TotallyOz

We have just 7 weeks left to get that special trip to your favorite spot. http://www.maleescortreview.com/forum/inde...?showtopic=2932

I had a sexy Brazilian boy with me last night and he had a very nice cock and for me it was just perfect. It was not too long and not to small. It was a nice 7 inches and thick. It was uncut which I really like if I am a bottom. I like cut much more if I am sucking it. But, for me, bigger than him would have been just too much. I was quite content with what I had in my bed.

The primary market is for clients. We want to get them on the site to hire the guys here. What would attract your attention? This is just the one for a few weeks, we can change it whenever we want but need to find a designer to do it for us. That is always hard as I do not have good tastes when it comes to colors and stuff. Nasty thoughts are my forte. I tend to agree on the background color and will try to splash it up a bit for the next version.

I often get caught up in the moment and find someone so adorable that I would offer to fly them to the moon and back before reality sets in. I met a guy in Sao Paulo that I adored. I gave him a 2 out of 10 but for looks, he is simply amazing. Divine. Yummy. A perfect companion for me. As I saw him again in Rio (his home) at Club 117, I took him to my hotel for the evening. I was planning on keeping him for about a month (in my own mind). I had asked his daily rate and a weekly rate and we would decide after the first night. Well, even though he had a big fish on the line, he wasn't able to seal the deal. Sex was still a 2 out of 10. Kissing was excellent and he would do that all night. During sex, he wanted to watch porn. That is not my thing especially straight porn. When it was time for bed, he wanted to stay up and watch TV in the living room and I went to bed. The tv blasted all night until I got up and turned it off and put him in the bed to sleep. He slept most of the day. When he woke up, I took him for lunch and shopping at Fashion Rio and put him in a taxi back to his home. I had planned on a very long term thing as just looking at him makes my heart go pitter pat. But, luckily, my lack of sleep combined with my hours of free time this morning told me he was not the one. I said goodbye and fully expect he returned to the shop to get a refund on the clothes purchased. LOL Oh well, I am still on the hunt. Perhaps next time my little head won't be going into fantasy mode so fast and will give a test run for a few days before it starts playing "here comes the Bride" as I walk down the isle in my latest white gown.

Thanks Tomcal. Much appreciated. I was headed to Pointe 202 last night but got detoured at 117. I was planing on doing both but the boy I wanted went home to get his clothes for an overnight and what he said would be an hour was almost 3. By the time he arrived, I was getting ready to leave but he made it in time and off we went. On Friday night at 117, they have a gogo show at 8PM with some drag at 9 and then followed by Bingo. If you win Bingo, you get a free boy. A pretty good deal IMHO. But, you need someone sitting by you to play as it is all in Portuguese. There were over 50 boys there last night with something for everyone. I saw several twinks that I liked and even had a short time with 2 of them while I waited on my boy to get back. There were tons of muscle boys around and the bodies on these boys are simply divine. The cost to get in is 30 R and drinks are reasonable. The suites are the same as years gone by and do need a bit of remodeling IMHO. The place has changed since my last visit with a new movie room added upstairs and a newer, cleaner cafe downstairs. There are still tons of places to hide and play. There were many customers and the wait for rooms was about one hour at the end. Overall a good Friday night. I will try some of your other suggestions this week and since 117 and Point 202 are the only 2 I know well, I am excited to try some of the other places.

All of this is fucking bullshit. A young man tries a little weed. So fucking what? No big deal IMHO. But, as a weed lover myself, I would have bought the Frosted Flakes just because of him. Now, I'll just stick to my regular brands.

You are most welcome. Glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully you and I will get to play with these rules one day. Yes, I do understand that. It is really to each his own. I have found I tip a percentage for one hour appointments, etc. When it is a long term thing, I don't tip cash but usually with presents, etc. But, I find out what the guy wants to make sure I get it. My boy in Sao Paulo, I always tip well but on this trip, he asked me to get him some PSP games in USA and I did that. It was almost 400 USD worth of games so I'll let that be his tip for a few evenings. I also tip my mechanic. But, he has been my mechanic since I was 15 years old. I will always get him an Xmas present and when I travel overseas, I will often get him a hat as he wears a hat 24/7. Not a lot but just a little to say thanks for taking care of me for so long. Hey FourAces. I have written lots of articles on how to be a good escort. They will all be on the site. This was really my first one geared totally for clients. But, the others will be there for the boys as well. I put the responsibility on both parties to make the evening successful. It is really up to both to make sure things go smooth and a Happy Ending is had by all. It is yummy isn't it? Thanks for the other suggestions as well. I will work on them either in this article on another few I am working on before the new site goes live. I will be curious as to other responses. I always tip if the service is good. If it is not, I do not. I stay in Thailand quite a bit and am known for being very generous with the guys I go with. One night I met this guy who was adorable and new to the area. I took him home and he was an absolute dud. It was the worst hour I had had in ages. He said everything was possible and yet when it came down to it, he was not capable of anything. I gave him 500 Thai Baht and sent him away. When he got back to the area he was in, he talked to the other boys I know and they found out I gave him 500 baht and they told him that he must have really sucked (not in a good way) as I never give a guy so little money. He was pleased with the 500 until he found out my normal rates. The next night, he walked over to me, handed me the 500 baht and said he did not want it and instead wanted a second chance for a short time. I took the money and agreed. That night he was amazing. Naturally, I tipped accordingly. That said, some tip and some do not. It really is up to each person. I always do if good service is given. But, I also tip doormen, housekeepers, etc. In hotels, there are only 2 groups that you need to be friends with. The doormen and housekeepers can get you anything you want and make sure your stay is beyond expectations. Sorry for the rambling. I'll be curious to see what others say on the tips.

We are getting ready to put our ad in HX magazine for a long term contract. Here is the ad. What do you think?

In our new site to come soon, we have a section on escorts and escorting. Here is a good guide on how to be a good client. Any suggestions from escorts or clients on things I have left out or need to include, please let me know! Oz Do The Right Thing – How To Be A Great Escort Client Even If You Are A Bad Boy Welcome back my happy homos, tasty twinks and burly bears, to the latest edition of the Male Escort Review guide to exciting erotic escort experiences. At Male Escort Review, we know that many of you have tripped the dick fantastic with lots of pay for gays, raunchy rent boys and horny hustlers – but everybody has their first time. So, today we are going to look back to a time before we first opened our wallet to open his button-flies. We didn't know what to expect, how to act or how to play with our boy toy. It was like opening up a new game on Christmas Day – only to discover they'd forgotten to include the rules. We also hear from time to time from escorts who report that they've dealt with clueless clients, uncouth cads and downright bad motherfuckers. Now, we know we can't help you if you are truly a dick, but we do think that perhaps some of these bad sexperiences come from simple, innocent ignorance. Therefore, we are going to tell you exactly how to behave when you misbehave. Think of it as Escort Hiring 101 – brought to you straight from the source at the Male Escort Review. Rule #1: Be The Real Deal Most professional escorts are cool cats who lead busy, interesting lives. Being an escort is only a small part of how they fill up their days and nights. Often it's a job they love, but at the end of the day it's still all about the money, honey. One of their biggest complaints is dealing with “time wasters.” These are dud studs who don't really plan on ever hiring an escort. They just like choking their chicken while talking to escorts online or on the phone, and fantasizing about gay for pay. Their M.O. (that's Modus Operandi to you, detective) is to keep contacting the escort and acting like they plan to make a date – which always seems to fall through at the last minute. Talk about being a cock tease! Until an escort picks up on what's going on, he can end up wasting hours of his valuable time – and never getting paid for it. So, the number one rule is never contact an escort unless you are serious about hiring one. If you have a fetish about escorts but don't have the time, money or inclination to actually go to one, why not get out your frustration by writing an erotic story about your fantasies? Who knows – if it's good, we might publish it here! Don’t be a dick – keep it real. Rule #2: Make A Connection It would be nice to think that we are the only men in our escort's lives. But we all know the turgid truth - that these boys are ass with class and very much in demand. What bugs butt boys almost as much as time wasters is guys who don't keep in touch about appointments, make it unclear if a date is settled on or change up plans at the last minute. That's why it's so important that you make sure they know you are serious and due for a screw. When you decide that you do want to see the escort and are fine with his rates, set up a date and time and then stick to it. Beyond that, the day before it’s good to call, text or email the escort to confirm your appointment. Many guys expect the escort to call them to confirm, but most won't for one very simple reason: They are afraid they'll try to contact you when you are out with your wife, boyfriend, boss or children and they don't want to embarrass you. But, if you don't confirm, they'll be worried that you were not serious. That's why you have to stay connected when you crave cockalicious carnality. It will let them know you are sexually serious and also let them be much more relaxed when they are on their way to give you a great lay! It only takes a few seconds to send a text – and if you do, the boys will think you are the best! Rule #3: No Means No Many escorts will tell you that this is the most important rule of all: they are human beings, not objects. A lot of serious shitheads look at escorts as simply paid-for tail that they can do anything they want with. They are wrong. An escort is someone's son, brother, lover and friend. They have a soul. Most importantly, they have free will and the right to say “no” at any time before or during a sexual encounter. There are many reasons why they might suddenly feel uncomfortable with a given situation or act. There are also some things they won't do because it's not in their comfort zone. If they tell you to stop, you need to stop. Otherwise, you are a rapist. Just because you are paying them doesn't give you the right to do whatever you want with their beautiful bodies. Learn this. Know this. Live this. Rule #4: Be A Clean Fucking Machine Soap is your friend – and learning how to use it will lead you to much better escort encounters and make gays want to dick you again and again. Yes, I know that in some parts of the bear and leather community, smelling bad is considered a turn on. But, for all but a very small selection of escorts, it isn't. You would think this would be obvious. Didn't your mother tell you to wash behind your ears? Don't your sisters take a shower before a date? Then why do you think you have a right to be Pigpen living in Stinktown, U.S.A.? Before any appointment with an escort, take a long, hot shower. Use soap. Don't just wash your balls! Pay attention to your ass, so that you don't get nicknamed “Dingleberry.” Shampoo is your friend! Most escorts get very turned off by guys who smell like a stink machine. And, they've most likely made an effort to be as pristinely presentable to your penis as possible. The least you can do is return the favor! Rule #4: No Surprises An evening, morning or afternoon delight with an escort should be a well planned out event. Surprises are not your friend. We know that it can be embarrassing to talk about what you want in bed with a man you've yet to meet in person, but you've got to suck it up and give him a good sexplanation before your horny hookup. There is nothing worse for either an escort or a client than having some special kink or move come up after the date has already started. The dude may not be willing to doing the dirty deed. Or, he may suck at it, but know someone who would be happy to piss on you, karate chop your nuts or give you a tasty teabag. It doesn't matter what daring-do makes you want to screw; there is an escort out there who will want to fill your nasty needs. But, it may not be the escort you've scheduled to meet up with. So, if you have any unusual sexpectations you need to be clear, because they are not clairvoyant. Rule #5: Stay Sane And Sober Whenever an escort goes to meet a new client, he's going to be a little bit nervous. After all, he has no way of knowing if you are a psycho hose beast or a gorgeous gentleman. Any intimate setting, including your hotel room or apartment, is a situation in which you could be Mr. Nutsy McCrazycock. This is why they are very, very careful when they first get to your place about anything that could indicate that you might get out of control. The number one red flag for these fabulous fags is if you reek of booze, are deliriously drunk or tweaking on Tina. Every sexperienced escort in the world has had a notorious nightmare with a client who seemed fine at first but then became a serious shitheel once he was drunk, high or both. In fact, many will simply walk out the door. The rule of thumb is that you can get wasted with your friends, but an escort should be able to do things to your body that will make you forget champagne and meth exist. You should also avoid hiring an escort if you are in some sort of emotional crisis or just starting new medication. The intense experience of being with an escort could cause you to freak out and/or otherwise terrify the guy if he doesn't know you very well. The best thing to do is hire an escort only when you are sober, sane and seriously sexual. Otherwise, you'll waste his time and yours. Rule #6: Be Prepared To Play Safe No glove, no love - no fucking excuses. If there's one request escorts get terrifyingly tired of hearing it's, “Do I really have to wear one?” Yes, you do. In fact, not only should you be willing to wear a johnny on the cock; you should make sure they wrap their pack as well. The best thing possible is to bring your own condoms and lube with you to the ass-pointment. That way, you can use your preferred brand and the escort will know that you are not going to try to give them a hard time – except in safe, government-approved ways. You should also know that if you try to do the pullout-fakeout - where you put on a condom, start fucking them doggy style and then take it off without them knowing - you are evil. That kid will have to undergo STD testing, put off clients until his results come back and be terrified the entire time. Pretending to wear a rubber when you really aren't is a form of rape – no matter what the circumstances - so just don't do it. Rule # 7: Leave A Tip Any bartender will tell you: If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to be in a bar. The same goes for escorts. The price they quote you online or over the phone is just the basic price. While they should not expect a tip, they do greatly appreciate one and it is when they are good at their job that they deserve one. Unless the date goes horribly wrong, a gentleman usually tips his escorts. This is especially true if you are using an agency as the agency normally takes 1/3 of the cut from the guys and a little extra will be much appreciated. There are some exceptions. If your escort only does the minimum needed, then no tip is needed. You can tell if an escort is simply going through the motions and does little to make you happy. However, if they go above and beyond to please you, a tip is a great way to show them they did great at their job and you were very happy with their service. If handing over extra cash bothers you and you'd rather give him a gift, make sure you also give him the gift receipt so that he can return it. Remember, he's not your wife or husband, and he has the right to his own personal taste. You are with him because you are a cockaholic, and a tip will go a long way to ensuring you have a great roll in the hay. Now You Are The Man With The Plan! Ok. You now have a degree in not being a dick! All you have to do is follow these few simple rules and you'll be the cream of the crop, the top top or the best bottom your escort has seen that day! It's not really that hard to be a good client – which is why it sucks that so many clients suck! Keep these rules in mind and you'll do fine – and we'll be reading your reviews about awesome ass in no time flat! cc MaleEscotReview.com 2009

What are the best nights for the Rio saunas. I heard that Meou Mundo has toweless nights a few days a week. Does anyone know what nights? Also, which other saunas are busy on what nights? Thanks! Oz

I have had friends stay there and love it. It is the only place they want to stay when in LA. However, they are sluts and love the place. They had some pretty wild stories of the place when close to gay pride in LA.

I heard this phrase in the saunas yesterday by a group of flight attendants. Since Tampa was not there to help me with the defination, I had to research it on my own. sanguine PRONUNCIATION: (SANG-gwin) MEANING: adjective: 1. Cheerfully optimistic or confident. 2. Having a healthy reddish color. 3. Blood-red. ETYMOLOGY: From Old French sanguin, from Latin sanguineus (bloody), from sanguis (blood). USAGE: "Still, let us not be over-sanguine of a speedy final triumph. Let us be quite sober." Abraham Lincoln; Letter to James C. Conkling; Aug 26, 1863.

I do believe that is the girl with him. A few photos was taken of her but the girls seem to want only Zac.

I always prefer to spend my money on gay owned businesses. However, I won't sacrifice quality to do this. If I know a business is owned by gays, I will test it and if good, I'll be a regular. I will not continue to go just because it is gay owned but I will give it a test run. Gay Hotels are the hardest for me. I have found few that live up to what I want or expect in a hotel and rarely stay at them. The one exception is in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is called PJ's Place. http://pjs-place.com/ I know the owners, love the rooms and the service. I have stayed there for over a month at times and never been disappointed. I had one hotel in Phuket that was the same but very high end boutique hotel. I was just there in Jan and the hotel changed owners and the gay men were out and a straight team was in. I had stayed there only because I liked the 2 gay owners and the price is higher than other similar hotels. Needless to say, I won't be back there again. The hotel is good but the price was too high for me to continue and the service of the hotel has gone down since new owners arrived.

Just got into the city today. Flying in seeing the mountains and the ocean is wonderful. The city is simply beautiful. I always have trouble at the airport as I take too much luggage. This prompts a check. I keep all my receipts of computers, cameras, etc to show them that I own them all and they are not new and they are for personal use. Once they see this, they let me go. But, it added another 30 minutes to my time at the airport. I always take a airport taxi right outside the corridor as I don't want to get into just any taxi. I use my CC and that way there is a record of me using the service. I have 5 large bags so I usually get a minivan or SUV. The cost is 95 R to my hotel. I had a nice flight and met Zac Efron on the plane. He is a cutie but just an average joe until you know who he is. We said hi a few times and he asked me about Rio. Nothing sexual although if I had known who he was I would have at least offered him a comp blow job in the bathroom. jk He had a girl with him as well as a handler who spoke both languages. It is nice to be in Rio again and I am very excited about Carnival.

I was on the flight from NYC to Rio and luckily got a free ticket in business class. This kid and his girlfriend walked on and we chatted a bit and I slept the trip. We bumped into each other at the bathroom once. I did not know him or anything about him. When we got to the airport in Rio, all the girls were coming over asking him for photos. I was a little upset as I thought surly someone would ask me for one. But, no one did. They had a security guard for him as he waited for luggage and I was still clueless as to who he was. But, I asked a girl and she told me and I said, Oh, Ok. That is cool. I didn't see the show but I have seen him before. He is cute in person but not the knock out I would have thought. The only thing he was concerned with on the plane was his surfboard. He got that and then waited in another area so all the girls would not bother him. Here he is: Zac from high school musical.

This show just keeps me on my toes from week to week. I love it. I hope many more seasons are to follow. This week's episode was great and can't wait to see what happens next.

With Daschel out, will Dean finally get the job that should have been offered to him in the first place?

I am headed to Rio for Carnival. I love it there this time of year! Anyone else going to be in town for the big event? I'll be there for the month of February and would love to meet up with any Hoovillian's in town. PS. I am looking for the best place to get a table for Scala Gay and for one of the Sambadome nights. Any ideas? Here is an article I wrote about Carnival a few years back. It is quite long and a bit boring but pretty damm accurate. The Origins of Carnival Carnival has to be the oldest known public festival in the whole world, with some scholars suggesting it emerged as early as 10,000 BC, from the seasonal farming rituals of ancient peoples, annually greeting the return of the Spring Solstice, with rituals involving lots of singing and dancing. The ancient civilizations of the Nile Delta were celebrating spring with fertility rituals in honor of the first harvests, in 6,000 BC. Later on, around 4,000 BC, the annual festivals held in honor of the goddess Isis and the bull-god Apis (Egypt), Ishtar (Babylon), Astarte (Syria) already exhibited evidence of carnival behavior, and the same can be said in relation to the festivities for the goddess Herta (Erce, Erta, Berta:- Germanic, Erde; Latin, Terra (Earth), the Teutonic equivalent of the female deities above. Herta was celebrated in the Winter Solstice, an aspect of the goddess comparable to the Roman Saturn/Greek Cronos, also celebrated at that time of the year, and also in the Spring Equinox: Hretmonath, the month of March, was Herta’s sacred month. In Ancient Rome, Saturnalia, a festival taking place around the Winter Solstice (December 17), held by the first time around 497 BCE, was one of the recognizable precursors for what we know today as Carnival. The festival was expanded and reorganized in 217 BCE, and held between December 17 to 23. During this time, Romans exchanges gifts of copper, silver and gold coins, candles, and sweets: “All men shall be equal, slave and free, rich and poor, one with another (…). Anger, resentments and threats are contrary to the law”. During the opening days of the festival, cars reminding the shape of boats (carrum navalis) cruised the streets of Rome, carrying naked men and women. The carrum navalis are considered one of the possibilities for the origins of the word carnavalis/carnival. Restrictions were relaxed during the holyday and the social order inverted. Even gambling was allowed in public. A Lord of Misrule was chosen, slaves were treated as equals, excused from work for the duration of the celebrations, allowed to use dice, even permitted to wear their master’s clothing (is this the birth of Carnival costumes?), and waited on at meal time, a reminiscence of the long gone Saturn Golden Age: “during My week the serious is barred and no business allowed. Drinking, noise, games and dice, appointing of kings and feasting of slaves, singing naked, clapping of frenzied hands, an occasional ducking of corked faces in icy water – such are the functions over which I preside” (Lucian, Saturnalia). The God Saturn was identified with the Greek Cronos, receiving sacrifices according to Greek rituals, his head uncovered. Following the sacrificial offers, there was a public banquet, with celebrants constantly shouting “Yo, Saturnalia!” In 273 C.E., Roman Emperor Aurelianus, who had become an ardent worshiper of the Syrian sun god Baal, decreed that December 25th should be observed as Natalis Solis Invicti, “the birthday of the unconquerable sun”. Later on, in the 4th Century C.E., Pope Julius I came about with a brilliant idea to obfuscate the so important pagan festivals held in December: he decreed that Jesus Christ was born in December 25, a date that, from now on, should be celebrated by all Christians. By superimposing the Birth of Christ with the Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Natalis Solis Invicti, the Church intended to empty the pagan celebrations, an objective eventually achieved in the centuries ahead. The Bacchanalia festivals, held annually in Rome and other cities of the Roman Empire, were a celebration honoring Bacchus, the god of wine and intoxication (Dionysius, in Greece). The Bacchanalia were introduced in Rome around 200 BCE, consisting of orgies where everything was allowed. In its original format, the Bacchanalia were held in secret, strictly a women’s celebration taking place on three days in the year, around March 16 and 17, but with the passing of time men were also allowed to participate in these rites. The infamous festival, with its well known sexual and criminal character (all sorts of crimes and political conspiracies were supposed to be planned during the festivities) got so out of hand, that it was forbidden by the Roman Senate in 186 BCE. In spite of the severe punishment related to the realization of the Bacchanalia, the festival continued to take place yearly, in the south of Italy, for a long time after it was forbidden. Currently we know that both, Saturnalia and Bacchanalia, its principal elements and intentions, served as early models for the carnival festivities held all over the world today. From the Italian Peninsula, the Bacchanalia managed to survive by traveling abroad, installing itself in other parts of Europe who became part of the Roman Empire, mixing and matching with local spring fertility festivals, persisting well in to Christian times, reaching their peaks in the 14th and 15th Centuries. Deeply rooted in pagan customs and traditions, it was virtually impossible for the Catholic Church to successfully forbid the festivities, so as it was common policy of the Church, the papacy decided to join in, as a way to control its most offensive manifestations (like the medieval Feast of Fools: this festival included blasphemous impersonations of church officials and a mockery of the Mass). The Catholic Church managed to dominate most of the carnival activities, in Europe, who eventually became tied to Lent. Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, always takes place after Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, the last day of the carnival season), a reminder to all Catholics of the need to repent of the “sins of the flesh” committed during CARNE-VALE (from carnem levare, Latin for “farewell to meat”, meat here alluding also to the abuses of the human flesh and not only to the consumption of red meat), by observing the period of Lent, in which, during the forty days preceding Easter, no red meat, pork, chicken or eggs should be consumed. Having said that, this is the second possible origin for the word Carnival. Today Carnival is celebrated all over Europe, particularly in Latin Europe: Italy (Venice, Foiano, Putignano, Sciacca, Verona, Viareggio), France (Bailleul-Mont-des-Cats, Dunquerque, Granville, Nice, Pau), Portugal (Funchal, Loulé, Torres Vedras, Estoril, Cascais, Batalha, Nazaré, Ovar, Figueira da Foz, Estarreja, Canas de Senhorim, Bragança, Island of Madeira) and Spain (Barcelona, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Madrid, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Santhiago de Compostela, Sitges, Villanova í La Geltrú). Elsewhere in the European continent, carnival can be found annually in Switzerland (Basel), Belgium (Binche), Germany (Bremen, Mainz, Munich, Cologne), Austria (Sillian, Ebensee am Traunsee, Bad Schoenau, Villach, Tirol), Croatia (Rijeka), Hungary (Mohács), Bulgaria (Sofia, Pernick and United Kindgdom (called Pancake Day, a festival held annually in several cities). The Use of Masks in Carnival The earliest accounts of the use of masks in European culture can be found during the Dyonisius festival, in Ancient Greece. Masks were an important element in Greek Theatre, introduced to represent pre-historic archetypes of the collective unconscious: through the mask, these archetypes are allowed to take form and shape, emerging to human consciousness. Historically, masks were used in public festivities all over Italy but particularly in Venice, though nobody knows exactly when its presence became a routine. What is known is that, in 1268, an ordinance was passed in Venice, regulating the use of masks, evidence alone of its widespread use. Elsewhere in Europe, the use of masks during the carnival festivities was common, since many of the participants, particularly noblemen and women, didn’t want to be recognized as participants, for obvious reasons! Masks were skillfully made of papier- maché, and its use became so widespread that masks makers reached artisans status as early as the 15th Century. During the Middle Ages, popular street Carnival had become part of European folk culture. Carnival festivals were held in different times of the year, not only before Lent, and were a time when disguised street bands would emerge, hitting the streets using elaborate masks, where one could perform, sing politically incorrect songs, perform plays and participate in open air drama. Some historians claim that Carnival flourished like nowhere else in France, where it was aggressively used as an escape valve against the harsh realities of a difficult life, permeated by wars, feudal oppression and plagues. The French took Carnival to the next level when, in February 1580 the festival was used to masquerade a peasant revolt in a French town called Romans, turning in to a violent massive protest against the tax system and the high cost of food. The rebels were masked but that didn’t keep them from being killed by the disguised merchants, who discovered the plot shortly before it hit the streets. The festivities ended in bloody chaos, mixed with widespread panic, all at the sound of music!... Carnival was brought to the Americas by colonizers, and can be found in virtually all countries of the New World, from Canada (Quebec, Montreal), to the United States (Boston, San Diego, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, New Orleans), Central America and the Caribbean (virtually all countries observe Carnival), to South America, particularly Brazil, where we can find the most famous carnivals in the world. The first Carnival ever to take place in Brazil was organized, in 1641, by Governor Salvador Benevides, of Rio de Janeiro, in honor of King D. João IV, restorer of the Portuguese throne. The festivities were held for a whole week, from Easter Sunday on: there were street parades, combats, blocks of “sujos” and masquerades. Another important Carnival took place in 1786, coinciding with the festivities in commemoration of the royal wedding of D. João and Princess Carlota Joaquina. As a popular manifestation, Carnival is known to have arrived in Brazil in the 17th Century, brought by Portuguese colonizers from the Azores and Madeira Islands. It was then called Entrudo (from the Latin introitus = the beginning, the opening, in this case, the opening of the Lent period of mortification), a very violent and unsettling version of Carnival: during these festivities, it was common practice among the poor people, the majority of participants at the time, to throw garbage, fruits, eggs, dirty water etc., in whomever adventured to walk in the streets. Some of these attacks had undesirable consequences, even with the death of participants. By the 18th Century, the Entrudo took place in the majority of Brazilian cities, but its violence was the reason of an Imperial order, forbidding its realization, in 1853. The beginning of the 19th Century saw the Portuguese Crown being forced to transfer to Rio de Janeiro, due to the threat of the Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon announced the annexation of Portugal to the French Empire, so the Portuguese King, D. João VI, decided to move as fast as he could, bringing his court and royal protocol to Brazil, avoiding the humiliation of power transferring to the invader. En vogue among all royal houses of Europe was the French etiquette and customs, so it wouldn’t be long before masquerade balls were organized by the local elites. The first masquerade ball was held in Hotel Itália (Rio de Janeiro), in January 22, 1840. Tickets were sold for 2,000 réis and included complete dinner. After that, the organization of mask balls became a routine, the only possible option for the middle and upper classes who wanted to participate in the Carnival. The poor people continued participating in the Entrudos, in spite of its prohibition (never firmly enforced). In any case, the Entrudos became much more civilized, less violent, a real opportunity for the poor, the slaves and disenfranchised to have fun. In 1846, the use of drums were introduced in the entrudos by a Portuguese known as Zé Pereira (José Paredes), a common custom in Portugal. After that, the use of musical instruments became a norm during these streets festivities, the current samba schools being the historic consequence of this brilliant idea of an obscure Portuguese immigrant. These first samba schools embryos, later called “cordões”, (cords) were formed by groups of blacks and poor whites, who also ended up incorporating the European use of costumes and masks during Carnival. Another group organized by poor people eager to participate in the Carnival annual festivities, was the “rancho” (ranch). Both, cords and ranch, disappeared during the 1920’s, with the advent of the samba schools, trade mark of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival. With the inauguration of color tv in Brazil, in 1970, the samba schools gain tremendous exposure, becoming evident, for the local government, that they should be used to attract tourism to the city. Today, not only the samba schools are tv broadcasted during Carnival, but also the huge carnivals of Salvador, Recife and Olinda. Carnival and the Gay Movement During Carnival, in most states capitals, gays have their own events, though they are never exclusive since in Brazil gays usually mingle with the rest of society. It is a strange country: according to Brazilian gay activists, Brazil is the country registering most violence against gays in the whole world, yet it is also the only country in the planet where a transvestite became a national male sexual symbol! It happened in the early 80’s. His/her name was Roberta Close, and the Playboy edition where he/she posed nude sold out in less than two days! Anthropologist and gay activist Luiz Mott, founder of the most militant gay group in the country, the Grupo Gay da Bahia, witnessed twice in favor of Brazilian gays applying for political asylum in the US (both cases were decided in favor of the petitioners). According to Mott “Brazil is, unfortunately, the world champion in assassinations of gays, lesbians and transvestites. Every three days the news reveals the murdering of a homosexual, victim of homophobia, victim of a violent crime. Brazil is a very contradictory country, for at the same time it exports transvestites to Europe, applauds the intense gay presence during Carnival festivities, on a daily bases it discriminates, humiliates and kills gays.” Mott succeeded in convincing the Federal Council of Medicine to remove homosexualism from the list of recognized diseases, in 1985. Still, Carnival is a privileged time for homosexuals, a time where they can exhibit their talents and artistic tendencies (the most famous Carnival costume designers, and also most participants of costume contests are gays). In the past few years, it is unquestionable that the very homosexual presence in the country’s everyday life was made more evident, and this happened in part due to Carnival and its process of creation, a field of work where gays play a very important part. In the last few years, more and more gay Carnival events are inaugurated, particularly in the states capitals. Florianópolis has the Concurso Pop Gay, Brasília launched, in 2004, the Bloco Galera do Arara, Bahia launched Bloco Amuleto, and Filhos da Candinha, a samba school from Porto Alegre announced that this year’s theme is homosexualism, in an attempt to help the struggle against gay discrimination. Olinda also has plans, a “beijaço”, a public intervention where gays will kiss their partners, after manifesting against the indifference of the authorities when it comes to violence against gays. Rio de Janeiro inaugurated last year its first gay samba school, named very appropriately, Unidos do Arco-Íris (the rainbow unity) and the famous ball Gala Gay is featured in magazine covers every year. In São Paulo, the samba school Mocidade Alegre already portrays, yearly, a gay sector, now famous for its creativity and genuine carnival spirit. There is no doubt that Carnival can be a very important vehicle, when used by the still incipient gay movement in Brazil, in the quest for the country’s recognition of their rights to a normal existence, without the daily threat against their lives. Taken for granted in many countries in the world, this revendication is still a very distant dream in the Brazil of today. cc MaleEscortReview.com

I am going to be in Rio soon and one of my favorite weekend activities is the Hippie Fair in Ipanema. The Hippie Fair is a mix of handmade items, new stuff, art, and food. It is a great way to spend the day. When I was in NYC, they used to have the antiques fair on the weekend with tons of googies. I loved going to it. When I am in Bangkok, JJ Market is a must on weekends. It has so much cheap stuff and tons of knock offs. But, it has its fair share of art that I find from time to time. Do you like these kinds of street fairs?

Nope. Queer as a 3 dollar bill. However, most of my friends are from the old days of law school and real jobs. I came to NYC for a wedding. One of my dearest friends daughter's got married. I was the god father. Made me feel ancient! My girlfriend is that. My dearest and oldest friend. A true scholar and a lady and I love to go with her to these kinds of movies. She was moved and always been supportive of me and my gay desires. Hell, she even helped me pick out a hooker while I was here.

TY is the resident review expert so I know he will have a few things to say before this goes to print. But, in the mean time, any more comments on this? Anything I left out? Need to put in? Also, glad it made you guys laugh. I had fun with it. This is what happens when I get horny and have nothing better to do other than play with my computer.

I am top tier with Northwest but they are being taken over by Delta. On a recent trip to Brazil, I had an extra piece of luggage, they charged me 350 US as I checked in with Delta instead of Northwest. I was fuming. I dread the new rules and I know I will pay dearly in extra luggage and other fees. I am also Gold with the Star Alliance and will consider them for my next trip to Brazil as they allow 3 free pieces and the 4 is 200. With all these changes, anyone know what would be the best airline for upgrades, excess baggage to both Brazil and to Thailand? Any suggestions or preferences?

I have been out of the country and unable to see it until now. I went last night with my girlfriend and we both loved it. The story is amazing and Sean Penn was incredible. The movie is a must see for every one on the board. It did tell a good bit of history of the gay movement. My only question is: What even happened to that cunt Anita Bryant?

Are you doing the ride?