ONE FAMOUS DISTRICT

AMSTERDAM’S RED LIGHT DISTRICT

         Before I left home on my first European trip my son-in-law suggested I see the red light district in Amsterdam. After dinner our first night in the city I asked to be left off the bus at the district. My guide was shocked that an old lady would be interested in such a place explaining, “The streets are too narrow for the bus. I will make an announcement and we can let you off near by and point you in the right direction. I can show you how to get back to the hotel.”

        Nine of us hardly souls got off the bus and walked the street and canal bridges covered with red lights. Walking along the narrow street on each side of the canal we viewed scantily clad girls parading around or sitting mannequin-like in large picture windows that were also outlined in red lights. We wandered down one side of the canal and back up the other side. None of us was quite prepared for the most incredible and unbelievable sight.

        We learned the girls are licensed, legal prostitutes. The lack of pimps eliminates violence such girls often put up with. Frequent medical exams make the world’s oldest profession relatively safe for the girls.

       Earlier in the day, while my traveling partner slept off a headache, I had wandered the streets around the hotel and made note of a couple landmarks. I do NOT have a good since of direction. Now, in the dark, eight people were relying on me to get them safely back to the hotel—the hotel name that none of us had taken note of! As soon as I saw the train station I knew how to proceed. However, the ally where I had shopped and eaten lunch looked very different at night when everything was dark and closed up! We all walked into the hotel lobby just as it started to rain.

         On another trip to Amsterdam I wanted Jan to see the district. Again it was arrival day and by dark we were pretty tired, but it was a case of now or never. Our guide walked a group of us to the area. This time I noted the cobblestone walks along the canal were rather uneven in many places. I hadn’t noticed before all the small alleys that run off the main canal.

        It was not totally dark, but many, many prostitutes were lounging in their windows in all degrees of undress. Most were young, white, and nearly all were smoking. We all felt it was a sad way to make a living. From the numbers it looked like competition might be very tough---but then again I’m a female. We even saw an occasional sign stating that a window was for rent. Many of us felt uncomfortable and as if we were intruding.