Rio Report

[BgMstr4u]

I've been in Rio since Monday. I wish I could share the enthusiasm of others, but I honestly can't.

 

First the good part. Copacabana beach is lovely, of course, but I burn and so it was a look-see for me. The natural setting of the city is unique. The breakfast at the Hotel Atlantico Copacabana is unsurpassed. The subway is a dream from a design point of view.

 

But...

First, Rio is defintely third world. The crime and fear aspect is a problem for me, especially since I am a single traveler, traveling alone. All the warnings posted here and on the GayTravelBrazil.com site (where I tried to post this, but could not get the login function to work this morning) have really put me off. I am on guard all the time. and don't like the feeling. I had a couple of quite adequate meals at La Corujinha, where the waiters are very kind, and as I was finishing yesterday, a young street guy came up to the railing and started pestering me for a shoeshine and then for money. He wouldn't stop. That sort of thing might not bother a couple or a small group where you have each other to turn to, but it bothered me.

 

Second, The prices. They are not third world, but virtually first world, if not New York level yet. An over the counter medicine (made in Brazil, by the way) I need, which costs 1.99 pound in London (about $4.00) costs 33 reais here, going on $10.00. Brazil is (except for sex, perhaps) not the bargain that Argentina is, that's for sure!

 

Third, Rio itself. It is, from the point of view of a person who loves cities, run down, sadly neglected. The famous mosaic sidewalks are in disrepair in many places. The architecture from the Beaux Arts we-love-Paris period and from the older colonial era is mostly gone, replaced with the soulless architecture of the second half of the twentieth century, much of which is also in fairly bad shape. On the streets of Rio you could be anywhere, and that includes the beach areas one block in.

 

Fourth, the Museu de Belas Artes is perhaps the worst art museum in a major city in the world. I did not expect the European art collection to amount to much, but acres of bare walls (and even more given over to mediocre photography) testify either to deaccessioning or to "loans" to the rich and powerful (there was only one notice of a loan to another museum). But I had hoped that the second floor, devoted to Brazilian art, would be interesting. It is not.

 

Fifth, the hotel. I have been staying at the Hotel Atlantico Copacabana, because of all the wonderful reviews of it here. I honestly don't see what is so special about it. I got a rate through Romanus -- 230 reais a night (about $100, not really a bargain) for a junior suite, which is supposed to have broadband internet. I need to keep in touch for work. The room is fine, a little strange for a suite (no comfortable chair for reading, for example), hard tile floors, and the hardest hotel bed I have ever slept in. Well, the broadband in the room I was given did not work. After many conversations they put me in touch with someone who seemed to know what he was doing, but was not able to solve the problem. They were certainly not proactive in responding to my pleas, and I did not find out till the next morning that I was to switch rooms. That happened, but then they did not bother to tell me that there was another password than the one I had been given. In other words, they respond when you are insistent and know what questions to ask, but not otherwise.

 

Sixth, the language. I speak passable Spanish, but find Portugese impossible. Lots of people don't speak any Spanish, and don't even think about English. Again, if I were traveling with someone, that might not be an issue, but alone, for me, it is. Isolation.

 

Seventh, the sauna. I went to 117, and it is actually very nice. I had a pretty good time there. There was a little show, but no nudity -- swimming suits on the boys throughout. The boys were very handsome and forward, which I like a lot, but the news about asking for 100 reais has gotten out. 50 is definitely for making them feel good, 100 is what they want to make you feel good, if you want your cock sucked, for example, which it seems to me is a pretty basic requirement in that sort of situation. Also, later in the evening there is a pretty long wait for the cabines -- more than a half an hour in my case, which does tend to cool your ardor down!

 

All in all, I would recommend Rio if you are a couple or in a group of friends, but not if you are travelling alone.

[Guest ihpguy]

Smile! I think you need it. Sounds like this is your first trip to RJ. I felt the same way the first day I was down there. Immediately wanted to change my plans and high-tail it out of there. And WTF, I ended up buying a house down there. And get high-tailed frequently, including by a very-nice, policeman friend In fact, arriving once again on 8/24. Find yourself a full-time garoto who can speak some Spanish and perhaps some English as well, or one of the recommended guides from this board or at GTB.com. I'm sure that all of the Rio defenders will be able to give you many more suggestions than me.

I took an almost immediate detour out of the Copa/Ipanema/Leblon sphere towards the northern reaches of the city and usually only go to Spa 73, unless meeting friends at one of the other saunas. In nine trips to Rio, have only been to Corujina's three times. There are so many super places to go, sounds like you definitely need some help.

I dream of sitting on the Praca Floriano in Cindelandia, at Cafe Amarelinha, taking a strong cafezinho, a plate of linguica with onions, a refreshing lemonade, perhaps some feijao with really great farofa and watching the world pass by, reading one of the papers or a good book, maybe even walking over to Cine Rex for a different kind of show.

Perhaps you should call Carlo? If Alesio is at Pointe 202, he could guide you/sex you through Rio as well. He stayed with me for five days on my first trip. Helped me find my way through many of Rio's neighborhoods. Good luck! Smile! Breathe! ...and just think, you could be doing a lot worse than being in Rio, perhaps suffering through another Spanish Inquisition, the great tsunami, Cambodia under Pol Pot or the Tienamen Square massacre!

[bilingual]

If you felt intimidated by a poor shoe shine boy, then definitely Rio is not the place for you. Get the first plane out to Buenos Aires.

[Mouth]

Frankly, I think you're in the wrong neighborhood. Move to Ipanema where it is less run down and you might feel safer. There's no need to stay in a place where you do not feel safe. It sounds like you are better off doing cultural things. In that case, perhaps you need to engage the services of a guide who can show you what a beautiful city Rio really is. You're stuck in tourist hell. There are plenty of great places to eat in Rio. Need to do some basic research. I would have insisted that a waiter re-seat me if I was being harrassed. No point in bitching if you can't instigate some changes.

 

Rio is not a city for big cultural attractions such as museums, or classical music. For these kinds of things, you'll need to turn your attention, as Trilingual suggested, to Buenos Aires, which is truly a European-style city with fine museums, and other cultural events, great restaurants, stunning 19th century European architecture, and equally handsome men.

 

Finally, it sounds like you have ghetto-ized yourself into a thoroughly gay tourist experience. That's fine for some people, but clearly it isn't working for you. Stop beng passive aggressive. If you want to pay the going rate, stick to it. There are garrotos there who are willing to accept the going rate. But it sounds like you can be talked into or intimidated into being taken advantage of. Speak up for yourself.

 

Finally, I'm sorry to say this, but you did know you were going to a country where the language is Portugese. To complain about the language is the height of insensitivity. Get over yourself.

[trilingual]

Mouth's suggestion of moving to Ipanema is a good idea. If you're not able to this trip keep Ipanema in mind for your next trip. It's got more of a first world feeling, although the truth is that it's probably no safer than Copacabana. Speaking of which, of course Brazil is "third world." It was never represented as being anything other than that. However, there's third world, and there's third world. Brazil's big cities are very far from being places like big African cities, for example. As you point out, it's got a nice, functioning subway system and there are quite a lot of museums and cultural attractions.

 

The National Fine Arts Museum is undergoing major renovation, so a lot of things are under wraps. Nobody ever compared it to the Louvre, but it does have some nice things and when the restoration is finished it should be able to show off more of its holdings, including its collection of Brazilian painting. If you want to see European old masters you're better off in the Northern Hemisphere, although there are fine examples of such paintings in the São Paulo and Buenos Aires museums.

 

A glance at the Events section on the other website will show that there's an extensive program of classical music available in Rio and SP, and a quick perusal of the local papers will show you what's happening at local art galleries and smaller museums, as well as popular music concerts and shows and theater performances (you don't need to understand Portuguese to enjoy a musical).

 

Safety is an issue, but there's no need to become obsessed about it. Just use the same common sense you'd use in any other very large city and you'll be fine. You don't have to travel around Rio in an armored car with bodyguards. None of the other guys who visit Rio do!!! You'll be fine as long you don't do obviously dumb things (as described in the keeping safe posts on both sites).

 

A guide/interpreter is a good idea if it's your first time in Brazil and you're unsure of yourself as well as your ability to communicate. There have been any number of suggestions for guides on both sites and you can contact us at Gay Travel Brazil if you need one.

 

Corujinha is a late night hangout, but it's certainly not the only place to go in Rio to eat! There's an extensive list of Rio restaurants if you go to the main Rio page under "Destinations" on http://www.gaytravelbrazil.com and then click on the Restaurants menu item.

 

You don't have to be alone all the time. There are a number of gringos in town and you can see if anyone else is here by going to the Forums at http://www.gaytravelbrazil.com You should be able to e-mail them to see about getting together. Otherwise, just be sociable at Corujinha with other gringos you see there, or at the saunas. Most are approachable!

 

The Atlantico is a very nice standard-level Brazilian hotel, not a deluxe establishment. You can have deluxe, but it will obviously cost much more, although perhaps not as much as in London, New York, Paris or Tokyo.

 

Finally, Brazil isn't for everyone. 99% of the people who come here fall in love with it, but there's always that 1% who aren't enchanted. Possibly you're in that 1%, but if you relax and just start enjoying all that Rio has to offer you may find that you're in the 99% after all! If it's nice tomorrow, walk down the beach to the Copacabana fortress and go have lunch or tea or just a couple of drinks at the Confeitaria Colombo branch there and drink in the view. That can help remind you while it's worth coming to Rio!

[+ Axiom2001]

Hop into a metered taxi and go to Christo the Redeemer and to Sugar Loaf. When you leaved the "loaf" board a taxi outside of it to avoid being exploited as I was last October.

 

With or without a friend or guide, board a ferry and travel to Nietroi (sp) across the bay and a taxi to the Neimeyer museum which in structure is similar to the Guggenheim but not in its collection. I went with a guide with whom I immediately connected; we had a great time-- ferry, taxi, museum, lunch at the original CC as Tri pointed out in the preceding response.

 

In the evening (although touristy) go to the Plataforma and take in a show which reveals the history of Brasil or Rio-- I can't remember-- in music and dance. Encounter more eye candy on stage.

 

If with friend or guide, do a helicopter trip over the city itself. Go to the place where the helicopters take off; you'll save money. I might do this again since my guide last year had the audacity to sit in the front with the operator; at the time I was not too oblivious as to what had happened.

 

Although I'd suggest you have a guide who speaks Portuguese-- do Lapa area on a Friday evening; keep your wallet in tow, for there are people everywhere, sprawling into all streets and sidewalks, etc. (Ernani and I walked amongst the throngs throughout the whole area; we walked in the dead middle of all of the folks...) Enjoy the music, food, people, etc.....

 

Do take a trolley ride to St...Teresa and go to museums that are there.

Again this is best with a guide; have lunch after walking to a few of these museums. It is hoped that all are open now; some haven't been for almost two years.

 

Take a tour to the palace in Petropolis. This is a day trip but is well worth it.

 

Check out the shopping center in Barra although from what you wrote to me or at this site in another forum you're adverse to shopping centers per se. I am not one who goes or likes to shop in shopping centers as such, but the one here is so, so large that I walked and stopped-- had lunch-- and left via bus (one of the big ones that look like a greyhound-- (air conditioned). I boarded it across the street from RioSul shopping.

 

If you're in Rio on this Sunday, do the Faire Hippie in Ipanema. It's a must; I plan to go again next month-- my fifth time.

 

Do a tour of the city itself; it might encompass the first two places that I mentioned plus a meal at a barbeque restaurant.

 

Lastly, I'd suggest that you ring Carlo for assistance in tours, guides, etc. He's a jewel!

 

PS You must have gone to 117 on free cabine night. If so, there is a wait, and I do agree that the wait takes away from what you'll about to experience. (While you were at 117, did a Robson, a light complexioned cutie with a naturally muscular body and who likes to kiss-- approach you? I'm curious because he lit my fire in more than one way!)

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Wow. That didn't sound like fun...

 

In the time i've spent in Rio, it seems to me a place that almost requires you to be a little more laid back (well, except for Carnaval, but that's a whole other story). It's a very go-with-the-flow city and wasn't nearly as bad as some have painted it to be when i finally saw it in the flesh. I loved Rio.

 

Like most places in the world, if you allow yourself be taken advantage of, you probably will be. Yes, Rio can be very dangerous, but if you're walking around constantly on-guard and looking overtly on edge, it might not be the best thing to do. Traveling has taught me one thing and that's 'When it Rome...' It's a cliche, but it's true.

 

Watch and learn. Mimic people, movement and their vocal tones. You may feel out of place, but it doesn't take long to acclimate.

 

Street vending is a way of life in Rio. Just learn to say 'No, thank you' in native tongue and you'll be fine. If you're eating on the beachfront in Copacabana (ie, at Maxims), the waiters will usually take care of things if vendors get too pushy.

 

As for good meals, Corujinha's is fine, but there are many other places to sit and eat a good meal cheaply. The only bonus with Coru's is that you get a capoeira show now & then and can possibly find someone to take back to your hotel for the night. The food is somewhat secondary.

 

I find Rio very charming. Yes, i like 'beautiful' cities like London or Hong Kong, but Rio has a coat of grime that adds real interest (for me) to the place. It's not white-washed with a Westin at every corner. It's fringed around the edges. That can be fun.

 

If you ever head back to Rio, i suggest going with someone who's been or hiring a guide. If you really want to see Rio at it's best, head there during Carnaval time in February. It's unbelievable

 

 

~BN

[BgMstr4u]

Thanks to all of you for your answers, even the ones that are a little brisk. I wrote the original post in a moment of frustration and soon it was too late to amend it when my better angel tapped me on the shoulder and lifted my mood. But it was real in the moment.

 

So many good suggestions, and they are all helpful, especially the ones about being more laid back, accepting, getting over myself. I did and I~m glad. I~ve been in Buzios for a few days now and am getting accustomed to Brazilian ways in a less challenging environment, learning some of the language and getting used to the differences in culture, one of which seems to be to get a tilde instead of an apostrophe from the keyboard in this internet place in Buzios! Ideally I would have come here first and then, having dipped in my toes (Buzios is upscale touristic, NOT third world though there seems to be practically no one from the U.S. here so it is not a North American cocoon), been ready for Rio. So when I return on my way back I am sure I will be ready to have the good time I hoped for to start.

 

Again, thank you all for your helpful suggestions.

[trilingual]

Good for you! Glad to hear your starting to enjoy your time in Brazil!

 

The most special thing about Brazil is its people. Yes, there are going to be some overagressive guys at the saunas (not all of them, by any means) but by and large if you let yourself enjoy the company of Brazilians and start making friends you'll be as enchanted as everyone else is. You'll learn a lot about living life as it ought to be lived (and not just materially) if you hnag out enough with Brazilians!

 

Have a wonderful time during the rest of your stay!

[vers7]

I've been travelling and hadn't had the time to respond to your original post. Actually, Trilingual sort of beat me to it. When people ask me, "Why Brazil?" The response is complicated. In a country larger than continental USA, there are parts that are physically breathtaking (Amazonas, Northeast), socialogically fascinating (Brazilia, Sao Paulo) and there are parts that are aweful (primarily the poverty). However, I think the real reason I love Brazil is the reason that Trilingual stated: the people. The racial diversity of Brazil, of course, does wonders for the attractiveness of the people (in my opinion). But the open, fun, sexy nature of the Brazilian men and women is so cool. Without a basic understanding of portuguese, it's sort of hard to fully interact with people. But it sounds like you're making the effort and it's paying off.

[jackhammer91406]

Absolutely agree Vers. The PEOPLE

[BgMstr4u]

Just a little note to say that all's well that ends well. I returned to Rio and had a wonderful time on the second go around. Junior's Estacao sauna was especially welcoming. The lads there are not quite as "professional" as at 117, and made me feel very welcome indeed.

 

I met up with a chap from the UK who has participated on the Gay Travel Brazil board, and we had a nice dinner and chat. It was his first time in Rio as well, and he stayed in Ipanema, and confirmed many of the suggestions made here and on that wonderful board as well. Having another person to talk to was tremendously helpful.

 

A word about Buzios. It is fabulously beautiful, and I have to report that one day, as I and friends were at a restaurant at Tartaruga beach (which has a really wonderful restaurant) a group of guys arrived in the late afternoon -- an older (late 40's, early 50's) guy and 4-5 younger guys. They interacted pretty much like a group of Brazilian garotos might interact with their patron. Nothing overtly sexual, no cruising -- although one of the guys adjusted himself in his skin-tight swimming suit and I saw the waiter wag his finger at him, a clear signal that he was being watched and had crossed a line. It was not serious, though, as they all took a table at the restaurant and ordered drinks and started playing cards together. So there may be more gay life there than appears at first, albeit private.

 

Thanks to all who responded to my first post and were so helpful. I'll be back.

[+ Axiom2001]

Your update is appreciated, and I am glad that your experiences continue on a high note! :-) Axiom