davet

PCR tests can be done up to 72 hrs before flight. The antigen test must be done 48 hrs before. However, the Abbott telemed tests are quite convenient. If you're bringing a laptop with you, you can do the test in your hotel room the day before leaving.

From what I heard, all the hammams in Istanbul are currently closed due to covid. Aquarius is supposed to be closed but is skirting the restrictions, as many places are. When I was at Aquarius 10+ years ago, I retained a hot Russian guy there. There are many, many Russians and I assume other Slavs vacationing or living in Istanbul, just as there are many moslems in Russia. I saw tall nordic blonde women in burqas carrying tow-headed toddlers. The Russian I met at Aquarius was circumcized. PS: I've long wanted to tour Ukraine, but Istanbul has to be a top-5 city in the world for me.

I had my wonders about the Egyptian "tourist police." These guys barely had uniforms - stick-on badges, IIRC - or discipline. But I did not see one desirable enough for me to test it out.

Tell us more. Which main plaza, the Jemaa el fnaa? I assume it's not a porno theater. What kind of guys are there - gay guys? full on hustlers? straight guys needing to get off and might as well make a few bucks?

He was a top and wouldn't get plucked. But seriously, he never made an overt move. He just looked at me from across the room, spread his legs, and raised his eyebrows suggestively, and I was utterly helpless. He was cute but not gorgeous. Those types make for great sex on the run.

What a coincidence. Perlongher made it onto my Amazon wish list because he was mentioned in: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/022630910X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 So Anglo-American academia has indeed recognized him. This particular young academic apparently spent much time in the places we frequent ... but purely for sociological research. (And I actually believe him!) I was going to write him (but I never did) to ask whether Perlongher would be too technical and difficult to read at my level of Spanish, because there's not much Perlongher in translation.

As I understand it, the country might go belly up (slight exaggeration) if they lose another tourist season. For them as well as us, I hope they straighten out the process. Barcelona in September!

It's rally difficult for me to get a massage without wanting sex. It's too too too sensual and "opening."

Since I've been to Rio many times, I was looking for a reason to explore some far-flung areas, but I can do without gangs.

Does the entire staff there accept that it's an auxiliary bordello? Brazil can be very open-minded, but I wonder what they really think beneath the politeness and sterling customer service for which Brazil is well known in more ways than one.

There were also rumors that one of the Moroccan royals was gay. But that could often result in harsher repression, in the "methinks he doth protest too much" fashion. By far the most liberal place in North Africa was Tunis, where women in miniskirts were out and about even 30 years ago when I was there. But the entire region was a don't ask don't tell culture. If you are discreet, you can find much action under the surface.

I consider written Spanish and Portuguese to be very similar. Grasp a few conversions, like j->lh, io'n->ao~, and you can read a portuguese newspaper. Spoken language, however, sounds very different. This might be a bit obnoxious of me, but I often speak straight Spanish to a Brazilian and they pretty much understand. As someone once said, a native Spanish, native Portugues, and native Italian speaker can each speak their own language at a table and they'd all understand each other.

I've heard mixed things about the weekends in Rio, like the saunas could be more dead than Mon-Wed. But I've been to the old Lagoa on Mondays, which were pretty dead too, and always found at least one (which is enough to save a visit) or two (a good visit). Sometimes, it's good to be forced to focus. On the Lagoa Wednesdays and Saturdays of yore, I sometimes felt like the proverbial lion who had too many wildebeests to chase and ended up hungry.

I can't agree more. The live interaction ("chemistry") is indispensable, which is why renting from ads or online has been about 50% disappointing to me. In the saunas, I've been shocked by several guys who were not my type but somehow hooked me. I still remember one guy in Brasilia who got me with his seductive eyebrows - I kid you not.

Great memories! Palermo Viejo is one of my favorite neighborhoods in the world, vaguely recalling Greenwich Village (or the East Village) before they wealthied up. Palermo Chico I recall as a tiny enclave, practically a gated community, where I got some hostile "can I help you?" looks when I wandered through there as a rag-tag backpacker. However, the big modern area surrounding it - basically the park and everything north of Av. Santa Fe - was what I called Palermo Nuevo. PV is definitely better. Rodriguez Pena - This is in Barrio Norte, right (if they still call it that)? Was there a gay club called Contramano on that street? This was where I picked up my first rent man (or "taxi," in the delightful Argentine slang) in my life. Contramano was a "historic" moment in my life - good or bad is still up for debate decades letter. I'm glad you post menus and prices. I like to ask people how much a cup of coffee is where they traveled to. It's surprising how many tourists, especially cruise ship people, wouldn't know. The Argentine economy swings from feast to famine. It looks like right now, it's decently priced at the official rate and a bargain at the black/blue market rate. Are credit cards accepted and how much do they mess around with the rates and fees? Is the blue rate completely legal, semi-legal, or illegal but nobody cares? I assume cash (USD) is king now with the parallel exchange.

Spain is now open. Any takers?

The previous posts suggested some websites. I would not write off the Madrid sauna (Adan). Though not as good as Barcelona, it still had a good selection of guys from all over, based on my admittedly 8yo experience. I always prefer to meet and see the guy in person first. You never know whether the guy in an internet ad looks anything like the one who actually shows up.

With a few favelas right in the middle and Peru/Bolivia on the outskirts. Blue-haired, fox-stole ladies sharing the sidewalk with cardboard scrappers. Gotta love it.

Palermo is a great area but I recall a nuevo part and a viejo part. Palermo nuevo looks pretty similar to Recoleta. Palermo Viejo is the part with cobblestone streets, leafy trees, and hip restaurants. And PV is divided further into sub-barrios I can't keep track of. Sounds like a great trip and I'd love to hear what it's like the time of corona.

I sense that, in the Arab world as well as the Latin world, some guys consider it macho, a testament to their virility, both that they are desirable enough to be paid money and that they can get it hard, stick it into anything, and keep it hard. Plus, in the Arab world, the tradition of wealthy patrons and "young men in need of protection" goes back to the medieval and ancient eras.

gddmn! This is the kind of fast food sex I love indulging in now and then. I'm sure many hands were trying to feel YOU up - for the cash in your pocket.

The beggars have been in Morocco for centuries. Thanks for the great reports. Maybe I should add Morocco to my "Welcome back, World!" world tour. (It is tantalizingly just across the waters from Spain.)

Your recollections should shatter many preconceptions about these guys. Were there any guy you were tempted to pursue a more "serious" relationship with?

Very interesting but getting slightly off-topic. Somebody (me?) should start a thread about this kind of sponsorship, how likely are they to work out, maybe referrals to some sponsorship agencies.

When I went to Sto Domingo the first time, almost 20 years ago, there was a chic nightclub in the colonial district. It drew a mixed crowd, as in many countries hip young straights head to the gay clubs. Several very hot guys made their availability known, and I picked out one of the wildest romp in my life. That club is no more, but there is news on these forums that a similar one is opening up. I love these kind of places. I suspect the OP would like them too, but they are so few. My guess is to find the most chic gay club anywhere you go and check out the vibe. Colombia has the friendliest, most gregarious people. That can present many opportunities, but also mixed signals, everywhere.