Professional Tour Guide

[Big Daddy]

On my first trip to Rio, I did not use a professional tour guide. We had Wan Hallen, Adriano and Moises with us most of the time. The problem being that Wan Hallen and Adriano were not from Rio, and Moises, while from Rio, is not a professional guide. The boys were not getting a "salary" from us, but we took very good care of them. They always had money and we were always buying them things. I had to show Wan Hallen how to use the subway, and for the most part, the places we went to see, where places they had never been to either.

 

The boys provided us with company and a Brazilian "presence". This past trip, we hired Beto Falangola, who is a licensed professional tour guide. His rate for a single day is $135.00. He provides all transportation in a new Fiat, for up to 3 people. If you hire him for multiple days, his rate is $105.00 per day. We hired him for 3 days, and ended up seeing many places and things that only a native tour guide can take you to. George and myself split his fee, although I probably should have paid 2/3's as Wan Hallen was always with me. He also set us up to go several places on our own, for example the schooner tour of Rio's bay and coastline.Beto was also our next door neighbor in the apartment we rented. He is gay, and a retired Varig flight attendant. He will also take you to the saunas and make all the "arrangements" for you, if you need that kind of help. Fortunately, with Tom as my mentor, I probably could have given Beto some sauna advise. His favorite sauna by the way is 117. Beto can be reached at betofalangola@gbi.com.br. His phone contact is (55) (21) 2542-2164.

 

Wan Hallen and Moises have both been in contact with me via e-mail. I did not realize that Wan Hallen has a computer and Internet connection at his home in Uruacu. He wrote to me:

 

Eu estou c/ saudades de você,estou lendo seus e-mail mas só agora consegui

retornar pois estou na casa de minha Mummy e estou estudando muito,gostei

muito das fotos.

Comecei a estudar o Inglês para que quando nos encontrarmos eu possa falar

mais com você.

 

The basic translation is that he misses me, and has read my e-mails to him, and that he is at home with his mother. He is studying hard, and liked the photos. He has started to study English so that the next time we meet, he can speak with me better.

 

It is very hard being so far from him. In the last 8 months, I have been with him for six weeks. Most of you know that I saw him for the first time, my first night at Corrujinha's. I then saw him at Estacao the next day. We meet that night at Corrujinha's, and he has been part of my life since then. It was his first time in Rio and it was his opportunity to be "gay". He really does not have a lot of experience, and was doing the sauna gig with his buddy Adriano. Wan Hallen is the equivalent of being from a very small city in the Midwest, and not a place he could be openly gay. His family however knows that he is gay, and they accept him. I have spoken with his mother on several occasions, and with his uncle, who speaks English. His mother is a highly educated medical professional, which might account for her acceptance of Wan Hallen's sexuality. On my next trip to Brazil, she wants me to come and visit her and the family. I suspect that she considers me a "catch" in terms of being able to make Wan Hallen happy. Wan Hallen insists the age difference is not a big deal in Brazilian culture and that he is happy with me.

 

Each night when I go to bed, I ask myself why I am not on Continental Flight 93 to Rio, via Sao Paulo

 

Big Daddy

[catnip]

BD, nice to read your post. Maybe if there's a new adnimistration in Washington in 2005, some of the visa restrictions will be relaxed and our beloved Brazilians will be able get student or tourist visas here. In the meantime, hope your Portguese is coming along. If you translated LD's letter, then you are doing quite well.

[+ Axiom2001]

Because I only know very few words of Portuguese-- I hired a guide who formerly worked for the biggest tourist agency in Rio; his name is Tom, presently a student studying International Relations, and is posted at Rentboy.com as well as Apollus. At the latter site-- Tom has no face pics, for he does not go to gay venues in RIo: he has family there. But to get to the main point, if you want a knowledgeable, quite personable young 22/23 young man to serve as guide to all of the wonderfully colorful venues-- and an amiable companion-- I'd hire him if I were you.

 

Tom did not ask me to recommend him to others; I decided to do this myself since he yearns to fulfill his goals and dreams through his guiding and escorting experiences. He and I spent two delightful days together going to places that I had wanted to go during my stay in RIo. Although I went to many places solo, I tired of this and did not like being alone. Before I arrived in Rio,I devised my own itinerary after reading three or four excellent guide books: Tom and I went from there.

 

I especially wanted Tom to be my professional guide because he's fluent in four languages, and his fees were in my range. We dined in two fine restaurants, and when we went to museums, Tom would show his credentials, and we would proceed. When I returned to California, Tom sent me pics via my computer which he had taken during our various jaunts.

 

If I get back to Rio in October/November of this year, I shall definitely hire Tom if he's available; I want him to go to Buzios with me for a weekend and perhaps Petropolis; I've been to the latter place but not the former. Anyway, men, keep Tom in mind as an alternative to your needs and desires. (excitedspeedo@yahoo.com.br)

[world traveler]

Tom,

I will be in Rio in early Oct. What did you pay this fellow for his services, and I mean guiding services? Would help in figuring out if I want to pay for someone's service, as I will be alone.

 

thanks

WT

[+ Axiom2001]

Fellow M4Mer, I think you became excited after reading Tom's (Antonio's) email address! :-) I'm Axiom!

 

At the time-- I paid Tom thirty five (US) dollars one day for about four or five hours of his time; the next time I gave him fifty dollars. He has a set rate (which by now has been increased), but for what I received, I definitely did not mind paying him what he'd requested; I also tipped him. Antonio seems 100% legit to me, and I really liked the manner in which he and I connected and the information that he imparted, so money was never a problem with me.

 

And lastly, since Tom was very professional, seemingly looking out for my interests at all times, I truly appreciated being with him as well as for the help that he extended in his enhancing my time in "paradise" amongst the cariocas!

 

Please email him with specifics: ask him what his current rates are? He'll respond. Also, write simple English, for he speaks our language much better than he writes it, but I understood his writing.

 

(I first met Tom in February of 2003 when I took the Apollus Boat Cruise: read my take on this. Tom was the only escort on that boat who was immensely subdued and quiet; when I spotted him after we'd stopped for a rest--I alluded to the fact that he was not wearing that garrish t shirt which read "Rent Me"! He told me why he was not sporting it; I concurred with his choice: the tees were quite conspicuous and unnecessary since we who were on this cruise knew why those fifteen guys of varying colors and sizes had joined this motley international group of men for this cruise, an event that I truly, truly enjoyed and will forever remember. ...took some scorcing pics of Russo whom I saw back at my hotel later that evening. Check out Apollus.com. Excuse the digression.........:9 :-) :9 AXiom

[world traveler]

Hi Axiom,

I meant to put Tom's name in a line above to denote who I was writing you about, I knew you were the one that had posted. I appreciate your response, and will try and e-mail him and see what he has to say. I won't be down there till October, but might as well get started on things like this now.

 

WT :-)