(more) Amsterdam Adventures - Part 2!

 We headed back into the city today to continue getting acquainted with the Dutch ways. This time we took a tram towards the Southern end of town so that we could take a walk along the busy shopping streets of Amsterdam.

The beautiful flower markets in Amsterdam



The city was certainly a lot more crowded on the weekend being a mecca for other European tourists as well as locals.

We went in search of the Van Dobben sandwich shop and found it off on a side laneway. After a frustrating 30min wait to be served ( we think it was a language barrier thing).We got to try some traditional Dutch croquettes and roast beef sandwiches – p.s. they were crazy on the meat but not so crazy on the salads and vegies in Holland, although it was all VERY delicious!

Mmmm Croquette Sandwich!



It may be because they get their fix of their “greens” by other means such as visiting one of the multitudes of coffee shops all around the city but particularly cluster in the alleys around the Dam and Red Light districts. Who would have thought they would offer such extensive menus as well!

Its almost like the milk back home



What goes better with milk than "cookies"

The Dam

Yes they do actually wear clogs!!!

Old people doing dancing and dressed in traditional costume

This is 1 giant clog!

We continued browsing the souvenir shops slowly making our way towards the Oude Kirk, Amsterdam’s original church located smack bang in the middle of the Red Light District. People often mistakenly think it was put there especially for the repentant sinners; however the simple fact of the matter was that it happened to be the centre of the old town in Amsterdam and there was sufficient space to build a church there. It was however thought to improve business for the ladies of pleasure, allowing clients to confess their sins and be home in time for dinner with the wife and kids.

 

Out the front of the PIC

The youngest recruit on our prostetution tour!

We had come to join the Red Light District and prostitution walking tour led by the lovely ladies at the Prostetution Information Centre – all of them ex-pro’s.

The tour took is of course through the streets of the Red Light District along the ay explaining the various do’s and don’ts – the unwritten rule book of the area.

1. No pictures – of the ladies or clients, anonymity is most important for business
2. Don’t block the view of the windows unless you’re planning to buy (or rent as our guide explained).

Cafe, prostitute, bar, prositiute, Dominos pizza, prostitute...
How everyday life mingles with the Red Light District

Other helpful facts:

• We also found out that all the ladies are 100% self employed and are perhaps some of the best business women in the world, they don’t have pimps or madams as we expected (the brothels are a different story though).
• The average age in the area is 35yesrs or a smidge over
• The oldest prostitute is 73(+ or – 5years most likely)
• The oldest ever pro in the area was 83 and had been working in the industry since she was 16 – I would think she would have earned a nice little retirement fund but apparently she worked until the day she died. I can only imagine the circumstances.
• The average time to work as a prostitute is 2yeas
• Most work full time 38 hours per and rent their windows for 8 hours per shift.
• During a shift the average number of clients serviced is 3-30
• The average length of a consultation is 6mins – this includes undressing and dressing – WHAM BAM!
• The going rate starts at 50€ per 15mins and it climbs depending on the complexity (shall we say) of the client’s demands



Dave finds boobs wherever he goes!

 The Red Light district is also one of the most sought after and expensive places to live with people living right above and next to the rosey windows and rooms – hope they have good soundproofing!



The beautiful canals of Amsterdam - middle of the Red Light District - who wouldnt want to live here?

 

"Hey, hey goodlookin'" - do you think he's looking at one of the girls or his own reflection in the window?

It is also one of the safest areas in Amsterdam officially boasting the lowest crime and drug rates. This is because of the strong community ties and close working relationships with the police – the centre attributes this to the legalization and legitimization of the profession. The ladies have fought strongly to have drugs and violence free streets so as not to drive away customers. They also have alert and panic buttons in all of the rooms linked directly with the 4 police stations in the district.

After the fascination of the tour we could take photos of ourselves in the window of the PIC working on our seductive poses.

My Parents would be so proud

Dave's a natural!

Then it was back home to the lovely car park (after a tram trip in completely the wrong direction – whoops_ which was crammed with cars so much so that we nearly couldn’t open Mulder’s doors – Amsterdam on a Saturday night!