Amsterdam RLD

The Red Light District in Amsterdam is popular among locals and tourists alike. Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands and there are supposedly over five hundred "windows" in the largest Red Light District. These windows (in many cases, glass doors) are where the prostitutes stand and wait for customers. Women of almost every nationality can be found there. As we walked around, we learnt that one street was for Russian prostitutes, one for Asian, one for African, and so on. All the windows or doors glow with a red light and all the women standing at those windows are required to wear at least a bikini. In fact, one particular street has a small kindergarten (for the families living in that area) in the midst of this flesh trade, and the kids who go there and see the women standing at the glass doors, are told that the girls are waiting for a bus to take them to the beach! :-)

I was most surprised to learn that there was even a street inhabited by older women, in their 60s or so! The oldest one is said to be 85 years old and she continues working because she likes it!

The area is also home to a statue, which bears the inscription that prostitutes all around the world should be respected. The majority of them are extremely careful and conscious, with the result that the percentage of people having HIV/AIDS is almost equal to that of the common public. This, in spite of, a basic health check that was required in earlier times, has now been done away with, following widespread protests from the prostitutes!

The Red Light District is home to not only many women prostitutes, but also to some male prostitutes. Gay places are distinguished by the rainbow flags that hang outside them, while the leather clad, whip yielding (BDSM) ones stand out by using a black flag.

The Red Light District is generally thought to be quite a safe area. Although it was a crime-infested area not too long ago, government regulations and police intervention have transformed into one of the major attractions in Amsterdam. Each street and alleyway is manned by many cameras and even the safety of the prostitutes is not undermined. The pimp responsible for a particular group of prostitutes ensures this by looking at the television monitors that they set up in their "shop", lest any untoward incident happens.

We also went through an alleyway believed to be the narrowest one in the area; we could go through only in a single file, almost walking sideways. The area also houses a number of restaurants, small eateries, souvenir shops and sundry other things.

Near the entrance to the area is a big "condomerie", with a hilarious display of numerous, funny-looking condoms. There is also a sex museum, an erotic museum, sex shops, coffee shops selling marijuana, sex and peep shows and a cannabis museum in the vicinity. The sex shows differ from the peep and strip shows, because in the former, they show people doing it live.

Life goes on as usual in the district, which is almost always bustling with a wide array of humanity, including children and older people.

While there, I also picked up the trivium that some Dutch men like to frequent this area in the mornings, while on their way to work! Apparently, mornings are usually the busiest for the girls; and like a guide vehemently stated, no, their wives don't approve!

The 3 Xs in XXX that is so synonymous with X-rated movies now, stands for fire, flood and plague.

By the way, they charge €50 for about 15-20 minutes.