mark123

LOL for anyone who has followed your well-documented sexcapades on this site over the years you would certainly appear to give a whole new meaning to the word 'boyfriend.' 

LOL for anyone who has followed your well-documented sexcapades on this site over the years you would certainly appear to give a whole new meaning to the word 'boyfriend.' 

Those of us who have already taken that deep dive into reading “Tourist Attractions: Performing Race and Masculinity in Brazil’s Sexual Economy”, the published completed academic research of ethnographer Dr. Gregory C. Mitchell (Chair of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Williams College) are familiar with these passages.
But for the newly initiated (or to those who just don’t like reading heady, voluminous academic treatises), this is a pretty damn enticing introductory summary!
— The book discusses most if not all of the same topics that frequently pop up on the LATAM forum, including the one that many here dread: age differences and attractiveness:
“My first time wasn’t hard at all,” Cavi explains, nibbling at a doughy ball of fried cod. He comes from a smaller city in the interior, and he’s much more shy than Adilson, who talks and smokes constantly. Cavi continues, “See, I got [peguei, “hooked up with”] a client who wasn’t very old, so it was easy. He was thirty-five. Since I have to do this job, it’s better when the ass is good-looking [bonitinha].”
Adilson interrupts him to explain. “We all say this: se a bunda é bonitinha, novinha é uma coisa.” Very roughly, this means that if the ass looks good, it’s a much different matter. “Look, if you have a young woman and a very old woman, the young one will still be better. If a gay had to choose between these women, which would he choose?”...
“If it’s a young guy,” Adilson explains, “he gives me tesão, but with an old flabby man [velho todo caído] . . . ooooh, that’s more difficult.” He makes a disgusted face...
“When the boy is there with an ass in front of him and a job to do, it’s luckier to get a hot ass like Cavi did on his first time. Because, oh, first time was horrible! I got this Danny DeVito type. He was American, really short and fat. Holy shit! [Cruz credo!] It was horrible, oh horrible, but I made a lot of money . . .”
—- Another topic addresses is the “aging out” of garotos from the perspective of some (most?) clients:
”Cavi rolled his eyes. “So if you’re sick, you’re in bed, sick with the flu, are you going to start waiting for some client from the sauna to come there and give you medicine? They don’t want to know about you. A gringo wants you when you’re a nice, hot, young boy. When you’re sick? When you get old and you’re not pretty anymore? ‘Fuck you!’ [Foda-se!] That’s what he’s going to say to you.”
— Also, he gets into detail about the per formative labor of being a garoto:
“I describe the work of prostitutes as performative because their success or failure depends on constructing certain styles of gender that are often rooted in neocolonial variations of archetypes such as the lusty mulata, the Lamacho, the hypersexual masculine black buck (and the dangerous thug from the favela, or slum, its contemporary corollary), the suave Latin lover, and so on.”
https://redlightr.io/inside-brazils-gay-sex-tourism-industry/
 
 

You have repeated this story on the site several times, and yet after reading your clarification here,  it is still not clear just what type of ' assistance' you were looking for,  that the locals somehow begrudged you.  
I can only reinforce what @likeohmygod has stated.   Neither you nor your missing saviour would have benefited from retaliation in your favor - quite the contrary.  As he states:   
- "That's why most of the people won't help you if you get mugged. Most of the people would never risk to get shot to save a gringo from losing his DSLR camera or iPhone" ....
Not then, and not now.  
 

I'd like to repeat that I have nothing against you, but i wanna use your experience to tell people to don't do anything you did...Many people need to watch less Rambo movies, cause shit here in Brazil happens even to people living here from when they were born. Experience has nothing to do and doesn't make you bulletproof. And unexperienced people as much as the experienced ones often tend to underestimate the risks and to misjudge situations.
Like the 25 yrs old MMA fighter who some months ago reacted to an assault got shot in the head by the older friend of the flip-flop wearing 16 yrs old thief in Tijuca who was keeping the situation under control and who came from around the corner to save his friend from the beatdown he was receiving.
That's why most of the people won't help you if you get mugged. Most of the people would never risk to get shot to save a gringo from losing his DSLR camera or iPhone, there are too many weapons and too many people willing to kill you for no reasons in Brazil...bad combination.

I very much enjoy your reports @numazu1 but I thought this was a particularly telling observation on your part. 
To locals (working guys and others), European and North American visitors must seem very strange: spending thousands of $ on flights and vacation costs yet haggling over a few $ when it comes to personal services.
When I travel in less developed countries, I try to act with restraint while being generous in inviting guys to dinner or to accompany me on trips. But it is difficult: what we see as moderate expenditure, they may view as a fortune.

About gay rights, although there is no federal law criminalizing homophobia the current understanding of the brazilian Supreme Court (STF) includes it in the general anti-discrimination laws (on same level as religious discrimination, a level lower then racism). About gay couple rights, again no federal general law protecting it, but the understanding of the STF is that they have the same rights as heterosexual couples. (Including recognizing any cohabitational relationship that has public knowledge as a “stable union” with rights of pension and 50% of the possessions acquired by the work of “couple” during the duration of the relationship. Oh if the boys knew “theirs” rights, there would be no rich gay guy single in Rio...  )

If he said thats how much he makes, I believe it...
Even if somebody is not my type, they still may be in demands based on how they look...
There are some guys who go for the very dark guys who may be slim with huge dicks and there are some guys who go with the guys who look like American white guys...
It just depends on your preference....
What I do know from going to Rio for years is that is how much he is making NOW because it is peak sauna season being Brazils summer as well as peak holiday season and the time leading up to Carnaval....
He won't maintain that after March as most of the guys who are turning 4-5 guys a night because business dwindles down and the tourists who are willing to pay 150R and 200R slow down again until October/November but it really starts up again in high demand in October...
I have seen a huge difference in the number of guys and how much they ask for in April or October versus December or February....
Those who go to the Brazil and frequent the saunas know what I am talking about...
Now if he is as smart as he seems, he will save his money for the slow season OR do like a lot of other boys do...figure out a new hustle since the sauna scene can be very unforgiving for the latest HOT boy since there is always a new one around the corner...

Most of the garotos that I deal with (the more muscular “body boys”) will usually make in the range of about $400R - $600R and up for about 3 programas in a night during a sauna visit — when they do go to the saunas, as most tend only to go somewhat sparingly (2 times a week, 3 times at most). Of course, it can be hit or miss, and some nights are just duds, while other nights can be a major windfall. 
And then there are the offsite client meetings that tend to pay more.
I don’t fuck with the twinky / slim boys or average-looking / average-built guys, but one that I do like to converse with casually whenever I see him at the beach (because he makes me laugh) tells me that he stays busy at the sauna and can more in 1-2 days than his older brother makes on his regular job at the hardware store (“they like them young!”, he exclaims).
That being said, I don’t think that most garotos are doing those kinds of numbers, and not consistently. A lot of it is based on looks / build,, personality / attentiveness / charm, and those physical assets that certain clients like (big dick, great ass, etc.) — and sometimes, just a good or bad day (a few GPs at the end of the night have asked me privately for money to cover their entrance fee as they didn’t make anything at all that night and need transportation costs to get back home).
It’s also a short window of opportunity and most tend to burn out after a short period — although I’ve seen some garotos still working after 5 years.

Then that directly contradicts what Oz has asserted, and the private clubs are then absolutely part of the problem.  
IF true, then dismissing this information out of hand and instead promoting the use of such clubs in the wake of what happened is very wrong and only exacerbates the issue - and the probability of a very ugly recurrence.
Have to agree with Rock on this one.  A private club on the internet is only as "private" as each and every one of its (anonymous) members make it.   

I may be wrong, and in that case I will be glad to be corrected, but this is what I think it happened.
Some time ago pictures shared in the open Latin American forums were shown to the GPs depicted in them. Because of that incident in the open forum, @Tomcal created the private Club. Once in the private club, the problem occurred again. Tom considered cancelling everyone's membership and asking to re-apply. This time is the third occurrence, and Tom just closed the club and decided not to post anymore here.
I think it was very naive from all of us to even consider that we would be able to control pictures sharing amongst people we do not really know. Plus the deeper concerns brought by @RockHardNYC from the very beginning of this thread. 
I will be more careful and more respectful of others' privacy. 

Too bad @Tomcal. Your experience and insight are always needed in the forums. Your reports are the primary reason I've ventured out to Brazil in the first place. I hope you reconsider.
I guess this is a reason why I don't post *too many* photos of the boys I've met in Brazil. If I do post, its photos that are readily available on the internet so it can't be traced back to me. 
It's a good point tho. If a boy freely gives out his photos to his clients, or if he has a public Instagram that he shares to anyone who asks, there is hardly an expectation of privacy.
Photos taken by clients and shared online are another matter. The debate is still out if consent is needed to post personally taken photos in public. Some argue that the publicity will net them more customers. Some will say that it's a violation of their privacy. I just don't do it *too much*. 
Still, don't be a jerk guys. Don't show the photos to the boys. I do not want the photo fun to end in this forum. I am sure you guys don't want it to end either. 

I give details on my escapades but never photos or names...regardless if the guy is working to make money, unless he says he is okay with having his photos or names out there for the public, have some discretion and privacy about your encounters...
I get the point of the forum is to share just there is a such thing as too much info, especially if you havent checked to see if it is okay with said guy....

This thread may be over my head since I haven't much interest here, but I don't get the complaint. Did someone actually think/believe that photos posted on the internet were somehow going to be kept private?
I'm not sure what photos this thread is pointing to, but if anyone of you are posting private photos of "sauna guys" without their written permission, then I would argue the guy doing the posting is the guy lacking ethics and integrity. Just because you have a camera on your phone (or anywhere else) does not mean you have the right to publish a private capture anywhere you wish.
I fully understand the pleasure that comes from secret, surreptitious recordings, especially those of a sexy nature. Of course, most of us enjoy sneaking a peek. That does not make the action ethical, proper, or respectable.
If you wish to take a photo of someone with the intent to share it with others, whether publicly or privately, but especially on the internet, the ethical way to do it is to ask the person's permission. Headless or not.

Glad you did not get shot.  You actually put your 2 brasilian friends in danger by going back in the door.   All very lucky!

Not to even mention the potential harm and risk that you placed your Brazilian friends in by running off, leaving them with a pissed-off armed gunman (or two). 

Thank you for posting this — because unfortunately, there are many posters here as well as onlookers and lurkers who will read glowing reports of Brazil and throw caution to the wind. 
Also thanks for chiming in about bad client behavior. I’ve witnessed it as well over the years, and even some posts at this board have alluded to some clients reveling in treating working boys like they are beneath them. I’m not suggesting that all sauna boys are perfect angels, but I certain have seen enough to know that some clients through their own behavior are just begging for trouble.

I am American living and working for over  25 years in Rio. I have frequented the sauna scene for years.  Over the years I have had friends drugged ( boa noite cinderella), beat up, tied to beds, chained to toilets, robbed and several murdered.  Brasil and especially Rio are extremely dangerous.  The police are poorly trained and paid very little. A very small percentage of crimes are solved and most likely the crime will not even be investigated.  The judicial system is slow and inefficient.  The boys and all of us who live here know this as it is constantly repeated in the press, on the news and portrayed inthe local novelas....
In Rio, often, nobody is who they seems to be.  The gringo tourists often behave badly, in ways they would nerver conduct themselves at home.  Many falsely allude to wealth or the possibility of taking the boy away to Europe or America.   The boys must register with copies of ID to the suana...... but mostly the boys give false names (nome de guerra), ages, home locations, to the clients......
I've seen many foreign clients try to negociate lower prices and even refuse to pay afterward... claiming the boy did not provide the agreed service.
Prostitution comes from lack of opportunity and poverty.  That does not mean they are stupid or have no pride. Treat the boys with respect....
I recommend doing as the locals....
Never bring a stranger into your home or hotel room. 
And if you do not speak portuguese and know Rio de Janeiro well.......NEVER EVER BRING A STRANGER INTO YOUR HOME OR HOTEL ROOM.

So true.  It's a presidential election year, so the only thing we can continue to count on are the hefty swings in currency markets as it plays out. 

Agree ... 3 years ago, at a similar trading low, the real began a one-year rally of about 30% in cost that subsequently held reasonably well for about 15 months. Squirreling away now is a good strategy. 

Assuming that the strength of the dollar vs the real will hold until December may indicate an unfamiliarity with the currency markets in general and  Brazilian economic history in particular. Im definitely going to benefit next week. Your benefiting in December is a toss up at best.

Why would you want to meet "friends" on the beach...serious question...
Unless you speak Portuguese AND/OR hot, most guys wont be interested in talking to you unless they are tourists as well...is that what you are seeking...
"Friends" wont be made on the beach but can be made off Grindr and definitely in the saunas and then you can take them to the beach....
Most of the local Cariocas are not going to be seeking friendships with some older guy from somewhere else on the beach....It doesnt work like that here...
Again, if you speak Portuguese And/Or very attractive, you may be able to catch the attention of some of the guy Cariocas on the beach....

Sorry to hear of your medical problem @Tomcal and I hope you are feeling much better now. It's a very common condition if you're over 50. I too was diagnosed with it early this year.
You're right in that if surgery is needed, it's minimally invasive. In my case, the hernia (or opening) is so tiny that it's below the minimum size for the operation. I control the symptom of heartburn by diet (no fatty/fried/spicy foods, less alcohol, no citrus etc) and that seems to work for me. The Mayo Clinic website is very helpful.
And one last comment on your observation about comparative healthcare costs: in the UK, I saw my family Dr on a Friday morning and had the gastroscopy in a central London hospital on the Tuesday afternoon; including the final discussion with the specialist consultant on how to manage the condition, it was 2 hours in the hospital; total cost NIL.
 

No need for apologies, Latbear.  
You, along with MsGuy, are absolutely correct. 
Technically speaking, it is in fact the US Dollar that is trading at a near all-time high. 
Logically, this would mean that the Brazil Real is trading at a near all-time low. 
Just run a quick google search  with proper web sites like Bloomberg, Euromoney, or Reuters.  You will see many recent examples with the proper usage. 
And why is the US Dollar trading at near an all-time high? It doesn't take a genious to recognize that it now buys more reais than before. 
As has been pointed out, with a bogus exchange rate listing even before the local currency was introduced, this type of error is not unexpected from a free, second-rate site. 
More fundamentally, why is the Brazil Real so uncorrelated to other Emerging Market currencies at the moment, vis-à-vis the US Dollar?  In other words, why is the Real weakening, when its peers have been strengthening, versus the US Dollar, especially with the Fed's recent dovish remarks on monetary policy? 
Answer:  It is locally driven, and it's all about the local presidential elections.  The latest polls show that market-unfriendly candidates are advancing, both from the extreme left (former President Lula, currently jailed), and from the extreme right (Bolsonaro).    

No need for apologies, Latbear.  
You, along with MsGuy, are absolutely correct. 
Technically speaking, it is in fact the US Dollar that is trading at a near all-time high. 
Logically, this would mean that the Brazil Real is trading at a near all-time low. 
Just run a quick google search  with proper web sites like Bloomberg, Euromoney, or Reuters.  You will see many recent examples with the proper usage. 
And why is the US Dollar trading at near an all-time high? It doesn't take a genious to recognize that it now buys more reais than before. 
As has been pointed out, with a bogus exchange rate listing even before the local currency was introduced, this type of error is not unexpected from a free, second-rate site. 
More fundamentally, why is the Brazil Real so uncorrelated to other Emerging Market currencies at the moment, vis-à-vis the US Dollar?  In other words, why is the Real weakening, when its peers have been strengthening, versus the US Dollar, especially with the Fed's recent dovish remarks on monetary policy? 
Answer:  It is locally driven, and it's all about the local presidential elections.  The latest polls show that market-unfriendly candidates are advancing, both from the extreme left (former President Lula, currently jailed), and from the extreme right (Bolsonaro).