Hi everyone,
As I wind down my trip here, and realize that I am already behind on one trip report, I will try to write this one before I leave country. I will update on my experiences in Rio now as compared to July 2007.

Original Post: http://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=19376&highlight=

Real. Wow, real has taken a hit here since last time I came. As of 1/5/08, the real was down to $R1.73/$1 USD compared to $R1.98/$1 USD that I got in July. I really think its possible to see $R1.5 or less sometime later this year the way things are going.

Airport Shuttle. While waiting for Real Bus to take me to Copacabana ($R6), a van driver pulled up and offered ten of us tourists rides for $R10 per rider. Rather than wait for 30 more minutes for the bus, we all jumped at the chance to go earlier. Arrived without incident at my destination.

Termas. I just cannot say anything else about how great L'uomo is. At this time, they have the best girls, the most outgoing girls, and the most energetic girls. I again tried Monte Carlo, Solarium, etc., and just got sick of the girls sitting around looking bored. After an hour or more, I'd tell myself' "Who am I fooling here?" and would go back to L'uomo for one of several amazing experiences. All my experiences here were awesome. Ingrid and Giselle were my personal favorites this time around. The free buffet here has been even better lately as they celebrate Revellion.

It took me a couple of visits, but 4x4 later was added to my list of Favorite Termas. I dont like how packed it gets, but I would get there at 4 and get settled in. Session before 5 and your entrance fee is waived. There are some beauty queens in there too. English is less prevalent here, and the spectrum of women really does span from 4s-9s though there is also a hundred women working. It was in my last days that I became really happy with this place. One thing: the hustle from the waitstaff is greater here for tip. Tell them you will tip them at the end of the night, otherwise they will ask for a tip everytime you order a round. The tips are added to your tab, and I just didn't like being solicited for a tip.

I can't bring myself to spend the $R400 on Centarius requires just walking in the door. How much better can the women here be, especially for the price?

My next trip: Start at 4x4, wait a couple of days, then onto Luomo, and end with 4x4 again. That will keep these places fresh for me.

Travel Around Town. I never paid for a taxi by choice. If I was going somewhere with someone, I paid because I was taking someone out somewhere. Otherwise, I rode the Metro ($R2.30) or just walked. I walked at all hours of the nite, alone, and had no problems. I don't necessairly recommend this for everyone, but for me and others who have this comfort level in Rio, there is no problems.

Accomodations. I stayed with Amerioca Tours http://www.amerioca.net/ this whole trip. Paid $80 USD/nt for an apt next door to Meia Pataca on Avenida Atlantica, a block away from Help. Don and Ken are two very awesome guys who will do whatever it takes to make your trip a success. Ken always volunteers to tag along to the Termas and Don, well Don looks out for everything else! More on this later.

On my last nite, I needed a place (due to flight cancellation). The place I found fast and reasonably priced was a hostel on Avenida Atlantica (the name escapes me). It cost me $R55 and included a free buffet breakfast.

ATM. Citibank should advertise itself as the Monger's Bank, as their banks are in every major monger destination! Save on all fees, just open a checking account here and use the ATMs fee free. They give an excellent rate of exchange, and with the exception of a 1% conversion fee, everything else is very convenient.

Help. Tis the season, and in high season, girls have also increased their prices. Regular going rate minimum here is $R200 to take a girl home, even at 3-4 in the morning. I couldn't believe it. For the first time, I had an average girl here ask me for $R500 for the night, to which I couldn't stop laughing. One reason for this is that, for Revellion, most Brazilians travel to Rio and most Cariocas seem to travel elsewhere. There were very few regular faces in Help this time around, and whenever you asked a girl where she was from, most said a location other than Rio. I almost felt that these girls were tourists that spent way too much money for Revellion and were now working to continue their vacation or make money to go home.

I found the best bet is to pick up a girl from Terrazo Atlantico if you wanted a Help girl. Just make sure to get her before she gets too drunk, otherwise sloppy sex is a coming!

Safety Warning. Even experienced mongers can have safety problems. http://costaricaticas.com/vip/root.php?cat=6&ini=0 Pic ID 8096

Had a girl try to renegotiate during sex from $R200 to $R500. I said no, take your money and leave, and she proceeded to get violent, tore up my apt, stabbed me with a broken door handle, etc., and then laughed about it, even when the police showed up.

Way to save yourself from being extorted by police. Say over and over again that you want to talk to your consular representative to make a report. Pull out your camera and start taking pictures right away. Tell them that you are required to make a report as soon as that you leave the police department. Demand to speak with your consular representative. When I did this, the military police (which for sure would have extorted me) turned this whole thing over to the tourist police. I did the same thing in front of them, and was then transported with her to the Tourist Police station in Leblon, where my english speaking detective made a big scene at yelling at her, calling her an idiot, etc.

Don from Amerioca Tours was walking by at 5am as the police were in front of my building, and took a taxi to Leblon police station. He translated everything, etc. The girl got visibly shaken and that smile was wiped off of her face when Don showed up and said that he or his lawyer-friend would go to court on my behalf. According to the detective, the fine she will receive is $R1000 ($R575) since I am not going to appear. Don is going to see this thru on my behalf because he is pissed about what she did in the APT and how she tried to break his stuff (this apt and its furnishing was his former in-living apt before he decided to rent it out to us friendly-mongerers.)

Travel from Rio to Sao Paulo. My flight was cancelled, other flights were full. I decided to go to Sao Paulo to catch a flight home. Bus to Rodovaria ($R2.50) took me to the main bus terminal. Caught a bus from Rio to Sao Paulo ($R70 for 7 hour ride). Buses were really clean, really plush. Once at the main terminal, caught another bus to the airport. Made a flight home that nite! Woohoo, America!

All in all, a great experience and a humbling experience. Im an experienced monger, but this reminded me that things can get crazy from time to time. Will I be back to Brazil? Hell ya I will be! Hopefully soon! Hopefully tommorrow! Hopefully to stay forever! HOOAH!

Most members of this site are not on CRT and you would also have to be a VIP to see the photo of that dog. Why not post it here too?

Looked for you on the flight out sorry you did not get on. The funny thing is they had empty seats. Look forward to seeing you again in Rio.

"Had a girl try to renegotiate during sex from $R200 to $R500. I said no, take your money and leave, and she proceeded to get violent, tore up my apt, stabbed me with a broken door handle, etc., and then laughed about it, even when the police showed up."

Hey CortoGringo, does this sound familiar???? Maybe your little paulista friend is back in action.

Mexidan,'Good call going with Don and company. You're not the first guy Don has bailed out of a complicated situation. Glad you had a good time.

The funny thing was, Mexidan refused to carry a cell phone, so he would have had no way of calling us. Kjtrav had just arrived in Rio after a 10 hour drive and was having problems getting into his apartment, so he called me. I woke Don up at 5am, and he headed out to take care of that problem, and on the way, he came across Mexidan and a large group of police. So had it not been for some rather fortuitous deadbold problems, we would have had no idea...

Mexidan, had a great time, bro. Hope we see you in Rio again soon.

Yeah Mexidan I enjoyed standing on the street corner at 5 am after a 10 hour drive waiting patiently for Don as he handled your problem. Glad I could help and rouse Don out of bed. Did get a kick out of waking up Ken!!!!

In the few years I have been Rio I have had a few Police encounters, including harrassement for not having a passport. So far I have been able to talk my way out of all of them - but the way to do this is to stay calm and very cool. "Act Brazilian".... confident, playful... The police smell fear and will pounce if they can! In the past I had a girl lure me with a low price (R$70) into a hotel. As we got to the reception area I just got a negative vibe from her and started to change my mind. She convinced me to go the room by lowering the price to R$50. She did so right in front of the receptionist. As we got into the room she started to ask me if I would pay her more money if she did a good job - this sounded reasonable and I said maybe if I was satisified at the end. A way into the BJ she started asking for more money again which really pissed me off. I told her forget it, I am leaving and will only pay the R$50. She started throwing a fit and demanded more money. I stayed very calm and did not lead on one bit that I was concerned - I told her I would give her R$50 and that even that was too much for services provided. She insisted and wanted to block the door - I told her no problem, lets go to the receptionist and call the police. They can help us resolve the problem (yeah right :-). After some back and forth she told me she did not want to call the police and finally let me leave.

The police is certainly best avoided in Rio - they are in some cases worse then the criminals. At least with criminals you know what you get, with the police you never know. Maybe a good guy or a criminal with a license to rob. but stay calm....cool...confident! But remember, you are not in Kansas anymore :-)

Lovingmarvin - agree 100 percent. There was a story on the news in Rio yesterday about a stolen liquor truck. The police found the guys raiding the truck, filled their OWN cars up first, then said, "Okay, guys, go ahead."

Calm, cool, confident, and playful is the way to play it. You are exactly where you should be, doing exactly what you should be doing, and the whole thing is amusing to you. If you act like you THINK you did something wrong, the police will try to convince you that you did. Or, as they say in NLP, the person with the strongest reality wins.

I've gotten myself out of some fairly hairy situations this way myself...

Yes Bwana, that scenario sounded way too familiar. Too bad we can't see her picture.
CG

Photo: Violent Garota

The Real is up, the Dollar is down. \
Use Karla's etc. next time.
I lived in RJ from 2003 to 2006, not having a cell phone with you is utterly lame and dangerous. You deserve what you get.
Rather than yarping about the Consulate to the Policia, (which I am sure they have NEVER heard before), maybe get the name of a gringo friendly attorney (if you aren't using Don) you can call.
I can imagine the Consulate loves dealing with our shit. "Ya'su, I's be bust'n my ass to save your drunken, horny, stupid one", sounho!
What if you get the fat battle-ax who processes visa's for us CH'ers newest favorite nieces.
Oh fucking boy! Boa sorte, amigo. You might want to keep some Terma KY for the holding cell.

I agree, I imagine the cops really could give two shits about the Consulate at 4am. I'd be thinking your contact with Don helped you more than that Consulate bullshit story.