An incredible thing about the biggest gay areas in Rio is that they are front and center of the two most famous beaches- Copacabana and Ipanema. The gay beach in Copacabana is in front of the landmark Copacabana Palace Hotel, a pinkish grand hotel in the old style, with the pickup cafe bar Maxim's under big canvas awnings out front. across the street is the wide beach and at the kiosks is the rainbow flag flying in the breeze.

But this beach is a little demode now, more a hookup place for the lower class working guys, while the trendy guys mostly head toward Farme. Farme gets it's name from the street that intersects with the beach highway. it's in the center of Ipanema, with a view of some small islands in the distance and the curved beach is bounded by Dois Irmaos (two brothers): two mountains of solid rock jutting up and postcarding the setting sun. Copacabana faces east and Ipanema south. So only Ipanema has this sunset quality, as the high-rise hotels on Copacabana shade the beach there hours before the sun actually sets. It's a special time for so many reasons. This magical quality of the day's light fading, the anxiousness of the guys needing to make a hookup (some for the sexual release, some for the money), the water and sky changing colors as the clouds veil or expose the mountain, even getting one last beer or coconut water before heading back into the city streets.

It could be a melancholic time too, depending on my mood. I watched one incredibly cute young muscular guy making his moves. Once he'd focus on someone, he'd move within range and then stand gazing out to sea, his beautiful butt, back and legs doing the talking for him. When he knew he had the guy's attention he'd sit his ass on the sand, knees up, quietly fan his lats, gently stroke his shins and forearms, and casually and only occasionally look his way. Time passed, the sun got closer to the edge. Then he got easily up and asked for a cigarette, offered his hand, let it linger. But sometimes, unfortunately, the "gringo"- a white skinned guy (always older:-) gets away. As i watched, another guy came up and the gringo then introduced his 'friend' to the young brown smiling unbelievably sexy kid. Now those two shook hands and talked. So i'm thinking maybe a threesome? But then something really strange happens. Well, maybe not, but i wouldn't have predicted it. A 'camelo' (one of countless guys walking the beach constantly selling everything from beer, water, ice tea, ice-cream, sandwiches, hot cheese on a stick, shrimp pastry, suntan lotion, sun
glasses, hammocks, beach towels, necklaces, tattoos, and more) comes up from behind the two. One of the gringos turns and orders something. two beers come out of the worn styrofoam cooler and money changes hands. the camelo leaves and the beers are opened. What dumbfounded me was that the gringos didn't even ask the kid if he would like one.

That, to me, was (still is) unbelievable. The kid kept being charming and the two guys leisurely enjoyed their beer and smiled and shook his hand on their departure. The sun was down , too late for the kid to make another 'move'. I was up by the highway by then, cleaning sand from between my toes, but my eyes could follow his slow walk alone down the beach.

After three different trips to Rio, it's still difficult to believe a guy who looks and moves and acts like that is 'working.' What i'm not telling until now is that i knew he had been debating whether to move on that guy or on me. He'd sent 'feelers' my way. But had i been him i would have staked my bets on the other gringo too, as i'm probably flattering myself to think i didn't look as much the part:-). I wasn't
free to play his game either. But he would have at least been invited to a beer.