Brazil Really Expensive

[brall3]

Here I am back in Brazil and am shocked at the vast increase in prices for everything; from food, hotels, car rentals and even the boys. In Sao Paulo some of the guys wanted as much as R$150 and in Rio seldom would you find a guy for less than R$100 (many wanting more). Now I am in Fortaleza and the guys are demanding, not asking, R$100 and up. The Brazilian economy is doing quiet well, I have never seen so many new and expensive cars on the streets. There has been an explosion in SUV´s sells, previously seldom seen on the streets, now they are seen in multitudes. The country is still wonderful, but too expensive for my blood. Believe it or not, I am counting the days until I leave; such is life.

[+ azdr0710]

sorry you are to the point of wanting to leave!....jeez....was in RJ in June and had a fantastic time....healthy, safe, filling breakfasts for US$5 at a juice stand...a grocery store around the corner with American-style prices....cheap and plentiful taxis (would not drive in that town!)....an apartment a block from the beach for US$90/day (yes, standard rooms at nicer hotels were US$600++)....and the friendly, easy-going sauna guys were a bargain compared to the States....

 

admittedly, I was not in SP or Fortaleza....but the dollar is now stronger than it was in June, so I don't know what to say....fantastic country.....

[trilingual]

The dollar is now stronger than it has been in more than 3 years -- it closed today at R$2.09! Local inflation exists so prices have gone up in reais, but the stronger dollar helps ease some of that pain. Hotels in Rio and SP are outrageous, thanks to the impending World Cup and Olympics, but apartment rentals are still possible. Deluxe restaurants are also very pricey now, but if you eat where the locals do for everyday meals you can still manage without spending a fortune. Brazilians have to eat, too, and their salaries still don't compare to first world ones! The sauna guys are asking for more -- the world (and Brazil) have changed since I started the snowball rolling in the late 90s with the first sauna review. But let's be real, R$150 is less than US$75, which is still much less than you can find an escort for in the U.S. or even Europe. And many of the guys are available for less than that. R$100 is acceptable to many of them. Yes, it means you probably can't afford umpteen boys a night, like in the "good old days," but you can still have fun for less than than at home. And there's no place back home where you can get the selection of demi-gods you can find at the good saunas in Brazil!

 

Destinations away from Rio and SP are still more reasonable than the two biggest cities, although the sauna guys know the going rates around the country because many of them work the circuit, traveling from city to city to ply their wares before they get "stale" in any one location. Fortaleza can be very affordable, as are other Northeastern cities. Again, you have to shop around, but the last time I was in Fortaleza a couple of years ago we stayed in a very comfortable and convenient hotel a block off the beach for a very good price (obtained on the hotel's own website). Restaurants were very reasonable, compared to cities in the Southeast, and so were supermarket prices (the hotel room was a mini-suite with a small kitchenette, so we bought stuff to make coffee and snacks).

 

In short, Brazil is no longer the dirt-cheap paradise it was years ago, but if you're sensible you can still manage OK there, and the stronger dollar only helps!

[LurkerSpeaks]

I agree with what AZDR and trilingual had to say. If you are on any sort of budget, forget about a hotel in Rio.. go the rental apartment route. If traveling alone, you can find a nice one bedroom in copa or possibly even Ipanema for $100 USD per night or less. If you have a travel companion, you can find a nice 2 bedroom in the same areas for round $200 or less. And remember, that will be a full apartment, not just a room, so you have a kitchen where you can do some light meals/ coffee/ beverages, etc, which will save more money. And like AZDR alluded to, for a cheap, easy meal, hit the local Sucos (Juice stands) that are on almost every corner. They all serve light meals/sandwiches that can bought very cheap. The subway is easy to navigate, as long as you aren't afraid of crowds. When I was there back in June, I never paid a single boy more than $80reais (without tip). Sure, some asked for more. You either negotiate down or laugh at the amount. Just like your typical used car salesmen, they ask for the world, but usually are willing to go for much less.

 

Sure, the prices have gone up.. but they are up everywhere. On my first trip to Rio in 2008, I got a room at the Atlantico for around $90 USD (which was higher than it had been in prior years). That same room, still un-renovated, is now going for around $250 or more per night. Sauna boys back then could be had for $50-60 reais. But now, even at $80, it is just $40 USD. I had overnights in June and paid the boy $125 Reais or so, which is roughly $65.. Tell me where you can do an overnight with a beautiful boy in the states for that price.

 

So, sure, Rio/Brazil is part of the same world as the rest of us live in.. There is inflation... Prices increase. But it is still a bargain compared to most other parts of the world if you shop smart and use the right head at the right time.

[EZEtoGRU]

I really cannot add more than the prior three posters. They have summed up the current situation in Brazil very well. Whilst one can still have a great time with the guys in Brazil, I am very thankful that I had plenty of experiences in Brazil during the golden years (well....golden for hiring hot guys) of 1990-2000. The quality/standard of the guys and the pricing were both phenomenal.

[trilingual]

The quality is still there. The number of gorgeous Brazilians is astounding, from the guys working in the saunas to the men on the beach to the guys working behind the counter at the suco stands! Many of the top guys find their way to Europe or the U.S., especially in the low season in Rio when clients are more scarce. They often return home for the summer high season to avoid the cold northern winters (most Brazilians loathe cold), see their families and friends, and make some money at the saunas which are usually much busier. But I have been in Brazil in every season and there has never been a shortage of beauties at any time of year, as far as I'm concerned. So go ahead and visit Brazil. With some careful searching you can find reasonable accommodations. With a weaker real other costs will also be more reasonable, as long as you avoid three-star restaurants!

[EZEtoGRU]

Question: How are the quality of guys? From what I understand you were able to get supermodel quality in the past, but now a friend said that the really good ones no longer exist in Brazil. Is that true??

 

It is true that, in general, the quality of the sauna guys is no longer what it used to be in Brazil. In my view, the decline started about 8-10 years ago. In the old days, stunning model-types were widely available at the saunas. One can still find these guys from time to time but its fairly rare. Europe, in particular, is full of

Brazilian escorts. It seems that around 20pct of the male escorts in Europe are from Brazil. In Spain, Italy, France and Switzerland there are loads of Brazilian escorts working the saunas and the internet. Even in the UK, I have noticed an increase in the number of Brazilian working guys in the last 3-4 years.

 

Having said the above, A trip to Brazil is still lots of fun and worthwhile. Heck, I'll be going back in January. Trilingual is correct that the quality of the Brazil sauna guys does go up in January/February as many of the guys that live in Europe travel home for New Year and Carnaval.

[LurkerSpeaks]

I made my first trip to Rio back in 2008. So I cannot speak for the "good old days".. But let me just say that on each of my four trips, I have found many BEAUTIFUL men each. And, I am friends with Tomcal, who is considered by many to be the Gay ambassador to Brazil. He has told me repeatedly that he still finds as many hot, sexy available guys now as he ever has on his trips to Brazil. So I would definitely cast my vote as a big YES to try to make the trip.

[LurkerSpeaks]

My trips to Rio have been in November, early December, and June.. and I most definitely got my fill of hot boys each time I went.

[EZEtoGRU]

Wow thanks for the info! I visited the sauna in Barcelona this spring, apparently just before it went dry. There were quite a few Brazilians, ranging from guys that were in the same class as my dad, to some really hunky guys, even a couple of 9's. So it sounds like Brazil is the place to go if you pick the right season.

 

Even with the quality of the guys being less than in the past, Brazil is still fun and worth the trip. January and February are still the best if you go to Rio.....not so much if you go to Sao Paulo. I've been many many times in all months and I also lived there from 2005-2007. In terms of the weather, I actually prefer the cooler months (June/July/August) which are not necessarily when the saunas have the best talent.

 

I have found myself enjoying Spain a bit more than Brazil in recent years. A little bit more variety in the types of guys there. BTW, could you further explain your comment about the Barcelona sauna going "dry"? Has it closed down or is it just the quality of guys that is in decline? Or maybe they stopped serving Alcohol there?

 

Feel free to PM me if you need any further information about Brazil.

[EZEtoGRU]

I remember getting back from Barcelona in March, and the one sauna there was pretty much exactly as it had been described here. But then people here were posting that only low grade hustlers dealing drugs were there (or something to that effect). Obviously I can't verify that since I came back just before this allegedly happened. I do know that a lot of guys had issues with the sauna, and that the clientele base was shrinking due to the poor economy in Spain. Maybe it reached a tipping point?

Thanks for the response. As you say, the Spanish economy could be taking its toll on the sauna scene in Spain. I was at the sauna in Barcelona in July this year and it seemed to be business as usual there. Maybe it's dropped off since then.

 

Thanks again.