msclelovr

Interesting comment, Firecat69. I've never used the dating apps. What do you say on your profile to attract younger men with a commercial mindset?

I'm sure Tomcal is correct. The "Alex-Surf" guy on the Malicia site did work in London for 2 years (as 'Alex Surfer') and he then looked more or less like those online photos, but I think that was about 6-7 years ago. So I guess that his appearance, rather than his photos, may have changed ;-)

Carrying knives has been outlawed in the UK for several years. The only prosecution for doing so, which made the newspapers, was of a City businessman who had a Swiss Army penknife in his briefcase (Luckily, the judge was sensible and acquitted him). And of course, there has been no reduction in the numbers of teenagers stabbing each other in knife-fights or using knives in muggings.

You might search for a previous thread on Santiago to which I contributed a few years ago. I spent a little time there on 4 or 5 journeys. Chile is a much more conservative society. I once travelled there with a younger boyfriend and while nothing was said, I noticed a somewhat chilly attitude in the hotel.

"if you want to have guests, you should know that they charge 100 Reais for every visitor." Thanks Meteor9876 for this warning. In fact, it represents a liberalisation in policy by the hotel! I stayed at the Ipanema Plaza Hotel (Golden Tulip Ipanema Plaza) about 6 years ago. The modernised rooms on the upper floors were extremely nice and the house-keeping service by a young man was very good. At that time, the hotel permitted no visitors to rooms whatsoever. This ban applied equally to male and female visitors. I noticed that the security staff intervened if a guest tried to take a local from the beach into the lobby and lifts. I had planned ahead and brought with me on holiday a young blond Argentine muscleboy-bottom so I wasn't bothered by the policy, tho I witnessed a presumably heterosexual man protesting volubly at his younger female friend being excluded.

" Three hours prior to mugging the Englishman, the sauna guy had spent time with me. He had plenty of money. Later tonight, the sauna guy's wife called me also pleading that I hire a lawyer for the sauna guy. Her pleas were self serving. I ended the phone call asking her not to call me again." Mvan1, thanks for posting this further detail. It's a great reminder that some sauna guys simply see gay men as an easy source of money. I see their work as having a certain integrity when they provide a good service for a certain price. And this is why I disagree profoundly with what Parisrio2000 wrote: the sauna guy may be out of options, but he should have considered that before he mugged the gay man

Mvan1, I hope you recover soon. I am glad that you are able to take such a balanced view of what happened and that it will not affect your future travel plans. It is worrisome, however, that such an experienced traveller to Brazil as you are could fall victim to a mugging. As an aside, may I ask what taxi firms you use. Should a traveller always ask a sauna or restaurant to call a taxi? And how do you know if it is reliable? As a comparison, I've travelled extensively in Argentina and know to take only radio-taxis on city streets and pre-book 'remises' or limos to go to/from the airports. On my one trip to Rio (5 years ago, with an Argentine who knows Rio very well and speaks Portuguese) we were bemused at our inability to get a taxi on the street or even to discern which taxis were actually for hire

+1. Thanks for posting, ihpguy

Very unusual to seem them advertise so overtly, Tassojunior. The ones I've dated were very discreet. What makes you think this is a real advert?

Very interesting article. Thanks for providing the link. I appreciate your posts on various aspects of life in Brazil.

Unlike Daddy who seems not to get any?

OneFinger, you're not alone.

The advice would depend on whether you're a working guy or whether you're looking to hire. Details of your interests and where you're based would also help posters here to help you.

That maid does handle a broom well. How intensive an interview process did you subject him to, Tomcal?

Mvan1 is completely correct IMHO. And to add to what TotallyOz wrote: there are many Brazilian working guys in London but their number is fewer than 5-10 years ago. Various Brazilians have been working in London "on rotation" for more than 5 years - I'm sure they stay in great shape but their photos never change, so Caveat Emptor!

I approve of that "Muscle guy" and his marketing skills: I like that he goes to the beach wearing just his Calvin Klein briefs

I'm making a short visit to Singapore for leisure. I plan to tour the city and the spectacular botanical gardens. I'm not planning to meet any guys there. If anyone has details on places to visit, where to eat and any particular local customs, I'd be grateful for the info.

Interesting that the video was so easy to find. Truly with the internet, nothing disappears. Just to emphasise one small point: Bernardo did NOT decide to make an x-rated video. He was chatting online to someone amorous who did not tell him that they were recording the chat and they persuaded him to show himself off before a planned meeting. It was used in an attempt to blackmail Bernardo but he wouldn't pay up. When it became public news, it was an embarrassment to him and his family. I know of 4 other Brazilian male models who've been caught out by similar 'stings'

I know him. He's a friend of a friend. He's still very good-looking and he works as an actor (he was very recently touring Brazil in a stage-play). He does have an impressive endowment. If you search the net hard enough, you may find the video-capture where he was found chatting and masturbating online.

Just a few observations based on my own experience. Slovak guys aged 21+ with defined, muscled bodies often have a good attitude and are eager to suck cock and happy to bottom. They are open and happy to earn some extra cash WHEN LIVING IN LONDON. Over the years, I've met 5 such guys and had very pleasant times with them. Slovakia is a small country and they are much more reticent there because they do not wish their family or friends to know what they do. Some of the Bel Ami do seek extra work, but they do so when travelling or discreetly in Prague. I've known several to advertise on Gay Romeo, and I played with 3 such guys in Cape Town when they were there to learn English and do some filming. I would say that these guys are often gay-for-pay and have girlfriends so they value discretion. I was in Budapest several times some years ago and I did not find it easy to meet guys. Of course, I'm particular and the only guys I am interested in are handsome muscled guys who like to play bottom. In the gay bars in Budapest, there were less attractive guys (often Romanian) who looked thin and under-nourished to me

Fascinating story. I often wonder about escorts and gay porn actors who attempt to blackmail clients. Are they made delusional by their drug use or are they simply flawed characters to begin with?

Thank you! If I may add to your post, I found that the last link works if you input http://cubaguiagay.blogspot.co.uk/ If you don't understand Spanish, Google translates it into English more or less.

Thank you Axiom for the report. You say that "I have lots of good contact info. regarding tours, hotels, restaurants, etc. If you would like this, I'll post for all" and I for one would welcome you publishing all that information here. It may well prove useful for some people now and perhaps for many more people in the future.

A certain dose of vitriol keeps the forum entertaining. Perhaps TotallyOz can enlighten me, but I was not aware that a member here is obliged to read every post and know the details of every feud. Silence is a powerful weapon.

Thanks for the detailed report. It's very interesting. Please may I ask you to comment on where you stayed, how you found it and whether it was upto reasonable first-world standards.