AMSTERDAM: MY FIRST TIME IN A RED LIGHT DISTRICT

B Y AILE EN AD AL ID / JA NU ARY 23 , 2 01 5 / 2 0 CO MM EN TS

http://iamaileen.com/amsterdam-first-time-red-light-district/
Now dont get excited.
Im not going to discuss an experience in a Red Light District because I would
neverwhat? Oh, you lost interest in reading this now? Haha! Cant blame you,
I did try to mislead you with the title. *pats myself on the back*
Anyhow, I hope youd still stick around especially if youre curious about
Amsterdams famous and largest Red Light District (RLD) called as De
Wallen (which I have visited just months ago). Up till now, I can still remember
how surreal it was and I would like to share with you the reactions and
experiences that I had.
And yes it really was my first time to step into such a place because in Asia,
though our RLDs are equally famous they are not the kind of tourist
attractions that the general public would look out for (unless youre a man or
woman seeking for the other kind of tourism: sex tourism). Simply put: its a shady
business, which is much like everything else in the world. For example, the ones
we have back in the Philippines are disguised as bars, KTVs, massage parlors, or
clubs since its definitely considered illegal; however, the government turns a blind
eye on it since its very profitable due to the sexpats.
Besides, even if Im curious about how it works or looks like, I wouldnt dare
venture into those establishments or streets during their peak hours because:

I value my life, thank you very much

I have visions of pimps kidnapping me, and;
I also dont want to be mistaken as one of the girls

However, Amsterdams RLD is somehow different.

It has a tinge of seedinessof course that feeling will always be therebut for
the most part, it felt or seemed so normal. Nothing is hidden either; theyre as
vocal, straight-forward, and transparent as they could be to the public, probably
due in part to how prostitution in the Netherlands is legal: establishments have
clear huge neon lights directly advertising sex shows or peep shows, and of
course there are the rows of tiny rooms with the scantily-clad girls, offering their
services behind a glass door/window thats illuminated in red.
This kind of red light district is NOT only found in Amsterdam. Its a common thing
in the whole of Europe; Antwerp for example has something similar to this and it
was more organized in a sense that the windows are in a flowing manner,
whereas the ones here in Amsterdam are very scattered and you have to walk
through small side streets etc.
IT FELT NORMAL: I say this because it was such a touristy place. You can
even see families strolling around, eager to see the oddity of this nightlife spot
and yes, there were even families with kids! Of course, you will also see the
occasional man negotiating and talking to a window girl (he gets in, a red curtain
will be drawn over the window, once done, he gets out in a rush). BUT the
number of curious couples and groups were far more rampant, that the place
becomes a mystifying thing on its own. Groups of girls during their hen night or
bachelorette party are common here too; most likely giggling around and daring
one another to watch the sex shows.

There were even police people stationed at certain spots to ensure that public
order is maintained. In fact, it can be said that the RLD here is one of the safest
areas in Amsterdam because of the number of policemen and the bodyguards
(pimps?) that the girls personally have.
I am in no way supporting this business nor am I promoting that you visit it. Im
here to simply inform you how I saw and interpreted this RLD. And if youre
curious how prostitution is handled in this side of the world, then by all means,
visit it yourself and quench your inquiring mind or continue reading this post.
I, for one, was peculiar about Amsterdams liberal and tolerant attitude about all of
this, thats why I wanted to see for myself how they embrace the fact that some
people are just into prostitution, soft drugs (read my experience with this here),
and pornographythat it is all a human thing. That rather than banning it
(because it will always be there; people will always find a way) its better to
regulate it in order to protect the women involved.
However, if youre the kind of person who hates these kinds of things in the first
place, then surely dont go; youll definitely end up loathing it.
Also, if youre a family, please dont bring your kids; let them discover this place
on their own when they are older. But I guess okay, whatever floats your boat.
Society is slowly becoming more open-minded than before and I could
understand if some parents want to expose their kids to the realities of this world;
but I do hope to goodness that you guys are mindful of what youre doing.

IT IS LEGAL: Prostitution was legalized in Amsterdam last 2000 in an aim of

regulating this business, protecting the women, and ensuring that organized
crime, human trafficking, or money laundering are kept at bay.
With this, prostitution became some sort of legitimate business wherein all girls
have to be registered in the government with a self-employed status (to also
ensure that they are not younger than 21) and are positioned in the same tax
bracket as that of a tour guide. So yes, they do pay taxes and they have to be
officially licensed.
The girls also have the right to choose which customers to take in and if ever
theres troublemoney dispute or bad customerthey always have an alarm
button in their area that would connect them to the police who are just minutes or
seconds away (remember how I said that theyre scattered around the RLD?).
We can never know, despite all the efforts of the government to regulate this
business, if there are girls who are still involved in human trafficking (theres a
high chance that there still are). But for the most part, this appears to be seasonal
work for some girls who leave their European countries, looking for profitable work
in a short period (like 6 months or more) so that they can return to their country
with a small fortune.
Laws for prostitution vary across Europe but the 8 countries: Netherlands,
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, Hungary, and Latvia have
made prostitution legal and regulated so that there wont be room for exploitation
on the prostitutes.

Some countries however, made prostitution wholly illegal, either criminally

prosecuting the clients or the prostitutes themselves. Whereas countries
like Spain, Belgium and the Czech Republic have prostitution as not officially and
not legally regulated; they are simply tolerated or recognized as a job and laissezfaire.

WHERE IS DE WALLEN?
De Wallen or De Walletjes is located in the oldest part of the city, covering several
blocks to the south of the church Oude Kerk and a 10-minute walk away from the
Amsterdam Central Station. (There are no tram stops nearby but the nearest
station is Nieuwmarkt).
This RLD consists of a network of alleys containing approximately 300 tiny oneroom cabins rented by prostitutes and that together with the other lesser-known
prostitution areas Singelgebied and Ruysdaelkade, form the Rosse Buurt (red
light areas) of Amsterdam.
The old canals Oudezijds Voorburgwal and Oudezijds Achterburgwal passes
through this RLD as well, giving the place a distinct charm. But then
again, without the sex shops, red windows and whatnot, this area already holds a
sense of glamour as it is the most medieval part of the citywhat with its old
buildings and 14th century architecture. (Its actually along these canals where
you will find the main part of the RLD. Its easy to spot because youll see all the
establishments who hold sex shows. To see more red windows, you will have to
go through the side streets and alley ways.)

WHAT TO REMEMBER WHEN IN DE WALLEN?

Do NOT take photos of the occupied windows this is prohibited and

any attempt to do so have consequences. Every girl will get mad and they
will run after you, or worse, their bodyguards or pimps will come out to get
you. While strolling around, I personally witnessed a girl getting mad at a
guy who took a photo of her; I didnt know what happened next but its
likely (like what other peoples stories go) that they will crush the camera or
phone (or ensure that its deleted/gone). So its best that you respect the
girls privacy. Though during my stay, I did manage to get a shot of
something else
Mind your belongings the place is safe with all the clusters of
policemen, but still, due to the crowd, pick-pocketing can happen. So
always try to go in groups or at least go with someone so you dont attract
any unwanted attention especially in the side streets.
Dont start a conversation with the girls IF you dont intend to do any
business with them; they or their bodyguards will get mad at you for
wasting their time. Nevertheless, its okay to look at them; they dont go out
of their windows to seek business from you anyway.
Dont buy from dealers sometimes there are people who will try to sell
you drugs or bikes here. DONT buy them. As Ive mentioned in my other
post about soft drugs, they are only allowed to be sold in coffee shops so
if you buy them outside, youll find yourself on the other side of the law!
Go at night though there can be girls already at their windows during
daylight, its less lively. So to get a better feel of the RLD, go and visit
during night time when its filled with people and the neon lights are on to
illuminate the area and the canals. Its at its peak during 11PM; though at
9PM, the atmosphere could already be busy.
Dont think that this is all Amsterdam is about because it has a lot
more to offer! The city has so much culture, food, and history to give you
so I suggest that you wander around!

WHAT ELSE IS THERE?

Aside from the girls on the red glass windows/doors, there are a lot more things
for you to do here in De Wallen.
By the way, before I go on, let me tell you some observations that I had while I
walking around this vicinity. Other than witnessing someone getting apprehended
for taking photos of one of the girls, and seeing a man rushing out of a cabin
room after finishing his business, I have also witnessed how these girls would
normally act behind their glass windows/doors:

Most of them will look bored, they are

o Sitting, standing, or just staring at the onlookers

Texting on their phones

Talking to their co-workers
(if they are in single closed rooms, they would open their doors
slightly, animatedly talking to one another and ignoring everyone
that passes by)
Rarely do I see girls who would really try to market themselves, if they do
they will just
o Dance slightly
o Smile slightly or wave
(one of them smiled + waved to me that somehow, I felt giddy; it
happened so rarely that I had to tell Jonas Someone smiled at
me!!!)
I never saw a boy behind the glass doors/windows but Ive been told that
they exist. Probably they are out when its really late. We were at the RLD
around 9PM-10PM.
o
o

Now of course everyone is wearing provocative clothing (lingerie, swimsuits, etc.)

sporting different designs and whatnot; some even wear clothing that would
illuminate under the neon light of their windows/doors. There were even several
hot and model-looking girls near the main area that a part of me became a bit
sad, thinking about how they couldnt find another job out there for thembut
then I also had to sensibly think that there are people who enjoy being sex
workers so I shouldnt pity these girls.
Moreover, given the laws and protection that the Netherlands gives plus the fact
that most of them didnt seem to be caged up (texting away, valuing their privacy
so people from back their home town wont find out, etc.) gives me a bit of
assurance that they werent involved in human-trafficking.
Moving on to the other things to do in De Wallen

For those who want the erotic stuff, there are plenty of sex and peep shows.
The top 3 popular places for these can be easily identified by their distinct
elements: the pink elephant sign from Casa Rosso (oldest live sex theatre in
Amsterdam), the red figure signs from Moulin Rouge (not to be confused with the
French show), and the yellow banana sign from Banana Bar (said to be for those
who are looking for more interaction).
This was NOT my cup of tea so if you want to know what exactly happens in
these places, youll have to discover it yourself. I noticed though that there
seemed to be a fair amount of couples and groups of girls who seem to be the
kind of general audience that these establishments get.
Another observation: the bouncers who are outside the Casa Rosso and Moulin
Rouge were insanely friendly. Despite their body size and bulky appearance, it
was a bit of a sight seeing them talking to people with all smiles as they try to
entice them to come in and watch a show. (Well, they must bring in some
business!) And oh, if I may add, they were wearing suits! One of the guys
outside Moulin Rouge was even wearing a tuxedo and he reminded me a lot
of Michael Buffer (that Lets get ready to rumbleeeee! ring announcer guy).
For those who are looking for goods, there are a LOT of sex shops in De
Wallen! Just stroll around and youre bound to see one. This was also the first
time that I have seen sex toys so I was in a giggle fit all throughout our
explorationlike come on seriously? Some people can fit that in?
Anyhow, they were fun places! The store people dont seem to mind if you snap
photos away either and they dont even mind if youre a bundle of laughter (I

guess they get it all the time). Actually, in these sex shops, I never saw
someone going in there to buy something; its rather full of giggling couples and
friends!
Anyways, theres one interesting shop that you should visit which
is Condomerie (buy some funny condom souvenirs here for your friends but
taking photos inside is not allowed) and if youre into exploring sexuality in an
olden fashion, then drop by the Sex Museum!
For the other kind of goods like cannabis or weed, there are coffee
shops scattered around the RLD too.
For those who want history, culture and landmarks, RLD has it! Remember
that this is Amsterdams oldest part so its still full of interesting normal areas.
Theres the 800-year-old Oude Kerk (the citys oldest parish church), theres even
the picturesque street of Zeedijk (Amsterdams Chinatown), the dreamy canals
of Oudezijds Voorburgwal and Oudezijds Achterburgwal.