Red Light District— not so red anymore

I think the first thing people think about when coming to Amsterdam is seeing the red light district. Scantily clad women in windows, strutting their stuff, and selling their wares. Not to mention the opportunity to buy and use any drug you can think of, legally, and in the open. And bondage, homosexuality, leather, condoms, dildos, S&M… If you can think of it, it should be in Amsterdam‘s red light district.

Like many, I was adventurous, and did a walking tour of the red light district, I wasn’t stupid, I didn’t go at night, I went during the evening, about 4:30 in the afternoon.

Sorry to tell you, I didn’t see one naked person, no one in leather and no one using heroin purchased from a street vendor. I’ve seen more of that on the streets of San Francisco.

Instead, I saw other tourist, who like me, were looking for the gritty red light district. Too bad for all of us, as we were probably 15 or more years too late for the show and the neighborhood has turned into the tourist red light.

There were a few remnants of the former debauchery of the area but not what I expected.

I also hesitated to take many photos of things so as not to seem to creepy.

~travels with PamRead more