joizy

I spent two weeks in Bali and didn't have any luck (other than the airport when I was leaving). I think the issue there is that it's very close-knit, and people are very observant (and sometimes downright nosy). I was in Ubud. Other parts of Bali might be different. I did have fun in Medan, Sumatra though. Not a very attractive place, and definitely not a destination in and of itself, but I stayed at a hotel with a great pool that was quite cruisy, especially on weekends. Had guys follow me to my room (I was 30 years younger then) - had lots of fun!

You've probably read other posts here about Medellin, but that's what I'd suggest. I have not been to Lima, but from what I read here, there are drawbacks. Medellin was sex paradise, if that's what you're looking for. Many available men - some free, some for pay. Good restaurants, clubs and saunas (I didn't visit any) and friendly people. Mexico City, Lima and Pattaya all probably have better food - Colombian food is pretty basic meat and potatoes - but the men in Colombia were among the hottest I've ever encountered on my travels. And the weather is also perfect - eternal spring.

Not a stupid question at all. I used a Charles Schwab investor ATM card. Found out about this a few years ago and it's my go-to when I travel. I deposit money into that account (if the card gets stolen, there's a limited fund available) and use it exclusively for ATMs. I get the daily rate and they reimburse all foreign transaction fees. Some things to be careful about: Always use an ATM inside a shopping center (and don't go straight out to the street), or inside a bank (I think a shopping center is safer). I used the one in the supermarket and then did my grocery shopping. If you see a message on the ATM asking you to accept the conversion rate, always say no. The bank wants you to accept their rate, not the going rate. It's their way of making some extra money off the deal. I learned about this too late, and probably lost a few dollars. I'm on a few FB groups for expats living in Medellin and there have been several straight guys sharing horror stories of women going to their homes (one was for "language exchange" and then drugging and robbing them. I never felt unsafe there, but I probably took chances I shouldn't have. Be careful, but have fun. It's a beautiful country and the people are beautiful as well.

Thank you. Sounds brutal.

I've often wondered about this. Not that I've done any research, but the few Filipino guys I've been with seemed to have a different kind of circumcision. I agree, it was not attractive. Does anyone know about this? What do they do differently?

It was a lovely gesture. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I felt very safe there COVID-wise. They took is seriously, locked down and got vaccinated. When I was there, they lifted the mask mandate and things felt very normal. I was having sex and going to restaurants and even though I caught some type of virus that was going around, I never got COVID (I had to have a negative test to return to the US). I'd say now is about as good a time as any to go.

I see somebody misses me. She's obsessed.

Yes, that's what I've heard as well. So much was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Certainly much of what is in the National Museum's collection would no longer exist.

I don't really want to argue with you because it's clear you have strong views and know a lot about Taiwan. I hope for the people of Taiwan that this doesn't escalate. As I'm sure you know, military service is mandatory and there are constant threats from China. But it is a beautiful island, the people are very progressive and warm, and the men are hot. It also has one of the best museums in the world in my opinion. This discussion is making me want to go back. It's been a while.

I wasn't quoting the Guardian article, I was relating my own experience. I taught in Taiwan, I've had Taiwanese colleagues, Taiwanese students and a Taiwanese boyfriend. They all emphatically stated that they were not Chinese. The consider Taiwan to be an independent country with its own language, culture, currency and political system. They also look to the West for protection from a much bigger bully, China. They live under the constant threat of an attack, much like South Koreans do with North Korea. Your experience may be different and to be honest, I haven't read all of the posts in this thread because some of them are way too long. I was simply making a point, if you ask the people of Taiwan, they will tell you that they are not China nor Chinese.

The people of Taiwan consider themselves to be living in an independent country. They will emphatically tell you that they are not China.

Since no one has posted in the Cuba forum yet, I thought I'd share this hopeful news. HAVANA, July 22 (Reuters) - Cuba's National Assembly on Friday approved a sweeping update of its family law which opens the door to allowing gay marriage, greater women's rights, and increased protections for children, the elderly and other family members. The new Families Code will be put to a referendum vote on Sept. 25 after being debated in community meetings earlier this year, where organizers said 62% of participants expressed their support. That is relatively low by Cuban standards, where the recently-passed new constitution was approved with 86% of the vote. Policy proposals in previous referendums have seen support of around 95%. The code promoted "love, affection, care, sensitivity, respect for others and the harmony of our families," Justice Minister Oscar Manuel Silvera said, presenting the code for the vote at the National Assembly. Opponents to the rule change include many churches. "What has been happening is sad because it is going to bring confrontation," said Methodist pastor Henry Nurse. "It goes against what has been taught for many generations of years throughout the world about the true traditional marriage that is between a man and a woman," he said. The new code would legalize same-sex marriage and civil unions, allow same-sex couples to adopt children, and promote equal sharing of domestic responsibilities. It will also allow prenuptial agreements and surrogate pregnancies, though not for profit. Parents would have "responsibility" instead of "custody" of children, and be required to be "respectful of the dignity and physical and mental integrity of children and adolescents." Cuba is already a regional front-runner in women's rights. Women head up nearly 50% of households and make up 60% of professionals, have free access to abortion, and can claim up to two years' maternity leave. A Havana couple who have lived together for many years but were never able to have children, Ria Acosta Cruz and Gabriela Alfonso, said it was their human right to marry and adopt children. "The opportunity it gives us is that of marriage. The fact of being able to opt together for certain things and certain legal procedures that we need as a couple and not as independent people," Alfonso said. Acosta said it met their expectations as a family. "We are a marriage. We have the plans together, the economy together. It is not fair that this possibility does not exist," she said. (This story corrects name of person in paragraph 11 to Ria) (Additional reporting by Marc Frank and Reuters television, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) https://news.trust.org/item/20220725105728-1rzpd?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Espresso 26 July 2022&utm_content=Espresso 26 July 2022+CID_96ca882769ad51cf29f93de4a905e107&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=Cuba approves law change that opens door to gay marriage other family rights

I just returned from a week in PV and thought I'd do a quick report. Disclaimer - some of you might find it boring. I only had sex once and had one happy ending massage, but I'm providing information on prices, etc, for those considering a trip. As soon as I arrived, I started checking out my options on Grindr. It's pretty obvious who is available for money - disponibile, massage or some variation of that on their profile - often I'd tap a guy and if he responded, we'd start a conversation. Going rate for most guys was 2,000-2,500 MXP, which I thought was a bit steep compared to what I remember pre-Covid. The guys were mostly Colombian/Venezuelan. One local Mexican guy quoted me 800 pesos, which is more what I remember from my last trip. (Exchange rate is about 20 pesos: 1USD) I wasn't in a hurry, so I waited a few days before trying out one cute Colombian guy with years of photos on Instagram. He asked for 2,000 pesos. Sex was ok, and he was a little older than he appeared in his photos, but still hot. I tried Hammam massage as recommended by a few members here. I'd booked a massage for the day after my arrival that included body scrub and Vichy shower. There was no hot water, so I only got a massage (the hot water came back in time for me to shower afterwards). Massage only was 960 pesos. The masseuse directed my hand to his crotch towards the end and let me play with his hard cock, but no happy ending. Looking around for other places for massage, I found a spa called Acqua Spa for men. Years ago I went there when it was a gym. I booked a massage for 1,000 pesos. Absolutely legit, no extra, but very good massage and really nice place. They offer other services such as mani/pedi, facials, etc. I went back on my last day for a facial. 2,000 pesos for anti-aging facial. I know these prices aren't cheap, but they are much less than what I'd pay in the states. I had to check out of my Airbnb at noon, but my flight was late in the day, so I'd arranged another massage at Hammam - what I had originally scheduled - for the afternoon to kill some time before going to the airport. This time there was nothing remotely sexual. I'd decided I wasn't going to try and would just wait to see if he offered. It was fine. Had a body scrub, vichy shower and great massage - a little over 2,000 pesos. So far, pretty boring, right? To be honest, when I got there, I was tired and it was hot, and Grindr wasn't doing it for me. The one guy I hired satisfied me enough that I didn't feel the need to arrange anything else and decided to focus instead on pampering myself with these spa treatments and enjoying the good food rather than spending my money on guys who weren't really appealing to me. However, there was one guy on Grindr who contacted me and offered a massage for 1,000 pesos at his place. He sent photos of his studio, business card and a photo of a nice looking thick cock. He'd contacted me on previous trips and I never went because I was having better luck. This time I decided to give him a try. His name was Freddy. He was older than he appeared on his Grindr profile and his cock did not seem as big as the photo he sent, however, he gave me a great massage. He definitely knew what he was doing and seemed to be working very intuitively, whereas the other guys were more mechanical (but still good) in their approach. He let me suck his cock and brought me to release at the end. I gave him 1,500 and will definitely go back to him, though maybe just for massage. Overall, it was a great trip - I got 4 massages a pedicure and a facial and ate some great food. Didn't play as much with the boys as I have in the past, but they were available if you were willing to work for it (I was not). Happy to answer any questions, especially for first-timers. Ask here or PM me.

It’s a learning experience for sure. They thrive on reactions. Starve them and hopefully they will go away.

Good points. This is my first time encountering this behavior. They got me as soon as I joined and I gave them the reaction they wanted. Stupid on my part, now I know. i was reading a thread you started and the troll went on for like 6 pages. But mostly you kept quiet. He said some of the most vile things. No one else in the discussion called him out. i appreciate those who have told me to stop engaging (though they ignore the troll). All of this points to the importance of bystanders. If this forum is unmoderated, then it’s up to us to try to keep it civil. i truly regret engaging, especially out of anger. From now on, I will rarely post, and when I do, it will be with the intent to make a positive contribution.

At first I thought that people don’t understand the impact they are having and that their words can be hurtful. But now I think for the trolls, that is their intent. They want to cause pain. I’m sorry you had this experience. There are some good guys here. Several have written me privately and don’t post publicly because of the trolls.

I've been reading through some old threads and I see you speak from experience. Your number 1 troll seems quite similar to mine. I wonder if they are the same person. Yes, I have learned the hard way to ignore them. Feeding them is what they want. It makes them relevant, when they are otherwise sad and lonely. Your troll is obviously jealous and triggered by every post. So is mine. I have him on ignore and he spouts his crazy conspiracy theories out into an empty void, getting no response from me. What is sad though is that the other members of the forum engage and reinforce the behavior. I was reading a little about Internet trolls yesterday and found that they are actually psychopaths who revel in causing pain. We really should not be tolerating that behavior here, but since nothing is done to stop them, the only thing to do is ignore them. Don't Feed the Trolls I've learned the hard way.

One thing you will find almost immediately about Medellin - the love their Metro. It is a source of enormous pride. This video sheds a little light on the reasons why. Investment in infrastructure changes lives. https://youtu.be/Qca7uqHOUBg

I love these random news items you share.

I've been to Cutey and Beauty in Bangkok several times. After a woman at a foot massage place tried to go beyond my feet, I've decided whenever possible, I'd search out gay spots. I love the name and the boys are all cute. Great facials and other services. All legit - no extras. https://www.cuteyandbeauty.com/

Oy, sorry to hear that this happened to you. It is a good reminder to observe all of the recommended safety tips (which I mostly ignored) - don't carry a lot of cash, and keep a stash that you're willing to give up while keeping more hidden (like in your sock) - carry a cheap phone that you are willing to part with - don't stand out if at all possible (dress, actions, speaking English loudly, etc.) - don't fight with muggers - they will kill you I did not spend a lot of time walking around, mostly took Ubers or taxis and didn't go out at night. When I did go out, it was close to where I was staying, and the few times I went to meet guys at their places or motels, I only had enough cash on me to cover the costs. Thanks for sharing your experience - it's a cautionary tale. I'm glad you're ok.

I'm not sure if this is the same thing. I found this on Trip Advisor (couldn't find the post on the Facebook group where I originally saw it) Servibanca was my favorite but now they are trying to trick foreigners, they will ask you if you accept a lower exchange rate. For example at present USD = 3450 COP.....the machine will ask will you accept an exchange rate of USD = 3200 COP ?......at that moment you will think if you say NO that you will lose/end the transaction (and you probably need the cash)......always reply NO to that question....you will receive the money at the better rate. They basically are asking you if it is ok if they rob you of $12 additional dollars (based on their 780.000 COP limit). Apparently, this is a ploy by the banks to get more of your money for their services. But Rob also reminded me of other things related to credit cards. They will often ask if you want to use dollars or pesos. Always choose pesos (I think this is what dynamic conversion refers to). Also, they may ask how many quotas (cuantas cuotas?) meaning how many payments - always say one. And, at El Social, they would ask me if I wanted to use credito, debito or corriente. Once I asked the server what corriente meant, and she didn't know. Always say credito.

One more tip about ATMs that I just learned from one of the Facebook groups I'm in. At a certain point during the transaction, it will ask you if you want to accept the conversion. Apparently, you should say "no". I always said "yes" because I thought I had to in order to proceed. The exchange rate was very favorable from dollars to COP, but apparently, I was getting ripped off and would have gotten a better rate if I'd said no to the conversion. Maybe someone else can explain this.

Great list of tips 12is12, thanks for putting them all together. If I may, I'd like to add some restaurant/eating suggestions. Since I stayed in Poblado, these are mostly in Poblado. El Social - was a great place to try typical Colombian food. There were two locations that I saw, one is on the corner of Carrera 36 and Calle 10B. They have a chalkboard with daily lunch specials. With an appetizer (an arepa with hogao, soup, plate with meat, potatoes, rice, salad, plus the daily juice) it ran less than $5 (a few grilled items were a little more expensive - with juice not included). This is where I sampled typical Colombian food - ajiaco, sudado de pollo, sudado de posta, etc. It was all good. The steak was really good. My favorite thing was a grilled chicken breast (pechuga) with fries and a salad. It's busy from 12-1, but after 1 the lunch crowd clears out. All outside seating, great place for people watching. In the evening, it converts to a drinking hangout. I highly recommend it. Il Castello - great Italian food - homemade pasta, pizza, bread made in-house. A little pricey, but not bad. On Calle 10A and Carrera 40. Aguasfrescas - high end Mexican food. It was a reminder for me that Mexican food is actually high cuisine. No burritos and chimichangas. This was my most expensive meal in Medellin. Really good cochinita pibil tacos (Yucatec Mayan food), I splurged for a white sangria (which was why my meal was so expensive) - really beautiful space, delicious food, You can also order a lot of food from Rappi to be delivered - one of my favorites was from Pane y Pomodoro - delicious Neopolitan style pizza. I also enjoyed the food courts in the malls. Definitely visit El Tesoro, which is a beautiful mall up in the hills with amazing views of Medellin. I had a great tomahawk steak there that was perfectly cooked. Yes, steak at a food court! Also, Santa Fe Mall is very nice and has a very extensive food court. For coffee, I recommend Pergamino. There's a nice spot on Calle 10B a few steps down the hill from El Social. Delicious coffee, breakfasts and desserts. Seating on an outside deck if you can get there before the digital nomads occupy the place. Great spot for people watching. My favorite breakfast (I'm not a breakfast person) was pinches huevos. I'm now hooked on Pergamino coffee and just ordered two pounds to be delivered. No surprise that Colombia has good coffee, but this was the best. Not in Poblado, but in Envigado, a small city/town next to Poblado that is not actually Medellin - La Gloria de Gloria - a Colombian friend took me there for bandeja paisa - it was huge and we split it. Even though we went for lunch, we were served aguardiente (fire water) during our meal - three shots. It was a lot of fun, and Envigado is a nice place to check out. Colombian food is pretty basic - meat and potatoes - vegetables were scarce. But the quality of the food was good. I could tell it was local and fresh, and best of all, it's cheap!