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Streptomy

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Posts posted by Streptomy

  1. 10 minutes ago, redxs said:

    So am looking to book a trip from UK to Rio for early next year. Hopefully UK are removing Brazil from the red list next week (and Brazil should reciprocate).

    Was looking to travel 15 February to 2 March. The carnival starts 25 February - would this be a good time to go?

    Won’t have been to Rio for 2 years, would prefer to stay in hotel in Copacabana, and don’t speak Portuguese. I like going saunas and the bars sometimes. Like taking guys hone from sauna overnight to hotel and taking to beach next day. So think this might be too busy a time to go?

    Think someone wrote about carnival time in Rio - prices guys charge before, during and after carnival. Not really after the carnival experience as I’ll be a solo traveler.

    Any advice on when the go?

    If you're not going for the Carnival experience, I suggest you avoid overlapping with it.  Prices go up a lot, traffic is impossible, everything is crowded.  In particular, since there are so many tourists, there is stiff competition for escorts and prices can be as much as 2 or 3 times higher. 

    So, if you don't care about Carnival, go in April or May instead.  The weather is not as hot but it's still a wonderfully warm 25-35 degrees.  Beaches and clubs are still packed with people but nothing like Carnival, where you can't even make your way through the crowd.

    That said, Carnival *is* a unique experience, so if you don't mind the crowds, the heat, the noise, the traffic etc - then your plan sounds just fine. 

  2. On 11/15/2020 at 6:38 PM, SigNYC said:

    Will be visiting Rio for the first time on Nov 27 to Nov 30 then Sao Paulo till Dec 4. I have read everything on this thread and its quite helpful. But i am wondering about the going rates of the boys. Is there a standard rate set presently or does it change with the place they are plying? I hate haggling.

    It varies with the place and the person. But the amount is  generally much less than you'd pay for a similar experience in any big US or European city, so I never felt like haggling.  Even when the guy quoted an amount higher than I expected, the difference was not much and it was worth it.  Occasionally I felt it wasn't worth it and moved on -- there's always another guy.

  3. > You honestly have nothing to worry about

    I didn't expect to see this sort of thing here.  The few countries that took COVID seriously from the start, including China, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand, have had fewer deaths per capita, than  countries that followed the Trump/Bolsonaro line -- two orders of magnitude less in fact -- AND their economies took much less of a hit. They are basically back to normal.

    > it is a game of Russian roulette

    I don't know anyone who willingly plays Russian roulette.

  4. [this is in reaction to badboy's reply - in the meantime I saw sunchaser's followup but I'll leave my reply as another point of view]

    That's a bit pessimistic, or rather, you just have to look in the right places.  In my late 50s, not in especially good shape, I had zero problems hooking up at Aterro do Flamengo with fit guys of all ages who just wanted sex, not money.  This is the spot: https://pt-br.facebook.com/pages/category/Company/Pegação-Gay-Aterro-do-Flamengo-1476666512655123/

    And zero problems setting a return date.  I don't know whether that's the kind of thing you're looking for, but I thought I'd add a different perspective.

    I did once give a generous cash present to one of the guys I liked, but he neither asked for it nor expected it - I just felt for him as he was a hardworking construction guy saving up for the down payment on a shack somewhere.  

    It's true that I speak Portuguese fluently (though I look like a gringo).  But if you bother to learn some, or if you already have some Spanish, you may very well get lucky.

    Just be careful not to get mugged.  And don't try to do more than making out at the cruising spot (or maybe oral, but even that is risky as the police make their rounds).  Instead go to a motel.

    There are other good spots all over.  Google Pegação gay.

    11923594_1476667612655013_37583104476239

  5. On 1/17/2020 at 10:01 PM, tassojunior said:

    Where is the best place or method to change money ?

     

    The best way to get reais is off an ATM that can access your foreign account.  The exchange rate is more favorable than anywhere else.  There are a number of such ATMs in every big city; when I go back home (I'm from Rio) I stay in Botafogo and there's a bank 1/3 of the way up Botafogo beach (in the downtown-to-Copacabana direction) with such an ATM in the basement.  I forget the bank's name.

    If you're looking to sell dollars you have in cash, or to buy dollars back before leaving, go to any of the big travel agencies on Av. Copacabana.  Look for signs saying Cambio. There is one right in front of Rua Inhanga -- that street is easy to recognize because it runs diagonally unlike all other cross streets of Av. Copa.  Be prepared for a big spread (as much as 20% between buy and sell); there may also be a flat fee but probably negligible (compared to the hit on the exchange rate) if the transaction is for any substantial amount.

    Some large banks also offer cambio, but there is no particular advantage to them; IIRC fees are higher even if the exchange rate is marginally better than at the travel agencies. They're also more time-consuming cuz you have to fill in forms and often wait in line.

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