My final day / night in Amsterdam

Well allright,

I said goodbye to my friends at the Flying Pig and took a taxi to the Luxor Hotel which is located two blocks away from the train station, and is in the Red Light District (RLD)- right across the street from a store that sells magic mushrooms. I took a taxi simply because I was not in the mood to lug my luggage all around town anymore - eventhough it was only a five minute taxi trip. I didnt take any mushrooms though - just so you know..

I enjoyed taking a shower and relaxing for a little while in my own private room again. Getting used to my new location. I considered renting a bike again, but after walking to Max Bike Rental, in the train station, and finding out that they close early on Sunday and dont open early on Monday, I had to skip it. And instead decided to take a tram I have never been on just to see a different part of the city. Tram 4 was it. I saw some streets I had not seen before, went past the Rembrandtsplein(sp), another square with a statue in the middle, and many more bars and clubs surround it. I hear that there are some great dance clubs around there. I snapped some photos and was back after a couple of hours. This city is definately too big to see in one vacation, but anyhow...

Once back at the Luxor, which is a great little family-run hotel by the way, I wandered and within one block I was in the Red Light District. I found this area to have to skinniest of streets and the highest concentration of sex shops, coffee shops, and also the most British and American tourists. As I ventured further into the area, I also saw the red lights. Then there were more and more of them. It was still light out and there were all kinds of people (tourists) going around. As well as numerous junkies and thug-like characters who would whisper to you "yo cocaine mon, extasy" You just have to walk past these people and dont make eye contact with them or even respond to them. They will think that you dont speak English and leave you alone. I got in with a pack of Japanese Tourists and was able to avoid it for a while. But there was one bridge over a canal that I walked over and probably got propositioned for drugs about once every two footsteps I took. From what I understand, even if you are interested, it is highly doubtful that you are going to get anything but baby powder or some other crap - so avoid these people no matter what.

So anyways, there are street after street lined with red-lights women standing, dancing, in the windows, trying to entice you to come over and enter their kamer (bedroom). Some are extremely attractive looking and belong in Playboy, and some looked washed up. But it depends on what you are looking for - and there is something for everyone here. Sometimes when you walk past, they will rap on the window and smiling as you (I) walk by. Others though, look bored and are proping up their chin in their hands, or talking on the cellphone and ignoring the public. Every race and nationality is represented and they all seem to group together. There are red lights that surround a church there, and these women tend to be black and hispanics. There are some blonde stunners down one street, some Christina Agulera look alikes down one street, some brunette stunners over here, and another street has a grouping of oriental girls, medeteranian(sp) etc. There is one or two streets that have blue lights in the windows instead of red. These are the "once were men" areas and remember that about the blue light so you know. If that isnt clue enough, look for strange manly features on these women.

For a vast wealth of info on the red light district, visit www.ignatzmice.com

I didnt bring my camera with me because you are told not to. If you are caught taking photos here, you will be confronted and possibly violently taken care of (so they say). I did see some people later that night with cameras and the women responded by shutting the curtain to their window - I didnt stick around to see what happened next.

There are streets that are more like alleys, or gangways between buildings that are also lined with red lit glass doorways. One of these gangways is so skinny, you would have to be a Skinny Snake just to get through, and later at night when it was crowded, you would have to walk in a single-file line and turn sideways to make room for the people walking past. (a great place for getting pick-pocketed)

I wish I could have taken photos here.

One thing I will say is that there were many tourists here, but not all were guys. I saw many many girls in groups or with their husbands or boyfriends laughing and walking around and having a very good time. And this neighborhood is relatively safe too. You have to watch out for pickpockets, so dont get too drunk here unless you are with a group of friends. But I was there till after 1am, and the crowd had thinned out except for certain areas, but I was comfortable walking around on my own.

Anyhow, before that - around 10 or 11, I stopped into a Chineese Restaurant in the Red Light District for dinner. It was the best ever. The RLD has some of the best restaurants around, and it is also a neighborhood where everyday people live too, dont forget (however surreal that sounds). In America we are definately prude. Something like this would never fly here. Walking around here I saw plenty of Americans having fun, along with people from many different countries. It is definately a party atmosphere full of good cheer. I saw nothing that bothered me, aside from the occasional stench of urine on the street.

I spent my time walking around and finding the streets that had what appealed to me. A few girls I even flirted with, smiled and gave them the ole eyebrow. I even got a couple stunners to smile back, wave me over, and open their door for me. You will have to use your imagination to guess what happened after that.

There are live sex shows, the Hemp Museum, all kinds of interesting debauchery here. I stopped in at a peep show where you get to go into a closet-like space. See, there are all these closets arranged in a circle with a stage in the middle. You put 2 Euros into a coin slot and all of a sudden, you can look out and see the stage where there are people engaged in a live sex show on a revolving bed. Yea baby yea!! Every 10 minutes a new scene begins. The performers can see your face peering out at them. So - a solo girl came right up to my window and gave me a private show. I was randy. Then in the next scene. I saw a couple doing it doggie-style. And it was all totally not faked or anything. (Update: I mean that strictly from an anatomical point of view.)

All around you can hear rowdy alcohol-induced cheering, and shouts in various English accents. I guess the British are known to get a little loud around here when they drink.

There are also one or two Bulldog coffeshops here and I stopped in one that was nicer than the one in the Leidseplein that I discussed in an earlier post. It was actually pretty chill and you could sit outside or inside, have a beer or a smoke, and I think it was open all night. I hear that the RLD is open every night till 6am. But I will say that it was touristy. This is the touristy area of town, there are locals here, but it seemed that the Bulldog and the red light area around it was somewhat commercialized.

Well It was getting really late so after 1:30am I just went back to the Luxor. The black guy who worked the lobby/bar, was talking about how he is a professional basketball player on the Dutch league here. I stayed up for a few minutes and had a soft drink before passing out upstairs in my room.