Gay Rio
If you're expecting gay nightlife to rival San Francisco or Sydney, you may well be disappointed. There are few areas of concentration and, apart from transvestites who hang out on street corners and during Carnaval, the scene is unexpectedly discreet. A good starting point for an evening out is Rua Visconde Silva in Botafogo, which is lined with numerous gay and lesbian cafes, bars and restaurants. The best introduction to Rio's more traditional male gay society is Le Ball, a bar in the Travessa Cristiano Lacorte, just off Rua Miguel Lemos, at the Ipanema end of Copacabana. Opposite this, the Teatro Brigitte Blair hosts a gay transvestite show from around 10pm. Also in Copacabana, Encontros, on Praca do Lido set back from Avenida N.S. de Copacabana, is popular, although mainly with tourists. In Centro, the Cafe Bohemia, in Avenida Santa Luzia off Avenida Rio Branco, features now legendary transvestite shows that are considered a must-see for many gay tourists. A five-minute walk from here in Lapa, behind a pink facade under the Aqueduto da Carioca, is the Casanova, Rio's oldest and most interesting gay bar. In business since 1929, the Casanova features lambada and samba music, with large ceiling fans to cool down the frenetic dancers. In the daytime, the beach area in front of the Copacabana Palace Hotel is frequented by gay bathers, and the cafe next door, Maxims, is a fun gay place to hang out. Nearby on Avenida Atlantica at the junction with Rua Siqueira Campos is the Rainbow kiosk, a summer-time information point that helps out gay visitors. The strip of beach between Rua Farme de Amoedo and Rua Teixeira do Melo in Ipanema is another well-known gay meeting point. See the "Carnaval" section for information about Rio's gay balls
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