Yes, you need a passport (someone actually asked that question on one of the boards last year); and you also need a visa to enter Brazil from the US. If you're not a US citizen, you may or may not need a visa…check with the Brazilian embassy in your country. The visa must be acquired before coming to Brazil. After acquiring the visa you must enter Brazil within 90 days for the visa to be validated; and the visa, typically, is good for multiple entries for five years. Make sure you request a 5-year tourist visa, as some guys have ended up with shorter ones and paid the same fee. In mid-2002 the fee increased from $45 to $65 if getting it in person at one of the consulates (the fee is set to mirror what the US charges Brasilians for a visa). The fees are somewhat higher if you do the transaction by mail, and each consulate seems to have slightly different rules regarding how long it takes, whether they will accept mail applications, and so forth. Check with the Brazilian Embassy website (http://www.brasilemb.org/) and look under "consular services" for more information. Don't do as a friend of mine did and show up at the airport without the visa. He was stranded in Chicago for two days trying to get the visa and straighten out his flight and hotel reservations.

No, they don't speak Spanish in Brazil. Brazil was settled by Portugal, and Portuguese is the lingua franca. If you speak Spanish you'll find that many Brazilians will understand it reasonably well, but you may have problems understanding Portuguese. There are many sounds in Portuguese that do not occur in Spanish, but not vice versa. Take some time to learn the basics of Portuguese and you will have a much better time. I prefer the Pimsleur Brazilian Portuguese tape or CD sets (three sets, I, II & III); they are not cheap, but they are effective. You can occasionally find used sets through places like Ebay. There is a wonderful little volume titled "Hot! International: Love and Sex in Seven Languages" that includes Portuguese and covers anything you might want to ask of your special friends in Rio. Unfortunately, it is no longer published, or at least not easy to locate, but you may find a used copy floating around on the net. Keep an eye out for it. The girls love it.

A good map is a necessity. I like the one put out by Berndtson and Berndtson in their "B&B City Streets" series. It's a laminated map so you can write on it with an erasable marker, and it includes the Metro system. You may be able to find (or order) it at larger bookstores, or you can track it down at http://www.mapmyway.com.

Don't forget, if you come in from a country that has Yellow Fever, say on a flight from Lima, you will need proof of a Yellow Fever vacine.

BD: Great report!! I've been looking for that book, "Hot! International!". Maybe you know where I can obtain a copy. I'm headed for Rio in two weeks. Can't wait!!

Sbronx77,
Wish I did. I've been looking for more copies (I have two). If I find a stash, I'll buy them all and make them available at cost as a public service. CortoGringo and I had our copies with us on the last trip, and the girls loved them.

I'll post if I have any luck.
BD

Sbronx77,
I got a copy from amazon uk, should run you about US$20 with shipping. Look out to get the right version, not Gay international. Yes, we had too much fun with the book. Damn, I love those girls.

Bwana,
Thanks for putting the guide out here, just an amazing amount of information.

CG,
My pleasure (quite literally, doing the research was my pleasure). BTW, ran into JD last night in a Santa Monica restaurant. He's working on a new CD.

Oh,
check here for the Amazon UK acces to Hot! International:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1885948174/qid=1035562502/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_0_5/202-7256518-3682246

BD: Much Thanks for the info. I ordered the book and I should have it in 1 or 2 weeks. Hope I get it in time before I leave for Rio. BTW, I'm reading your report numerous times. Much needed advice I can use. Thanks again!!

My pleasure...you can pay it back by giving us a good post...and you can buy me that beer or piece of ass if we ever meet in Rio ;-)

BD: You got it!

How well will I get along if i can handle about 80% of the first set of Pimseluer tapes?

Thanks

P.S. Where was the internet in my youth? This site is great. I'm going in 3 weeks and I have about 1/2 inch of posts from the vets on this site.

I feel exactly the same way..it will become required reading for the fellas joining me on the trip...a thousand thanks Bwana

Try to print a map of every place you intend to visit as taxi drivers do not necessarily know about termas. I am going to SP for first time and printed every map of every boate and mp I intend to visit. If you forget to write down terma addresses, yellow pages in Rio has them under termas.

I agree with Athos. Go to the Terma thread and print off the flyer for each Terma that has the address. Then go to Dood's map and print off all three. Ask a local or someone in your hotel how to pronounce the terma name (ie cuatro por cuatro) is four by four and how to pronounce the street (ie Rua is pronounced Hua, Centro is downtown).

From Copa you can walk to Centaurus, Monte Carlo, and Luomo during the day, but you should take a taxi at night.