Incursion in Amsterdam

Let's take a little break from India to go back in time a little. Last June, I was leaving suffocating heat in Istanbul to catch my flight at the last minute. I was worried I would miss the flight to Amsterdam on Turkish Airlines.

I must say the agents in the airport were very slow. I still could make it and landed at Schipol Airport in the evening, as planned.

In Amsterdam, it is super easy to get downtown by train. About 15 minutes, 30 max, and you're there. And from Central Station, lots of trams are available.

I thought I might get lost, but everything was easy until I found my hostel, Van Gogh Hostel, right in front of the museum dedicated to that painter.

If it is known the hostel of the Netherlands capital are not the best in the world, mine was very acceptable. It wasn't a place to go to get drunk, as I was worried about at first.

The town itself is easy to explore on foot when one has a little time. That is what convinced me to walk to get to the Dam to get into one of the free tours they offer in the morning or in the afternoon. It is necessary to book ahead or to get there early, since they denied me access to the tour on my first attempt.



For a few euros, the same company offers Red Light District tours in the evening, a must for anyone who wants to understand the area where the prostitutes are.

My guide for that expedition, a flamboyant gay man, wasn't running out of images and jokes to give up all the area's secrets. For example, he explained the meaning of the flags they put on top of some buildings, flags refering to the sexual acts allowed inside the place.

We also saw the condomerie, a shop selling all sorts of condoms in a variety of sizes. There are all those stores showing in the front window all their best XXX movies, from masochistic to BDSM, while others had to remove their banners because they were considered too explicit... Nevertheless...

We followed the guide near the Oude Kerk, a very old church surrounded by very round prostitutes. According to the guide, the reasonnable price for a prostitute is about 50 euros, even if those having a little more flesh and "attributes" down there charge 35 euros... Depending on your taste.

There is also those places offering sex shows, where couples go all the way on stage, or where they have cabins to access the show for two euros.

The age of the oldest prostitute, how they tried to put males behind the doors and windows and the security system to ensure sex workers stay safe are all things you can learn about on that tour.

So yes, it is worth it to spend a day in the Red Light district while in Amsterdam. You should avoid taking pictures of the women, though. Danger!