What is there to add?

Help is closed and Copa is much safer as a result. Balcony Bar is a piss-poor substitute in terms of size and range of talent. For guys whose MO was to grab girls from Help or the Terraço, Rio will disappoint.

The termas are largely unchanged except in terms of price. As an example, an evening in L'uomo where I bought two caipivodkas for a girl, three beers for myself and had a 40-min session set me back about US$275, And you'll pay more than that at Solarium, 65, and of course Centaurus.

The Ts are largely empty of gringos. The manager of 4X4 asked me, quite seriously, what's become of all the Americans. I saw one gringo in 4X4, none in 65, and a couple in L'uomo. The girls also asked me where the gringos are. I told them they are home jerking off to pictures they took prior to 2008. I had more phone numbers handed to me than has been the case in the past. Boys, the girls are hungry!

I visited a few of the massage places (Bel Prazer, Duda's, etc.) and some girls in Copa with privês. I never paid more than R$100 for an hour, and in a couple cases got 90 minutes for R$100. There's good talent if you do your homework on the Brazilian boards. And these girls fuck as well as any of them.

Misc. bullshit: cab fares went up again, but it is only R$40 from the airport to Ipanema and reverse. I know lots of posters have claimed it's more, but on the meter it's R$40.

Metro fares are up to R$3.20 each way. Most bus fares are now up to R$2.40.

Cena Grill (por kilo place in Copa) is closed; good riddance. The Grill Inn is better and cheaper.

TIM no longer sells cards to use to recharge your cellphone. You have to go to a store of some sort (Lojas Americanas, the loteria places, some bancas, etc,) and they will take your money and electronically credit your account. It's a bit of a pain in the ass, and on several occasions when I needed credits the recharge system was down. Not sure if the other companies have dumped the cards.

The overriding impression I had was "quiet." All of the Ts were uncrowded, even on their busy nights. I've never run into fewer fellow mongers during a stay.

But I still had one hell of a good time.

I'd been seriously thinking of a week holiday in Rio, but for the money you spent in the therma, I might as well stay home! I regret not keeping up my Portuguese (what little there was); following a Brasilian board can be tough!

The Perfect Storm
- Economy crashed
- Dollar crashed
- Help closed
- Terrace closed
- T prices went up

I am sure there are a few more this and thats.

Warning, buying garotas drinks, Pringles, or any other acts of random kindness may result in Catocony changing his opinion of you.

Bwana will never be that desperate for attention.

Actually, I think the overall inflation rate has done as much damage as the exchange rate. Everyone in Rio is complaining about prices, at least in Zona Sul. The Metro has almost doubled in price just in the last 7 years.

You should hear the cariocas bitching about gas/alcohol prices!

CFK, I only buy drinks for girls I'm with. They tend to be even more fun with a bit of a buzz ;-) Other girls will come up to me when they see me buying a drink and ask for one. I uniformly say "no" (if I'm feeling kind; otherwise I say "fuck off"). And what is it with you and Pringles? I wouldn't touch those things myself, let alone buy them for someone else. BTW, when was it you last set foot in Rio??? :-)

Layne,
The upside to the perfect storm is the closing of Help and the Terraço, along with the increase in costs resulting from inflation and a weakened $, has led to the disappearance of a very large % of the low-lifers, both foreign and domestic, in the Copa area. It's a much more pleasant place to walk around. The shitflingers are rarely seen anymore. Being pestered by street kids is far less common.

oh shit. I did not discover Nogales until is was going down the toilet and now it looks like the good days in Brazil are gone before my cherry trip. At least Phils and Thailand are still good.

The good days aren't gone, quality is as good as ever. It's just 3x the cost for Americans compared to 7-8 years ago. Bwana's run at Luomo in 2003 would have cost under US$100.

The good days are certainly not gone...and Brazil will continue to be many steps above any part of Mexico when comes to mongering. Once you know how to monger in Brazil, you will want to skip Mexico completely (Unless, of course, you live right across the border in a place like San Diego)

It is just an expensive destination now...the quality and fun is still to be had...but if you are a Walmart monger and do not speak Portuguese then Brazil certainly is more challenging now.

Prices might be up, but Brazilian girls continue to be Brazilian...with all of their fucking ability intact. The less gringo's, the better for the rest of us.

Now Balcony Bar itself is quite expensive - one "biggie" beer is R$8.60 (or something like that), add 10% and you are almost at R$10 (aprx USD) $6.25 for a pint of beer. On top of it, it is shitty "Lokal" beer instead of my loved Brahma.

Of course, talent at termas is cyclical and changes almost daily, but word on the street is that L'Uomo is hitting a low, right now. What is your opinion, Bwana? Are "old" dependables like, ex-Bia, new-Bia, Ingrid, Giselle and whoever else strikes your fancy still there?

Good to see you had a good time Bwana Dik. I too went down market on my last trip, even though I spent a lot of time with Bluestraveler at 65 and Centaurus, and I still enjoyed myself.

I hesitate to say it, but inflation in Brazil is a good thing for mongers. The times of high inflation in Brazil were the best for mongers because a prostitute was more valuable to a family than a professor. She could adjust her salary by the minute, a professor couldn't.

In my book Rio quality is the tops in the world and worth the price.

I thought Balcony bar was terrible on my trip as well but I went with 2 guys who had never been to Rio before. They loved it....hahahahaha...I guess if you dont know what your missing then anything is better than the states...

I need the nightlife aspect of my vacations....so Im headed to Thailand for the first time in August...12 trips to Rio....always Brasil.......no night scene has made me try something new.....but Ill return to Rio in November for the termas..kkkkkkk....

For guys who like the club stuff, you should really consider going to Sao Paulo instead.

The anecdotal examples of inflation just since last Fall are everywhere for me. I was routinely buying a bottle of Skol on sale at the grocery store for R$.89. Now, I can't find it under $R1.29, more often than not, a little more. I used to go to McDonalds sometimes in the morning and get an egg Mcmuffin and coffee for $R6.50. Now, that just gets you the egg Mcmuffin. Coffee is $R3.50 extra. And don't even get me started on Cokes at the grocery store.

The govt here is in a bind. If they raise rates to fight inflation, that brings in more foreign capital, which increases inflation. There aren't many places around the world with 12% interest rates right now. They have a history of hyper inflation here, and honestly, with the World Cup and Olympics coming, I think their economy is headed for some serious problems because of the inflation and the fear it brings.

And also, I was in 4x4 Friday afternoon and we were commenting that at 5 pm, it seemed like 11:45 pm if you've ever hung around that long. Not too long ago, you couldn't walk through there at that time without inadvertently engaging in multiple sword fights, but you could have just went busting through there yesterday. I don't go in that place much anymore. I've spent as much time in there in the last 3 1/2 years as anyone on this board so I'm a pretty good judge of crowds and times and it was striking to me. The death of that place for me started when they remodeled the upstairs and took away the booths and the quiet area. It hasn't been the same for me since.

Being here the last week I´ll add my two cents of inconsequence. From 2002 until now, the impact on americans has been a quadrupling of prices. Even with that, it´s still damn good. You just can´t beat these gals.

I wouldn´t be too hard on Balcony. It has greatly improved in the last few years as far as quality.

Barbarellas must be the only place in town that has not increased its price. It´s been 60r entrance since about 2005 but I peaked in a couple of times this week and was not encouraged at the quality.

L´uomo now has started Feijoada Saturdays and if you´re into likenesses there´s a Kim Kardashian look-alike, ass-alike working there, goes by Livia.

I can see making an adjustment for the falling dollar but even taking that into account, it's more the gals charging ridiculous prices. Brazil is fun and the whores are tasty but pound for pound this report just shows if you want good looking pulls at reasonable prices then the Philippines remains unequaled. Much better chance finding an attractive Asian for $30.00 USD TLN than anything you would want to torch off the streets of Lima or MDE from what's been shared lately. At these prices even the guys on the East Coast would benefit hitting Asia over Latin America. I will still go to Rio for the beaches and the fun but my next trip to will be a double dose of non pros for sure! I'm not throwing that kinda money at these bitches no matter how good they can hump, ain't happening!

Soccer-
I thought L'uomo was solid. The termas are all cyclical in terms of talent. Both 65 and 4X4 seemed low right now. MC was its usual middle of the pack level. L'uomo had a bunch of new girls. Samantha and new Bia, in particular, made my visits worthwhile. Samantha is a safadinha 3-holer who happily lets you finish in her mouth. Bia is a fucking machine. I have NEVER found girls that could fuck like either of these two anywhere else in the world. So I agree with Frogman...

Bwana - How new is Samantha? What does she look like?

I second the opinion that despite the increases, Brazil is worth the price.

Samantha is blonde, with hair about 4"-6" below her shoulders. She has nice c-cups and a beautiful bubble bunda. Pretty face and a beautiful "light up the room" smile. She'd been at L for 5 weeks and had worked at 65 previously. Samantha does like her caipivodkas, so her drink tab is pricey, but she tells me her limit is two. She went crazy with my pocket rocket and absolutely insisted that I fuck her in the ass so she could apply the vibe. Very, very multi-orgasmic. She was the #1 fuck of the trip.

"I did not discover Nogales until is was going down the toilet."

I just read this statement from above and laughed out loud. Nogales, at its best, was well beyond the toilet stage.

Thanks Bwana.

I am looking forward to an extended trip this summer. Is the new Bia you are talking about a brand new Bia or the relatively tall morena clara Bia thats been in Luomo for a few years and has a playboy bunny tattoo? I know you are not talking about Leila/Bia.

I hope Natalie has left. Im pretty sure she hates my guts. Come to think of it, I hope Lola has moved on too.

By the way, is Luomo and MC closed on Sundays now? I haven't been to those places in at least a year and a friend of mine went over to L last week on Sunday and he said some guy stopped him on the escalator and told him it was closed. He doesn't understand portuguese though. I told him he probably just didn't understand what he was saying, or the guy was just fucking with him.

Then he went over to MC and it was closed and he came back and emailed me and said "Rio sucks man, Luomo and MC are gone now." I assured him that wasn't the case but I didn't know if they were now closed in Sundays.

MC is closed on Sundays, it was supposedly just for a while but it seems like a permanent change.

Why would some guy stop a gringo on an escalator to help him? It was probably a tout for Madam Claudia - assuming she's still in business - who operates out of one of the apartments above the shopping center.

I thought Madam Claudia was in jail. But maybe she got out somehow, and is doing the same things that got her thrown in jail in the first place. Who knows?

Madam Claudia was in jail but only for about a year.

Beefjerky1, it's the Bia with the bunny tattoo above her pussy. She's changed her hair color again, and it's a bit shorter than before. Her 18-year-old sister now works there as well. She's not as pretty as Bia but she's totally safada.

I was approached by one big-titted blonde who told me she doesn't give blow jobs but she'd do anal BB. I told her to go fuck herself in the ass. She was hustling Red Bulls because no one was buying what she was selling.

I didn't see Natalie, but Lola is still around.

L is definitely open on Sundays. MC is definitely closed on Sundays.

This thread is very timely for me. I am working my way up to Rio from Buenos Aires. I'll arrive there on the 18th or so.

I am hoping to find cheaper alternatives to 4x4, L'uomo etc. I'll go to 4x4 for the party hardy atmosphere though. If I see something I really like I'll session. Otherwise I'll get numbers.

Anyone know if they still waive the entrance fee at 4x4 if you session before 17:00? Hope so.

I guess I'll be putting the accuracy of www.bitchmaps.com to the test this trip. With Terraco Atlantico closed I can't fish there anymore.

Hopefully I'll find some low rent garotas in some of the cheaper places.

Oh and Bwana Dik: I still want to buy you a beer or two if I ever meet you.

Jaguar: I'd like to have a beer with you. Like many, I've really enjoyed your tales of woe - and tail.

(Of course it would be great to hook up with any of you for a night).

I left a great great chica in BA. Sessioned with her four times over five nights. She's great enough she'd give a lot of proud Cariocas a run for their reales.

Hope I don't regret allowing for ten or so days in Rio - rather than staying south longer to enjoy her attention a few more times.

So far I've sessioned in Corrientes and Florianopolis - skipping the pricey opportunities in Porto Alegre.

If my very very small sampling of garotas da programa, outside of Rio, is an accurate indication of the norm (outside Rio) then, well, being with a Brazilera sure doesn't ensure a better than average session - as compared to BA for example.

In fact I'd say it guarantees a mediocre experience at best.

I'm in Curitiba now. Maybe I'm close enough to Rio that the attitudes will be more warm and welcoming - with a lot less limitations.

Fingers crossed...

CC

Her 18-year-old sister now works there as well.

4X4 does still wave the entrada if you arrive AND session before 5:00.

L'uomo also now waves the entrada if you arrive before 5 and session any time during the evening. If you arrive between 5-7 they wave 50% of the entrada (with a session).

Bwana dik,

Thanks.

By the way guys I wrote something about my trip last night to Class in Curitiba. Navigate to:

ClubHombre.com: South America: Brazil: Curitiba: Boates/Nightclubs and you'll see it in the Class thread.

Admin: Posts following this one have been moved to 2011/05 Chicachaser - In Rio Now