August 2003 SALVADOR REPORT

[gulliver]

FLORIDA ROBBS REPORT

Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

 

Stayed in an Oceanfront hotel right across from the street cruising area in Barra (Hotel Marazul) no problems bringing guys back to your room as long as they have an ID to leave at the front desk. I only picked someone up on my last night there as a matter of research for the board to see if there was in fact street cruising and if I could get him into the hotel (the things we do for each other). On Sat night I noticed much more cruising but having just ate a HUGE meal I wasn’t much in the mood for another Garato…although I did see someone I was very interested in (hindsight is 20/20) I should’ve taken him anyway…. oh well.

 

Went to Persona sauna all 3 nights, again locals, boys and what other posters said it seemed like the best option. I hooked up the first 2 nights with nice guys but they were going for an Academy Award in the cabin…lots of acting. The sauna was kind of sleazy not very nice cabins …entry was 15 and cabins were 5 but a cuarto (room) was 15 neither was to Rio Standards…. well maybe Roger’s. Went to Rios sauna on the last night because a local at persona said it was good. So we arrive at Rios and ask how many massagistas were there (they call all rent boys massagistas for some reason even though no massage is involved and I didn’t meet one that could give a massage) they said 4, we entered a most beautiful sauna to find many nice looking people BUT many were gay locals looking to hook up with other gays for sex…the massagistas wore a blue or green towel so you knew who was working. I wished I had come here more on the weekend to see what it was like then.

 

Salvador saunas seem to maintain a schedule of some sort as not to have to many boys there at one time, kind of like having too many waitresses when the restaurant isn’t busy. One boy told me for example that Sunday was open day at persona but he couldn’t go again until Tuesday that a different equipo would be there on Monday.

 

My expectations of Salvador were pretty high since almost all the guys I go with in Rio and SP are from Salvador (I like mulattos), I figured I’d be at the source here, when I arrived at the airport I thought it was true, the airport guys and guys in the street were beautiful but the saunas were disappointing. Gulliver met a guy with a lot of “personality” that also drove a taxi, he took us to the airport advising of which saunas in Fortaleza and BH were good…. he also said a lot of Brazilians are in Spain working.

 

Almost forgot to mention, an aging female prostitute near the hotel propositioned Gulliver one night…I guess he was acting butch that night!

 

GULLIVERS REPORT:

 

I was disappointed in the scene in Salvador. I too like many of the boys I met in rio who are from this area. However, all of the saunas I went to were rather slow by Rio standards (and those of Recife and Porto Allegre). The sauna Persona was a dump, dark with lousy bar, no acceptable munchies, and few boys and it was the most active of the saunas we went to. There is an active street cruising scene, the street in front of our hotel on the beach – exit the Marizul hotel, and walk RIGHT along the sidewalk for three and four blocks, all of which will have garotos leaning against the wall.

 

As for Persona Sauna, it was difficult to cruise as all but the front TV room were so dark and they were not a real friendly bunch. I did meet a tall guy (with personality as FR says – ie they have close to 10 to 12 in) who was a great time. When we exited the sauna and walked up the hill to get a cab – lo and behold, there he is driving a car. He took us to a beachfront restaurant. Very good looking straight guy – about 6’3 who gave me his number for anyone who wants to contact him for sex or transportation ( it is Carlos aka).

He will be able to give you any updated information in terms of bars, saunas, and where to go for street cruising.

 

I also second other board members recommendations for the restaurant SENEC which is a Bahian cooking school buffet. The restaurant DADA also was recommended but we did not try it.

[gulliver]

The cab driver who I met when he was doing his sauna boy stint and who later showed us where to eat, where to street cruise, and took us to the airport said it was ok for m4m guys to contact him directly. he is about 6'3 or 6'4 dark, handsome, big personality (!!) his name is Marivas Correia Jr and his number is 8817-8427. he goes by the nickname Carlos.

[trilingual]

If you plan to phone this guy from outside Salvador, be sure to add the local area code: (71). So if you're calling from outside Brazil it would be +55 (71) 8817-8427.

[Guest josekel3]

Sept 2003 SALVADOR REPORT

 

I want to both confirm and add to FloridaRobb's and Gulliver's report on Salvador. I was there from the 3rd to the 8th of Sept. Stayed at the Priarmar Hotel at Porto da Barra. No serious complaints about the hotel. Pricewise it was great. I had a room comprabale to the ones at the Atlantico Copa and breakfast for R84 a night. However, they are strict about bring unregistered guests to your room. To get around this make sure that upon registering you indicate that there are 2 of you. I brought a garoto de programa from Sauna Persona back to the hotel on the first night and a couple of days later brought back a second guy. There was no problem in saying that my first gueset has left and that boi #2 was my new guest.

 

In additon to the two sauns that FloridaRobb and Gulliver review (Persona and Rio), I visited Sauna Phoenix. I was there around 5pm on a Friday afternoon. There were a couple of bois and 2 or 3 other clients. I did not return. I had one of the bois give me a message. All he knew how to do was to pour oil over my body.

 

I went to Persona every night. There were a good selection of bois. I went to a cabine with 6 or 7 over the 4 nights. Three were good to excellent (Sandro, Alex and Carlos- not the taxista); the other 4 were not worth it. As Gulliver mentioned there was too much positioning for an Academy Award among the guys I brought to a room. I may be an experienced cocksucker but I also have enough experience to recognize when someone is faking it. On my last full day in Salvador I went to Sauna Rio. The facility is certianly the best of the three I went to in Salvador -clean, modern, etc. As FloridaRobb or Gulliver mentions, Rio has a few bois for rent but the majority of guys there are not there for the bois but to have sex among themselves. The garotas de programa wear a blue towel. Paying customer wear a white one.

 

I found more bois working the streets (pracas, praias, etc) in Salvador than I did in Rio de Janeriro. The stretch from Porto de Barra to o Farol da Barra has a lot. I did go with one one night. We went to a room that cost me R15 that was along the same stretch. Also, the Praca de Castro Alves (?) closer to the Center was full of garotos de programa. They all seemed to read my beads immediately. I spoke briefly with a few but never fucked with any of them. When we met I was always heading to meet someone else. I did go with a boi from sauna persona to a 2-hour hotel on my final afternoon.

 

Sauna Persona seems to be the place. Although one boi mentioned to me that sauna olimpos as another option. Persona is not a great facility for the money. There are only two rooms, they cost R15 and there are 4-5 cabine that cost only R5. That is all they are worth. What you get is a narrow cubicle with a plastic mattress on the floor. If lying on someone else's cum turns you on, then you've found a great spot for only R5.

 

I liked Salvador. I found that when I was not up for the saunas there were lots of other things to do. It is a very walkable city. I walked out to the Farol da Barra one evening early (about 7pm) and found lots of cruising on the far side. The one disappointment was that it rained while I was in Salvador. This folllowed 5 days of rain in Rio. (I'll post my comments on Rio elsewhere on this site.

 

Joe

[+ Axiom2001]

AXiom>The cab driver who I met when he was doing his sauna boy

>stint and who later showed us where to eat, where to street

>cruise, and took us to the airport said it was ok for m4m guys

>to contact him directly. he is about 6'3 or 6'4 dark,

>handsome, big personality (!!) his name is Marivas Correia Jr

>and his number is 8817-8427. he goes by the nickname Carlos.

>

 

 

 

When I was in Salvador (Bahia) during the middle of last month (October)-- I hooked up with Marivas (Carlos). As Gulliver mentioned here-- he has a super-gorgeous "personality" which he used adeptly! The man is truly handsome (from head to toe--quite virile), and he truly knows how to apply that wide, thick, long piece of wood. I'd contact him if you want to have a sizzzzzzzzzzling time!

(He speaks a little ingles!):9 :9 AXiom

[Guest Gringo]

Could you please give me some information on the rental fees you experienced in the saunas and with Carlos?

[+ Axiom2001]

...didn't go to any saunas while in Salvador, Bahia-- but my guide on two occasions really wanted me to try a new one called QUEEN. One evening (early) after we'd come from the Museum of Sacred Art (an overwhelming institution)--he drove past the place and asked if I wanted to go in. Since it was early and I really wasn't prepared to go to anybody's sauna)-- I declined his offer. My guide stated that his friends had told him that QUEEN was the best sauna in Salvador. I can't say...

 

As for as Carlos's fees are concerned-- he charges R$70 for 90 minutes and I think R$100 for 2 hrs. You will not go wrong with him if you're able to connect. I only wish that I were with him now!

[gulliver]

absolutely recommend connecting with carlos. Fees axiom quoted were about what I remembered - Carlos is not extremely money oriented and does not watch the clock. Use him for taxi services also. Since I did not care for any of the saunas there - he was the highlight of the salvador weekend.

[Traveller]

Persona and Rios

 

Hey guys,

 

Be in Salvador for Xmas - it's got lots of churches - which are all that are open - and I'm still trying to make the BF a Jew for Jesus. Could someone give me the street addresses for Persona and Rios. They're not in Spartacus. Also, any saunas in Manaus - going peacock bass fishing between Xmas and New Years? Finally, be in Rio for New Years - is Roger's still closed?

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Later.

[Guest Valleyman]

RE: Persona and Rios

 

Rios is at Rua Almeida Sande 8, Barris, Salvador.

 

Persona’s address is Rua Junqueira Ayres 230, Barris, Salvador.

 

A good list of addresses for Brazilian saunas can be found at http://www.netgay.com.br From the list on the left side of the screen, click on Termas/Saunas.

[trilingual]

RE: Persona and Rios

 

I'm pretty sure all of that info is in the Brazilian Saunas review (there's a fast link to it thru the FAQ section). You can also get all the addresses you need thru

 

http://www.guiagaybrasil.com.br or

 

http://www.netgay.com.br

 

I'd suggest jotting those down somewhere so you can access them while you're traveling in Brazil.

 

Roger's isn't open yet, but everyone seems to think it'll be soon. I'm sure they're feverishly trying to be open in time for the beginning of high season, which officially starts on 12/15 but doesn't really begin until after Xmas (which is a big stay-at-home-with-the-family holiday in Brazil).

[Traveller]

RE: Persona and Rios

 

V-man and Tri,

 

Thanks guys.

 

Later.

[trilingual]

RE: Persona and Rios

 

A column in one of the Rio papers mentioned yesterday that the current issue of a German gay magazine (BoxDe?) has a spread on Manaus with pix of the boys there and listings.

[+ Axiom2001]

RE: Persona and Rios

 

CarloRio's site has the saunas listed and color coded; check Romanusrj.com. I have forgotten if he's listed saunas outside of RIo. Check is site and the others which have been suggested!:-)