TotallyOz

I met this young man named Jacques (sounded like Jackson) at a local venue and he spoke decent English and we chatted for a long time and I asked him for lunch. He agreed and we spent an hour just chatting about New York, Salvador and travel. We ate at a local por kilo place he wanted to eat at that has all organic produce and nothing is cooked that is not from their farm. It was nice and tasty food and the bill was about 65R for both of us. A very nice young man. More on my day a bit later but thought I'd share a quick photo.

I met this young man named Jacques (sounded like Jackson) at a local venue and he spoke decent English and we chatted for a long time and I asked him for lunch. He agreed and we spent an hour just chatting about New York, Salvador and travel. We ate at a local por kilo place he wanted to eat at that has all organic produce and nothing is cooked that is not from their farm. It was nice and tasty food and the bill was about 65R for both of us. A very nice young man. More on my day a bit later but thought I'd share a quick photo.

I do and I love Apple but the larger screen that I can see will make a difference for me. I wish Apple allowed their IPads to be used as a telephone. That is the perfect size for me.

Love the device and the new specs. As an Apple lover, this phone may cause me to wander to Samsung. http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/14/samsung-galaxy-s-4-beats-the-best-with-5-inch-1080p-display-1-9ghz-processor-gesture-controls-and-a-q2-2012-release/

Sounds like we need to have a bowling tournament in Pattaya! My boys are pretty good as well.

In a very personal Interview, Sen. Portman says he has a gay son and that his view on same sex marriage has changed and he thinks that gays should be allowed to marry. He was vetted as being a VP for Romney but passed over. He says this has nothing to do with that but I wonder. Glad he has a change of heart and how supports equal rights for gays and lesbians. http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/15/politics/portman-gay-marriage/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

That is probably a good idea. I always feel the need to find a long term place but then I get antsy. I do love Bangkok and Hero. But, the prices there are more than 3-5 times what I have found in Chiang Mai. That is a vast difference. If I could find a decent place near Siam Paragon area that is cheap and nice, I'd just get it year round and then visit other cities. But, it seems hard to do and I have been looking for a bit. My last stay in Bangkok I was at the Sathorn Ascott. I love it but it was near 90k a month. I just prefer that if I am going to spend that kind of money that I stay there all the time as opposed to part time. I wonder if Hero would just rent out one of their rooms to me for a few months? They have a restaurant there and I wouldn't need to leave that often. Of course the bf hates the place.

Thanks guys. Much appreciated. I have a great deal to think about before my next visit but I do have things narrowed between Chiang Mai and Bangkok. I am glad that we have experts on this board for both cities.

Scottishguy, if you also like pool (American style), check out this thread about the place right below Blu Bowl at The Avenue. It also has some photos we took one day. http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/8208-vip-pool-at-the-avenue-in-pattaya/?hl=snooker&do=findComment&comment=59850 Also, this is a post I made on my first trip to The Avenue's Blu Bowling many years ago. http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/2402-major-bowling-in-pattaya/?hl=bowling

Fabulous report Firecat. Thanks. I agree with you that the Siam Paragon is the best around. I love the food court as well.

Gay Vancouver – Experience The Great Outdoors At BoyToy.com we believe that our members like a little bit of variety in their gaycations. While it's wonderful to sit on a beach in Thailand during the day and hit the boy bars at night, that's not the only type of vacation you want. Sometimes you want to see a bit of history and culture and head over to Vienna or Paris. Other times, you want to have an active outdoors vacation. And that's fine. In fact, my manly men, big old bears, turgid twinks and sexy silver foxes, that's why today I'm going to talk to you about one of the best places in the gay world for a vacation if you are into the great outdoors – Vancouver Canada. Vancouver doesn't get a lot of talk in the gay press, and that's a shame – since it's so gay-friendly that it has the highest number of gay men of any Canadian city. There is lots to do, it's perfectly acceptable to hold hands or smooch a dude in public and, like Toronto, the city is incredibly gay-positive. And, there is so much to do. Because it's located on the water, but surrounded by mountains, you can literally windsurf in the mornings, then go snowboarding in the afternoon of the same day. So you can, in essence, combine a summer and winter vacation in one trip. How fun is that? Running and biking are also very popular, particularly along the Seawall, a great route that takes you through beautiful parks with striking water views. There are also a bunch of golf courses, and renting speedboats is also very popular. All in all, if you want to do something other than a rent boy, Vancouver is a great gay destination. The only downside for some people is that the beaches tend to have rocks rather than sand at the water's edge. You'll get used to it, but it can be a distraction if you are used to sand with your sun. The Gayborhoods Just like Toronto, Vancouver has two distinct gayborhoods. The most prominent one is the West End, which is gay in general, but has a super-gay subsection called Davie Village. The village is marked with giant rainbow flag signs, and nearly every business in the village also displays the rainbow. When you are in Davie Village, you may feel like you are in an alternate universe where straight people don't exist – and that's not always a bad thing, if you know what I mean. When there, you'll want to check out Little Sister's Book And Art Emporium – one of the oldest gay book stories in North America. You'll have access to free maps, and magazines detailing what's going on with gay life in Vancouver at the moment. Many bars and clubs also leave coupons here for free drinks and discounted entry, so it should certainly be your first stop when you get into town and want to get oriented. The other gayborhood is Commercial Drive. The main advantage Commercial has over Davie Village is that the restaurants are much better – so if you want a good meal before a night of sucking and fucking, Commercial Drive may be the destination for you. The downside of Commercial Drive is that it has a much higher percentage of lesbians and lesbian-themed bars and clubs than Davie Village. So, if it bothers you to be in a part of town where the majority of the gay population has vaginas, then you'll probably want to spend most of your time in Davie Village. Saunas Both Davie Village and Commercial Drive have a ton of gay saunas. They are not very expensive, and tend to attract a mixed crowd – everyone from college kids to dudes in their 70s. They tend to not attract very many rent boys, but there is generally enough of a variety of man meat. While we generally don't endorse specific places in these travel guides, we have to recommend Steamworks, which is actually a chain of gay saunas that have theme nights, dark rooms, dance parties and the type of stuff you'd generally associate with a club rather than a sauna. It's a somewhat unique experience to be in a corporate-owned gay sex sauna franchise. Gay Life In Vancouver Canadians are so damned civilized compared to America when it comes to the gays. You can get married in Vancouver. Gay escorts are also completely legal, and there are multiple gay brothels. Beyond that, gay escorts can and do advertise legally online, in gay magazines, and even in local newspapers. Being in Vancouver or Toronto is the closest you'll get to being treated exactly the way straight people are in most of the world. This alone is reason enough to take a visit and contribute some cash to their local economy. July is when Vancouver holds their pride parade. There are also multiple fetish parades, gay and lesbian film festivals, drag shows, strip bars and everything else you can imagine in your kinky little brains. Tourist Things Because Vancouver is a very young city, you won't see the types of churches and traditional tourist attractions you find in Europe or the Far East. But there are still some fun things you can write home about. The Granville Island Brewery is awesome for anyone who likes beer. And because of the large Chinese population, Vancouver is known for having the best dim sum restaurants in North America. The Museum of Anthropology is also popular. Let's Do Vancouver! Vancouver is very nice to the gays, so let's reward them for being cool – I'd love to fly up there and meet you by the hotel pool! We might even have time to snowboard before we hit the clubs or at least site by the fire and watch our boytoy's hit the slopes. cc boytoy.com 2013

This is why I don't think any President should be reelected. One term. 6 years. The end.

I think this is Axiom's guide recommendation. I have contacted him and hope to work out something but as this is last minute, we will see. Thanks for the recommendation. http://www.salvadortourguide.com

How do I find Fernando's information?

It seems Obama is evolving even more. 4 years with this man and I can see great progress ahead. http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/03/13/1710771/obama-evolves-even-further-denies-that-state-marriage-bans-are-constitutional/

FABULOUS Report and amazing photos! I can't wait to read your reports. Thanks so much for sharing your trip. You ALWAYS have better photos than I do.

That is good! I wish I could do the same! As for bowling in Pattaya, I really love an afternoon bowling and the boys always like Major at The Avenue. It is called Blu Bowl I think. It is at The Avenue on 2nd Road. The music is always loud and the place is usually full but it is always a good time. If my memory serves, there are at least 4 bowling alleys on 2nd Road. One up near Soi VC, the one mentioned at The Avenue and the one down near Soi 6 and one down a bit farther on the right. The one at The Avenue is always the busiest, loudest and most active. It is convenient as all the boys know where it is and I also love the pool hall downstairs. I think had a thread here about the pool hall although I can't seem to find it right now. Like you, I also love bowling and while my waist is bigger than yours most likely, I too can can down and dirty bowling. I usually bowl great the first game and then go downhill after that as my fingers get tired and my manicured nails start to break. I have enjoyed bowling in Pattaya a great deal. If in Bangkok, there are tons of places and the one I went to last time was at Siam Paragon. It is very clean and nice and convenient. We have been to a few others but I can't remember where they were as the boys found them and picked them out.

Lurker, he is adorable! Beautiful smile and ass. Perfect combo.

On my next long trip to Thailand, I am considering living in Chiang Mai for the year. I have spent a few months there at PJ's Place and at the Sheraton a few other hotels but never in an apartment and in a living full time kind of thing. The BF has said it was fine for him and enjoys Chiang Mai. I have looked into housing and they seem much more reasonable than Bangkok or Pattaya. It seem that there are not real executive apartments that offer everything you can get in Bangkok at like the Marriott or other full serviced apartments. But, that said, it is something I really want to try. For those of you living there, what area do you prefer? What do you find is the best and worst thing about living in Chiang Mai? Do you find the commute to Bangkok difficult when you are connecting on International flights? Is there an easy place to do a visa run from Chiang Mai? Do you find the quality of medical care there the same as or different than Bangkok or Pattaya? I don't need boys as I have my long term boyfriend who will live with me there but I do occasionally like to venture out. On my last stay there, I preferred the massage houses to the gogo/beer bars. But, that has been several years ago, has the gogo scene improved?

I loved the movie when I first saw it as well. It was when I watched it again that I got lost a bit and my mind wandered. To me, a great movie makes you want to watch it again and again. (like the Godfather (40 times at least)

I have been in both Porto Alegre and Rio with Tomcal and he is an amazing guide and source of information. As for Diogo, your avatar is small and with my health issues, perhaps you should upload a lager photo?

I enjoyed Fortaleza but I didn't want to mess up the plans for the rest of my trip so I took to the air. It cost me 267 USD to change the ticket to Salvador. But, the bad news was the hotel would not let me change the date of check in and told me that I lost my prepaid money. I wrote a few emails to them and the hotel in Fortaleza called them to tell them of the issues with the doctor but they still refused to let me check in late and told me I would have to pay again. I was livid and blasted off a very pointed email explaining to them how I was going to systematically destroy their online SEO results. They wrote back and told me it was OK to check in one day late. The flight was miserable and it was obvious on take off I should not be in the air. My ear and head hurt the entire flight. When I landed, I could not even hear. I got to my hotel, the Mecure, and checked in. I knew I was not doing well and asked them to send a doctor over but he never answered the call. They did book an appointment for me for an ear/nose and throat doctor for the next day and I am glad they did. She was trained in NYC and spoke perfect English. She said the last doctor I saw was foolish for letting me back on a plane and it did more damage to my eardrum. She said I should not fly for at least 5 days but will see me again on Saturday to check things out and see how things are going. She gave me several medications and I hope that they take to me fast. I had to cancel my reservations for Porto Alegre and I have a flight that will be wasted as well. All in all, it was not smart for me on this trip to take out prepaid hotels and airfare. I have lost at least 1k USD worth of tickets. I did get travelers insurance but not sure how much it will pay if anything. The airport in Salvador was nice and the taxi cost 97R to the hotel. I think this is pretty high as it was about the same amount of time as it was in Fortaleza for 1/3 the price. So far, I have not seen much of Salvador but I'll be here for at least 5 days and I'll get out a bit after I get back on my feet.

I enjoyed Fortaleza but I didn't want to mess up the plans for the rest of my trip so I took to the air. It cost me 267 USD to change the ticket to Salvador. But, the bad news was the hotel would not let me change the date of check in and told me that I lost my prepaid money. I wrote a few emails to them and the hotel in Fortaleza called them to tell them of the issues with the doctor but they still refused to let me check in late and told me I would have to pay again. I was livid and blasted off a very pointed email explaining to them how I was going to systematically destroy their online SEO results. They wrote back and told me it was OK to check in one day late. The flight was miserable and it was obvious on take off I should not be in the air. My ear and head hurt the entire flight. When I landed, I could not even hear. I got to my hotel, the Mecure, and checked in. I knew I was not doing well and asked them to send a doctor over but he never answered the call. They did book an appointment for me for an ear/nose and throat doctor for the next day and I am glad they did. She was trained in NYC and spoke perfect English. She said the last doctor I saw was foolish for letting me back on a plane and it did more damage to my eardrum. She said I should not fly for at least 5 days but will see me again on Saturday to check things out and see how things are going. She gave me several medications and I hope that they take to me fast. I had to cancel my reservations for Porto Alegre and I have a flight that will be wasted as well. All in all, it was not smart for me on this trip to take out prepaid hotels and airfare. I have lost at least 1k USD worth of tickets. I did get travelers insurance but not sure how much it will pay if anything. The airport in Salvador was nice and the taxi cost 97R to the hotel. I think this is pretty high as it was about the same amount of time as it was in Fortaleza for 1/3 the price. So far, I have not seen much of Salvador but I'll be here for at least 5 days and I'll get out a bit after I get back on my feet.

Brokeback Mountain Some movies stand the test of time. Some movies get better with the passage of time. And some movies, if given enough time, end up looking much worse than when they first came out in theaters. I recently re-watched Brokeback Mountain and, sad to say, this film falls into the third category. It's understandable how this film seemed awesome when it came out. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal were two rising young Hollywood heartthrobs. For them to take these roles was truly daring career-wise. Ang Lee was an up-and-coming director, and for him to use this subject matter as one of his first English language films was exciting. Anne Hathaway was also on the way up. Plus, there was the shock value of a film pitched as a cowboy love story. The idea of taking the cowboy mythos and putting a queer spin on it was exhilarating. And so, we went into the theater and had a good time watching all this groundbreaking stuff which it was at the time. However, 2005 is not 2013. The gay community has made enough strides where the shock value of the material has worn off, and it's possible to look at the film with a clearer head. And, when looked at from today's perspective, it falls short in just about every way. The film itself is only an hour and 49 minutes long. Now, a three-and-a-half-hour film like The Deer Hunter can take its time with an intro. But for a shorter film, that just doesn't work. So, the fact that nothing happens other than sheep herding for the first 45 minutes of the film comes off as just padding. No character development happens here; there is nearly no dialogue. It's just an excuse for the cinematographer to shoot pretty vistas. Finally, of course, Gyllenhaal and Ledger fuck, in one of the most ridiculous gay sex scenes ever. I mean, really: Two dudes with bean juice on their chests just suddenly start to have anal sex, with no foreplay, no lube, not even a finger up the ass and there is supposedly no pain involved at all when Ledger shoves his non-lubed dick up Gyllenhaal's ass? Sure, Gyllenhaal looks like a girl, but I don't think he self-lubricates like one. Anyway, they get off the mountain about an hour into the film, which is a good thing because we finally see other characters, which means we get actual dialogue. (Why are these two characters only capable of speech when the plot absolutely requires it?) Then, it turns out that this is in fact not a gay love story at all. Both dudes are bisexual and get married. The enthusiasm they both demonstrate Heath when fucking Michelle Williams and Gyllenhaal when boning Anne Hathaway - is too extreme for them to be faking. They both like sticking their dicks into both men and women which is fine, but does not make them gay. Anyway, over the course of the next 15 years they cheat on their wives with each other on a regular basis. And Gyllenhaal is totally cheating on Ledger as well both with Mexican rent boys and other ranch hands. (Boy, were these two guys lucky to never pick up a single STD with all the unprotected sex they were having over the years. And boy, were their wives lucky.) Anyway, this goes on for a while, and they are so bad at being cheaters that pretty much everyone around them, from their wives to their parents to their children, know that they are boning each other and neither man seems to have any idea that everyone fucking knows. Take this gem of dialogue from after Heath gets divorced from his wife and is now boning a waitress: Waitress Talking To Heath Ledger's Daughter: Honey, can you help get your daddy to marry me? Heath Ledger's Daughter: My daddy ain't the marrying kind. Waitress: Why not? Daughter: He loves his friends too much. If you are pinging your 17-year-old daughter's gaydar in 1968, you are doing it wrong! Finally, Ang Lee realizes he's now shot enough footage to be close to a feature length film, so out of nowhere, Gyllenhaal dies. Ledger then goes to Gyllenhaal's parents' house, where they tell him that they knew their son was boning guys all along, and that Gyllenhaal had been doing so behind Heath's back since forever. Gyllenhaal's mom gives him one of his shirts, and it becomes his prized possession. Then Ledger's daughter announces she's getting married, Heath cries, and the movie ends. So, what we end up with is not a gay love story, but rather a story about two bisexual guys cheating on their wives, and their wives knowing and putting up with it for the most part. Neither guy is even particularly honest with the other one. All in all, it ends up being about two dishonest, not particularly intelligent men making choices that hurt both each other and the people around them. And we are supposed to find them sympathetic. Blargh! The thing is that I am glad this film was made. At the time, mainstream America needed a film that showed that dudes who bone dudes can look tough and macho (yes, I know a stretch in Gyllenhaal's case), and this movie was an important part of mainstreaming the gay community. But these days we can do better, and we have, with the wonderful and intelligent The Kids Are Alright.

Where do you live? If in Thailand, you are right, it is a good ways away. The best way I have seen to do it is to either travel to South Africa on Thai Airways and then pick up one to Brazil or you can always go through Europe. There are a great number of Americans that visit here as it is closer than Thailand and other places they like to travel. From Atlanta, it was 9 hours. From NYC about the same. Since I am still down and out with the flu, I thought you might like to see some photos from my Facebook page from one of the saunas in Fortaleza, California Thermas.