bangdom

First of all, thanks to everyone on this forum. I've been reading it for years - could it be 15? - or definitely before my first ever trip to Brazil, which was three lifetimes ago. It provided me with a lot of info and a bit of a chuckle - and I'm sorry I was on silent all that time.
I almost registered when all non-members were kicked out a couple of years back, but then the gods above were merciful to allow us back for a part of it, and my laziness prevailed. Did I say again I'm sorry? - I am.
It's been a hell of a time to see Brazil (and other parts of the world) changing, the same way I was changing too: I came to Rio for the first time 14-15 years ago, totally hated it (the real to USD at 1.6 at that time didn't help), then came back a couple of years later, then there was one whole winter I spent in Brazil traveling to every corner of it (locally, it was summer of course) - and the rest is history. I traveled especially often in the past 4 years throughout the pandemic - it was pretty much one of the only two countries always open (along with Mexico - but I prefer Brazil), and then there were incredibly cheap tickets, initially in 2020-2021 basically free, then just very cheap (that loophole has recently closed, but stayed open for the incredible three years). I was traveling around the world throughout the pandemic pretty much as I usually do, so it passed me by (and by some kinky luck, covid passed me too - never had it) - and I think I was back in Brazil as early as Sep 2020 I think, and then visited about twice a year.
So that historic context aside (and again - thanks to everyone) - several observations on this trip. This year, I'm on a sabbatical, so traveled a bit more than usual - I think I've been to Rio four times in 2023. Good memories - first time Carnival, first time the New Year's Eve a week ago. Amazing. 
Brazil - and saunas - are defo different not only from what it was 10-15 years ago, but from pre-covid too. I still enjoy 117 and 202 very much - but as some others on this forum, I wonder how long they will last. It's not that apps are killing them - Onlyfans are doing that. The standard of the guys in 117 and 202 has visibly dipped - I'm still satisfied very much every evening I go there, but the standard of the guys there say in 2010s is no longer there - they are doing Onlyfans, or Rhyheim's porn, or it's easier to travel to Europe to make better money there than it was 10-15 yrs ago. A case in point, a guy I know, Henry - he started doing Onlyfans with some good success about two years ago but he was still in saunas maybe 2-3 nights a week. He's a stunner, his Onlyfans is successful, I saw him at the Rio gay pride in November as a part of the model entertainers crowd, but he's not in the saunas anymore.
The best guys in 117/202 are now those who fly in from the provinces for a couple of weeks to make money - like Walton from Fortaleza, he's another stunner, and he does some stints in Rio for two-three weeks - I just saw him yesterday in Fortaleza, and he's flying back to Rio again on Weds.
I also started to really really like Point. 202 seems such a warmer, more humane, better organised sauna (and aircon in suites works all the time, unlike in 117). I really like the vibe, the atmosphere, that warm feeling of a crowd near the bar - and moreover, there are some absolute gems of a guy who go to 202 only, and never to 117. I guess, Junior scouts them somehow, and even though a lot of the guys work both saunas, some 202-exclusive guys are marvels. One of my favourites in the past several visits is David (or the correct spelling he put into my phone contacts, Deyved) - just a stunning guy with an incredible smile and an incredible chemistry. He comes only to 202, and only a couple of nights a week at most, but he's one of my highlights. Stunning body, stunning technique and the attention to your needs - for a straight guy - he's also never hiked his fee to 200 as everybody else by the end of 2023 in Rio and stays at 150 (still gets more from me). He saw me at the reception when I came to 202 for the first time on this trip, hugged me, kissed me, and then said "don't come with me now, I will be for longer today, hire me towards the end of the night, and I will give you the biggest cumshot possible". And he did.
With all that said, 202 is losing ground against 117 - or at least that's my impression over the past couple of years. 202 is back to their two big nights - Monday and Wednesday - but lost all other days. I still remember fabulous Fridays at Point - that was their good night too - but then two or even three times I came to Point on a Friday, and it was totally dead, like Elvis dead. Then, next Friday I came to 117 - and everyone was there, and the house was buzzing. At 117, even slow nights are acceptable, but at 202 if it's dead it's no shit dead. 117 attempted to hijack Wednesdays - it hasn't worked so far. So 202 has still solid Mondays and Wednesdays, but the rest of the week it's 117 - even though I'd have preferred it differently. Even this past week between Xmas and NY, 117 was insanely busy, on some nights the line was to the street (never seen that before), whereas 202's Mons and Weds were good and busy but not over the top busy as 117 was all that week. (Still, last Weds I was #17 in the line for the suites at Point at 8pm - so it was still a good night - however, several boys told me it had been busier before and not anymore). So why this is happening, I don't know - as I'd like 202 to thrive, as I just like them, but it's not terribly easy for them it seems. (Interesting that from next Sunday they will be open on Suns too - I'd be keen to know if they are able to break the 117's Sunday monopoly).
Meio Mundo - where do I start. Unlike many posters on the forum, I actually quite liked Meio Mundo back in the day. It has this no-nonsense down-to-earth vibe that was a welcome occasional break from the 117 Men's Health posturing. Yes, it was dirty, but it was kinky dirty. During the pandemic at its new location, Meio Mundo started to drift from its previous "favela sauna" concept to the "drag queen theatre night" concept - that's where it lost the boys, and clients. Still, several of my experiences at Meio Mundo were golden. I think it was two years ago during the pandemic when I came to Meio Mundo because they were the first to start live sex shows in Rio (inbetween the long drag queen sets). It is there where I met Lucas - he was 18 at that time, stunning, with an 8-pack and a shy smile - the definition of a lanky twink top. A friend of his, a typical Meio Mundo favela-style garoto. brought Lucas with him - it was his first time in the sauna. Lucas was so obviously head and shoulders above everybody there that the Meio Mundo owner immediately brought him a free caipirinha and started to fawn over him - the guy was gold. I offered him a programa straight away, and Lucas was initially timid, still with a caipirinha in the suite, not sure what and how to do - sex was great. I was his first ever client, and I think he's likely straight, he's sort of a fixture at 117 now, and we hooked up last week, two years later, for the first time since that forst meeting - Lucas remembered our first sex, I laughed "well, you looked very different from other Meio Mundo garotos on that day", he laughed even harder saying "no doubt about that". He doesn't go to Meio Mundo anymore, and I didn't visit on any of my trips this year - their IG is all full of drag queens, no more live sex shows.
But now to live sex shows. The biggest change I've seen in Rio throughout the pandemic is the explosion of Berlin-style cruising bars. Taurus Bar is just 5 min walk from 117 and is most resourceful of them all. Then there is Seven Bar, the new Cruising Parada bar, something else in Centro, something else in Botafogo, etc. They are mostly non-GP cruising bars, but what they do is they usually haul a bunch of Onlyfans models (2 on a rainy day, 5 on a good day, I've been to a night with 8 guest Onlyfans models) - they are billed as the "interactive sex show" but pretty much 15 sec after it starts it becomes very interactive, and Onlyfans models have sex with all who paid 35 or 40 or whatever reais as cover - it's a free-for-all 40-50 person orgy with a bunch of Onlyfans models in the middle (that's how Taurus Bar does it, and I see it as a valid investment of my 35-40 reais). These are still very local-geared places, and the vibe is VERY different from the GP saunas, but more of these places open, and it's quite an experience. 
I'm in Fortaleza now where such bars equally exploded  - there are several of them - and they are all strictly non-GP, just a general orgy. As other saunas across Brazil, California is struggling to keep pace with Onlyfans, apps, etc. - it is still a very fine sauna, and I had lots of sex in the past few days, but as in Rio and SP, the top-tier gobsmacking talent is no longer there.  Still, some amazing guys - humble, polite, good in sex, but the Greek gods are gone. There was a good guy from Fortaleza, Wesley, whom I met at 117 after Christmas - I told him I would be coming to Fortaleza and he said let's keep the line open privately, as he said he's not working in saunas back home in Fortaleza -  he says he does underwear modeling on IG (whatever that means) but saunas are no-no. I could have easily seen someone like him at California say 7-8 years ago - but that's basically a trend. Onlyfans, IG and private appointments over whatsapp.
California in Fortaleza still the only GP sauna. I've been to Dragon Club several times this year - easily the best-equipped sauna in all of Brazil, but usually just a couple of GPs, and mostly the jaded ones. They have some interesting events - I've been to their Mr Dragon competition where incredibly beautiful guys where on stage, but they did not mingle or even stay after the competition and the house emptied out. This weekend, I've been to a free food slash dance party at Dragon starting at 1400 (!) on Sunday - they had free feijoada and caipirinha till 1600, and then some professional Axe dancing for two hours from 1400 till 1600. I arrived at 1530, and Dragon was full of people, munching and drinking. The (professional straight) dancers were really great but were visibly not too comfortable performing in a gay sauna for towel-clad people - some 80mins into their performance they were pressured to lose T-shirts, and they were visibly uncomfortable with one dancer mouthing "no" - they did lose T-shirts for one song and promptly put it back right for the next number. There were maybe three, max four jaded GPs in this packed house - but I quickly left for California where a couple of those Dragon GPs ended up too afterwards. My only guess why this is not happening for Dragon - high entry fee for garotos?
I'm going to Recife next where there were two very OK saunas - not GP-focused but where I still found some incredible freelancing GPs in the past couple of years, so I look forward to checking them out again.
 
 
 

Never heard of DoxyPep, had to google that it indeed can prevent bacterial STI infections.  Currently not on NHS in UK.  Thanks for the education.

I had wanted to meet two guys from Moonlight and Tawan after reading positive reports about them from fellow forum members but I was kept occupied by the good company at Hotmale Beer Bar downstairs. In a first for me, on my last night, I bought a round of drinks for the staff and even included a small tip. Very friendly welcoming staff and excellent service.

Just some quick notes on Bali..... I'm not sure why it's not more visited from board members. Generally less expensive than some other places and not so transactional like Thailand.
The gay life is pretty active, even if it's only a couple of gay bars,  but Mixwell is fun all nights, weekends are packed.
 
It seems like Grindr blows up the first day or 2, because WE are fresh meat. Since there isn't such an influx of gay visitors like in Thailand, the guys can be looking to hang out or meet for more than one day.

Eating local food is stupid cheap, western food= western prices. I had a NY style pizza that would rival any NY pizzeria, I was shocked.

Indonesians are usually cut and have BIG asses, a nice change from other Asian countries I visit. A lot of the guys know how to do massage, like Thailand, but cheaper.

I went on this trip with my bf from Mexico, used miles for Business class, stayed  at the Conrad Bali (used points) and got upgraded to an amazing suite with a private pool and direct ocean access.

I was in the hotel business and the GM put me on the VIP guest list.... every worker knew me from sight, I wanted to adopt/marry one of the 21 yr old waiters in the Diamond lounge....I felt like a rock star. I also visited the Hard Rock Cafe, where I knew the manager from Jakarta, also made us feel like rock stars. Was a most memorable amazing trip, plus between Thai and Singapore in Business class, my BF is NEVER leaving me, lol

I'm in Pattaya now, will post something later..... 

Well, if I didn't get my trip as planned, I might as well relish on the memories of what did happen.
My first trip to SP was planned for April 2020. That trip of course was canceled. Recently I realized that I can squeeze in a 2-week trip somewhere in the world. I kindly asked my husband his approval for a solo trip while he stays home with our kids. After his approval I started planning and planning and planning. In Hebrew there's a saying that is roughly translated to: man makes plans, and God laughs. That was so true this time.
Booked a return ticket TLV->FCO->GRU with ITA business class since they gave a really good fare of 2500$. Flight was OK and I landed in GRU morning of Oct 5th. Checked in at the intercontinental. I think my money could do better. The hotel is totally fine but rather old. Went to a stroll in Paulista Av and was unimpressed.
At about 5PM I decided it's my time for Lagoa. Was there a total of probably 2-3 hours. I know that making an impression based on one visit is totally misleading – but unfortunately that was my only opportunity to visit. Lagoa was kind of packed that evening. Way more Garatos than clients. But – very few if any of them were the guys I hoped to meet there. My type is muscle adonis guys which by what I read Lagoa is THE place for that. Well at that night it wasn't like that. But it was indeed OK and I didn't allow my self to leave before having one programa with a guy that was both sweet and my kind of type. That whole experience was fine but I expected more and planned on revisiting. It is possible that I expected too much or that it is just a one time miss.
From there I took a taxi to Chili sauna. That place was wayyyy better. I was surprised by the facility size and high maintenance. But what surprised me more was the amount and quality of the crowd. Lot’s of guys there on a Thursday night. Crowd is friendly, hot, and engaging. I have been to ALL major saunas in Europe – this one exceeds them all in terms of crowd and facility. Spent there about five hours and had to force my self to leave lol. Security near the facility is high and it is encouraged to book the Uber from inside the facility and going straight in the car since it is rather scary outside that place.
Morning after I went to a guided city bike tour. It was supposed to be a group tour but I was the only one enrolled that day which was excellent. My guide took me around the city stopping in major sights. It was a good way to experience the city and I came back to the hotel tired and satisfied. That afternoon was my time to try an online services. I saw on Gridndr a guy I also knew from OF. This guy was exactly the prototype of a guy I’m looking for in Lagoa and he was also incredibly handsome. I went to his place which was near my hotel and that session was incredibly hot. Passionate, fun, sexy. 10 out of 10.
When evening came I went back to chilli. That evening and night that place was more packed as you’d expect from a Friday night. Again a great night and from there went at 1AM to a nice party near by with a guy I knew from home and saw on Grindr that he was also in SP. It was his last night here before returning home so we decided to party together.
We danced and had fun and about 2AM SP time we both got the first text from home. Missiles at TLV. I thought to myself, that happens once a year, hopefully it will be just that missile. We kept dancing. 10 minutes later I got the first and only video I actually watched from that massacre. I immediately returned to my hotel. I felt so bad I just wanted home. At that moment I realized this trip is over. My husband told me that maybe I should wait another day before returning but I could not bare the fact not being close to my family at that time. I packed and took a Taxi to GRU. 30 hours later I got home. My husband and I had half an hour together before he got drafted. Situation is shit. But at least I’m home with my family.
Till next time. Hopefully soon. Stay safe. Cheers!
 
 

put him in touch with @Olddaddy , he's always looking for anyone to suck him or fuck him....although he's bipolar and a bit of a hypochondriac .

Leaves you out....cocksuckers are a dime a dozen 😆

I didn't realize we were talking about shopping at the dollar store.  You get what you pay for - I am not extravagant in my spending, but I am not cheap either.  

I was in Rio in December and I always use Smart Fit, day pass BRL $24.90.  I looked into monthly pass on previous trips but believe you need CPF number but day pass is cheap enough anyway.  Smart Fit in Ipanema is very gay.  But there are Smart Fits all over Copacabana.

A western society with a long and glorious history in culture, music, architecture, the arts, etc. allows millions of uncivilized third world immigrants into its borders, and these savages behave as one would expect savages to behave, by burning down the country when their hosts do something they don't like, why should anyone be surprised.

Care to cite a few examples when the entire nation has been under siege like this? 40,000+ gendarmes had to be called out to try to restore calm. I won't hold my breath waiting.
Most civilized and intelligent people are on their best behavior when they are uninvited guests in someone's home. A host that took them in from impoverished and unspeakable conditions. These savages show their appreciation by burning down the home of their hosts.....
If Macron had any guts, he would deport those without citizenship, and return them to the hellholes from whenst they came. Secondly, revoke the citizenship of the others, and then work to have them deported. If they aren't happy in France, let them go elsewhere.
As far as your childish name-calling, it speaks volumes of yourself, unable to engage in a dialogue without debasing yourself.

Multiple member suspended for 6 months. Follow our gentlemen rules or don't come here. Warnings will not always be given. We are a kind and tolerant group, but follow the Roadhouse Rules (reference to Patrick Swayze) "Be nice" or hit the road.

Unfortunately, the moderators do not have time to deal with drama daily. Several members will face extensive bans or permanent. If you find you are one of them, it is because you did not follow our gentleman's agreement to be kind and stick to the topic. Longtime members, apologies in advance as no one is immune from the rules.

Arrived in São Paulo today. SolaceSoul’s comment about those in a couple being carbon copies is most definitely true in São Paulo in the Consolacao/Rua Augusta area. Everyone seemed to be wearing the same black shirt and black short combo. I just returned from dinner after a visit to Lagoa. As a first-timer, I was very impressed with the facilities and GP’s. I know some here have compared the new location unfavorably to the old. But, the facilities seemed much cleaner (and neighborhood safer) than 117 or 202 in Rio. I thought the layout was similar to Thermas in Barcelona.  I arrived at 4:30 and worried I may be too early but the place seemed really busy. I had two programas. Compared to the Rio saunas, I thought GP’s didn’t “bother” clients as much. You really had to make eye contact before someone approached you which was a good thing I think. Also, money was not mentioned at all before my programas. It seemed almost I could give based on the experience. I gave the first guy (a huge-dicked GP from Recife) R$220 and he seemed thrilled. I gave the second guy (not quite my type to be honest but he was introduced to me by the first) R$200 and he seemed disappointed (likely I imagine because he talked with the first one). Both gozar. Lots of huge cocks on display throughout the different floors. Loved the shower set-up. There was one guy who I thought was absolutely stunning. Taller (6’4”), muscular, trimmed beard (although the beard part covers 75% of the guys), and just beautiful. He had on soccer shorts instead of a towel (fetish for me). I would have loved going with him. But, he sat in the bar area the entire time talking to another GP. I thought that was a bit strange and I really didn’t feel I could interrupt his conversation and say (in broken Portuguese) that “I think you are stunning.” Maybe he was waiting on a specific client or playing some sort of “long game”. I admit I left early as I had to get to dinner. Ate at the Familia Mancini Restaurant on a charming little street with several choices about a 20-minute walk from Lagoa. Definitely would recommend the specific restaurant and the little street for dining. Good food and lovely Euro atmosphere.

Hey, since this is my first trip to Brazil I thought I'd give a report of what my experience has been like as a newcomer. 
Started off with a week in São Paulo. Was going to stay at a lovely Airbnb in Consolação but when I got there the owner didn't respond to me when I tried to check in. Ended up having to get Airbnb to refund me and getting a crappy little room at the Ibis Budget Frei Caneca (which was more expensive than the Airbnb), since I knew I wanted to be close to Lagoa. 
So I went to Lagoa several days. As a first-timer, I was impressed with the number and quality of the guys there. I also felt like it was relatively clean, compared to for example Sauna Thermas in Barcelona. I would post up in the bar reading a book and drinking a beer, enjoyed that they had the glass shower next to the bar. The men there were friendly but not too pushy, which I appreciated. I ended up having 3 programas total at Lagoa. I'm a bottom who prefers big guys with big dicks, and I prefer BB but I didn't bother asking as I assumed most of these guys would not be open to it. All three guys quoted 300 reais, and I didn't negotiate. (I guess that is the going rate in SP, but when I was in Rio they all charged 200.) Funnily enough, the guy I was most attracted to was the bar manager (hot as fuck). It was convenient staying nearby as I could just pop over for an hour or two to see what the crowd was like and have a beer before going out somewhere else.
While in SP I also hit up a couple other places. I went to Bar Queen and Hot House, both of which had fun strip shows. I have now learned that in Brazil basically every strip show includes this very bizarre (to me) specific thing where the guys do their striptease, then leave the stage for a drag number or another stripper, and then they come back out with a hardon in underwear, and they walk around the room and have one customer take their underwear off, then they go to the next customer and hand them their underwear to put it back on. They go around the whole room doing that. I thought it was a funny thing the first time I saw it at Bar Queen, but literally every strip show I went to had that.
I also found that the same strippers were showing up over and over. I saw the same ones at Bar Queen, Hot House, and Lagoa. Makes sense, if you're doing this as your main gig you're going to do multiple shows a night/week. Since I've seen so many of my favorite Brazilian pornstars show up at Hot House on their social media, I was hoping to get to see some of them. Unfortunately none of them made any appearances while I was there. 
I also had a session with Rico Marlon at his apartment. He was incredibly hot in person and just the sweetest guy. I saw him out on the street twice in Consolação afterwards and both times he stopped me to say hello. 
I also went to the SP Eagle twice, where I met and had some fun with an extremely attractive daddy, and to Chili Pepper Hotel, which is one of the nicest bathhouses I've ever been to. Unfortunately I think I had my timing wrong. I went on a thursday evening (bear night) and got there around 8. There weren't a ton of people there. Left around midnight, and I think that might have been when more people were starting to show up. 
I worked remotely several days, and then explored the city. I did some exploring downtown, and found the Galeria do Rock (a full shopping mall of all streetwear, hip hop, and rock music stores) interesting, but in general this (around Praça República and Sé) is where I felt the least safe while I was in SP. I probably will avoid next time I'm in town. The areas I really did enjoy were along Avenida Paulista, where there are (mostly free) museums on basically every block, and on the weekend they shut the avenue down to cars so it becomes a pedestrian and bikeway, and Pinheiros, which has so many different little shops and restaurants to stumble on. Also worth walking around Parque Ibirapuera, and across the bridge to the Contemporary Art Museum. I did go to Restaurant Spot because of the recommendations on this board, and it was indeed delicious.
I mainly used public transit, because I love public transit, and found it safe and pretty easy to navigate. The metro is a bit weird in that if you're not a resident, you can't get a card, so you have to go to the ticket booth and buy individual tickets, which are basically little receipts with QR codes on them.
Overall, outside of the República and Sé areas, I felt pretty safe the whole time I was there. It probably helps that I'm a larger guy, and not to be classist, but in general whenever there were a lot of middle-class people around going about their lives, that to me signified that they were choosing to be there and they felt safe.
I flew from SP to Rio on Saturday. I took the light rail and metro to my hotel in Copacabana, and my first impression of the city was that it was bizarrely dead. Both on Saturday and Sunday when I was in the downtown area, it felt like I was in a postapocalyptic movie where there was just no one around, and I did feel a bit vulnerable. But once I got to Copacabana it was clear where everyone had gone. I stayed at the Mercure Boutique Rio Copacabana, which was both inexpensive and lovely. Located right on the beach. I didn't try to have guests over to either of my hotels, but I don't think it would have been a problem at either of them. Just walk right on by the front desk to the elevators and scan my card to go up. 
I went to 117 multiple nights. Usually took the metro there as it's very conveniently located a few minutes' walk from the Gloria station, and in an area that is bustling with locals and feels very safe. The first thing that struck me is that it did feel noticeably dingier than Lagoa. And the second thing that struck me is that several guys whom I'd seen at Lagoa all came up and said hi. I guess a lot of the guys go back and forth between the two. When I first got there (around 5 on a Saturday) I thought it was empty other than the guys hanging out in the front hallway. I had a drink at the inside bar, and then noticed the sign for the smoking bar. Went out there and there were like 25 garotos hanging out out there. I had no idea. 
117 definitely had a higher proportion of my type of guys than Lagoa did. In total I had 4 programas there, 2 of which were with the same guy. A tall, bearded Black man with big muscles and tattoos. We had to wait a bit for a room, and he made out with me while we did. One of the best kissers I've ever met. Super great in bed — I did find his dick a little odd, it was big, hard and felt great, but it also felt a little lopsided, like a silicone injection gone wrong maybe? 
I did go on their big night (Tuesday) and it was indeed packed, but not noticeably more so than Saturday. The staff were very helpful and friendly — at one point my key fell off my strap and got lost, and they took care of it, helped me move my stuff to another locker. My biggest annoyance at 117 was how loud the music was during the drag shows and strip shows. My apple watch immediately notified me it was too loud, and I had to plug my ears, otherwise it was painful. As I sit here typing this the next day I have tinnitus. 
I also went to Point 202 for their big Monday night. Point is very conveniently located in Copacabana, but compared to Lagoa and 117 it is a shithole. It felt so much dirtier and I felt gross the whole time I was there. Even on their "busy" night it was really dead. There was, however, an incredibly hot, muscular latino guy with a baby face wearing a "massagista" shirt. I asked him for a massage, and for 150 reais I got a long, very legitimate feeling massage, with some sensual elements. He performed it in his underwear, and that combined with the massagista shirt made me think he was not a garoto, but after he finished and I took a look at him I was like "you are incredibly sexy," and his response was "oh do you want to have sex?" I was not expecting that and it threw me off and I said no thanks, but looking back on it he was by far the hottest guy from the whole trip and I should have said yes. 
I'd planned to go to a dance/sex party called Hole on my last night, but I developed a bit of a cough and decided to stay in. (I brought my own covid tests and have tested negative so far, plus I had covid 2 months ago so it's probably not that.) So I didn't really get a feel for the gay scene in Rio outside of 117 and 202, sadly. 
The rest of my Rio time included trips back downtown during the week, at which point it was waaaaaaaay busier, to work and go to the Museo do Amanhã, which is very interesting architecturally if not so interesting exhibit-wise. I also checked out the Metropolitan Cathedral, which is very interesting, as well as taking the Bonde de Santa Teresa, which is a nice ride, but not much to do up there. Cristo Redentor was exhausting and IMO not worth the trip. I bought "skip the line" tickets via Viator, and took the Corcovado train up. That was interesting, and then you get to the top and there are SO MANY PEOPLE. The views are great, I'll give it that. But getting back down was a shitshow. The line for the train (which you could not skip on the way back down) went halfway up the stairs to the statue. I'd estimate I waited about an hour to get on a train back down, and by the time I did I had to go back to the hotel and take a nap.
I also checked out the Museum of Modern Art (not worth it in my opinion), and walked around Leblon in Ipanema, which is a much nicer area than Copacabana, with lots of shops and restaurants, and where I'd consider staying next time. I'm not much of a beach person, so I just took a lot of walks up and down the sidewalk next to the beaches, stopping for drinks and food at the many beachside bars and restaurants, and peoplewatching. I never actually touched the sand. I had thought about renting a car to go to Abricó Beach, which is a nude beach outside of Rio, but driving in a foreign country seemed unnecessarily stressful so I decided against it.
In terms of food, my hotel had a great restaurant in it, Q Ceviche, and I went to O Grego twice because it's open late (12 AM) and was delicious. I did go to Fogo de Chão and the meat was my least favorite part. It just wasn't very flavorful. I much preferred the salad bar, which actually had a tray of pork belly with crackling, which was the best meat by far.
Both of my hotels had The Coffee stands nearby, which is very convenient because ordering is done via an iPad which makes it much easier than speaking to a cashier. I found myself going to The Coffee over any other coffee place around the city because of this.
One thing that did make an impression on me is how gay Brazil is. I've seen so many gay couples holding hands walking down the street, even outside of gay areas. The first two times I turned on the TV I saw a drag queen and a gay love scene. There are antidiscrimination notices all over, and on the metro there's an ad for a show called Tunnel of Love that has straight and gay couples making out. I didn't realize how openly gay friendly Brazil is, especially with all the terrible things I'd heard from Bolsonaro.
And overall, everything here is just so inexpensive. A nice dinner rarely cost me more than $40. I'd spend 3-4 hours drinking at Lagoa or 117 for $30. I had 9 sessions with men, including a pornstar, for the same price as 2 would have been in the US. Ubers cost between $5 and $10, even with surge pricing. 
Overall, I've had a great trip and I'm excited to come back. Since it's only an hour ahead of east coast time, it's pretty easy for me to work remotely from here, so I think I may plan to come back for a month or so at some point.
Let me know if you have any questions!

He's an asshole on the forum, imagine what he's like in person 😬

The Thaiger published an article about 10 "secret hidden bars" in Bangkok today. Although most are in the upscale areas of Sukhumvit, a few are in waking distance of Silom. One of them (Smalls) in Suan Plu was recommended to me over five years ago and I've enjoyed the music, refreshments and atmosphere ever since.

Address: 186, 3-4 Suan Phlu 1 Alley, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10120
Opening hours: Tuesday, closed
Wednesday – Monday: 6:00 PM – 2:00 AM
Venture to Suan Phlu Soi 1 to uncover Smalls Bar, an eclectic, three-story venue housed in a restored 1960s shophouse. To find this hidden treasure, look for the inconspicuous black door with a small golden sign. Inside, you’ll discover a fusion of Parisian, New Orleans, and Bangkok-inspired décor, as well as a rooftop terrace with stunning city views. The innovative cocktail menu and rotating art exhibitions combine to create a captivating atmosphere, perfect for a memorable night out.
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Perched atop the luxurious Hotel Muse Bangkok, The Speakeasy Rooftop Bar offers a sophisticated and enticing escape from the city’s bustling streets. This stylish venue, drawing inspiration from the Prohibition era, effortlessly transports its guests back in time to the 1920s, an era where glamour and mystery abound. Moreover, in addition to its exquisite libations, The Speakeasy Rooftop Bar also presents a delectable array of tapas and small plates, perfect for sharing with friends or a special someone.
To view the others:
https://thethaiger.com/guides/10-secret-hidden-bars-in-bangkok
 

For a one-in-a-million feel-good sauna story, the owner met his key worker at the sauna when he was a garoto. This ambitious former garoto traveled to the USA with the owner to promote the coffee and help land North American distribution deals.

Years ago, I was OK with a BF staying home and doing nothing. But, the more experiences I have had, I have come to give two choices if someone lives with me. Either work or go to school. If going to school, I'll pay for it all. No worries. But, if not progressing in a career in university, they must have a job. I just came to believe I was doing a disservice to them to let them do nothing but have fun and play and when things break off to have nothing to fall back on.

Hi guys,
I'm on the plane heading back to London with 11 hours to kill so thought I'd use the time to share my thoughts on my first ever trip to Brasil. I hope it proves useful to someone who may soon be going for the first time, or anyone who cares to read it. Sorry if it's a bit long-winded but feel free to stop reading if you lose interest haha! For context I spent 5 days in SP and 4 days in Rio. Consider this trip an early 30th birthday present to myself lol.
Sao Paulo
Arriving in Guarulhous was straight-forward and without issue. Despite countless Taxi offers, I couldn't resist paying 4.40 reals for a train ticket to downtown Paulista. Plus the weather was great and I got to see the surroundings. FYI, the ticket offices for the metro only take cash or Brazilian debit cards. On average Brazilians are much better looking than your average westerner (no offence) and within an hour of landing I was already drooling over some heavenly specimens. l don't know if its the genes, the food, the weather, the mix of indingenous cultures or all of the above, but they"re clearly doing something right. Alot of Brazilians also seem to have very good teeth, both natural and veneers.
After checking in to my airbnb in Avenida Paulista, I took a shower and explored the local surroundings. In the sunshine Paulista Avenue really is a sight to behold. I'd made prior arrangements with a hunk from garotolocal, potentially risky I know, but along with all the positive reviews and the security measures at the Airbnb I decided to go for it. Despite not having any issues myself, I would recommend sticking to saunas initially until you have some trustworthy connections. A few Brazilians here told me about the potential risks of using sites, even trusted ones. If you must use sites, check reviews, instagram, only fans, etc for evidence of an online presence. I booked an airbnb that was ok with visitors so I would have no awkward issues. Being super paranoid, I also removed any potentially dangerous items out of sight - sharp cooking utensils, irons, broomsticks etc I would also recommend hiding your passport and other belongings or putting them in a safe if available. I also let the garoto know beforehand that the apartement has security and is full of cameras for both our protection just in case they try anything dodgy. Security out of the way,  Mr X arrives. Beautifully proportioned muscular frame with tanned caramel skin, arms and pecs bulging through his tight army tshirt. He was perfect for me as I'm into muscle but not overblown steroid-type muscle e.g. Simeon Panda or The Rock etc. He slowly removes his shirt to expose the perfect amount of chest fuzz before moving closer to touch me, what a sight to behold. I won't go into the nitty gritty but let's just say it was a good first night haha. To make it even better, he accepts card! FYI the Pound  GBP £ goes a veryyy long way here, I think it's around 6 reais to 1. And that's with the pound being weak at the minute. I would highly recommend Chase banking as they guarantee the mastercard rate of exchange on all card payments, as well as 1% cashback on all purchases, no withdrawal fees either although some Brazilian banks will charge you a small amount. Also FYI, if you're going to be 'passivo', make sure its clean down there as I've noticed a fair few Brazilian GPs have a habit of checking the condom after sex haha. Brazilians in general tend to be very clean and hygienic, the ones I came across at least. All of them to smell great and use mouthwash etc, especially if they smoke.
The next day after doing a few touristy bits, I decided to head to Lagoa. If you're a foody and enjoy the arts, culture, restaurants, bars, museums etc then you really cannot beat SP.  I enjoy sex but it wasn't the only reason for my visit to Brasil. Beyond Paulisita, SP is not the most aesthetically pleasing city but its full of charm and has something unique to do around every corner. I wouldn't have it any other way. Check out Ibirapuera park on a satuday morning/afternoon to see lots of white topless, hunky, sweaty middle-class brasilians going for a morning run lmao.
I was really nervous heading into Lagoa as I'd never been to any kind of sauna before and had no idea what to expect. I got changed into a towel and began to explore. At first it wasn't explicity obvious to me who was a GP and who wasn't (except for the guys stroking their dicks in a corner for all to see). Without trying to brag - I promise  - I am in pretty decent shape and was approached by guys who either thought I was a GP, or they knew I was a client like them but wanted to try their luck regardless. And to be fair, there were some sexy customers too! Next tip, as you probably know, learn some portuguese before you come here, at least the basics. Ideally, invest in a language course, I definitely will get some lessons before my next trip. I can't emphasise this enough, especially for emergencies as google translate may not always be available, nor will it always be safe to pull your phone out. English really does not cut it here in around 85% of situations. I am by no means fluent but I spent about 3 weeks beforehand learning the basics. I do speak French so this was a massive help in terms of vocab and sentence structure etc, lots of words are very similar. Knowing Spanish is better than knowing English, but again invest in learning portuguese. Plus, I get the vibe Brazilians don't really like it when you expect them to speak Spanish - so yeah, learn Portuguese. It will also make your experience 10x more enjoyable. In terms of Lagoa, due to previous posts on here I had lowered my expectations. However as it was my first time I had nothing to compare it to and went with an open mind. I was pleasantly surprised, there was a mix of everything from muscular brazilian jocks, to bodybuilders on steroids to athletic swimmer body guy next door types, to slim twinks. There really was something for everyone. If you're into pure muscle then it doesn't beat 117 in Rio (will discuss Rio in a separate post hopefully) but you'll still find a few decent studs here to make it worthwhile. I am quite shy and had no intention of approaching anyone. The best I could muster was a smile and an extended gaze when walking past someone hot. I got myself a drink and made my way upstairs and awkwardly sat in a small side area where some straight porn was playing on a big-screen TV. One or two average GPs approached but I politely declined. Then after about 15 minutes, I made eye contact with a stunning muscular beauty, dark brown maroon skin, about 6 ft 2, looks around 25 - 30 years old, abs with some fur that could literally grate cheese, beefy pecs that you could squeeze and kiss for eternity, perfectly proportioned arms - amazing. For me this was the peak of muscular beauty - not too steroidy - just right. My absolute limit would be Joao Humberto, the gogo dancer who frequents Lagoa, even though he is clearly juicing I still find him insanely sexy. After making eye contact with the guy and smiling, he smiles back and comes to sit next to me. He doesn't actually say anything initially for about 2 minutes. I work out that we're both quite shy. After a couple of minutes he speaks.... 'how are you doing?'... in English. Either he knows I'm a foreigner or he's overheard me speaking broken portuguese somewhere in the sauna lmao. We chat for around 5 minutes with a mix of basic english, portuguese and google translate. Then the moment of truth, he starts bouncing his bulging pecs and asks me if I like what I see. I was sold at this point and there was no going back. This guy is very smooth. Some Brazilians guys really are naturally very charming. He is top and asks for 200 reals. I agree without hesitation and we make our way to a room. Again I'll leave the nitty gritty to your imagination but lets just say he took my number and we had another a session the following day haha Brazil really is amazing! After the session he heads home as he has a fair way to go. I go back to the bar feeling a bit more relaxed. I'm approached by an athletic mixed guy, not my type at all but he's persistent and I'm happy to entertain his chat. Btw I am being deliberately vague as to the personal details of the guys purely out of respect and their discretion. Long story short, me and the guy end up chatting for about an hour like two old friends. We're of a similar age and have similar interests. He's actually straight and only does sauna work to help support his family. I tell him that we're buddies and a programa isn't going to happen but I give him some money to help him out with some personal things. We exchange numbers and he becomes my defacto tour guide of SP over the next few days. He even drives me to a (straight) whorehouse in downtown Republica, very seedy lol. Be very careful if you go to Republica in the evening, or even getting into cars of unknown people. I took a risk here. I hate labels but if we have to use one, you could call me bisexual. We both enjoy the same girl at the brothel for only 40 reais each. A cute carioca from Rio with a big bunda (ass)! Another word of caution, especially in the context of GPs both inside and outside the sauna, they will always have a sob story and will continue to beg for your financial aid. It did become really onerous (especially in Rio) so just be careful and don't let people take advantage of you. I had to block one or two GPs from Rio because the begging just got more and more ridiculous, not to mention rude. It was clear they were only interested in money. A part of me feels sorry for them as life is tough over there. I went to a friend's place in Ipanema and his living conditions honestly broke my heart. I believe he was paying alot per month for the luxury of a shoe-box room with a shared bathroom and toilet. Tbf the view of Ipanema beach was great. I'm told by Brazilians that the average monthtly salary in Brazil is around 1000 to 1500 reals for blue collar work, and around 3000 reals for a working professional. Lots of them seem to have side hustles to supplement their income. From a money perspective we in the west sometimes don't realise just how fortunate we are.  On the other hand, there is a correct way of asking for things - to be clear I have no issue helping out GPs in genuine need if it's done with respect and good grace - don't take the piss and try to take advantage of me. Any decent GP asking for money outside of their services will do so respectfully and is often embarrased to ask. They'll often say something like 'i'd appreciate anything you can help me with for X reason etc' 
 In terms of GPs, I made some amazing new connections/friends in Brazil but only a small minority of these are not underpinned by a financial dynamic.  Yes you can get free sex online, at bars, beaches etc but obviously its way more effort and is not guaranteed. Furthermore, I am told (by Brazilians) that Grindr in Brazil is becoming increasingly dangerous so again be careful using it.
The following day and another trip to Lagoa - after some more touristy stuff. This time I've got my GP buddy with me as a wingman haha. Obviously I will tip him lol. Today I take a seat in the bar and watch some football (soccer) on the big screen upstairs. Brazil's under 21s are playing. I nip downstairs quickly to check something in my locker when I see the most delicious slice of white Brazilian hunk known to man. About 6 ft 1, massive shoulders, pecs, arms, creamy white skin and big full juicy red nipples, no signs of steroid use, what more could you ask for? His face isn't the best in the world but for that body I honestly don't care. We make brief eye contact but he seems to be chatting to another client. For now, he is the only guy on my radar. It's about 9pm and a few minutes later I see him putting his clothes back on in the changing room, my heart sinks as I think he's leaving. I head back upstairs to meet my GP buddy who seems to be struggling for clients recently. I tell him about the GP downstairs and he jets off to try and help me out. A few minutes later, my buddy comes back with the white hunk who could rival Hercules himself, my heart is racing. 'Obrigao irmao' I whisper to my wingman and tip him 50Reals. Hercules pulls me to one side and begins to chat in portuguese, I do my best to understand him but google translator is definitely needed. After brief small talk, I ask him how much he wants. '300?' he replies. I was hoping for less but no way was I about to negociate with this hunk and risk losing him. I agree and we head off to a cabin. The sex is decent, not amazing but it  fulfills my fantasy of the hunky white personal trainer at the gym I've always wanted to bang. He's also a good kisser, as are all the Brazilian guys Ive been with, even the ones who are straight/Bi/top only etc. After a steamy session he tells me about his life and we discuss the gap between rich and poor in Brazil. He asks me if I'll be back tomorrow to which I reply 'yeah I should be' even though I was undecided at that point.
We bid each other farewell and he leaves Lagoa for the night. After my encounter with Hercules, My GP buddy comes back to greet me. I thank him again for helping me out and we have a chat about gogo boys. He says it is possible to get one if you know the right people and he seems to be confident he can arrange it for me if the specific gogo boy was at the sauna. Other GPs also told me that gogo dancers are available for programas if approached discreetly and in the right way, but it goes without saying you will pay more. I did try contacting one or two on instagram but they have so many followers it's tricky getting them to even see your message. Alas, my dream of bedding Joao Humberto or Lipe remains alive, hopefully next time now that I have my wingman and some new tips.
The following day, I'm all sexed out and I needed to get Ready for Rio. A GP/friend (a guy from a site i'd met a couple days ago for a quick session - yes risky I know) invited me to his place to smoke some weed in Vila Madalena. Under no circumstances would I ever suggest going back to a guy's place in Brazil unless you are 100% sure you know them well, especially in light of recent events at 117 in Rio. In hindsight this was probably a lapse of judgement but ironically this GP is now one of my few genuine friends where money doesn't dictate our relationship. He did have ID the first time I saw him and has a stable job, after sex we ended up speaking like old friends for hours. I trusted him somewhat then but now I trust him completely and we've made plans to travel to other parts of Brazil together next time. But I reiterate, under no circumstances should you go back to a guy's place unless you are 100% sure they can be trusted or you know them very well. It's just not worth taking the risk. Furthermore, make sure their building has security cameras and a concierge. I'm not really a smoker, but we had some weed at his place, some drinks and a bit of foreplay all before I headed off to the coach station to catch a bus to Rio!
Another word of caution, there are young guys on Avenida Paulista riding around on bicyles stealing phones, bags, hats etc. I saw it happen to a gringo right outside Mcdonalds so be sure to keep your valuables out of sight and secure. I used a fanny pack which works pretty well. If you really need to use your phone, e.g. to check on an uber etc - do it quickly and keep your wits about you, ideally go into a shop, restaurant, shopping area etc. If none of these are nearby then stand up against a wall so you have no blindspots. You will get into the habit of being careful with your phone in Brazil. It's such a contrast to London or other big western cities where you can safely be on your phone at every given moment in practically any given location. Most places take card but I would recommend having some cash to hand, especially because ATM/cash machines in SP are few and far between and they tend to close around 8pm (the ones inside the banks). Also most GPs only take Cash or PIX ( a Brazilian money transfer service which only Brasilians can use). Lastly, unless you want to destroy your Uber rating, don't slam the Uber doors lmao. The Ubers are also dirttt cheap out there.
To sum up, I had a blast in SP and will defo be back either this year or early next year God willing. I hope somebody finds this report useful, when I get some time I will try and do one for Rio. Currently waiting for a connecting flight to London in Lisboa, damn they have some seriously hot Portuguese immigration officers here haha.
 

I was guessing; what if the money boys had a website for them, where they post pictures of farangs customers, with comments about how the sessions had gone...
Would you be happy to find your face and body pictures (from Gindr or any app) in one of their forums  ? :
- "the bad cheap Charlie farangs who tip very little"
_ "the smelly customers, even after a hot shower" (boys often talk about it..)
- "the fat farangs who can't get hard but tip well" (the favorites for most of the boys)
- "the crazy farang who enjoy a long sex session, but paying for a short session"
-"the funny farangs who believe we are excited by their old body"

Now getting a Brazilian CPF is very easy for a foreigner. Everything can be done on line and you receive your CPF rather quickly
https://servicos.receita.fazenda.gov.br/Servicos/CPF/InscricaoCpfEstrangeiro/default.asp

I was in Rio in December and I always use Smart Fit, day pass BRL $24.90.  I looked into monthly pass on previous trips but believe you need CPF number but day pass is cheap enough anyway.  Smart Fit in Ipanema is very gay.  But there are Smart Fits all over Copacabana.

I was in Rio in December and I always use Smart Fit, day pass BRL $24.90.  I looked into monthly pass on previous trips but believe you need CPF number but day pass is cheap enough anyway.  Smart Fit in Ipanema is very gay.  But there are Smart Fits all over Copacabana.

For those who are familiar with sauna 117 in Rio, they certainly know Kadu who was a very friendly bartender. 
He passed away a few days ago. I do not know the circumstances but I think it was linked to the fact that he was gay. 
RIP, Kadu. I will miss you