Red Lights

When we were in Amsterdam we had to stop at the famous (or infamous) Red Light District.  It's considered a must see in Rick Steve's guidebook.  According to his book, the neighborhood has hosted the world's oldest profession since 1200.  Oscar nominated director Quentin Tarantino reportedly wrote the script for Pulp Fiction while staying in a hotel there. 

We came across the Condomerie  (a veritable condom museum) first where they sell all manner of condoms.  While in the S&M sex shop we heard a man ordering some kind of gear.  We also had a tour of the Sex Museum to view sex down through the ages!  They even had a huge ceramic part of the male anatomy that people posed under to have their pictures taken.  I declined! 

We walked down the alleys where the hookers pose in the doorways of their little rooms.  If the light above their rooms are lit up then they are available for business.  They are not nude but what they are wearing leaves little to the imagination.  They are not all thin and gorgeous.  One prostitute had her door open and was looking at me.  So I said to her, "Nice shoes!"  She replied, "You just like the shoes?  What about me?"  Jackson and I regretted that we didn't engage her in more conversation as it would make a better story!  They all wear those ridiculously high-heeled hooker shoes. 

We witnessed an underage guy receiving a talking to by the police.  One of the cops said he looked like he was 15!  I'm not sure if he got arrested or just received a stern warning.  Can't blame a guy for trying I guess!  Since prostitution is legal (since the 1980's) the women don't consider themselves to be exploited.  We walked by a sex nightclub called the Banana Bar but I had no interest in going in!  The Red Light District was sure something to see!