In every city we travel to there will be things that we have to do. In France we must see the Eiffel Tower, in Belgium we must indulge in a Belgium waffle, and in Amsterdam we must walk through the Red Light District.
Prior to boarding the 12:00 train to Amsterdam after class on Thursday we had been told all about the red light district. People that had been there before suggested going during the afternoon and in a good state of mind and to be honest, what I heard scared me. I became uneasy about going and questioned what the whole scene was really about. To help me out, I did some research and found out from http://www.amsterdam.info/red-light-district/ that the Red Light District is not only everything I had heard, but more. Not only is it full of women from all parts of the world who parade themselves for money in tiny windows, but also it’s a beautiful part of the city that contains cobbled streets and 14th century architecture. This information put me a little more at ease and I felt better prepared to walk through the streets of RDL (red light district).
As suggested, we decided to go during the day around 4:00 PM before heading to dinner at a small, family owned restaurant around the area. We pulled out our maps and headed in the direction of prostitution, pornography, and drugs. Whether I was prepared or not I knew that I needed to experience it, especially because of all that it symbolized for Amsterdam as a country. To many of us, images of pornography and drugs might not be something that makes us feel pride in our country, but to people living in Amsterdam it represents a liberal and tolerant attitude that embraces all people of any background.
Upon crossing through the small metal poles with tiny red, laser beam-like lights, that created a boundary for cars and a line that marked the entrance of a completely different world, I realized that my perceptions had been off. I won’t say that they were wrong necessarily or spot on, but just completely different than I had expected. Many stores sold pornographic items, and sex shops and peep shows were plentiful, but the area itself is easier to enter unknowingly than I had anticipated. In fact, when we first entered the area we had no idea. Bridges and canals still ran down the middle of the town and people of all ages, races, and genders crowded the streets. We walked around for awhile trying to figure out where the girls in windows both out of curiosity and anticipation. Finally, we turned down a random side street and realized that all the allies were filled with windows and barely dressed women. Men perused the windows with slight smirks on their faces and most of the women either looked confused or disgusted. I still wasn’t sure what to think. I was grossed out that women could willingly sell themselves and their dignity but at the same time I felt downright sad for them because I know that if given a choice most of them would have chosen a different option.
While prostitution, drugs, and pornography may be legal in Amsterdam, I still don’t agree with it as a way of life. However, I do believe that the Red Light District represents a certain culture that is very different from my own. This does not necessarily mean that it is wrong but it is a way of life that is hard to grasp because it is so unusual and unique to the rest of the world. The entire area is a monument in its own and from spending a mere hour walking around I was able to learn so much about the community, both good and bad.
I had certain expectations about The Red Light District as well. Actually walking down the streets and alleys really made it more real to me that, like you said, girls are trying to sell themselves to men of all ages. I really liked how descriptive you were about the physical geography of the district and you noticed a lot more than I did just walking through it for an hour. Like you said, Amsterdam is known for its prostitution and drugs and its culture it definitely way different from our own.
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