2008 Rio de Janeiro Reports

[Travel Fox]

Im sure they will go quick.

NYC GIG

Orbitz
Delta/GOL or TAM

LOOKS LIKE ONLY THE TAM OPTION IS BOOKABLE HOWEVER.

Dates for 5/23 - 5/31 roundtrip worked which is Fri departure and Sat return. Sweet ticket, and I already bought mine last month for $230 more *tears*.

$698

Should get full miles at least between NYC and Sao Paulo but I have not verified that.

Might be other combinations at that price but those days I have checked only.

Hopefully someone can take advantage.

Travelfox

[Lazy Monger]

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...4kristen1.html

IMHO not worth $4,300. maybe 300.-400.reais

Its all relative. If you had $4300 to blow on that then you wouldn't need to go to Brazil to spend 300-400R.

[Tjmee]

I was just wondering, would speaking English there be a problem or must you know Portuguese. And where would you want to live Rio or Ipanema, and which city has a better night life.

[Bravo]

For everyone wondering about Help closing, maybe you should also wonder about L'uomo.

Even on what should be the busiest nights they have no customers. Employees tell me they are not getting paid on time. They have a lot of fixed costs, including what they have to pay the police just to stay open. Miss one of those payments and see how long they stay open. Difficult to make it on 10 guys a night.

Most of the top girls have left. Ingrid is supposed to be on vacation, but she has been gone for sometime. Lately I have seen several guys come in, stay for about 1/2 hour, not session, get dressed and leave.

I am not surprised. How much is it to session in there now? Around 300R?
Probably only a matter of time before MC has the same problem.

[Trippleecks]

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...4kristen1.html

IMHO not worth $4,300. maybe 300.-400.reais

[Exec Talent]

For everyone wondering about Help closing, maybe you should also wonder about L'uomo.

Even on what should be the busiest nights they have no customers. Employees tell me they are not getting paid on time. They have a lot of fixed costs, including what they have to pay the police just to stay open. Miss one of those payments and see how long they stay open. Difficult to make it on 10 guys a night.

Most of the top girls have left. Ingrid is supposed to be on vacation, but she has been gone for sometime. Lately I have seen several guys come in, stay for about 1/2 hour, not session, get dressed and leave.

[Rio Bob]

And she clearly did not offer BBBJs !

Not true, at that price he was getting bare back sex.

[Papi Que Rico]

What an idoit Govener Spitzer on New York could of had like 20 to 25 trips to Four by Four for what he spent on Kristen the hooker.

And she clearly did not offer BBBJs !

[Chenz24]

What an idoit Govener Spitzer on New York could of had like 20 to 25 trips to Four by Four for what he spent on Kristen the hooker.

[Prosal]

Apraodor is closer to the beach. Stay in the corner of Lagoa between Ipanema and Copa.

So Arpoador (and not Apraodor) is closer to the beach than Lagoa. Astonishing. Thanks for the crucial info. Please keep posting about Rio's topography.

BTW "the corner of Lagoa between Ipanema and Copacabana" is from what I know Pavao-Pavaozinho (correct me if I'm wrong).

Highly enjoyable area to stay indeed. I should be surprised if there was some apart-hotels there yet.

[Jesuscola]

Which termas will be open on Friday?

None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Porra nenhuma.

[Abzsafado]

It's a matter of personal preference but here's some of the differences that I feel.

The biggest one - unless you intend to stay in your local area (Ipa and Copa), is that Ipa is further away and has no Metro (the 'Ipanema' metro stop is actually in the Ipa end of Copa). So if you want to travel to Centro (or Botafogo, or Sugar Loaf or a host of other good destinations) it is further in terms of time, money and convenience. If you are travelling non-rush hour, especially evening, and always use taxis, it's not a big add-on. But if you want to get about during the day you have the choice of going the full length of Copa before going on anywhere or going round Lagoa the other (often traffic-jammed) way. If it's your first trip, you have limited time, and are happy with a couple of upmarket termas, the beach and maybe a trip to the Botanics (which is worth a trip btw), or Help if it stays open, Ipa a nicer environment and will maybe satisfy. Anything further and most places are more hassle from Ipa. (A few, like Barra, are marginally closer but it is so marginal I don't really think it's a factor).

Ipa is a more westerner-friendly environment in many ways. There are more good quality shops. Good quality restaurants. More people that speak a bit of English. The streets are clean and you can easily feel at home in a reasonably posh neighbourhood. The idea that there is much less crime might be illusory and you should still be very careful with belongings. The beach is slightly better looking than Copa. There are more catwalk model types about and less hooker types or lower-middle-class types on it. You'll probably pay slightly more for everything of course.

Copa is gringo central, even if it is still a fair trip into town ('Centro'). People will usually speak enough English to try to overcharge you but cheap restaurants and eating places are very plentiful. You can find all your essentials, beachwear, day clothing, groceries, launderettes, 24-hour chemists, mid-range knock-shops, travel agents, tour guides and cambios, and anything else you forget to get earlier, all on the long main street called N.S. Copacabana. You also have access to the 100% safe high-tech Metro via three stations. Buses are frequent and there is an excellent, official Tourist Information Centre to answer any non-mongering question you have in English. I don't know the figures or reliability of them, but if it isn't less safe than Ipa it feels it as there is more visible low-life around, but it is still an exciting metropolis and one that can be navigated safely by the sensible traveller.

There is always the third way. Stay in Apraodor or the corner of Lagoa between Ipanema and Copa. Both are full of girl friendly apart-hotels that give far better value for money than the big hotels. Apraodor is closer to the beach and Centaurus, Lagoa is better for the Cantagalo metro and Ipanema nightlife.

[Dollars]

4x4 and everything else will be closed on Good Friday. L'uomo and MC will be open Saturday. L'uomo for certain will be open Sunday, and I would bet on MC this year as well.

Which termas will be open on Friday?

[The Chief]

I'm heading to Rio in late-April for the first time (as well as a hundred other destinations!), and I am pathetically under-researched, but thanks to everyone on the Board who post good info.

[The Chief]

Don't venture on Ipanema Posto 8 portion of beach (Gay Farme), as in the whole area between Rua Farme de Amoedo and Rua Vinicius de Moraes.

Watch your ass (literally) there !!

Haha, the apartment I have rented is on R Joaquim Nabuco, so I guess I better keep walking (quickly) past Posto 8 towards 9!