn't notice the pecking order you mentioned haha I certainly noticed that the regular guys tend to walk around like they own the place but didn't think much about their interactions. I do know that they talk a lot about clients...
Anyways going back to Paris, so no recs? At least I wanna try some sensual massages as I really enjoy nude massages. Any leads there as well?

Stopped for a couple days in Zurich recently and here are the notes:
1. Paragonya's remodeling did not seem to get in the way. I don't remember what was closed off from my previous trip (more than a decade ago) but there seemed to be lots of cabins, showers, nooks. Every inch was Swiss-clean. The cabins had condoms, lube, paper towel, and alcohol sprays. The remodeling should be done in a few days so I'd love to hear from someone what that looks like.
2. There was a good crowd of clients and working boys. My estimate is at least 20 of each.
3. Days and Times: Definitely a weekend thing, in fact only open I believe Thu.-Sun. while remodeling is going on. Definitely an afternoon thing. By 2 pm, you will have seen everybody who will be available. (One guy who came around 4 was asked "why so late?") By 4:30-5 pm, the guys start leaving.
4. The talent: Lots of Brazilians, including one I saw in Barcelona just before. Lots of Romanians - smooth talkers, unreliable in the sack, very "business"; I used to enjoy this type but not so much anymore. Some Czechs, including a stunning muscle sweetheart. The rate is a firm 100CHF. I didn't sense an expectation of a tip.
5. The worst thing: I must have forgotten that Paragonya is a "private" club and therefore smoking is allowed inside. Although they must have some ventilation system at the bar to keep the place from turning into a BBQ pit, it was really getting to me.
6. Zurich in general. Still pretty expensive even with the favorable currency rates. Even the fast food and ethnic restaurants aren't a deal. The best concentration of passable eats and prices I found was, surprisingly, on the touristy pedestrian street right outside Paragonya. Otherwise, do what the Swiss do and get your sandwiches and coffee at the grocery store.
I stayed at a pension in what turned out to be the edgy, ethnic, and slightly red-light neighborhood of Zurich. In addition to cafes and shawarma shops, think tattoo parlors, vape shops,  strip clubs, and hard-working ladies still hanging out in fishnet stocking when the nippy morning came around. There were also plenty of guys in track suits hanging out in front of the clubs and ladies, including one hunky Russian-looking guy who gave me "a look," but I didn't have the opportunity to find out what he was selling. All in all, I'm already thinking about a return trip to Switzerland.

Thanks for the update. IIRC, Sunday at Mezzaninu was dead beyond dead, so you didn't miss anything by heading off to Rio. POA and Curitiba used to be almost great but now the best guys have gone to work in Rio and SP.

It's rally difficult for me to get a massage without wanting sex. It's too too too sensual and "opening."

Turkish guys can be very hot and very sweet. Language is an issue outside the tourist areas. (And overbearing rug merchants are an issue IN the tourist areas.) Aquarius is okay if you aren't expecting a Brazil-level establishment and if you like Middle-Eastern, light skinned, somewhat hirsute guys. They readily accepted ~50-60EUR from me (this was last year, before the Turkish economy cratered even further). Many years ago, two probably underaged guys approached me on the street in a random, non-touristy area, making their purpose very obvious, and I moved away as fast as possible. Beware.
But Istanbul is fantastic in so, so many other ways.

Turkish guys can be very hot and very sweet. Language is an issue outside the tourist areas. (And overbearing rug merchants are an issue IN the tourist areas.) Aquarius is okay if you aren't expecting a Brazil-level establishment and if you like Middle-Eastern, light skinned, somewhat hirsute guys. They readily accepted ~50-60EUR from me (this was last year, before the Turkish economy cratered even further). Many years ago, two probably underaged guys approached me on the street in a random, non-touristy area, making their purpose very obvious, and I moved away as fast as possible. Beware.
But Istanbul is fantastic in so, so many other ways.

Turkish guys can be very hot and very sweet. Language is an issue outside the tourist areas. (And overbearing rug merchants are an issue IN the tourist areas.) Aquarius is okay if you aren't expecting a Brazil-level establishment and if you like Middle-Eastern, light skinned, somewhat hirsute guys. They readily accepted ~50-60EUR from me (this was last year, before the Turkish economy cratered even further). Many years ago, two probably underaged guys approached me on the street in a random, non-touristy area, making their purpose very obvious, and I moved away as fast as possible. Beware.
But Istanbul is fantastic in so, so many other ways.

Whenever I start feeling nervous about gay sex tourism, I'm reminded that the straight version is 10-20 times as big.

LOL. Once one gets to a sufficiently large sample set, one can start making informed calls about the biggEST/fattEST. I have a very scientific mindset. I can use my wrapped hand to get pretty accurate measurements of a specimen. There might have been 1 or 2 who were longer than Reynaldo, but in combination of long and thick, I think he's no. 1.
Not that anyone minds at all continuing a search for bigger/longer/fatter/harder.

You are not there for a Latin lover experience or even an Omar Sharif lover. It's wham-bam-thank-you-sam. Aquarius only provides an uncomfortable massage table that you wouldn't want to spend much time on anyway.
There is so much gay sex going on in any moslem culture but it's the don't-ask-don't-tell variety. And no, they don't bang you like a female. They bang you like a worthless meat object that exists solely for their penile stimulation. Excuse me while I jump in a cold shower.

How would one find a trainer one can take back to a motel? My dream would be to find a real training session, followed by joint shower/jacuzzi, massage, and whatever.

Salvador was the one time in Brazil where I got mugged (about 10 years ago). The historic center is like an island surrounded by very sketchy neighborhoods. This was the one city I should have heeded all the warnings about, but I was cocky from my good experiences in SP and Rio. It looked like such a short walk from my hotel in the colonial center to the sauna ...

More on Hot House, typically pronounced regionally as Hotche House if you want to make yourself better understood. The third-party description attached is not entirely accurate, as there is no evidence of private dance cubicles or massage rooms of any nature.
There is a darkroom with a huge dish of condoms at shoulder level at its entrance; more accurately a darkish room with a blackout-grade dark room off of it; somewhat a Russian Doll series (albeit limited) of darkrooms. From what I can gather from conversations with one bilingual stripper, one unilingual stripper, and the bilingual doorman, transactional play (not restricted to customers; why would I with fellow audience members anyway?) is possible within the darkroom.
It is rather another example of Kafkaesque Burlesque, so to speak; you are not in a Montreal strip club, Toto. Not sure within what iteration of the darkroom series such shenanigans would occur. Also, the dancers go in cycles on stage, not a lot to go around, so that you might just get started figuring out if it is actually the hired stripper’s cock in your mouth or butt, most of us needing a bit of time to get our vision acclimatized to the dark, when he would be suddenly called onto the stage for his next set. An abrupt removal of his dick from your orifice at such time would help confirm if you had been flim-flammed with a seat filler. 
The dancers schmooze around grinding a bit on customers between sets. I assumed cash tips were welcome but one stripper stated to me they are not at all expecting or soliciting any gorjeta. You are not in Kansas, or more accurately The Big Apple, Toto. 
I did arrive with a wad of cash and got close to arranging an assignation on site, but it became too labour-intensive and I aborted. After much back-and-forth, it turns out the dancer’s bottom line was being pretty much open to anything, BUT he did have an ‘iron curtain’ regulation regarding his actual bottom. I had opened the bid with absolutely no suggestions whatsoever that I would be overpowering and raping him pinned up against a wall in the darkroom, so I chalked this up to not a small degree of anxiety. The deal was basically set but he was called back to the stage at that second, leaving the money off the table for him and in my pocket for a planned spa date the following afternoon. Totally correct call. I had tipped him earlier, probably more than he has ever generally experienced, so he was not left entirely empty-handed.  
I assume that dates can be set with the dancers off-site. One dancer that attends on and off was close to finalizing a date with me when the pandemic thwarted it some 28 months back.
I think the entrance was only 30 reais, 60 or so if inclusive of beverage consumption the details of which would not be relevant to me. If there over a longer term it may be a worthwhile venue for visitors and you can anticipate the lineup that is usually advertised, though I think beyond the duo officially depicted there are a few more dancers that work the stage; 4 maybe 6 in total? The admission is BRL200 for women, to discourage their patronage obviously. 
This would be a story that Montreal strip club MC’s and dancers will get a kick out of. Apart from how long it might take to “Let’s go!” they’d be shocked at how little it costs. 

This is mostly true, but I think there's a difference in attitude between the classes. The higher up in social class, the more you might see the typical Western/Northern sexual hangups. I had a Brazilian language instructor who sniffed about the sex tourism in her country. She was referring to the straight sex industry, which is probably 20 times bigger than the gay one, but still. During an overnight, my garoto had a long phone call with a sister who was clearly not happy with the "work" he said he was in the middle of.
It's all quite fascinating to me.

The Koreans run the garment industry throughout South America. There's a great, very hip Korean restaurant in Bom Retiro called Komah.