Was it reality or just a
myth? After all the hype, I was eager to see if
there was any truth to the talk about Recife's pulsing nightlife. Dubbed
the Rio of the Brazilian Northeast, I had to wonder: could Recife
measure up to its vibrant cousin in the south? The night before Easter,
a sultry Saturday, I ventured out on the town, only to find all of the
local hotspots closed. Could Jesus' big day have anything to do with
this Prohibition-looking clampdown? Yes and no. Though Brazil has more
Catholics than any other country in the world, Brazilian people are
hardly ones to sacrifice a little fun in the name of Jesus. (If you have
any doubts, just look at the carnal Carnival celebration...)
I was alerted that the exodus of
city-dwellers was normal for this Easter weekend, which is one of
countless very-long weekends during which the Brazilians escape from the
cities in search of the ultimate nirvana: beach. Porto de Galhinas is
the place to be so on Easter Sunday I jumped in a pirate bus/minivan,
which though they are technically illegal due to their horrible safety
record, still roam the streets with regularity, ferrying millions around
every day for 33 cents a ride. Easter Sunday was
hardly what most would
call a religious celebration until you reflect that for Brazilians,
beach is church. I saw a bumper sticker on a beach buggy here that
summed it all up: Jesus Was A Surfer. So, what better way to celebrate
the big guy's return than to eat 5 cent oysters on the half-shell, play
some beach soccer and a swim in the wild blue sea...
Back in the city for the "work week," which leisurely began on
Tuesday, I must admit my
expectations for mid-week celebrations were not too high. And then I met
Bruno, the effeminate man with the masculine name, a flamboyant
hairdresser in one of Recife's trendiest salons. Bruno happens to be the
next-door neighbor of my buddy Jose. Here in Recife "studying"
for his Masters, Jose is the dialectic opposite of Bruno's femininity,
as he is a hardened jiu-jitsu fighter hailing from Spain, Texas, and
Italy (yes, quite a mix of Spanish romance,
Texan strength, and Italian suaveness, or at least, that is what he tries so hard to
portray...).
Although we had heard stories about Bruno, mainly involving the vast
selection of boy-toys this 35 year-old often brought back to his pad in
the wee hours of the morning, we had no intention of selecting him as
our local guide for a big night out.
Ahh, but now I must introduce the third
character of this adventure, none other than my continental companion,
Lazaro. When Laz heard about Bruno's profession, his eyes lit up, as
visions of free haircuts and hair dyes danced through his head. When he
asked to be introduced to Bruno, Jose consented, but not before warning
Laz that unless he flirted with Bruno, he probably would not qualify for
any discount, let alone a free cut. For many heterosexual men, acting
gay is a revolting thought, but for Laz, it has become old hat. Allow me
to digress...
A month or two
back, when the two of us
rented a house in the idyllic beach spot of Gaibu. Laz and I were
befriended by a few local females that had taken quite a liking to this
lively duo. The only problem (and one that has caused a fair amount of
problems in this sensual land) is that Laz has a girlfriend at home. So,
instead of merely telling the truth (which had become quite monotonous),
Laz decided, "What the hell – I'll just play the gay role."
This performance provided an endless supply of laughs, mainly because
many of Laz's normal activities lend an air of homosexuality in
themselves, act or not.
Laz is my best friend in the world and I
must admit has a knack for attracting amazing females, but he seems to
have quite an appeal for many men as well. This should not be too big a
surprise; after all, the guy shaves his chest, wears orange tank tops,
has an extensive jewelry collection, occasionally bursts into Broadway
tunes, writes poetry and drinks coffee with his pinky finger extended.
The point is that if someone could pull off the homosexual act, Laz is
that man. And act he did. After the first day, when the girls and I
insisted he at least "see what it is like to be with a girl,"
Laz held firm. Instead, he talked about supposed ex-beaus and what hair
color he wanted next. This act would have been impressive for a few
hours, but his week-long endurance was unparalleled.
Things got interesting when Itamar, the
local gay bar-owner, befriended us. As I was spinning tunes as the
resident deejay, Itamar was gazing dreamily into Laz's eyes, making us
wonder if the girls had alerted Itamar about Laz's "status."
The stakes were suddenly increased when we found ourselves sitting on
our veranda, sipping drinks with the girls when Itamar showed up. Within
minutes the subject of sex came up and when Laz's female fan blurted
out, "Didn't you
know – Laz is gay," I tried not to laugh as
I watched Itamar smile and Laz look around nervously, a glance which
seemed to say, "What have I gotten myself into this time?"
Later that evening, as Laz was taking a shower in his bathroom (the one
with a curtain for a door), the girls walked in on him to say hello.
Apparently, gay men are not exempt from the invasive entrance of females. Not to be
undone, at the end of the evening, Laz was again invaded, when he looked up to see Itamar standing in front of
him.
"Itamar, what are you doing!?!"
"Watching you," Itamar calmly
responded.
This story has a happy ending (well, not
for Itamar) as Laz managed to leave Jeri with his "virginity"
intact, but when Jose brought up the idea of a gay act, Laz and I could
only laugh. Little did I know I was the one about to play that role...
When we showed up at the salon and met
Bruno, he was quite pleased to see the three of us had come to visit.
"Olha – que bonitos," he swooned with a splendor you could
only love. After a few minutes of chit-chat, Bruno announced, "Ah,
you just have to
come to the party tonight!" Heeding Bruno's advice, we put together some stylish outfits and arrived fashionably at
a little before midnight. By now quite a party crew had been assembled.
Leading the pack was Bruno, ostentatiously decked out in shiny silver
shirt, loose red tie and oversized sunglasses. To his side was his
eccentric astrologist friend, who showed up to the party, a fashionable
birthday celebration for a famous local Brazilian designer,
without any
shoes on her feet and mandalas hanging from her neck. And rounding out
the posse were two of Bruno's boy-toys. Actually, I was thankful Bruno
arrived with companions, as entering this pulsing nightclub on Bruno's
arm was not the entrance I was cherishing.
But Bruno had other
plans. "Listen guys, I don't have enough invites, so just go along with what I
say, okay?" And before we could stammer an answer, he alerted his
buddies to wait and enter on their own, at which point he happily
wrapped arms with us and brought us to the front door. Strutting through
the amassed crowd out front of O Teatro, I felt like I was attending a
Hollywood premiere. Everyone was decked out and there was a plethora of
beautiful people all around, many of which were trying to manipulate
their
way past the bouncers and into the party. With the grace of a
gliding swan, Bruno led us through the multitudes as he seemed to kiss
everyone in sight, until we were face-to-face with the smiling doorman.
They obviously knew Bruno and were in the process of exchanging
pleasantries when Bruno grabbed our hands and introduced us as Adam and
Jose, international male models. The doorman looked us up and down, gave
the approving nod and just like that we had infiltrated the upper crust
of Recife society.
It was obvious from the get-go that money
was not an object for this party's organizers. Clowns greeted us at the
door, handing out party favors and the hallway and stairway were
decorated like a psychedelic circus tent with swirling colors and
flashing lights. Soon, we came to another room, full of black lights and
mountains of candy. After grabbing some sweets, we pushed open the doors
and were swept into the thumping netherworld of a deep house club. Jose
and I had followed Bruno into the crowded scene, glancing at the array
of stunning females,
but we suffered a setback when Bruno grabbed us to
his side and made his appearance known, as he paraded us through the
dancing divas. Every time we were introduced, Bruno seemed to embellish
our status, as one girl suddenly came up to me and said, "So, you
work with Giorgio?"
"Uhh, Giorgio?" I stammered,
"Who is that?"
"Armani. Bruno tells me you model
for him."
"Ohh! You mean Gio! Yes, of course -
but no one calls him Giorgio," I replied quickly.
As the parade continued, I could see
certain females eying Jose and I. I will not admit any power of
extra-sensory perception, but I swear they were trying to ascertain
whether our friendship with Bruno went a little deeper (pardon the pun).
Looking for an opportunity to break from the crowd and establish the
truth, I received the perfect cue when Bruno
whispered that the woman
that just passed was the former Miss Brazil.
That is when I vanished and
only
when I looked back, like a driver fleeing the scene of a crime, did
I see Jose on my heels in hot pursuit. Yes, we had made a clean getaway
and were headed right for the last bastion of heterosexuality: the
nearest beauty queen.
Miss Brazil was far from
ugly, but she
was even further from intelligent. She was seated with some big-wigs
that were ordering bottles of Scotch with the utmost regularity. In case
anyone was wondering, if you ever see people paying for drinks at a
party with open bar, you know they are rich. "What, walk to the bar
to get a drink? Hardly – bring me a bottle of Scotch on the double!"
But, here in Recife, money talks. It also connives,
convinces and manipulates and allows an unattractive 65 year-old man to
walk up to Miss Brazil and take her from me in a matter of
seconds. Once
the Brazilian Hugh Hefner made away with his prize, I wandered back to
the dance-floor but soon felt that all-too-familiar hand grip my wrist.
"Danzamos," Bruno yelled as he spun me around like a top.
Somehow he had attracted some cameramen and within seconds I found
myself playing second fiddle to Bruno's twists and turns. Smile for the
camera! Luckily, I was soon rescued, or so I thought, by some girl that
grabbed me and posed with me in front of another flash. Click! The flash
of the bulb pierced the through the flashing lights of the club, the
girl smiled and another moment was memorialized. A website photographer
suddenly appeared, and as I was jostled into position, I felt like I was
being showcased and exhibited. Was I to be auctioned off to the highest
bidder or merely used as fodder for some sleazy girl's ego? Either way,
I had had enough, so I enmeshed myself into the tangled web of dancing
bodies, coalescing myself with the rhythm of the smooth pulsating tunes.
Jose soon broke away from some model he was kissing to tell me that Miss
Beauty Queen was interested in me, but was nervous of the senator
finding out.
"The senator? What does he have to
do with this?"
"Didn't you see him – that is the
senator of Pernambuco and she is his girlfriend. Well, sort of – you
see, she just uses him for his money, as you could probably tell."
With this not-surprising news, I decided
to break out of the surreal scene and made my way outside and across the
boulevard to the beach where a waning crescent moon shed a calming glow.
Sitting on the sand in my fancy clothes, I reflected back on the bogus
bash I had surreptitiously snuck into. Everyone was so busy putting on
airs, it seems they hardly had time to enjoy themselves. Having escaped
the phony festivities, seeking solace on the moon-lit coast, I thought
about the innumerable realities we find ourselves living. Not only do we
each have our own idea of what reality is, we are all capable of
altering these individual realities. Though we strive to live
truthfully, aren't we all acting in some sense? The hermit in the hills
may not have to alter his behavior, but the rest of us that interact
socially are all guilty of putting on
airs, no matter how insignificant
they may seem. My friend poses as a homosexual to scare off women, I
masquerade as a model to get into a party and a beauty queen has a
scandalous affair for the money. Looking up to the moon for an answer, I
watched as a wispy gray cloud slid past, not blocking the moon's
luminescence but merely obscuring it a bit, altering its appearance. It
seems that not even the moon can boast absolute truth, for just like us,
it passes through cycles and each day sports a new look; from a faint
glimmer of a fingernail crescent, it waxes into a happy half and finally
blossoms into a fulfilled full moon.
I had set out on a mission seeking the
truth about Recife's
raucous reputation, but on this wild Wednesday night, I had come to a greater
realization. We are all capable of
dictating our own realities and we are all players in the same grand
game. So, if you have to put on an air to see how the other half lives,
enjoy the moment, but don't get swept away in the fantasy. For at the
end of the day, your true identity must be revealed, just as the moon
outshines the wispy cloud above the dark Brazilian beach.
Recife
Centro,
o Bairro da Boa Vista é 24 horas Gay
!
A vida GLBTS recifense reserva opções para os motivados que queiram
esticar pelo dia e pela madrugada. São saunas, cinemas, shoppings, bares
e boates. para
todos os estilos, que formam o roteiro da diversão. O circuito para
gays, lésbicas e simpatizantes não é mais tão restrito como há um
ano e hoje oferece várias opções para os visitantes.
O Bairro da Boa Vista é considerado o Bairro Gay
do Recife. Muito provavelmente por ser o coração gls da cidade, a
turma da diversidade tem se multiplicado pelos seus arredores. O
cruzamento das ruas José de Alencar e Giriquiti próximo ao Shopping
Boa Vista, coração do bairro,
é o ponto ao ar livre mais badalado da noite GLS do Recife; onde quase tudo é permitido.
Bem ao lado está o Shopping Boa Vista (apelidado carinhosamente pela comunidade de "Shopping Boa Bicha").
Funciona de segunda a sábado, até às 21h e domingo até
às 19 : 00 horas. Na praça da alimentação no segundo andar,
mais um ponto de encontro. Lá se pode paquerar, encontrar
os amigos
depois do trabalho, pegar um cineminha e até namorar. Uma opção de
cinema barato é o Teatro e Cinema
do
Parque, com sessões de R$ 1,00.
Mas trata-se de cinema tradiional.
Cinema erôtico é o Cinemix, ao lado do
edificio do Módulo (referência na Boa Vista) e funciona de segunda a
domingo dàs 12 : 00 h às 24 : 00 h. Entre outras opções de cinemas
erôticos tem o Cine Ritz, o Cine
Astor e o Cinema Especial. Todos
são próximos ao Parque Treze de Maio.
A turma da Boa Vista se reúne no
Mustang
(Lanchonete, Restaurante, Choparia e Bar), Pithausen
(Lanchonete e Bar), Sete Cores (Bar e
Dancing). É para o
bate-papo, paquerar, sair do stress... São opções com menor custo. As
pessoas vão de um bar a outro. Dependendo do movimento, o bafon é na
rua mesmo, ou nas calçadas. O Mustang, próximo ao
Shopping Boa Vista, oferece no cardápio almoço e jantar, diariamente dàs 12 : 00 horas
até
2 : 00 horas da madrugada.
Basta visitar algum desses locais recifenses para perceber que existem
infinitas formas de combinar os elementos que envolvem uma boa noitada.
É justamente isso que dá personalidade a cada lugar. Os resultados vão
desde um botecão lotado e ruidoso até um cantinho charmoso e tranqüilo
aonde se deve ir bem acompanhado, de locais só freqüentados por determinadas turmas a espaços ecléticos onde se
celebra tudo o que
possa valer um brinde... A noite recifense é tão efervescente que
chega a ser comparada com outros grandes centros. E com certeza vem a
ser uma das melhores opções para o público GLS. No Recife tem tudo
isso e muito mais. Que tal comprovar?
Tendo o Pátio de São Pedro como palco, sempre
às terças, as noites no centro da cidade se enchem de alegria,
cores, música e misticismo, ao som dos maracatus, grupos de
afoxés,
rodas de capoeira, grupos de rap e bandas de reggae. O evento Terça
Negra é coordenado pela Brigada Zumbi dos Palmares, Movimento
Negro Unificado e Prefeitura do Recife. Semanalmente, cerca de 1 500
pessoas comparecem ao Pátio de São Pedro.
A Praça Maciel Pinheiro fica em frente ao
Teatro do Parque
na Rua do Hospicio com varios bares com comidas
regionais, onde se encontrão os artistas.
Para dançar no Recife, as opções não se restringem aos clubes.
Alguns bares no Recife também cedem lugar para os passos. O
SPTZ, no bairro das Graças,
funciona a partir de quarta-feira e
atrai um público mais "light", procurando curtir MPB ao vivo,
mas também conta com uma pequenininha pista com DJ às quintas-feiras.
O
Clube Metrópole, funciona às sextas, sábados e vésperas
de feriado. Independente do dia, a Metrópole
sempre oferece shows de strippers - os tops do Nordeste - e
atrações de todas as partes do Brasil. O clube já foi apontado pela
revista Veja como a melhor no segmento GLS abrangendo todo o Nordeste.
Diariamente, a
partir das 15:00 horas, funcionam diversas saunas no bairro da Boa Vista:
A maior é a Termas Boa Vista, com
sauna seca e a vapor, massagistas, duas salas de vídeo pornô e uma
sala de músicas nacionais e internacionais, cabines e suítes, bar e
restaurante excelentes e muito mais. Nos finais de semana tem shows de drags e stripper boys.
Localiza-se na Rua Dom Manoel Pereira, 63, Boa Vista, fone: 81-
3423.3404.
Também tem a Termas 111,
localizada na Rua Corredor do Bispo, 111, Boa Vista, fone: 81-3223.5883.
Ela oferece uma piscina, sauna a vapor, massagistas, suítes e cabines,
duas salas de tv e uma sala de pornô e um bom bar com restaurante, a
cada quarta feira tem shows. Mas também nos domingos e muitas vezes nos
outros dias tem festas e eventos.
E a Termas
Center,
localizada na Rua do
Sossego, 62, Boa Vista, fone: 81-3221.5498. Oferece sauna a vapor, bar,
massagistas e cabines. Aos sábados e domingos tem festas.
Quando o assunto é
domingayra, eis as opções para quem quer badalar a
noite. Na Rua Corredor do Bispo: Meu Kaso Bar (MKB).
Tem a preferência
popular da maioria gay e gls quando se
fala do Centro do Recife de Quarta-Feira a Domingo. A noite ferve com
varios ambientes, salão de brega e salão de pagode, com dancing
eletronico. O ponto
forte são os shows constantes de drag-queens e caricatas.
Serviço
Shopping Boa Vista
Frente: Av. Conde da Boa Vista, Boa Vista,
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.
Fundos: Rua do Giriquiti, 48, Boa Vista,
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.
Tel.: (81) 3423 5666 Terça Negra
Pátio de São Pedro, São José,
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil. Praça Maciel Pinheiro
Rua do Hospicio, Boa Vista,
(fica em frente ao Teatro do Parque),
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.
Mustang
(Chopearia, Lanchonete, Bar e Restaurante)
Avenida Conde da Boa Vista, Boa Vista,
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.
(Ao lado do Shopping Boa Vista).
Pithausen (Bar e Lanchonete)
Rua Giriquiti, 139, Boa Vista,
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.
Tel.: (81)3423 3593 Raquel ou Chico.
Sete Cores (Bar e Dancing)
Rua do Giriquiti, 195, Boa Vista,
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.
Tel: (81) 9149 0763
SPTZ (Bar e Dancing)
Rua Joaquim Nabuco, 534, Loja 1, Graças,
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.
Tel.: (81) 9142 1551
Cine Astor
Rua Viconde de Suassuna, 875, Boa Vista,
Recife,
Pernambuco, Brasil.
(ao lado do Parque Treze de Maio)
Tel.: (81) 3222 6615
Cine Ritz
Rua Viconde de Suassuna, 875, Boa Vista,
Recife,
Pernambuco, Brasil.
(Ao lado do Parque Treze de Maio).
Tel.: (81) 3222 6615
Cine Especial
Rua da Saudade, Boa Vista,
Recife,
Pernambuco, Brasil.
(Próximo a faculdade de Direito do Recife).
Metrópole Dance
Rua das Ninfas, 125, Boa Vista,
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.
Tel.: (81) 3423 0123
Termas Boa Vista
Rua Dom Manoel Pereira, 63, Boa Vista,
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.
Tel.: (81) 3423 3404)
Termas
111
Rua Corredor do Bispo, 111, Boa Vista,
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.
Tel.: (81) 3223 5883
Termas
Center
Rua do
Sossego, 62,
Boa Vista,
Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.
Tel.: (81) 3221 5498
Recife
Centro,
o Bairro da Boa Vista ferve
!
É
sexta-feira e começa ao anoitecer. 1.500 pessoas como uma mágica, a
turma da diversidade, a turma cabeça, a turma adepta da liberdade segue
rumo a uma só direção: o cruzamento das Ruas José de Alencar e Giriquiti
no coração do bairro da
Boa Vista. O lugar se tornou o ponto ao ar livre mais badalado da noite
GLS do Recife e consagrou mais uma vez o bairro da Boa Vista, como o
bairro gay da cidade a exemplo do bairro Soho de Londres onde tudo é
permitido.
Na maior encruzilhada GLS da cidade, os
encontros são inevitáveis e todas as tribos procurar seus pares, seus
amigos. É para o bom papo, para paquerar, livrar-se do stress da
semana e até encontrar um amor ou viver uma aventura. Por lá é comum
ver os casais gays super à vontade. Gente de mãos dadas, num abraço
ou naqueles beijos calorosos e inevitáveis.
A agitação conta ainda com opções
para beber e comer na base do bom e barato. Quem sai do trabalho e nem
teve tempo de comer vai direto a mine pastelaria do local com deliciosos
sabores. A cervejada ninguém dispensa e acontece no meio da rua, nas
calçadas ou nas mesas de bares como o Pithausen, Mustang e
Sete Cores onde rola som ao vivo.
O lugar já é famoso há mais de vinte
anos como ponto GLS, mas nunca foi tão agitado, bem frequentado e com
boas opções de diversão para a turma da diversidade. A multidão de
gays, lésbicas, bissexuais e simpatizantes que invade o local nas
noites de sexta-feira (em outros dias o movimento é menor) transformou
o coração da Boa Vista no maior território ao ar livre destinado a
liberdade de expressão. A tradição gay do bairro se deve ainda
a maior concentração boates GLS da cidade como a Metrópole
e MKB (Meu Kaso Bar),
além de
três saunas, como a Sauna Termas Boa Vista, a Sauna Termas 111 e a Sauna
Termas Center e quatro cinemas, como o
Cinema Cinemix, o Cine Ritz, o Cine Astor e o Cine Especial.