sydneyboy1

Please report back on your Brazil trip.

I’m not exactly young. I enjoyed my trip but I have nostalgic memory of my first visit to Bangkok in 2000 and have been back many times since but there is no denying the bar scene is a tragic shadow of its former self. The massage venues have deteriorated to the same extent and I had a few nice visits to My Hero but it is not on a par with the variety of guys at the old Hero in past years.

I have to agree.

I have been to Brazil 9 times so your preaching to the converted. I was mugged on my first visit but returned older and wiser. The crime rate has escalated and they have a maniac running the place. I hope to return later in the year if things settle down.

I tried all the usual bars and I’m afraid the scene in Bangkok is only a shadow of its former self. I love Bangkok, the Thai people and will return with reduced expectations.

I was in Bangkok for 3 weeks in late December early January. Now I have been going Bangkok and the Tawan for nearly 20 years although this is my first visit in nearly 4 years. I have fond memories of the Tawan over the years but on this occasion it can only be described as tragic. There were only a fraction of the number of boys from compared to previous visits and they were older, fat, tattooed. Bitterly disappointing.

What makes us risk takers in returning to Brazil is memories of our last visit to Lagoa, Fragata, 117, Point 202 etc.

Comments anyone?

Wouldn’t local law enforcement eg responsibility for the police be an entirely state matter? Assuming for a moment that the president had a negative view of say rent boy saunas wouldn’t his capacity to act be constrained by the fact that this would be a state or even local government responsibility or do I have my facts wrong?

How long do work in the saunas? There are a few guys still working at Lagoa who I met on my first visit to São Paulo in 2005.

I forgot to mention one of the joys of Bangkok, Le Normandie restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental. My favourite restaurant in the whole world and a reason in itself for returning to Bangkok. Very expensive but you only live once!

I’m sorry but Screw Boys has very, very little to offer.

Happy New Year from Bangkok! This is about my twelfth visit to Bangkok since 2000 and the first in about five years. I love the city, the culture and its people and will return again. However there is no denying the gay scene has changed. Last night I paid my third visit on this trip to Tawan Bar, the famous muscle bar. This used to be my favourite bar however on each visit this time it can only be described as tragic. A fraction of the boys compared to past years and those on offer were older, fat, heavily tattooed. Anyone walking in not knowing what to expect would have assumed it was a chubby chasers bar. There were plenty of customers but seriously lacking boys. How I remember this place on my visit in 2000 and subsequent years. Other famous bars such as Dream Boys are also in serious decline. All in all a pity and remember this is peak season. However I am staying in s beautiful hotel with a lagoon like pool everyone is nice and Bangkok and it’s people will always make it worth returning.

Wonderful news. I have fond memories of Fragata over the years. I am in São Paulo in March and look forward to a return visit to Fragata.

I have never been to Singapore but it has always been on my wish list. Can anyone give candid advice on massage venues where a happy ending is expected? The Singapore based websites I find useless for candid information because of censorship restrictions. Information based on actual experience appreciated.

I have stayed at the Tarntawan a number of times in the early 2000’s but these days I believe it is dreadful. I have read appalling recent reviews.

One reason I like the Brazilian saunas is that you have naughtiness on the premises with the minimum possibility of drama. I have had a couple of “misunderstandings “ over money in the saunas and only one nasty experience. People who take these boys back home are braver than me.

You have my total sympathy. It happened to me 13 years ago and it was an experience not easily forgotten.

I contributed to a recent thread “be careful down here” when I recounted a mugging in Rio. One reply gave me a big yawn with the “it can happen anywhere “ line. I wonder if he would argue that the horrific episode in this news report “could happen anywhere”.

As they say in the classics the truth is stranger than fiction.

Not a tattoo in sight. How rare. Blessed relief!

The other driving force behind the Gay Travel Brazil website was Drey. Does anyone know what happened to him? He was very helpful in answering questions and raising issues for discussion.

I know remember this was13 years ago.

Interestingly my mugging occurred walking from Rogers to my hotel.

The not so new Planet Romeo website is a shocker. My favourite London escort tells me he has a vastly reduced number of new clients through the new site and has forced him to advertise on other websites such as Rentman and Sleepy Boy.