When I first planned to visit Sao Paulo I was skeptical. I heard it was much more expensive than Rio, and had less to offer. Well, here is the deal: Sao Paulo can be more expensive than Rio, but doesn't have to be. The scene is much deeper in Sao Paulo, not surprising given the size of the city (almost 20 million population). Although there are high-end places that are significantly more expensive than the higher-end scene in Rio, e.g., W or Café Photo, there are also many mid-priced and even Cheap Charlie places. And, while I haven't found any Rio-style termas, believe me, spending every evening wearing a robe can be over-rated. All in all, I like Sao Paulo's scene a lot, probably better than Rio's. On the other hand, and this is significant for the vacationer, Sao Paulo is not a pretty city, and non-hobbyist vacation-type activities (other than visiting fine restaurants) are much better in Rio.

As with my earlier guide to Rio (Laguy's Opinionated Guide to the Excellent, Good, Bad, and Grotesquely Ugly), this guide pays particular attention to places and scenes that are not extensively covered elsewhere. This means this is not the place to learn much about Bomboa, Bahamas, Café Photo, W, and so forth. The reader should have no trouble finding out about these places elsewhere. Another area not covered is the escort scene, not so much because it is covered elsewhere, but because I haven't partaken.

The following will be discussed, although not exhaustively: (1) Clinicas; (2) Low to Mid-priced Casas (aka Prives); (3) a few Mid to Higher-End clubs; (4) Rua Augusta saunas and American bars, and (5) Miscellaneous thrills including Teatro Orion, and Seven or Eight (or more) floors of whores. I will also give some idiosyncratic advice, such as how to kill time between sessions, where to find computer and digital camera supplies as well as DVDs and CDs, some words on selected hotels, and so forth. As with my earlier guide to Rio, I am not including pictures of the garotas (i.e., girls); this is a matter of individual choice for which there are arguments on both sides, none of which I care to repeat here. I will, however, comment where appropriate (and where I have information) on how easy or difficult it is to obtain pictures at many of the venues. Also, many of the links I provide include pictures of the available garotas, often including unobstructed pictures of their faces, something much more common in Sao Paulo than in Rio. Now on to the good stuff:

THE CLINICAS

If you like Brazil but miss the massages you can get (with sex) in Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, or other Asian locales, the clinicas in Sao Paulo, at least the ones listed below, are definitely worth visiting; I visited three. I selected the three based on their reasonable prices, general reputations, and that their pricing was for all-inclusive sessions, i.e., including sex, with no need to negotiate with, or make direct payments to, the garota.

These clinicas provide good value for the money, and demonstrate that my earlier conclusion (in my Rio guide) that Brasileiras cannot give good massages was premature (I still hold to this conclusion, however, regarding sessions outside the clinicas). The three clinicas I visited share the same basic routine. For around R$100 to R$130, you get an hour with a garota who you either choose in person, or from a picture book. The rooms at these places are clean but not luxurious, with a small mattress (more like padding) placed on the floor, with clean sheets (an issue for those who have explored the low-end massage places in Rio, which the clinicas do not resemble). Each room also has a shower, or full bathroom attached.

You get a massage, generally a pretty good one, followed by sex. If you want anal sex, you must negotiate for this separately, with the starting price usually being an additional R$100, with the opportunity to negotiate this amount down to maybe R$50 or R$60. It is not clear whether all the garotas offer this extra service, which generally is a bit more difficult (but not that difficult) to get in Sao Paulo than in Rio.

Side-note: Don't be mislead by the term "completa" on the menus. Unlike Rio where completa usually means the session includes anal sex, at the Sao Paulo clinicas it denotes regular sex, as opposed to a handjob (or maybe blow job).

I have experienced sessions with around seven garotas at Clinica Antares, three at Clinica Zen, and one at American Center. With one exception, I was able to take pictures of the garota, although sometimes this required some persuading. Most allowed nude photos, and four allowed photos during sex. YMMVon this.

The three clinicas I visited are, in order of preference: Clinica Antares, Clinica Zen, and American Center. All open relatively early, maybe around 11 a.m or noon., although a full selection of garotas may not be available until sometime after opening time. They are open every day except Sunday and close sometime in the evening, not real late. There is very little, if any, opportunity for pre-session socializing, but most of the garotas are friendly. The clinica websites (listed below) have pictures of the garotas (some with their faces blurred) and information on their location. With respect to location, the clinicas discussed below are all within a five- or ten-minute walk from a Metro station.

The particular places listed all (as noted above) have a fixed price for a session that includes sex, unlike many other clinicas where the garota either asks for an additional tip for sex, or won't offer it at all. Also note though that there is often a cheaper session price on the menu that does not include sex, probably only a handjob although I can't say for sure since I have always coughed up the extra reais for the more expensive (although not very expensive) sessions. So, if you go to one of these places, make sure you choose the type of session you want. Also, you will see a massage table in the rooms at most of these places. Just ignore the massage table; it means nothing and is there for show (what for, I don't know, unless they are used for the less expensive massages). Parenthetically, they also offer "four hands" massages with two garotas but I haven't tried these, as I am too easily distracted by the dupla phenomenon (although I somehow overcome this limitation albeit temporarily, when I visit the Eden Club in Bangkok). But I digress. Now to the specific clinicas:

Clinica Antares, www.clinicaantares.com.br
(Click here for Clinica Antares discussion)

I have had some excellent sessions at Antares and recommend it highly although you should not expect garotas who are 10's or lavish accommodations. Upon entering, you are shown a picture book with perhaps six pictures of each of ten to fifteen garotas, and will be told who is available; if you are not told, ask. You select the garota from the book, are led to the room, take a shower there, and about 10 minutes later your garota knocks on the door. Usually things start with a massage, and proceed from there. My experience is you get one-shot, although it is possible there may be an opportunity for more if you "waive" the initial massage or ask that it be given later in the session. Before 3 p.m. the price for a complete session is R$110 per hour, with the price increasing to R$130 after that time. However, their website has promotional coupons that bring the after-3 p.m. price back down to R$110.

I had particularly good sessions with Renata and Barbara, although I never left the place unhappy irrespective of with whom I had a session.

Directions: To get to Antares, you can take the Metro to Praca do Arvore, take the Saude exit, and then walk down Bosque da Saude until you get to number 268, a five minute walk. As you leave the Metro, if you look ahead you should see a Bingo Parlor that can be seen at least from the middle of the street. If you see it you know you are headed in the right direction. At the Bingo parlor there will be a sort of Y in the road where you should bear left, walking along the Bingo parlor's front wall. Follow the road for another two or three minutes. Antares is on your right and will be recognizable only by the street number on the sign out front.

Clinica Zen, www.clinicazen.com.br
(Click here for Clinica Zen discussion)

This place is similar to Antares, but with perhaps a bit less depth of talent. On the other hand, last time I was there I was introduced to about 10 garotas, about half of whom looked reasonably good. (a matter of personal opinion, of course).

The procedure at Clinica Zen is similar to Antares, in that they have a book of the garotas' pictures from which you can choose. However, you have the option of going into a sort of living room to have each garota introduce herself, one after the other. This is clearly preferred unless you are trying to avoid seeing one of the garotas you sessioned with during an earlier visit.

Parenthetically, the manner in which the garotas introduce themselves at Zen, and American Center (described below) is the same as at a lot of the "casas" in Sao Paulo. The garotas walk into the room you are in (often a living room), give you a peck, say their name, and leave. After this procession, you choose which garota, if any, you would like to see.

Directions: To get there go to the Ana Rosa Metro station and walk downhill along Avenida Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves until you get to number 516, on your right, maybe a ten minute walk. As with most of these places, there is no sign, just a number to look for. Along the way is an internet café, and some restaurants that may be worth stopping at (I had a reasonably good meal at the Chinese (or Asian) restaurant on the right-side of the road as you are walking from the Metro station to Zen. It is a reasonably pleasant neighborhood. There is a usable map showing how to get there on Zen's website.

The charge at Clinica Zen is now somewhere around R$120 per hour for a complete session; a couple of months ago it was somewhat less.

American Center, www.amcenter.com.br
(Click here for American Center discussion)

Although this is also a friendly place, the talent appears to be a bit less than at Antares or Zen. However, the garota I chose tried hard to get me off twice during the session, the type of attitude I like.

During my visit, each garota introduced herself and then I made my choice. It was real helpful that just as each garota was leaving the room, she gave me a card (to be returned afterwards) with her picture and name. So this place will work for you even if you are name-memory impaired, as I tend to be.

Presently, they have two promotions. On the website you can grab a coupon that gives you your first session for R$90 an hour (usual price is $R100); also, if you give them your name something like the sixth session you do there is free. That American Center is less expensive than Antares or Zen probably explains why the talent is not quite as good, at least in terms of surface appearances.

Directions: To get there go to the Paraiso Metro station, and then walk down Rua Dr. Eduardo Amaro until you get to Rua Chui. Make a left there, and follow it to Rua do Paraiso, where you make a right. The address is Rua do Paraiso, 642, and it is on the right side of the street. Most of the walk is downhill, and we are talking about San Francisco style hills. Probably about 10 minutes from the Metro station; they have a map and directions on their website.

Concluding comments about the Clinicas:

I like these places both because they are predictable (session fee is all-inclusive with the exception of anal), clean, give good massages, and have reasonably attractive garotas with good attitudes. They are not as luxurious as a high-end terma in Rio, but they are generally friendly places where you can get what you want (assuming you are not in search of 9's and 10's). One potential limitation though is they rarely have more than 10 garotas available at a time, and sometimes it is more like 5 or 6 (although one day before noon Antares only had 3). If you haven't tried one of these clinicas, it is well worth doing so. I would recommend Antares first, and if you like it and want to check out others, go to Zen and American Center in that order.

CASAS

The casas (apparently, aka prives, but referred to as casas by the garotas I spoke to) are all over Sao Paul but you need to know where to find them. With very few exceptions they are not recognizable from the outside and look like regular residences, although sometimes with some subtle clues.

I only recently started exploring them, and may supplement this guide once I have visited others. The casas are usually converted homes, with bedrooms, a living room, etc. After you enter, you are introduced to perhaps five, six or seven garotas, one after the other, like the procedure at some of the clinicas reviewed above. There usually is a small bar, and an area you can theoretically lounge around in, including talking to the garotas before and after the sessions. However, the degree to which there is any real socializing out of the bedrooms appears to vary from casa to casa, and probably customer to customer; most of the casas I visited don't seem to have much out-of-the-bedroom socializing. The more expensive casas I visited charge in the R$80 to R$100 range per hour, all-inclusive, with half-hour sessions costing between R$50 and R$60. All have double beds in bedrooms, and tend to be relatively clean, although this seems to correlate (albeit not perfectly) with how much they charge (there are apparently many that charge as little as $R20 per half hour, making these price-competitive with the R$1 per minute places in Rio, but usually with somewhat better facilities than in Rio). Showers are available, sometimes in a bathroom separate from the bedroom, other times in a bathroom directly attached or a shower stall specially installed in a corner of the bedroom. All of the above information is based on my preliminary observations and information about approximately ten casas; some of these statements may need to be revised as I experience more of these places, or as some of you add your own observations.

AVENIDA PAULISTA/ JARDIM PAULISTA AREA

Savana's Club, Al. Joaquim Eugenio de Lima, 1674, #1:
(Click here for Savana's Club discussion)

My favorite casa so far is Savana's Club. This casa is particularly friendly, and has some hot garotas (along with some not so hot ones), although as with all the places, it is possible that on any given visit, the hotter garotas will be unavailable, or will require a wait. The prices are $R60 per half-hour and $R100 per hour, all-inclusive. I highly recommend this place, although, as noted, the selection may vary from visit to visit, or even minute to minute as the better garotas are taken.

I have had sessions with two of the garotas here: one was very enthusiastic and allowed as many photos as I could take; the other, who is half-Japanese, was sexy in a kind of subdued way. She only allowed a couple of photos with her clothes on and outside of the bedroom.

Directions: Savana's is located at Al. Joaquim Eugenio de Lima, 1674, casa 1, in Jardins. It is about a 20 minute walk, downhill from Avenida Paulista. The street runs perpendicular to Avenida Paulista, almost exactly halfway between the Trianon/MASP and Brigadeiro Metro stations. Most would probably do better to take a taxi from either metro station than walk as it is about a twenty-minute downhill walk from Avenida Paulista. One important thing to note is that as you walk down Al. Joaquim Eugenio de Lima, it may appear as though you have skipped over address 1674. This is because the entrance to casa 1, which is marked with a "1", is on the side of the building with the next higher street address. Essentially, there is a small dead-end alley or street just before Savana's, and you turn right onto that small street and will see casa 1 on the left-hand side. Their telephone number is 3884-0574 in case you have trouble finding it.

Av. Alameda Franca, 175:
(Click here for Av. Alameda Franca, 175 discussion)

Another good casa is at Av. Alameda Franca, 175. I have had good luck here (two sessions) but have to say it is not as friendly as Savana's (but it is not unfriendly). When I visited there the first time there were about six garotas, with perhaps two that were very good to excellent, another couple that were not bad. The second visit showed about four garotas, three of whom were in the ballpark. The garotas come up the stairs (from a lower level) to greet you individually in the living room. The price is R$100 per hour. I enjoyed both my visits.

Directions: This is a very easy walk from the MASP metro station. From Av. Paulista you walk down Rua Pomplona until you reach Av. Franca, no more than a 10-minute walk. Make a left onto Av. Franca and 175 will be on your right, no more than a quarter of a block from Rua Pomplona.

Rua Batatais, 270:
(Click here for Rua Batatais, 270 discussion)

On my one visit to this place there were only two garotas, although I understand there are sometimes more. The charge was only R$60 per hour, and I therefore was not surprised that the garotas were not of the quality of the two places reviewed immediately above. What is surprising is this place is listed on the same business card with Savana's Club of Al. Joaquim Eugenio de Lima, 1674 (discussed above) yet is not nearly as good. I had a session here that was not bad, but not really worth repeating (Incidentally, during my time in Sao Paulo, I had repeat sessions more often than usual; although this may reflect, in part, that I was in Sao Paulo a relatively long time, it also reflects the quality of some of the garotas I met). This multiple-session "phenomenon" cut across every category of venue reviewed here, except for eight floors of whores (see below).

Directions: As with the other casas in this section, you can start out on Avenida Paulista and walk down either Rua Pamplona, Al. Campinas, or Al. Joaquim Eugenio de Lima until you get to Rua Batatais, about six blocks. Once you are there, check out the street numbers to see which way you have to go to get to 270. As to the Metro station, you can get off either at Trianon/MASP ro at Brigadeiro; I'm not sure which puts you closer.

PRACA DO ARVORE AREA

In the area around the Praca do Arvore Metro station (not that far from Clinica Antares but in a different direction from the Metro), are a few casas. Here are some:

Rua das Rosas, 732:
(Click here for Rua das Rosas, 732 discussion)

As best as I can tell, the rate is $R65 per hour, although it is possible this was for half an hour. The three garotas who introduced themselves ranged from awful to acceptable but not great. In contrast, the one garota who was walking up the stairs to a one-hour session when I arrived looked, at least from a distance, like a knockout. So, I reserve judgment until my next visit, which I plan on making.

It is about a 20-minute walk from the Praca Arvore Metro station. If you have taken the Metro from the direction of Metro Station Se, you will want to leave the Metro station and walk back in the direction you came from, up Av. Jabaquara two or three blocks until you reach Rua das Rosas (on the left) at which point you make a left. Then follow Rua das Rosas for about 10 minutes and you will see 732 on the right side of the road. Note that after walking on Rua das Rosas the name of the street will seem to change at a plaza, but it will return to Rua das Rosas once you pass the plaza.
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Rua Pitangueiras, 125:
(Click here for Rua Pitangueiras, 125 discussion)

When I visited this casa, there was only one garota present, and she may have been in the middle of a session when she answered the door; it was unclear. She greeted me by barking "bow wow." Since my rabies shots are not current, I left quickly. This has to be one of the cheaper places, but I didn't get the price schedule. It is possible I am being unfair though, in that I may have gone there too early (early afternoon) and perhaps at other times there would be a better selection.

Directions: This is about a five-minute walk from the Praca Arvore metro station, walk up Av. Jabaquara in the direction of Rua das Rosas, and you will quickly find Rua Pitangueiras. Take a left and you will soon see, on the left-hand side, number 125. It is a run-down sort of place.

Rua Guarau, 161:
(Click here for Rua Guarau, 161 discussion)

When I arrived at this address, there were two garotas available, and two occupied. The two garotas available were marginal, although I did a session with one of them that was not too bad. Rates are bargain basement, R$20 for 30 minutes. Not as clean as the more expensive places. Not unlike the R$1 per minute places in Rio but with double beds in bedrooms.

Directions: I believe Rua Guarua is the street just as you leave the north exit of the Metro; if not it is very close. Make a left onto Rua Guarua, bear to the right at the bend, and you will be there in no more than five minutes. It is on the left-hand side of the street.

BROOKLIN AREA

One of the hotels I stayed at is the Hilton Morumbi, which is actually located in Brooklin, not Morumbi. On the plus side it is one of the finest Hiltons I have stayed at; on the minus it is a bit out of the way. But no need to despair. While there are not many high-visibility clubs in the area, there are some casas for fun (incidentally it is a fairly short taxi ride to both Moulin Rouge and Bahamas). Here are a few of the local casas:

Rua Jaceru, 177:
(Click here for Rua Jaceru, 177 discussion)

Unlike some of the other casas in the area, this one is recognizable as such, at least to the trained eye. The street number is displayed on a sign in big, big, numbers, and the front window has some credit card decals displayed. The curtains on the windows are all closed, as is customary at most casas.

This place is reasonably friendly, with prices at R$50 per ½ hour and R$70 per hour. I was introduced to about six or seven garotas, but based on appearance (many were overweight), I considered only one as a serious candidate for a session.. It turned out I had a great session with her, paying R$70 for a two-shot session that included anal and a large number of photos. My recommendation is if you are in the area, check this place out, but have back-up plans as it is going to be hit or miss.

Directions: It is about a twenty-minute walk from the Hilton Morumbi, and maybe five or ten minutes from Shopping Morumbi, a great shopping center. If coming from Shopping Morumbi, walk down Av. Roque Pentroni, Jr (in the direction away from the river) until you reach Rua Jaceru, make a left, and you will be there shortly. If coming from the direction of the Hilton Morumbi, you can walk along Av. Luis Carlos Berrini (towards Shopping Morumbi) to Av. Morumbi, make a left, and then after four or five blocks make a right onto Rua Jaceru.

Rua Alvaro Rodrigues, 383
(Click here for Rua Alvaro Rodrigues, 383 discussion)

I visited this place on a federal holiday and suspect it may have been understaffed as a result. It is not easily recognizable as a casa, with no prominent street numbers displayed or anything. There was a high closed wooden gate at the front of the house, making me question whether the house was a "casa" at all since you usually get clear access to the front door at these places (with most casas I have visited there is some clue it may be a casa: for example, every residence on the same street except the casa might be protected by a locked metal gate that can be opened from the inside only, or, the street number might be on an unusually large sign, etc.) Just as I was getting ready to leave this casa out of fear it was a normal residence, a garota reported for work. I followed her into the casa, where I learned there were only two other garotas, both of whom were below my standards (the one who just appeared said she wasn't ready for work yet; she was a bit better, and had she been ready, I might have done a session with her.)

Incidentally, the interior of the house looked reasonably good, and had the talent been better, it could be recommended. Given the size of the house, and the fairly good ambience in the casa, I suspect that on regular days (i.e., not holidays), there might be better talent available. It is probably worth a try. R$50 per half hour and $R80 per hour.

Directions: Not too far from Rua Jaceru, 177, you can walk from one to the other in maybe five minutes. 383 is perhaps a twenty-minute walk from the Hilton Morumbi and a ten-minute walk from Shopping Morumbi. From the Hilton walk down Av. Eng. Luis Berrini until you get to the point at which it changes its name to Av. Dr. Chucri Zaidan. On the maps I have, you would make a left at this point onto Av. Agua Espraida, but the street sign refers to the name of some journalist (with the word journalist, or the Portuguese equivalent, included in the name). You can then make a right at any of the streets you run into until you get to Rua Alvaro Rodrigues. Make a left onto it, and be prepared to walk for awhile. The street numbering just before 383 is a bit screwed up, but you will hit a casa on the right-hand side of the street with the number 383, just past the point where it looks like the numbering skipped over 383. Incidentally, the throwaway magazine, "Magazine," which is available at many of the Sao Paulo area hotels, includes a map of the area.

Rua Michigan, 931:
(Click here for Rua Michigan, 931 discussion)

Located about ten minutes by foot from the Hilton Morumbi, I don't quite know what to make of this casa, owing to a bad garota choice I made. The casa is clean, reasonably well-furnished, and sessions are only R$60 per hour. Although some of the six or seven garotas I saw had a bit too much baby (or otherwise) fat on their bodies, maybe three were clearly doable by LAguy's standards. The problem with my session at Rua Michigan, 931 is the garota I picked turned out to be really strange and not terribly enthusiastic, something I began suspecting within maybe 30 seconds of picking her (I'm not real good at canceling a choice if I get a bad vibe). She also did not allow any pictures, although while I like pictures, this was not the fundamental problem. So, I reserve judgment about this casa but suspect overall the garotas may not be as friendly as elsewhere. (I have noticed there really does appear to be significantly different levels of friendliness both among the garotas and towards their customers at the different casas).

Directions: From the Hilton Morumbi, find Rua Michigan (which is on the other side of Av. Eng. Luis Carlos Berrini but requires a couple of zig zags (get a local map)). Then continue down Rua Michigan a ways until you hit 931.

SANTANA AREA

Santana is easily accessible by Metro and is a reasonably pleasant neighborhood. Just find the Santana station on a Metro map. Since the three places mentioned below are within a block of each other, I will give the directions to all three first, and then present the 411 on each.

When you arrive at the Santana station (assuming you have come from the direction of the Se Metro station) you should orient yourself towards where the train is going to head after it leaves the station. After you walk through the exit gate, you should go down the long corridor to the right, until the very end. At this point, take the stairs on your left (which I believe will have you going north) and as you leave the station you should see Rua Dr. Gabriel Piza. Take a right onto that street, and proceed to the 500 block. Then, on your left, in what looks like a flat, will be Rua Dr. Gabriel Piza, 515. A few houses down, on the right, will be a blue house, with street number 548. If instead of proceeding to 515 and 548, you take the immediately-preceding right, i.e., onto Rua Jovita, you see the street address 237 on the right side of the street. The street number appears on a relatively large sign, typical of many of the casas.

Rua Dr. Gabrial Piza, 515
(Click here for Rua Dr. Gabrial Piza, 515 discussion)

When I arrived, there were about five or six garotas, about half of who were not bad. I had an "hour" session with one of them, I believe for $R80, although there is an outside chance it was $R100. I put the quotes around hour because I think I was shorted around 10 minutes, I suspect because another man who looked like he had previously sessioned with my garota was waiting for her (from this experience, I learned about another use for digital photos; they provide a time record of how long the session lasted, assuming you start snapping at the beginning, and take at least one picture at the end).

Other than the fact the telephone rang around 40 minutes into the session (with about 10 minutes then allowed for getting out of the room), this place wasn't bad, although the room was a bit more beat up than other similarly priced casas. The garota I was with was fairly attractive, although a bit conservative for a casa garota in what she would do. Assuming they don't make a practice of regularly short-timing their customers this would not be a bad place. Also, unlike most other casas, there was a lot of socializing going on in the living room when I arrived, i.e., garotas sitting there chatting with hombres, something that can be helpful in making a choice.

Rua Dr. Gabrial Piza, 548
(Click here for Rua Dr. Gabrial Piza, 548 discussion)

AKA Blue House, I didn't have an opportunity to really evaluate this place. This is because I arrived early and was told to come back later when there were more garotas. I did see one garota getting ready to do a session, and she looked pretty good, although not outstanding. My impression though, and this is just an impression (although bolstered by some things I read on other boards), is that had I come back later, I would have been happy with the line-up. Based on this hunch, I would recommend that others try this place and see what they think, making sure to report their findings.

SOME MID- AND MID/HIGH-END PLACES

Bomboa, www.bomboa.com.br
(Click here for Bomboa discussion)

Bomboa was one of the first places I visited in Sao Paulo based on some favorable reviews I read. Their website (link above) includes location information and so I won't go into the details except to say it is a bit off of Avenida Paulista, somewhere around the Clinicas Metro station (not to be confused with the clinicas listed above). It is a rather extensive place with a fairly high number of garotas parading around in dresses, bathing suits, and what have you. There is an admission charge somewhere between R$60 and R$100 to the best of my recollection, which I believe includes a consumption charge which can be used for drinks and/or food at the pretty good sushi bar. There is also a fair buffet, for no charge.

The procedure is to negotiate with the garotas for one-hour sessions; usually you end up paying the garota somewhere around R$150. In addition you pay the house for the room, somewhere around R$65 for the hour (I don't remember exactly).

The problem I had with Bomboa is the two sessions I had were among the most uninspired and boring sessions I have had in Sao Paulo. It also took me quite a bit of time to find a garota I was interested in having a session with. I was not there during prime time, however. I visited once on a weekend, and I believe on a Friday night (which in Sao Paulo tends not to be prime time). If you have time on your hands, it might be worth a visit to make up your own mind, but I was not terribly impressed.

By the way, there is a metal detector at the door, and a digital camera in your pocket will likely set it off. However, while this happened both times I visited the place, the doorman let me go in without any inspection both times. I suspect YMMV on this, but whatever you do, don't assume or act like you've been busted by the metal detector; if you remain cool and look reasonably innocuous, you'll probably get through (with a digital camera in your pocket) without a problem.

Connection Night Club www.connectionvip.com.br
(Click here for Connection Night Club discussion)

In contrast to Bomboa, I love this place. This is a great bar, with many attractive garotas, a pleasant staff, and some perks adding to the value you get here. There is a small indoor swimming pool in one of the public rooms (although I didn't see anyone jump in), pool tables, and on-premises rooms (equivalent to terma suites with hot tubs) for $R200 per hour all-inclusive (i.e., including the garota fee and the room-basically basically the same deal as in a Rio terma, although all the sessions are for one hour). Unlike a Rio terma, the men keep their clothes on in the bar, i.e., there are no robes. There are also some small go-go stages where garotas dance on and off.

There is a minimum consumption charge of around $R50 for entry but the minimum charge is waived if you have a session with a garota. In this case, you pay for what you have actually consumed with no minimum imposed. This bar is highly recommended although taxis can get pricey (but see below), particularly if you are going solo.

A small downside though is most of the garotas I interviewed there were not photo friendly, i.e., would not agree to have their pictures taken. Some did, however, and I have no complaints about the sessions I had there. Note though my conclusion about the lack of photo friendliness is based on a small sample, and reflected what I found from pre-session negotiations, as opposed to the opposite strategy of easing into the issue of photos during or after the session.

How to get there: The address is Av. Dr. Eduardo Cotching, 1,178, Tatuape, Sao Paulo. To save on the taxi fare (and also to avoid traffic delays) take the Metro to the Carrao station, and take a taxi from there for around R$10 to R$15. As you exit from the Metro station, you should head south rather than north to the taxi stand; this will make for a shorter taxi ride. After leaving Connection, you can, of course, do this in reverse, so long as the Metro is still running. Otherwise, you may be looking at somewhere around R$50 to $R60 for the taxi back, depending, of course, on where you are going.

Baco's Nightclub, www.bacos.com.br
(Click here for Baco's Nightclub discussion)

This is another bar worth checking out, although far from the center of Sao Paulo. Thus it should not be high on the list for a short visit to Sao Paulo. The taxi fare can run rather high, particularly because it is out of the city limits and I believe taxis can surcharge you when they leave the city. It is perhaps 30 - 45 minutes outside the center of Sao Paulo depending on traffic. Your best bet is to find someone who is driving out there and tag along, if that is possible.

Baco's is, I understand, owned by the same person or persons as Connection, and has some similarities. There are rooms on premises, but the charge is a bit less than Connection, $R160 for the hour, all-inclusive (meaning the garota and the room). There is a minimum consumption charge of around R$60 but this is waived if you have a session, in which case you only pay for what you consume. The cheaper prices compensate a bit for the high taxi fee you would pay to get there.

I had a great session at Baco's, but it took longer than I would have liked to find a garota of interest. Indeed, when she returned to the bar area after my session, she was grabbed by someone else within a minute. Like Connection there is a bar with a stage for some dancing by the garotas.

Location: Check the website. Best way to get there is (as noted above) to find a Brazilian with a car who knows where it is located and wants you to tag along.

Moulin Rouge
(Click here for Moulin Rouge discussion)

This is a bar located in Moema, not too far from the domestic airport (Congonhas), not very far from Bahamas. It is relatively close to the Hilton Morumbi, although not right in the same neighborhood. It is a bar with rooms on premises, like Connection and Baco's, but of lower quality all the way around. The one time I was there for any extended period, I came very close to leaving without taking a session (a rarity for me, at least after investing a lot of time at a place), but finally found a garota to my liking (although no stunner); the other time I was there it was only for a quick look and see with some friends; there were a few acceptable garotas but nothing to write home about. .

There is a minimum consumption charge of around R$33, rooms cost around R$45 per half hour, or R$65 an hour, and the garotas go for whatever they think they can get. The one session I had there I paid the garota R$120 per hour, which I suspect is about right (but no bargain when you add the consumption charge and room rate). Another garota, who was barely doable, said she wanted R$200 per hour, obviously thinking I was a dumb gringo. I didn't particularly like her attitude, and therefore didn't bother to negotiate, and rejected her later attempts to lure me with a lower price. Anyway, it is possible to have decent session here with some work, but in Brazil that is hardly a recommendation.

Address is Av. Dos Bandeirantes, 2217, Moema, SP. I don't know of any way to get there except by taxi.

CENTRO

Centro is not the safest place on earth so I suggest caution, particularly at night. However, there are some worthwhile places in the area, all of which are reasonably close to the Hilton Sao Paulo, located on Avenida Ipiranga (as opposed to the Hilton Sao Paulo Morumbi, which is in an entirely different area). There are two well-known mongering areas in Centro-that on Rua Nestor Pestana and that on and around Rua Augusta. There are also a couple of idiosyncratic places in the general area-Teatro Orion, and 8 floors of whores-that I will discuss.

Rua Nestor Pestana

This area, near the Hilton Sao Paulo, has a number of mid to mid/high level bars with shows. The ones I have visited include Cocktail (www.cocktailshows.com.br Rua Nestor Pestana, 189), Kilt (www.kiltshows.com.br, Rua Nestor Pestana, 266), and Vargao Plaza (Rua Nestor Pestana, 237). There are maybe three others all within a block of each other.

Inside each of the clubs, which are reasonably upscale, there will usually be somewhere in the range of 25 to 75 garotas, depending on time of day and day of the week (many of the clubs in this area are open seven days a week; they tend to open around 9 p.m. but are dead until maybe 10:30 or 11 p.m.). There are one or more go-go stages upon which the garotas dance, with an occasional male/female sex show thrown in. A significant limitation of most of these places is they do not have session rooms so most everything is take out. One exception is Kilt, which has curtained booths upstairs, but no rooms. The last two times I have gone into Cocktail (a couple of months apart) I was told they would have rooms within a month or so. Whether this will really happen and when is anyone's guess. If any of you out there know that any of the Rua Nestor Pestana places have rooms on-premises, I would love to know about them.

Generally, you are expected to pay for one garota drink before she can leave with you. The garotas tend to be available for three hours, although some will go for the night. Prices tend to be in the $R150 range (at least after some negotiation) but the real lookers, particularly at Vargao, will probably want more. Although this is a matter of personal opinion, I find the garotas at Vargao the most attractive, and the general atmosphere at Cocktail the most comfortable.

There is a minimum consumption charge at each place, with Kilt's being the highest (around R$50). These places are worth a visit, particularly because they are all close together and it is possible to shuttle from one to the other easily (although you will end up paying multiple consumption charges).

Rua Augusta area
(Click here for Rua Augusta discussion)

Within easy walking distance from Kilt is Rua Augusta. The safest way to get there if you are walking (note, there probably is no really safe way, short of a taxi), is as you are leaving the front door of Kilt, take a right for about 1/8th of a block, then a left on the street you hit (something like Rua Martinho Prado); the next street will be Rua Augusta and you take a right heading up a hill. Alternatively you can take a shortcut through the square, heading in the direction of "Big Ben," which on Rua Augusta and which is obvious from the "Big Ben" clock that forms part of the building. Incidentally, if you cut across the square, you will see Termas do Square (discussed below) just ahead of you as you exit the square.

The places of interest on Rua Augusta are primarily in the six and seven hundred block, mostly on the left-hand side as you walk up the street. Many open in the afternoon, although are not fully staffed then. Some are also open on Sundays.

The deal on Rua Augusta is it is not high-end stuff, but not as low-end as the $R1 per minute places in Rio or places like Vila Mimosa. The greeters at the front doors have suits and ties, and the bars generally are not bad, although clearly a step down from Kilt, Cocktail, and Vargao Palace. You will have to look harder for an acceptable garota at many of these places than at expensive places, but there definitely are diamonds in the rough to be found here, and it often doesn't take a great effort before you find one. The places generally charge between R$5 and R$10 for entrance, which entitles you to one or two beers. Often you can talk the doorman into letting you check out the place for a moment without having to pay the entry fee. My limited experience in this regard suggests the fewer attractive garotas there are at an establishment, the more likely the doorman will refuse such a request since he can anticipate you leaving soon after you do your look and see.

Sessions generally last for 30 or 40 minutes, and require paying both a garota fee and a room fee (at some places the garota fee is paid directly to the garota; in others it is paid to the house at the same time the room fee is). The garota fee is usually R$50, unless you look really green and choose a garota who wants to take advantage. Also, those garotas who are willing to do anal (not the majority, but not an insignificant number) will typically charge R$80 rather than R$50 for the session (assuming of course, you want this extra). Rooms run around R$20; if there are two types of rooms that differ by about R$5, you will be better off with the more expensive one, although most places only have one category of room, as best as I can tell.. All the rooms I have been in have showers, although the degree of cleanliness varies. One encouraging thing though is the garota generally gets new sheets and towels before accompanying you to the room.

Although this is not uniform, as a general matter I have had very good luck getting photos from the garotas at the Rua Augusta places. Most would allow photos during the session (i.e., during the sex) in addition to before and after.

There is one other thing to keep in mind. There are "American bars" which are essentially bars with rooms in the back. Then there are "saunas." I have only spent much time in one of the saunas (Balneario) so my experiences with them are limited, but the routine there is you can either leave your clothes on and gain entrance for a R$10 fee (which includes two beers), or you can pay an extra R$10, get a towel, which you wrap around yourself after undressing, and use the steam room and sauna (in which case your $R20 gets you only one free drink). There are lockers where you can store your things, etc. There are certain advantages to going the sauna route, as discussed below.

It is not necessary for me to list all the bars and saunas since they are all within a couple of blocks of each other and easy to find. However, I will mention a few and give my reactions, so that you, the reader, can get a better flavor for them.

Important Note: Be very careful on Rua Augusta, particularly late at night. Although I have now spent a fairly substantial amount of time in Brazil, the only time I thought I was being set up for a mugging was one night, around 11 p.m. as I was walking down Rua Augusta. Two guys who looked like thugs were walking rather rapidly behind me. When they got close, I decided to cross the street at a place where there was nothing but a long wall on the other side, in other words no real reason for them to cross there. They immediately followed in my direction, at which time I found I still am able to run like a motherfucker, which I did for about five blocks. Talking this over with some Brasileros, we all concluded I was probably on the verge of being mugged. Incidentally, not that I put a lot of trust in their judgment, but the U.S. State Department has warned about the danger of muggings in this area, specifically mentioning Rua Augusta. And now that I have you are all enthusiastically looking forward to the safety of the area, here is my list:

Balneario Sauna Mista, Rua Augusta, 783:
(Click here for Balneario Sauna Mista, Rua Augusta, 783 discussion)


Of all the Rua Augusta places, the one I keep going back to is Balneario. It is not for the exclusive higher-end hombre in that the inside does look well-worn. You go down some steps to enter the place, and are greeted by a man at a desk who will ask whether you want the sauna, or just entrance. The difference is as described above and most Brasileiros who enter opt for the sauna. Once inside there is a bar, a fairly large "common area" where socializing takes place, lockers in the back, and a steam room and sauna. Lighting is relatively low, although not so much so that you cannot see whom you are talking to.

When the garotas arrive they change in the locker area, which is not private and can be seen by all. There is also a shower that also is public. The steam room is in the back, and if you go there it is reasonably likely there will be a naked garota or two among the men, sometimes trying to close a sale. I can't remember whether I have received blow jobs there as part of this process, but I have definitely been diddled in there by an attractive garota.

A reasonable percentage of the garotas will allow pictures in the rooms, and a few will go for anal for an additional R$30 (as discussed above). You can ask for a new towel after awhile; I believe they add R$2 to your bill for this.

In contrast to Casarao, which is next store, the hustle factor is low. I haven't had much pressure at all to purchase drinks for the garotas, and I don't believe the house adds a service charge to the bill, a practice at some of the other bars. There are some fine garotas here (I have had some great sessions) but also some you would rather not see.

Night House, Rua Augusta 723:
(Click here for Night House, Rua Augusta 723 discussion)

This place is not bad. No sauna, just an American Bar with rooms in the back. There usually are a couple of garotas who are worth taking for a spin, among maybe a total of six to ten. My only objection is the place could be livelier, but so long as you find a suitable garota who gives you a good session, this should not be a problem.

The greeter at the door is often a guy named Garcia. He is reasonably nice and helpful, although tends to ask for a tip as you are leaving, a habit I find annoying. I'm not really sure it is appropriate but I usually give him a couple of reais on the way out, which he seems to be satisfied with (in contrast, I always hand the bartender at Balneario Sauna Mista on the way out, since he actually does something, and doesn't pressure me for anything).

Casarao Sauna Mista, Rua Augusta, 791
www.americanbar.cjb.net
(Click here for Casarao Sauna Mista, Rua Augusta, 791 discussion)

It is too bad that some places would rather ream you in the short term rather than develop customer loyalty. This is such a place. I have had four sessions there (including one repeat) and have also checked out the place maybe three other times without taking a session. Depending on the time of day and the day of the week, there can be anywhere from three to about fifteen or twenty garotas in this place, with some in the pretty good category, and others in the "get away from me" category. One of the garotas managed to get me off twice in a 30-minute session (truly rare for me) while another came close. Such dedication to their chosen field of work is impressive, and, indeed, I haven't had a bad session here, although I have only experienced three of their garotas. The problem is there is a bartender (who appears to be gay; I only include this to help others identify who he is) who will pressure the hell out of you to buy ladies drinks at R$25 per, both before and after your session. Also, they sometimes add a service charge of 10 percent on the entire bill including room charge, but not always, suggesting they may be targeting gringos with this extra charge (some of the other places have done this to me without revealing they were going to; other places do not). I should add I don't remember whether or not they have a sign indicating a service charge will be added, but I suspect they do not. As a result of their money grubbiness and pressure tactics, this place is now low on my list.

Biblos, Rua Augusta, 657:
(Click here for Biblos, Rua Augusta, 657 discussion)

I have only been in this relatively small bar once, and had a reasonable session there. Not unlike the
other places reviewed here.

Between Rua Nestor Pestana and Rua Augusta

Termas do Square
(Click here for Termas do Square discussion)

I'm not sure what to make of this place, or even whether it generates enough business to remain in business. Terma Square is just between Kilt and the Rua Augusta area at Rua Joao Guimaraes Rosa, 47. Rua Joao Guimaraes Rosa is essentially in front of "Big Ben," an easily recognizable club at the foot of the Rua Augusta hill. Rua Joao Guimaraes Rosa also borders the little square that faces Kilt, although it is on the opposite side of the square, closer to Big Ben. About a quarter of a block up the street from Rua Augusta you will see some Roman style columns. This is entrance to Termas do Square. Termas do Square is reasonably high class (at least relative to the Rua Augusta places) and sex with one of the garotas will run somewhere around R$200 for the hour. It is not really a terma in the Rio sense because the men do not change into robes, and I didn't see any steam room, sauna, etc. (although I may have missed them).

In the early evening (I'm not sure about the hours) and maybe later as well, there is a free buffet (assuming you pay the cover and/or have a session) that is okay. When you arrive the garotas go in a back room and then each comes out, with her top off, and introduces herself. You then can pick one of the garotas for a try out interview after which you can commit to a one-hour session if you like.

While I got a kick out of the topless introductions, and the garotas are reasonably attractive (on average better than the average on Rua Augusta), I wasn't all that impressed, and haven't been back since my first visit. But it may be worth checking out, particularly if you are in the area looking for fun before the Rua Nestor Pestana places open, and don't want to try the lower end places on Rua Augusta. .

A GREAT STRIP CLUB

Teatro Orion, Rua Aurora, 753
www.teatroorion.com.br
(Click here for Teatro Orion, Rua Aurora, 753 discussion)


I love this place, but it is the type of place that likely will not appeal to those who only like the high-end. It is a strip joint plus, with none of the bullshit that goes along with strip clubs in the U.S. It is in Centro within walking distance of the Sao Paulo Hilton and Praca da Republica. From the Hilton it is in a direction opposite to that of Rua Nestor Pestana and Rua Augusta. It is about a five-minute walk from the Republica Metro Station.

If you have visited the Market Street Theater in San Francisco you may see some similarities, but I like this place much better, both because it is cleaner, the garotas are probably better, and because one doesn't have to beat around the bush (so to speak) about what services are available; they pretty much all are.

The normal entrance fee is R$7, with "special" admission costing a whopping R$10 (discount coupons are available on their website, but hardly worth the trouble). The difference between the two types of admissions is the special allows you to sit in the front three rows; if you opt for this type of admission, be sure to hold onto your ticket as you may be asked to show it when sitting up front (actually you should keep your ticket in any event as admission is good for the entire day, with unlimited "in and out" privileges (I had to say that)).

Beginning around 2 p.m., seven days a week, there is a continuous (more or less) procession of strippers on stage. Hombres sitting in the special section often stand up and grope the strippers while they are onstage, often four or five men at a time are doing this to one stripper. The strippers also typically spend some time walking around the theater during their act. Perhaps every hour or so, there is a man-woman sex show, which lasts about ten minutes.

When the girls are not stripping, most hang out in the theater looking for customers, although not real aggressively. The normal fee is R$50 per half hour and R$80 per hour, with anal (when available, which it often is not) costing extra. Once you have agreed on terms (make sure you do this; don't assume the above prices until they are agreed on) you proceed to a hotel (the City Lodge Hotel) that is a five-minute walk away. The room fee is R$25, presumably for not much more than an hour, and you must present some id. to register. The rooms are reasonable and clean.

Many of the garotas will try to get you to buy them a drink before negotiating for sex. This costs R$25 and usually entitles you to some groping (lap dance style) in the back of the theater, where there are tables, etc. I usually try to avoid the drink purchase, but it can sometimes be useful if you are unsure about a garota and want to give her a test run before committing to a session.

I have had some excellent sessions with Teatro Orion garotas, some of whom love the camera (after all, they are all strippers in the most vain nation in the world). Admittedly, there are a few garotas who will turn your stomach, but many are quite good, I would say easily up to the "8" range, with the average maybe around 6.5. This varies though, depending on the day, time, and so forth. I can't tell you, however, when the best time to go would be.

It is important to note though the area around the Teatro Orion can be very dangerous. Even though I am relatively fearless, I am not stupid (I don't think) and have avoided the Teatro Orion at night for this reason. I wish it weren't so, as it is a fun place and I would like to see it at night as well as during daytime. It is not at all clear you can avoid this problem by using taxis at night; it is unclear whether there are any standing by close to the theater.

On another board, there is a post that claims the normal price for sex here is R$150 reais; the garotas parade around in lingerie; and there are rooms on-premises. I have found none of this to be the case, although wonder whether things might change as the evening rolls around. Indeed, given the area, it might be dicey to walk to the City Lodge Hotel at night, and therefore it is possible they have rooms on premises for use at night only. However, if they have rooms for use at night, you would think they would also use them during the day rather than sending customers to the hotel. However, because certain other details included in the aforementioned report are true (e.g., ladies drinks are R$25), I am a bit perplexed, except to suspect the R$150 price quote was grossly inflated for whatever reason. OTOH, there are some indications that some of the garotas will try to take advantage of foreigners by attempting to raise their prices, although I have never personally experienced this. Nor have I been ripped off in any way once I agreed to a price and got to business in the room.

The Teatro Orion website includes pictures of many of the strippers, as well as directions to the theater, and other things (including pictures of some of the sex show couples). Note, however, that none of the four garotas I have had sessions with have their pictures on the website. On the other hand, I have seen most of the garotas that are featured on the website at the theater, although not all at one time. Accordingly, while the website collection of garota pictures is incomplete, it is relatively representative of garotas who currently work there.

Location Information: The theater is located at Rua Aurora, 753, in the Centro area of Sao Paulo. Their telephone number is (11) 221-3948. To get there from Praca da Republica you walk away from Av. Ipiranga, cross the park and go a block or two until you hit Rua Aurora. Make a right onto Rua Aurora and within a couple of blocks you will run into the theater on the right side of the street.

SEVEN OR EIGHT FLOORS OF WHORES
(Click here for Seven or Eight Floors of Whores discussion)

In my earlier guide to Rio, I included a review of Vila Mimosa with some references to Fellini. Bottom line though is I liked the place, probably leading many to question my sanity. Well, LAguy has sadly finally found his limit. In an area of Centro, not too far from the Teatro Orion, there is a building with about eight floors, each of which has garotas waiting for customers. Unlike some of the lower end massage places in Rio, e.g., Rua Carioca, 59, these do not appear to be separate businesses on different floors, although it is possible they are. Rather you have garotas hanging out on the stairway, in the corridors, and everywhere. Many of them will turn your stomach, or at least qualify for an extensive photo shoot by the infamous Masterbates (note to Masterbates: if you ever do make it to Sao Paulo and visit this place, please take photos only for personal use. Do not post them here!). A few of the many garotas are doable if your dick hasn't totally shriveled up from looked at the more grotesque ones. Prices are in the R$10 to R$20 range; I paid R$15 for a session and wondered whether this was the special inflated gringo price (probably not, but it was a thought).

The scary part is as I was walking up and down the stairs (the elevator didn't seem to be working) some of the garotas would grab me and wouldn't let go, literally. I suggest if you are going there, go with a couple of other hombres to offer some protection against such things getting out of hand (as it almost did when one of the ugliest garotas I have ever seen grabbed my arm and wouldn't let go). Also, watch your pockets, don't wear a watch, and so forth.

I have one caveat to add to the above. I went there on a weekend; I can't remember whether it was a Saturday or Sunday. I suspect things may be different on other days, although I can't say whether they would be better (more garotas) or worse (more garotas). It is conceivable on a different day I would like the place more, but even with my high tolerance for places like this, I doubt it.

Directions: This rather hideous place is located at Rua Barao de Limeira, 134. To get there you could walk along Avenida Ipiranga away from Praca Republica and towards Ave. Sao Joao. Make a left on Ave. Sao Joao and walk perhaps three blocks until you reach Rua Barao de Limeria which is off to the right at a 45 degree angle (or something like that) to Ave. Sao Joao. Within maybe two blocks you will hit Rua Barao de Limeria on the right-hand side. It looks like an old office building but it should be obvious you are in the right place once you enter.

SE/LIBERDADE STREETWALKERS

One Sunday during my first trip to Sao Paulo, I decided to visit the Liberdade street market, since I heard there was not much in the way of mongering opportunities on Sundays. The market is across from the Liberdade Metro station, and is worth a visit. Since Liberdade is the most concentrated Japanese area in a city with a huge Japanese population (maybe around 600,000), it is an interesting place to hang out for a while. Without any thought of mongering, I decided to walk around the area, tourist style.

Well, this tourist was shocked by what he saw. As I walked up Av. Liberdade, in the direction of Metro Station Se, and Praca da Se (with the Catedral Metropolitana da Se at its center), I noticed a number of suspicious looking garotas on the left-hand side of the street, just standing there! As I approached the Catedral (I wish the Brazilians would learn how to spell) from its backside, I noticed that immediately across from the Catedral, on both sides of a rather wide street that passed by the Cathedral's back side was a congregation of similarly situated garotas. In short, on a Sunday afternoon there are perhaps 30 streetwalkers in the area, on Av. Liberdade (as indicated), and to a greater extent on both sides of the street facing the back of the Catedral. I gave a couple of the garotas test runs (on different days) and also spoke to a few others. The price is in the range of $R40 or $R50, with the hotel sometimes included, and other times somewhere around an additional R$10. You may be able to do better on the base fee if you are a good negotiator, and want to bother, which I didn't.

Among the streetwalkers, there are some lookers, or, at least, semi-lookers (we're talking about streetwalkers here). One of the sessions I had was fair the other reasonably okay. The fair session was with a garota who tried to hard to sell extra services once we were in the room (such as more time) and when I didn't bite she went into Tijuana rush job mode. The other garota was reasonably good without these sorts of problems. None of the garotas I spoke to in the area would allow pictures; I must have spoken to seven or eight.

In short, there may be some potential here, but I only had average experiences at best. If you are in Sao Paulo for only a short time there are better options (unless you gravitate to streetwalkers), but if you are there for an extended time, you might, depending on personal preference, want to take a look at this scene. I cannot comment on whether it is better or worse on days other than Sunday, however.

TIME OUT: NON-MONGERING INFORMATION

Art Museum MASP

There may be the rare hobbyist who wants to do something other than monger one-hundred percent of the time. Such perverts might think there is some sort of higher mission in life, or they might just have some abnormal biological limitations. Well, I am not adverse to providing information even to these misguided perverts, so here goes.

Although there is not a whole lot to see in Sao Paulo, the Museum of Art Sao Paulo (MASP) is a great art museum, and conveniently located near some of the better casas I described above. Therefore you can take in one casa, spend an hour or so at the museum (where there is also a mid-priced restaurant on premises) and then move on to another casa. The entrance fee at MASP is R$10, less than the cost of a garota for eleven minutes at one of Rio's R$1 per minute places. If you should decide to give it a try, note the museum's permanent collection (which includes Van Gogh's, Picasso's, and many other noted artists) is located mainly on the upper floor, whereas the temporary exhibits, which can be idiosyncratic, as well as some of the Brazilian permanent collection (which is quite interesting) is located on the lower floors (I mention this because the first time I went there I only went to the lower floors (thinking the upper floors were administrative offices) and wondered what the big deal was.

The museum sells a catalog of its permanent collection, consisting of four books, for R$160, with an English language version available. I found it worthwhile to go to the museum once for a first run, get the catalog and read through it, and then return to gain a greater appreciation of the art. If it weren't for the rebound-time phenomenon, I doubt I would have done this, but perusing the museum allowed me to take my mind off of my biological limitations for a while, after which the limitations magically disappeared. Obviously, this art museum thing is not for everyone, but it is a great between session time-killer, something I suspect some of the artists whose work is on display would have no trouble appreciating.

Directions: MASP's address is Avenida Paulista, 1578, just across the street from Parque Trianon. It is right next to the Trianon/MASP Metro station.

The Metro

The metro, while crowded (particularly during rush hour), is the fastest and most convenient way to get around Sao Paulo, assuming your origin and destination locations are near Metro stations. Metro maps are available at most hotels, and also are posted on the walls of the stations. The procedure is you buy a ticket (around R$2 one-way, or R$17 for a ticket good for 10 rides), and put it through the machine at the entrance on the way in. Single tickets are "eaten" by the machine, the "multiplo" tickets are returned as you go through the gate. No need to have a ticket to get out of the station. All rides, no matter how long, cost the same, and transfers within the Metro system are included in the one ride. Other than the need to guard against pickpockets, the Metro stations and trains seemed relatively safe.

Hilton Hotels and Other Hotel Options

There are plenty of hotel options in Sao Paulo spanning the range from cheap, but not necessarily bad, to expensive and luxurious. I start by commenting on the two Hiltons, largely because the Hilton Sao Paulo on Ipiranga is sometimes considered mongerer's ground zero, while the Hilton Morumbi is a very fine hotel, particularly worth considering if you have Hilton Gold or Diamond status which gives you an upgrade to their executive floors (any hotel that has complementary Remy Martin XO in the executive lounge can't be all bad!).

In contrast to the Hilton Morumbi, the Hilton Sao Paulo on Iparanga is probably the worst Hilton I have stayed at, although it is very convenient to a number of attractions, including Vargao, Cocktail, Kilt, the Rua Augusta saunas and American bars, and the Teatro Orion. In contrast, the Hilton Morumbi is a taxi ride (or bus ride) away from everything other than a few casas and a few other scattered locales.

The Hilton Sao Paulo (Ipiranga) is rather old, and the air inside the rooms generally has a musty smell. Moreover, the air conditioning has no adjustable thermostat (except in a small percentage of the rooms). EVERY time I checked into the Hilton Sao Paulo I ended up with a stuffed nose, and often a cold within a couple of days. However, if you are resistant to this sort of thing, you could check it out as the hotel is otherwise acceptable, and relatively inexpensive. On their website you can usually get a room for US$75 and sometimes US$65. While there are better values in Sao Paulo, if you are a Hilton Gold or Diamond member, the perk of Executive Club access may make a stay there worthwhile, or, alternatively, you might be able to negotiate for this when making your reservation.

The Hilton Morumbi tends to charge US$135 on weekends and about US$40 more on weekdays. Yes, we are beginning to talk real money here, but aside from the less than convenient location it is a great hotel. Shopping Morumbi, which is a great mall, and some other attractions near Hilton Morumbi (e.g., Bahamas and Moulin Rouge) are short taxi rides away, as is Conganhas airport. It should be said that on the high end, some recommend either the Renaissance or Emiliano; but both will typically cost over US$200 a day, with the Emiliano closer to US$300. I am not terribly impressed with the Renaissance, and other than location the Hilton Morumbi has it beat by a mile (and is usually substantially cheaper). The Emiliano is an interesting boutique hotel, much better than the Renaissance IMHO, but unless money is of no object, you could find better things to spend your money on. Parenthetically, if you begin your stay at the Hilton Morumbi by booking a weekend at the weekend rate, there is a reasonable chance that once there you will be able to get them to extend through the week for the same rate (I did this once, whether it can always be done is unclear). Also, it appears you can get the weekend rate beginning on Thursdays, and extending through to Monday; this may vary though depending on their vacancy rate at a given time.

I hear the Blue Tree chain of hotels (www.bluetree.com.br) is also a good option; I visited one---Blue Tree Towers Paulista-which is within a block of MASP, and saw some of the rooms. The rooms are pretty good, although nothing like the Hilton Morumbi. I saw the standard room, which was too small for my tastes, and a room that was one step up and a bit larger. On their website the prices were higher than expected, but when I went to the hotel and spoke to them they were able to give me the following corporate rates: R$186 for the smaller rooms, and R$207, for the slightly larger rooms. In addition there is a 5 percent iss (??) charge, and a tax that I believe is around R$10 - R$15 per day. Note that I had to do a song and dance to get the corporate rate, so be prepared to similarly explain you are in Sao Paulo on business. The one downside for me about this hotel is they do not have wideband internet in the rooms. There are some inexpensive internet cafes in the area that do, however.

Parenthetically, while the Blue Tree Towers Paulista was not super cheap, I believe some of the other Blue Tree hotels may be cheaper. I suspect one of the things you are paying for at the Blue Tree Towers Paulista is the prime location.

Incidentally, while I do not know this from experience, I understand from various posts that every hotel in Sao Paulo is guest friendly. I can only speak to the Hilton Sao Paulo, which is. Generally, they do not charge a guest fee, although I heard of one instance where they attempted to. Whether this signifies a change in policy there is unclear; I doubt it though.

Maps and Misc. Information

Sao Paulo is a huge place, and unless you are going to rely on taxis to go only to the most popular locations (which the taxi drivers will know) a good map is invaluable. One of the problems though is most of the maps, particularly but not limited to the freebies, will only focus on portions of the city, and often without including the names of all the side streets. In addition to a freebie map, or one that focuses on the city center, I recommend that once you are in Sao Paulo you purchase a map put out by Geomapas entitled Nova Sao Paulo (there are other Sao Paulo maps put out by this company, such as one for the entire state; make sure the one you purchase says Nova Sao Paulo). You will be able to find just about everything you need on this large, detailed map. It is available at some of the finer bookstores and/or superstores, and possibly at some newsstands.

In addition, another useful (and free) resource is a throwaway magazine available at many hotels called "Magazine: Hotel and Travel Guide." It includes maps of many of the areas in Sao Paulo, as well as a lot of advertisements for places of interest, including some of the mongering places mentioned in this report. Note that while the last half of the magazine deals exclusively with mongering places, occasionally, a hotel will razor blade this section out but this is rare. If this should happen to you though, ask for a complete copy. Be aware though that some of the hotels are more likely to give you "Sao Paulo this month", which includes some maps but significantly less mongering information than "Magazine."

A Super Superstore

When traveling, there are a number of things I often want to be able to buy. These include computer and printer supplies (such as photo paper), cables I may have forgotten, local issue DVDs and CDs, digital camera supplies (e.g., forgot my lens cleaner on this trip), and so forth. If a store has all this, and a good coffee shop in addition, I consider it a goldmine. After many frustrating attempts to find appropriately sized and branded photo paper, I finally came across a store that has all of the above, and more. FNAC, located at Avenida Paulista, 901, is very highly recommended (It is easy to miss as the entrance is below ground, with steps leading to the entrance. Note, however, that when it comes to technology and technology related accessories, you will pay much more in Brazil (this doesn't apply to CDs or DVDs) so you are better off coming prepared. As to DVDs, I purchased a number to help with my Portuguese (you can either listen in Portuguese and read the English subtitles, or vice versa). But, most of the DVDs are encoded for Region 4 machines only, and therefore will not play on a DVD player made for the United States. (Region 1). If you want a work-around, go to someplace like Ebay and search for "multi region DVD" or maybe "all region DVD" and you will likely see a large number of DVD players that will work with both U.S. and Brazilian DVDs. They are not terribly expensive and not a bad thing to have, particularly if you plan to make many trips to Brazil.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT

There is a lot in Sao Paulo, much of which is not terribly expensive, contrary to some of the rumors floating around. Comparable hotels cost less than in Rio, and mongering activities don't have to cost more. For a first trip to Brazil, I would recommend Rio over Sao Paulo, but for those of you who have run the circuit in Rio (or who have business in Sao Paulo), Sao Paulo is worth a trip. But given the size of Sao Paulo, and the number of mongering locations throughout the city, this guide should be seen as only scratching the service. Hopefully, others on this board will add to it.


(Message edited by laguy on May 16, 2004)

One helluva report LAguy. This is the kind of info a guy like me needs to get motivated enough to plunk down some cash to visit the place. Thanks for the very thorough and enjoyable report.

Wanted to know if safety is a concern in SP? Are there crowds of mongers at some of these venues? Is SP a place worth it enough to visit in lieu of LOS or Cambodia (my dilemma)? Thanks. Merl.

Great scouting report. Is Sunday a lost cause? Do you have to set up various activities and things in advance? The strip club theater indeed sounds like a much improved upon MSC and Mitchell Brothers in SF or Melody and Harmony experience in NYC. What time did you leave it, before the ruas really become life-threatening? I have a relatively high tolerance for danger, but it does have its limits. Thanks.

Clinica Zen?? D.T. Suzuki must be turning over in his grave! That video of the 4 hands massage on the Antares site was nice. I'd pay just to watch! Thanks for a great report.

Damned fine report LA Guy. You’re knowledge of SP for my first trip there made for a very memorable time.

I suspect that the blonde unit I talked to and later sessioned with at Night House on Rua Augusta for R$70 may have been the undoing of GCL. Now he’s doing Blondes again. It wasn’t so much that he was taken with her but that I commented over and over what a great session it was. As far as blonds go it was one of my best.

On my next visit to Brasil in late August I plan to return to SP for at least a week. I’m sure I’ll find your info most invaluable. BTW because I had such a great time there with your advice, help and directions I have 4 friends that will be joining me there on that next trip.

Thanks again, Coffee_Maker

You do a great job reporting. My hats off to you. One of these days I am going to spend time in SP and use your guide. The only thing I am looking more forward too is GCL's report on the action in South Dakota.

Merlin: Hard to say whether SP is worth visiting in lieu of Thailand and Cambodia. Probably only if you are getting tired of Thailand and Cambodia, or fed up with some of the recent changes there (I was in Thailand a few months ago and felt it is deteriorating, perhaps badly). The problem with choosing SP as a primary destination though is it really is a pretty ugly city and that can be a downer. OTOH, and particularly if you like Brasileiras, from a mongerer's perspective there is something for everyone. I would probably include SP as part of a South American itinerary, but not as the primary place to visit. But it is all a matter of personal taste.

Soccer: Sundays are not a lost cause. The Teatro Orion opens at 2 p.m., some, but not all, of the places on Rua Augusta are open (although perhaps not fully staffed), some of the places on Rua Nestor Pestana are open, and I believe Bomboa may be too. While the majority of places are closed Sundays, there is enough available. As to when I leave the Teatro Orion, it varies but usually I get out of there within about an hour after it gets dark, or earlier. The garotas who work there seem to think the area gets real bad around 10 p.m., although some Brasileiros I have spoken to say they would not walk around there during the daytime (I obviously do).

Bark: While you're a nice enough guy, you'll have to find another hombre--not me--to watch getting the four-hands! I'm just not into being watched. Maybe GCL can accommodate your needs.

Coffee Maker: I also have noticed that GCL has gotten a bit undone lately; I don't know if it was the blonde, or heavy drug usage.

SOG: I wouldn't pay attention to anything GCL says, even if it is about the only place he has any line on the whoring scene, namely, South Dakota.

Oh, I almost forget. Merlin, safety is a big concern in Sao Paulo. For me this would be the primary disincentive to taking a vacation trip there. As in most other places, it is manageable, but never something you can forget about. Nearly all the venues I go to do not have many, if any, gringos, unlike some of the termas in Rio. For this reason, Sao Paulo is probably a better place to visit if you are with some friends, rather than solo (in contrast, in Rio, there is little problem hooking up with other similarly situated hombres). Also, some basic Portuguese is probably that much more necessary here, unless you stick to the high high end (such as W) in which case you may find some English speaking garotas.

Thanks for the detailed response LAguy, I'm definitely gonna check out SP. I love the RIO expce and the passionate sex, but the crowds of Mongers at some venues is too much. I also feel LOS is losing a bit of it's allure with all the talk of early closures and the more frequent encounters with hardcores at NANA. Sao Paulo seems like a good fit for me. Merl.

Massive awesome report. How did you find out about all of these places? My favorite one of the group, picture wise, was ClinicaAntares. Dayse and a couple of others were super fine looking blondes. Darn fine report LAguy. Hey, how much Portuguese do you speak? I can't see someone getting around to all these places using sign language.

Tight Fit: My strategy for finding these places almost entirely depends on the internet, checking out various boards, and noting what I find for later use. My Portuguese is very basic, I'm around lesson 20 of Pimsleurs, and also occassionally import a thing or two from my high school spanish, taken ages ago, and which I barely remember. I wish my Portuguese was better.

Terrific info, Laguy! I agree with you on Rio being a better vacation spot, but for pure mongering activities SP is deeper. When business takes me to SP I always have a great time, but because I value the other things Rio has to offer, especially the beaches and many friends who can reliably be found there, I return to Rio far more often.

Thanks for the excellent report!

Holiday Inn in Ipiranga is amazing. Just a 10 minute walk from the Hilton (which is a dump). This Holiday Inn was just opened up a few months ago. Best I have ever seen, 4 stars.....

Great report. Well laid out, concise yet covers all the bases. I'll be printing it out for my next trip to SP.

Defender: Thanks for the info about the Holiday Inn. I've passed by but never gone in. Do they have broadband internet in the rooms? Now that I'm hooked on vonage (for telephone calls) and also have reasons to connect my computer (rather than using an internet cafe) this is becoming an issue. This is the one fault with Blue Tree Paulista I have found so far (although at least their dial up connections run at a decent speed for dial-up (unlike the Hilton Ipiranga, which must have antiquated phone wiring)). And, with respect to the Holiday Inn, what did it cost, and how did you book it?

Must have spent one year to get this great report.

OH

Tremendous information, THANK YOU for taking the time to put together such a comprehensive report. Photos would only add to the already GONZO quality here, but dude, if you could swing some, that'd be AWESOME!

I gotta say that I got a BONER hearing you talk about that strip club place and the 8 floors of whores and 3-7 dollar pussy. Can't be much worse than some of what I've seen available in Mexico, though, at 10X the price. Would love to see it for myself.

One quibble, though: 600K Japanese in SP? That's GOTTA be a typo or a gross error? 3% of SP's population are Japanese and 4 out of every 1000 people in Japan live in SP?

Well, well done, Laguy.

Porker: Thanks for the feedback. However, wrt the number of Japanese in Sao Paulo, according to INSIGHT Guide Brazil, page 183, "Of Sao Paulo's important non-Caucasian population, about 600,000 are of Japanese heritage . . . " This stat is in just about every Brazil guide.

(Message edited by LAguy on May 17, 2004)

(Message edited by LAguy on May 17, 2004)

That shaking bunda on the Teatro Onion webpage is unmistakably Brazilian.

There are 1.1 million Japanese in Brazil, as a whole, with the majority being in the Sao Paulo area. The highest number of Japanese outside of Japan. At the beginning of the 20th century, Japanese went to Brazil to work the sugar cane fields. Similar to Hawaii and California (Mexico and other parts of South America -- many went to find agricultural work.

Wow - great guide.

Informative and entertaining!

Strange that you ommitted Love Story - any comment?

Oh yeah, Love Story. Forgot about it largely because even though I have stayed at the Hilton right next to it, I haven't gone in. Things only get going around 3 a.m. (or so I hear) and I'm usually already asleep by then, and in rare instances where I am not, it is because there is already a garota in my room. Late-late night hombres might want to check it out though, particularly if you are still looking around at that time of the night/morning.

Laguy, I'm glad to see that you enjoy going back to the place I showed you. Balneario, my favorite sauna on Agusta.

I enjoy going there to find "diamonds in the rough", at "cubic zirconia" prices!

And when in town, I can personally be found at the SP Hilton, and will continue to Hhonorably "hole up" there:-)

See ya there Laguy, I look forward to checking out the eight floors of whores. sf4dfish

Yes, thank you sf4dfish. When I was asked earlier how I found the places I reviewed, I responded mainly through the internet, which is true. However, you showed me some of your favorite places around Rua Augusta, and some of your friends introduced me to Baco's. I also met up with Coffee Maker and GCL at Connections one day, although that was a place on all of our lists.
As to the SP Hilton, I'm not sure I am going back. Even though I am six days away from Diamond status, I'm going to have to convince myself I won't get another cold there before I give it a try. OTOH, while I'm disinclined to check out 8 floors of whores again by myself, if you are in the area private email me and perhaps we can head out there, assuming I also am in the area then.

Laguy,

Thanks for a very detailed and informative report. I will definitley try the strip bar Teatro Orion next time there.

Rua Augugta and Terma Square can be a lot of fun, as can Big Ben in the same area. Terma Square has photo shoots and contests frequently, but I have not been to any yet.

Below are pictured some of the gems that have been found along the Rua Augusta area and in Terma Square.

Thanks again,

Moondog

The following link, mentioned in another thread, is very useful for finding casas and other places in Sao Paulo: www.gpguia.net. I don't really remember where I got my list of casas awhile back, but it may have been from this site, or another similar site (in Portuguese) that focuses on mongering in Sao Paulo. If you check it out and follow the links to casas or prives, you will see the number in Sao Paulo is almost unlimited.

After spending much time straining my eyes to find on a Sao Paulo map where various casas and clubs are located, I discovered this link, which allows you to put in any address in Sao Paulo and have it then placed on a map (which you can zoom in or out on). The link is http://mapas.terra.com.br/. Well worth bookmarking if you are going to spend any time in SP.

Obrigado Laguy, with all the info you've written about SP, an Hombre may indeed need a map to hobby:-)

What a great site, Laguy, thanks--it gives you the location of any street on any city in Brazil, not just SP. MapQuest for Brazil.

Do you know of a similar map site that locates cities in Brazil? I found one once, but can't find it again.

Hunterman, try this site. Just pick your country, then a city and go from there. If you know the exact street address that's even better. It has a +/- function that goes right down to individual streets.

http://www.maporama.com/share/

laguy-

what a great job you did putting this together. I'm impressed with the web sites some of these establishments have...I love Brazil...where did we go wrong in the US?

Copabrasil1: Actually, this is the old version of the guide; I suspect it will take awhile for hombre to replace it with the new one in Treeview.

Try a 3-day discus search (or, if someone posts in the thread soon, a 1-search would work) and you will see the new much much better version towards the top of the page.

LA guy.. great stuff. Looks like i will have a lot of catching up to do on my next SP trip.. Thanks again - LB