sydneyboy1

I am one who most certainly will not make light of it. I recounted my 2005 experience (much to the annoyance of one contributor to this thread) to make the point that people can be appalling unsympathetic because it has never happened to them and some believe it never will. Brazil has had and continues to have a crime problem.

The average garoto would have to have had an extraordinarily successful evening.

Being the Devil’s Advocate the “average” customer leaving 117 is likely to be carrying more money than the “average” working boy even after a successful night and consequently more vulnerable.

Thank you. I was probably using the word hill loosely however I respectfully suggest my point remains valid. You are exposed walking to the taxi rank.

Not being a subscriber I can’t read the full Rio on line report. Is there any way of downloading the report in its entirety? I was planning a December trip to Rio but I might opt for the relative peace and tranquillity of Thailand.

Very, very depressing. I was mugged almost in front of the Copacabana Palace in 2005. I have reported details on a number of sites including this one. This provoked responses ranging from a giant yawn and it can happen anywhere through to allegations that I was an out and out liar. There was a time when 117 would ring a taxi when leaving but on my last visit all they would do is direct you to the taxi rank. Walking down the hill after dark gave me the creeps. The appalling mugging reported outside 117 does not surprise me as you are an obvious target leaving the premises leaving particularly after dark. One last thought. So much for a law and order President.

A very good question. I last went to Pattaya about 5 years ago after an absence of about 3 years. It was January, peak season. I ventured out on my first night to Boyz Town and bars were as dead as Julius Caesar.There were few boys and few customers. On previous visits they had been packed with customers and contained some of the most attractive young men I have seen in Thailand. I posted on the Sawatdee Gay Thailand forum a thread that I titled “What on earth is going on?” Next night I went to Sunnee. If your into pubescent tattooed anorexics you would have thought you had died and gone to heaven. It you are a gay man who likes men the place was tragic. Things may have improved in the past 5 years but I doubt it.

For those travelling to Bangkok soon I wish you a pleasant trip. I just hope the standards are higher than my January experience.

Is there any update on the relocation of Lagoa? Has a definite time and location been determined? São Paulo without Lagoa is unthinkable.

I have engaged a Columbian from Bogotá the last 2 days at the Thermas in Barcelona. If he is typical of Colombians I can understand the enthusiasm for the place.

A further point. The overwhelming consensus was that the robberies were inside jobs, which comments on this thread confirm. When you hire a cabin you are “advertising “ (for want of a better word) that you are not by definition in the change area and are a sitting duck.

About 10 years ago (at a guess) I was in the locker room at Lagoa getting changed preparing to leave. At the same time one customer opened his locker and was in a highly agitated state. He showed his empty pants pocket to all in the room and talking in Portuguese which I do not understand. He then asked everyone the phone number of the police. That I did understand. I came to the inescapable conclusion that his locker had been broken into. On leaving the premises the victim was on his cell phone I suspect ringing the police. I reported this incident on the old Gay Travel Brazil website at the time and provoked discussion with others reporting having been robbed in the saunas (particularly Lagoa) or having heard of similar episodes.

My question put another way will it be a seamless transition?

I am considering going to São Paulo in November. Do you think the current premises will be operational? What worries me is being caught between the closure of the old and opening of the new. São Paulo without Lagoa is unthinkable.

Good story.

What I obviously meant was a rentboy sauna along the lines of Lagoa etc

Is it an unashamedly rentboy sauna?

An encouraging development in a country where there has been very few encouraging developments of late.

I certainly hope your right. One question. You don’t mention Dreamboys. With the exception of one stunning looking guy there in December (he disappeared after about a week) that too was a tragic reflection of its former self. Nothing would please me more than Dreamboys reincarnated to what it once was.

This wild enthusiasm does not coincide with my observations on my December/January trip with one exception. One writer refers to the number of customers at the Tawan with only 2 seats vacant. On each of my 3 visits the place was packed. What he does not say is the very, very limited number of older, overweight tattooed and with no disrespect tragic looking “boys” on offer. I don’t know what the large number of customers were expecting but it was nothing remotely like the number and standard of boys in years gone by.

I repeat I am certainly not defending this appalling character. He is a classic demigod with simplistic solutions to complex problems and a resort to scapegoats. History is replete with his ilk and the United States currently has a President who superbly encapsulates this phenomena.

I don’t wish to be interpreted as defending this appalling character but you have raised an interesting point. I recall an article where a number of people were interviewed as to why they voted for him. One was a gay small businessman. Although he despised his homophobic attitude the level of lawlessness in Brazil was getting so out of hand that this gay man said (in his words) that for the moment at least staying alive was more important than his sex life and the “new order” promised change.

Just one observation on what night is best in individual saunas. Some of my most memorable experiences have been on what turned out to be a “quiet” night with fewer boys but you connect with someone who is just right. There is an old saying, it only takes one to make an evening!

When I was there in January they were non existent.

Let me assure you there was nobody who looked remotely like that on my 3 visits to Tawan in January. He would be more likely to be the youngest son (grandson?) of the guys on offer a few months ago.