Mavica
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Posts posted by Mavica
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2 hours ago, xpaulo said:
It's basically what's happening in the U.S.. Americans can weigh in here if they disagree. What we see in Canada is our media's portrayal of a dysfunctional mess in America with Fascists/Christians gaining influence. The recent midterms may indicate that the mass of un-engaged voters may be getting engaged again after the Roe vs Wade ruling. But the Democrats have to do a much better job of giving Americans hope they can and will be worthy of their support. Maybe Pelosi finally moving on will help, but I'm skeptical. Canada is in a similar situation with all three main party leaders unpopular. They've become caricatures, basically just cardboard cutouts of their real selves spouting whatever nonsense they think will get votes. So far at least in Canada religion has not become a big part of the process, which as a gay person is encouraging, although some are trying to revive a Christian based hate-on for trans/gay/lesbian imported from the U.S..
Much has been written about far right extremist groups in Canada, searchable on Google, etc. The comment about Pelosi comes off as silly, uninformed IMO. About voter engagement: statistics I read illustrate a higher percentage of registered voters in the USA turn out to vote than registered voters in Canada. Seems to be Canadians are disengaged to a greater degree. Then again, I think Canadians tend to think they are superior to so many residents of other countries ... and it's often laughable.
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1 hour ago, Phoenixblue said:
I would like to thank you all for your wonderful tips and advice, very grateful
Just to clarify, the only country I visited in S. America was Bolivia and that was long ago. I am trying to organize a trip to be a sort of beginners introduction to that part of the world for sightseeing but more for men. I had seen the reports about the gay scene in Colombia and from that am very excited about the guys there! To be honest I only speak very basic Spanish and no Portuguese so that, I guess, would be an issue I must deal with.
I have been to Thailand numerous times and while I certainly love the guys there, I really am also attracted to Latin men
I want to have a nice time with men from there. It is something I have been planning to do for a long time. I don't really have any expectations, just take things as they come.
Once again, thank you to all that took time to reply to me give me help and advice. I appreciate your kindness!
Rio de Janeiro is a beautiful place to visit. But you will not know what you don't know, and traveling solo that places you at some degree of risk if you're not careful wandering about the city. I can't think of a better or easier place for a newbie to find handsome guys than the saunas with garotos in Rio. Go to one or more of the saunas, do some shopping from the oftentimes large groups of available guys and have sex right then and there; no need to invite someone back to your hotel or apartment. You and a garoto will figure out how to handle the transaction and the reception staff will be able to communicate with you.
There are many trip and other reports about Rio archived here on these forums, as well as information about Colombia (which I have not visited). If you haven't already done so, take the time to read through the treasury of excellent information.
When are you thinking of making this trip?
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I think you need to decide if you want to visit "Latin" areas of North America, or South America. Secondly, what are your Spanish-language communication skills? As floridarob commented, what are your interests, goals for the trip, expectations?
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15 minutes ago, PeterRS said:
None is exclusively gay - and definitely not the one at the expensive hotel. Occasionally you will stil see a father with a couple of his kids at Huang Tzu. It's rare in my experience, but I have seen it.
I can't speak about Taipai ... but in Mexico City where I lived for 6 years, many people still don't have hot water or have limited hot water due to having to pay for gas tanks which for many can be expensive (to use for showers instead of cooking) ... if you run a lot of hot water. In the city, there are many neighborhood saunas at which father's and sons visit on Saturday or Sunday afternoons during which they'll spend an hour or more under hot water showers scrubbing and enjoying. The father oftentimes goes into the sauna, sometimes having sex with another man (usually somebody going down on him) ... but the child/young teen stays in the shower area.
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I’m an extrovert, easily meet and engage in conversation with anyone … but I’m not intrusive. I do oftentimes initiate a conversation with strangers. However, I respect other gay men when they’re occupied with a MB (or in Rio with a GP) or are obviously actively cruising. It’s been the rare instance when I’ve encountered someone who isn’t interested in some conversation.
The first gay bar I visited in BKK was Harry’s (Silom 2) in the early 1990s which I’m recalling wasn’t so much a formalized MB bar but, rather, it was recommended to me as a place the uninitiated (in BKK) English-speakers could find gay men from elsewhere who visited BKK frequently helpfully answered questions about the scene and pointed you in the right direction. The owner/manager was very patient/helpful with questions/answers. I learned so much in those early visits from the Dreaded Ned’s website, it’s excellent directory of gay bars and businesses, and the rough-and-tumble (frequently combative) message board.
- TMax, floridarob and Olddaddy
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Yes, sexually active gay and bi men should be tested annually (many straight men and women, too). So this date serves as a reminder, not to engage in sexual behavior that places us individually and others at risk of becoming infected, or infecting others.
Then, for me, there is the sad remembrance of scores of persons I’ve known or slept with whose lives were extinguished way too early, as the result of contracting HIV/AIDS. There are now a couple of generations of individuals who were born after the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis (or were very young at the time) who lack sensitivity about or understanding of how devasting it was and could again be.
- Lucky, Ruthrieston and PeterRS
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14 hours ago, tassojunior said:
I'm not sure the exact % now but most Medicare in the US has been pushed into Medicare Advantage programs and Kaiser is among the "best".
I think the % of seniors who choose restrictive health care - Medicare Advantage Plans - is almost 50%.
It's an individual's choice, not something we are pushed or forced into - not as I view the matter. Oftentimes it's a choice due to an insured's inability to pay for better coverage / care. One could possibly say a push comes as the result of lack of funds. We have the ability to choose differently - choose better care - annually.
All of this having been said, in my community many neighbors use BayCare Medicare Advantage Plans, none are asked to video conference physicans, and they receive some perks my UnitedHealthcare full insurance plan does not provide to me. All seem satisfied.
Given the description of the severe restrictions Kaiser imposes on you I'd not consider signing with them. But, to each his own preferences. Broad generalizations usually don't apply to a country as large as the USA.
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2 hours ago, tassojunior said:
I don't know about AUS but here in the US everything is video or phone visits, at least in group health plans. I'm a firm believer in going to a general GP first because even though they're not a specialist they know 100 times more about something like this than most of us do. If you take a couple good photos you can send them to your GP for advice and my experience is the GP will on their own forward them to the specialist if they think it's at all warranted for a higher opinion. The alternative in the US is to go to a covered Urgent Care (not Emergency). I'm in Kaiser HMO and they have their own urgent care but actually seeing a doctor, in a doctor's office, is getting very rare.
I don't doubt your personal experiences, but I also think your characterization of physician visits in the USA is not an accurate one for the country as a whole. My own experience is the opposite of yours, and is the opposite of everyone I know who discusses medical care. In the USA healthcare is expensive, relative to many other countries and, largely, we get the healthcare we pay for, or can afford. You've apparently chosen a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) to make many of the decisions made by me or on my behalf because I've chosen to a plan (PPO) which allows me to select just about any medical professional or care facility of my choice.
I'm 73 and, as might be expected because of my age and accumulated health conditions, have the need/desire to consult with my primary care physician and specialists probably 8-10 times yearly. In my lifetime I've only once been required to speak with a medical professional via video conference, and that was during the early stages of COVID when so much of the USA was shut down. Other than that instance, I've had no problem speaking with medical professionals, in office, at times convenient to me. Yes, sometimes getting in to see a specialist, the first visit, can be challenging. But after the first visit and when someone is an office patient ... no problems.
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5 hours ago, reader said:
I agree it can be a bit off-putting but some guys need it to climax.
I try not to take it personally They’re trying to fulfill both your and their fantasies. 😊
What? Surely you’re joking.
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2 hours ago, Jez1980 said:
Those returning to USA, immigration has the right to open your phone, iPad, computer and look at pics. Don’t let an embarrassing pic ruin your return home.
Not just in the USA. Canada, too. Canadian Immigration (at Pearson) has previously taken me into a holding area, asked for my laptop computer and my password including e-mail account password, and read through my computer for an hour before returning it to me and saying I could proceed to depart. Canadian Immigration has been the most ignorant of their ilk compared to other countries I visit (and I visit Canada from the USA yearly, after having lived in Toronto). Immigration in every country has substantial rights to question, inspect, admit or refuse entry.
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2 hours ago, alvnv said:
It’s the IATA code for the Las Americas International Airport. Most of the time it’s a combination of the the letters from the names of the cities they serve, or the airfield. Sometimes IATA codes do not make a lot of sense, i.e. most (if not all) Canadian airports start with Y. Sometimes they throw in an extra letter (X in LAX)
The code for Chicago's O'Hare International Airport is "ORD". Why? The airport was originally named "Orchard Field". thus, "OR". The "D" comes from the last letter in the word "Field." I'm certain that many older airports, such as O'Hare, have had name changes over the years.
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Sorry to hear this. Anything further you care to share with us about the diagnosis?
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer 13 years ago and beat it. There have been so many positive cancer treatment advances in recent years. Hopefully, one will be successful with your situation.
Thank you.
For those of us unfamiliar with this form of cancer click on the link below.
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3 hours ago, Olddaddy said:
I was gang fucked in Gensan by 4 young dark skin factory boys from 19yo to 23 all came inside me.
And you wonder why you have concern about your health?
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4 hours ago, t0oL1 said:
Do you really need a specialist to determine if it’s cancer? Couldn’t a GP suffice at a lower rate?
The OP engages in dangerous sexual activity. But, yes, the starting point is typically the primary care physician. However, I'm getting the impression that his home country does not provide adequate health care coverage.
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Thank you for mentioning GARDASIL 9. What I have learned about it: it is not recommended (nor found to be effective) for individuals aged 45+. Yes, it does provide some protection from HPV (Human Papillomavirus) but does not treat cancer or genital warts. Definately, a medical professional should be consulted especially before once again engaging in sexual or physical contact with anyone.
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Realistically, how many foreigners (i.e., from the USA) have insurance coverage that will pay for a surgical procedure/vacation in Thailand? Unless I've misinterpreted the article above, in addition to insurance I would need to demonstrate I had additional access to US$22,000 cash or credit. Uninsured, or underinsured and/or foreigners without substantial financial resources are excluded.
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It's not just one discussion, one topic. The individual in question was the most prolific promoter of false information, unfounded accusations, ad hominem attacks, hate-speak and/or trolling across the broad span of the forums, from what I've observed when reading through current and archived discussions. Each of us participates here via the good graces of the website owner who has developed and published terms of participation and personal conduct of which we are expected to comply.
QuoteThese forums are NOT presented for abusive arguing and name calling, score-settling, thread stalking, or general cyberspace blood sport for the chronically bored. ... As in any Pub or Tavern, an egregiously abusive or chronically problematic customer (member) shall be banned from further post participation. ... In all instances, Gay Guides management shall be the final arbiter of what constitutes egregiously abusive conduct or when a member has crossed the line of "chronically problematic". ... In general, terminated memberships shall not be eligible for reinstatement.
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On 11/12/2022 at 3:13 PM, Heba as-sa3udeya said:
Part 1
First of all, I want to say that this little report on my recent stay in Rio will teach nothing to those of you who already know this city and its places of perdition.
Once again, thank you for posting your report. I have comments to some of your remarks:
QuoteI had chosen a hotel in the Leme district. I did not regret my choice. This slightly boboized district is pleasant. Like almost everywhere in Rio, there are plenty of places to eat or have a drink. There is no insecurity there.
On one of my two-week visits to the city I rented a beachfront apartment in Copacabana, several streets from Leme. On that visit and during others, I walked around Leme. Smallish in size, it's considered an upper middle-class section of the city. I won't describe the area as "There is no insecurity there." because I think there are varying degrees of safety risk throughout Rio. I observed many tourists, foreign and national, who wandered about and had lodging in Leme.
QuoteThe beach is much less densely frequented than copacabana, including by thieves. I swam several times leaving my things on the beach.
I haven't swam at the Leme beach but leaving anything of value behind as I entered the water isn't something I'd personally do.
QuoteWalking is very pleasant in Rio and the neighborhoods where you can walk safely (until 11 p.m.) are very extensive.
I'm a walker when I visit Rio. I've extensively explored Centro, Copacabana, Ipanema, Urca, Catete, Botaforo, Flamingo and Niteroi on foot ... but I don't walk in certain sections of the city after dark or on streets where many others aren't also walking or aren't well-lit. After one visit I don't think it can be said "you can walk safely" as a general statement (particularly in Centro and Lapa). The challenge for us when we're newbies is we don't know what we don't know.
QuoteI almost always paid 150 reals to the boys.
Being able to select from a stable of very handsome young men for the price equivalent of US$30 is just one of the reasons so many of us enjoy visiting Rio. The relatively low cost helps to offset the oftentimes high cost of airfare. At least it is for me.
In addition to paying the young men, before leaving for the night I always give a tip to the individual who takes care of the locker room, hands-out the sandals/flip-flops and towels, etc.
QuoteWhen there is a crowd, you have to wait your turn to access the cabins.
I don't like to visit on the free cabin nights. Lots of competition for the guys and when I select one I've often had to wait an hour before getting into a room. I also think the rooms aren't cleaned well those busy nights.
Quote1 sauna or steam room (I haven't tried it I hate it)... my shyness prevented me from exchanging as much as I would have liked with other customers
I always use the sauna/steam rooms. When I lived in Mexico City - where gay and straight saunas are plentiful - I'd go to one once weekly. Once, while in the sauna/steam at 117 I had a lengthy discussion with a Brazilian (in English) who discussed at length the history of saunas/steam baths and clients having sex with handsome young men ... starting with the Greeks ever so long ago. It was a great opportunity. Other than that opportunity, I've spoken with only several foreigner customers over the years. I don't patronize the saunas with garotos to socialize with other customers.
QuoteThe rooms are air-conditioned with a TV that broadcasts porn, most often with a shower, they smell more or less good. The fitted sheets are changed between each client.
I don't like the straight porn on the video monitors, because, my experience has been, most of the garotos are focusing on the straight porn sometimes more than me. Maybe they're having a better time watching the video, than having sex with me! 😁
QuoteDo not expect to find the diversity that you can find in European cities or the splendours of the rim of the Mediterranean. But lot of cute guys most often very courteous.
I'm supposing our assessments are relative to our prior experiences. For me, I see a lot of diversity amongst the garotos.
QuoteThey are very open-minded in the cabin, generally doing what was planned before entering the cabin. They kiss and I haven't had my ass licked so much in 30 years.
What I don't know won't bother me. However, if I knew a garoto was rimming customers ... I would not select him, no matter how awesome he looked.
QuoteThose who speak English are to be avoided, they are the stickiest.
I don't understand why you think that. What experience with an English speaking garoto makes you think that way? Now, I can't think of many garotos I've been with who were fluent English speakers. Many I've been with do know some limited English. I've been with some who are Spanish speakers, and I can easily communicate with them. I know relatively few words in Portuguese as spoken in Brazil.
QuoteRio is a fantastic city and it's so comfortable to go to the brothel for cute boys (although I regret that it's only saunas, I prefer places where the boys are dressed).
I'm just the opposite. I prefer places ... be they in Rio or in Thailand ... where the young men are naked,or nearly so. I want to see as much of a young man's body as I can before making my choice.
QuoteHowever, I wish I had been more fearless and tried adventures in other places or on the street. It was my first trip to this country which was totally unknown to me.
For a first-timer I think you did well. I've never thought of Rio as being a place to be fearless. If I'd lived there, if I had friends who live there with whom I was staying, I'd take some chances. But it's a destination that's not without safety risks. I'm not yet ready to pick-up a guy in Campo de Santana and invite him to one of the nearby hotels, and certainly not to my apartment! Over the years, I've developed a sense of comfortability in places and at times in the city ... but I remain cautious.
Thank you.
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On 8/6/2022 at 1:29 PM, Olddaddy said:
Look I'm going to be honest , my Filipino boyfriend suggested sometime we should go on a cruise in Alaska that he looked up.
I asked him if it was thru a "gay travel company"?
No he said ,"Does it matter?
Yes , I'm going to feel very awkward on a cruise with a man (Boyfriend)who has boyish looks and is 30yo whilst I'm 62 and mostly retired European & American couples on the cruise who may judge/not judge
I won't go on something like that, cruises etc , that means I have to be open and introduce my partner etc only to be laughed at behind our backs or judged etc ,no not for me unless it's a gay travel agency
I'm circling back to this discussion, because I returned from my first-ever cruise (ship) - three days ago. A Royal Caribbean Line ship, 7 nights to the Western Caribbean (4 port stops: Honduras, Belize and 2 in Mexico). A small ship with about 2,000 passengers.
My observations: onboard were many gay men and lesbians spanning all age groups ... including one group of 50 gay men belonging to the Prime Timers social group. There was a nightly gathering for gays in one of the bars. The Cruise Director was gay.
There was no assigned seating in the Main Dining Room, and the ship I was on had 5 or 6 eating areas. I was assigned one of the two time slots to eat in the Main Dining Room but I opted to eat in the buffet restaurant instead.
Passengers interact with one another as they see fit. Engage in conversations with others, or not. I did not sense anyone judging another passenger - gay or straight. People go on cruises to have a good time. If you are sharing a stateroom with a younger man and enjoying the ship's various venues, I doubt anyone will care.
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Thank you for returning to post your trip report.
- Heba as-sa3udeya and Lucky
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2 hours ago, t0oL1 said:
One patient, however, experienced priapism afterward—a prolonged erection that wouldn't go away on its own.
Unrelated, but some similarities: 25 years ago a friend of mine underwent penile implant surgery. A pumped-up penis balloon of sorts. A pump control was placed behind his ball sac. He said the surgery was painful. He hadn't fucked his partner in more than a decade. The first time he tried the pump he was rock-hard and the two of them had wonderful sex. The pump relief valve malfunctioned and his long dick stayed hard; wouldn't deflate. His surgeon was out of town for a couple of weeks and the office told him to strap the big dick to his thigh with an "Ace" bandage. I told him to head to the nearest gay bath house and fuck everyone he could. Why waste such a gift. He didn't. When the surgeon returned he had the implant removed. No more sex for him (he would only top, no bottoming). $4,000 and his desires unfulfilled/wasted. Be careful what we wish for.
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Not in Thailand, but other place in my life I've had friends and sex partners who died. Several died by suicide, some by illness ... most died in the USA of HIV/AIDS in the 89's and 90's. Actually, I lost count of the number of my sex partners and acquaintances who died of HIV/AIDS; scores. With each loss there are mostly fond memories, but always there's sorrow.
- Phoenixblue, Londoner and Ruthrieston
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Without the opportunity to know the specific survey questions asked, how many people participated, where in the country participants live … I’ll ignore the survey as irrelevant.
Kirstie Alley dies
in Theater, Movies, Art and Literature
Posted
I was turned-off by her ties to Scientology.