Amsterdam - Sex, Drugs and Pedalos?
We packed a lot into our three days in Amsterdam; boat trips through the historical canal district, museum visits, sight-seeing and, of course, plenty of gable-spotting. But I can't leave without mentioning Amsterdam's more infamous attractions; the Red Light District and the cannabis-selling coffee shops. We didn't encounter any rock and roll during our trip but pedalos were prevalent and it sort of rhymed...
Amsterdam's Red Light District
Amsterdam's Red Light District area of De Wallen is actually one of the oldest and prettiest areas of the city. Winding cobbled streets, pretty, leaf-lined canals, the gothic 13th century Oude Kerk (Old Church) as a backdrop and plenty of canal-side cafés makes it a pleasant area to enjoy in daylight hours.
Come dusk the Red Light District becomes a major tourist attraction and when my travelling companion, a girlfriend from school, and I returned to the area in the evening it was cast in a somewhat different light. The lanes were bustling with goggle-eyed tourists, us included, couples strolling hand-in-hand, tour groups and hen parties giggling and gasping their way past less than barely-clad women gyrating their way round the window frames. And, of course, there were those looking to buy. The atmosphere was now a tad edgier.
Take a walking tour of Amsterdam's Red Light District. Click here for rates and availability.
Why not to take photos in Amsterdam's red light district
As the lamplight cast a red glow onto the inky waters of the canal I heard a shout behind me. Looking back, I saw one of the girls launch herself from behind her window, run into the street and loudly admonish a tourist who'd been taking photos - photography is banned here to protect the people working there.
Luckily the camera remained intact and, I know I shouldn't laugh, but seeing my friend being yelled at by a prostitute wearing 6-inch heels and little else still causes me to smile. What a rotten friend I am. We spent the next half an hour recovering with a gin and tonic watching the comings and goings from the safety of a busy pub. We reckoned the average curtain closure time to be 11 minutes. As you can imagine the people-watching here is unparalleled.
Nowadays the government is cleaning up the city's three Red Light Districts. Since prostitution was legalised in 2000 the country's liberal attitude has been exploited more and more by organised criminal gangs. The aim is to discourage the types of business that are conducive to crime and to allow prostitution in just two areas.
Brothels are bought-up as soon as they are vacated, renovated and new business ventures moved-in, such as fashion designers and restaurants, to strengthen the area's character and help economic growth. It's thought that a third of the brothels will eventually close. Safety is key here and the prostitution regulations were tightened in 2012 to further control organised crime and trafficking - the workers also have their own union and police protection.
Amsterdam's Coffee Shops
Coffee Shop
Coffee House
Take a coffee shop walking tour in Amsterdam. Click here for rates and availability
Amsterdam's First Coffee Shop
And so to Pedalos...
Check rates and availability for Pedalo hire or hop on hop off bus with boat option
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I can't imagine how your friend must have felt... I'd die right there if a prostitute starts yelling at me for a miserable photo, oh my!!!
I know it's wrong of me but I kept laughing about it for days!
Chuckling at the prostitute incident Suzanne 😀 I can well imagine the people watching potential in that district!
Eyes on stalks Madhu!
Thanks for clearing that up Suzanne as if I ever take my parents for a latte there I don't want to be making that mistake
The images that brings to mind...... 🙂 No you wouldn't would you....
I met a Dutchman in then lift at our hotel in Crete who told me about how great the prostitutes were when he discovered we'd been to Amsterdam earlier in the year, I had to explain that I went there with my wife before he'd accept that I wasn't interested in paying for sex while I was there!
Which rice table restaurant did you use?
A nudge and a wink is often the reaction when Amsterdam is mentioned but there is so, so much more to the city.
I feel it's a shame that it's often labelled just for these aspects.
We ate at Aneka Rasa 25 Warmoesstraat. Ricetable for two was 40 euros and a bottle of wine 20 euros - the food was
really good. We also ate at a tiny, tasty, Thai place on Zeedijk, The Thai Jasmine. Good value and very good food
- they even cooked our meal without fish sauce as my friend is allergic!
Brilliant description of our amazing trip. Glad i made you smile with the prostitute incident. xxxx
Still smile about it now. We need to plan another trip matey! 🙂 xxxx
I enjoyed this very readable post about Amsterdam, I almost felt as if I was there ...
Thank you JAA 🙂
I feel for your friend - I was taking photos on my first visit there when a lady of the night ran out, took my glasses off me and demanded I give her the roll of film before she'd give me my specs back!
My friend wasn't taking pics of the girls just the buildings opposite - it did shake us up a bit though as she was quite aggresive. Funny in hindsight, however! Hope you didn't lose too many pics...
We have just come back from a few days in Amsterdam and it was wonderful (although its become an expensive city). We steer clear of the red light area (depressing) but loved the galleries and museums and had some excellent meals. Its always a city which delivers a great time!
This was my first visit to the Amsterdam so I wanted to see as much as possible. I definitely want to return and see the van Gogh museum which we missed this time. We had some excellent meals in Chinatown - a really good Thai meal and an Indonesian Rice Table. Wonderful city which I'd like to re-visit and totally indulge myself in the art...
Another great, and amusing, post Suzanne.
Thank you Dave - wasn't sure quite how to broach this subject but I think it panned out ok!
Love it, Suze. I'll just take the pedalo and keep out of harm's way. Maybe I should take a flask too to avoid the confusion. 🙂
Excellent idea Jo - you sound like my perfect travel companion!
Suzanne, Amsterdam is a city with free spirit - I don't agree on the the drug thing .. but it's very controlled and they are only allowed to sell a certain amount per day and customers. The sex I think is great that they do it in a controlled manor ... the girls pay tax and goes on monthly health check ups. Because prostitution we will never get ride off - and it has in my book a social function - there is those that are not able to find partners so easy for many reasons and .... they also do us other girls a huge favors. Also a way to control human trafficking - as you mention.
Germany has the same set up.
In Sweden we are allowed to sell sex, but not to buy ???????? No we should take a good look at The Netherlands.
That's a bit of an anomoly - allowed to sell sex but not buy it... confused.com! I think the prostitution helps with tourism in Amsterdam which is why it continues - the same with the cannabis cafes. You can never please all of the people all of the time heh!
We have prostitution is every little or big place all over the world ... so why not do it like Amsterdam and Germany does it and get it controlled and keep the girls safe.
Cannabis - also under controlled .. and I don't know if that helps the tourism - but it's what it's and so long as the Dutch can live with .. their was something like this in Copenhagen too - Christiania, the free city - don't know if it's still like that.
Prostitution goes on everywhere, whether we like it or not, better to make it safe for everyone concerned. I think a lot of businesses in Amsterdam felt they would lose revenue if Amsterdam decided to ban the cannabis cafes (the government gave major Dutch cities the choice). Rotterdam has banned it but I don't know whether it would affect tourism quite as much there.
Rotterdam in my eyes is just a massive port ... maybe they have tourism - don't have clue ...
Saw a documentary about one of the most popular cafes in Amsterdam and it's owner ... and the controls was very extreme, but of course there is always ways around it. Every cafe are only allowed to sell a total amount ... per day.
Still I think Amsterdam will be a popular tourism destination. I don't people come from all over the world to just visit brown cafes.
I agree - we didn't go into any!