10x Amsterdam Drug Laws For Tourists

Posted on: January 1, 2024

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Top 10 Amsterdam Drug Laws For Tourists

Are you considering using drugs in Amsterdam? Or do you want to learn how legal and illegal drugs are handled in the Netherlands? Then read this article with 10 Amsterdam Drugs Laws. This overview answers the most frequently asked questions about drug laws in Amsterdam which results into safer situations.

1 | What are the legal drugs in Amsterdam?

“Are drugs legal in Amsterdam?”

That’s one of the most frequently asked questions by tourists. Here’s the answer:

Cannabis in all its forms is allowed in Amsterdam. Think of weed, hash and even different types of cannabis oils.

Hallucinatory magic truffles are also ‘legal’ in Amsterdam. In Dutch they are called “truffels” or “paddos” derived from the word “paddestoel” which is Dutch for mushroom. In the Netherlands, magic mushrooms or paddos have been banned but replaced by truffels, which are basically the same thing. The main difference is that magic truffles grow underground, while magic mushrooms grow above ground.

Cocaine, XTC, amphetamines and all other hard drugs are illegal.

2 | At what age are soft drugs in Amsterdam legal?

Dutch coffeeshops maintain a minimum age of 18 years for going inside and buying cannabis.

When police officers see a 16 year old smoking cannabis they will talk to him or her about their usage, and if they follow procedure, confiscate the cannabis. But there are usually no legal consequences.
Source: Jellinek 

3 | How much weed or hash are you allowed to have on you in Amsterdam or the Netherlands?

The maximum amount of cannabis that you are allowed to have on you under current Amsterdam drug laws is 5 grams per person. This drug law applies to the entire country.

4 | Can you grow your own weed in the Netherlands?

Yes, you can grow your own cannabis in the Netherlands. Every person in the Netherlands over the age of 18 is allowed to grow (not more than) 5 cannabis plants. If you do this under the age of 18 you can be prosecuted. It is forbidden to sell the cannabis that you legally bought or that you’ve grown by yourself.

5 | Do Amsterdam drug laws differ between soft and hard drugs?

The current Dutch drug law has within it two lists.

List one is for hard drugs. These drugs (like cocaine, speed, XTC, etc) are considered to be more harmful to someone’s health.

List two contains soft drugs that are less harmful than hard drugs. Cannabis, sleeping pills, sedatives and Valium are all on list number two. Drugs on list two – soft drugs – are not illegal.

6 | What happens in the Netherlands when you get caught with drugs?

Possession of hard drugs is illegal in the Netherlands but the drug laws allow for the possession of small amounts without legal consequences. For hard drugs the maximum amounts are: half a gram of cocaine, speed/ amphetamine, MDMA, methamphetamine. 1 XTC pill and less than 5 ml. of GHB. When you get caught with these amounts the police can confiscate them, but you won’t get a fine. If you posses more you’ll get a fine. Depending on the amounts you carry you can even get a prison sentence. Source: Jellinek

7 | Can I still return to a party when my drugs are confiscated in Amsterdam?

Most events in Amsterdam (or the Netherlands) have a so called “zero tolerance” policy. This means that even if you have less than the aforementioned amounts you’ll still be denied access to the party. However this can of course vary greatly between different types of events, locations or the person who finds out about your substances.

8 | What are Amsterdam drug laws concerning driving under the influence?

Not only in Amsterdam but in the whole country there are legal limits to how much drugs you can have in your system whilst sitting behind the steering wheel. These limits apply to alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine, MDMA and other drugs. Taking any of these drugs together whilst driving is a punishable offence.

For alchohol the legal limit is a promillage of 0,5. Men reach this level by drinking two beers/wines. Women reach the 0,5 level even sooner. Below you’ll find the legal amounts of drugs that you are allowed to have in your bloodstream whilst driving.

Our advice: Do not consume any drugs or alcohol before or during a car/ bicycle ride.

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Substance	Measurable Substance	Behavioural limiting factor in Plasma (microgram/L)	Behavioural limiting factor in blood (microgram/L)
Amfetamine	Amfetamine	50 mg/L	50 mg/L
Methamfetaimne	Methamfetaimne	50 mg/L	50 mg/L
MDMA	MDMA	50 mg/L	50 mg/L
Cannabis	THC	5,0 mg/L	3,0 mg/L
Cocaine	Cocaine	50 mg/L	50 mg/L
Heroine	Morfine	20 mg/L	20 mg/L
Morfine	Morfine	20 mg/L	20 mg/L
GHB	GHB	10 mg/L	10 mg/L

Source: Dutch senate report: Analytische grenswaarden voor drugs

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Amsterdam police officers make an arrest.

9 | Amsterdam drug testing is legal at specialised locations. Why is that allowed even though hard drugs are illegal?

Hard drugs are illegal but the Dutch government believes in the so called “harm reduction model”. People will use drugs anyway, so it’s best to provide proper information and testing to reduce the potential amount of harm to society as much as possible. Drugs users can visit an Amsterdam drug test lab and get their illegal drugs tested legally. Hard drugs – like cocaine, XTC, amphetamines – will be tested on the content (ingredients, size/amount, etc) by lab-analysts.

In Amsterdam, hard drugs (like Cocaine, XTC, Speed, Ketamine, etc) can be tested anonymously and legally at the Jellinek or GGD drug testing service. Drugs that are submitted to the employees of these organisations are analysed, if necessary in their laboratory. For some pills such as XTC which can be matched to those in their database, there is a 50% chance that the result will be given on the same day or right away. The costs for these drug tests are 2,50 euro per sample.

There are many of these official drug testing locations in the Netherlands which are all part of the typical Dutch tolerant approach: harm reduction.

For soft drugs it’s not necessary to test for the contents because usually the quality of cannabis in the Netherlands is good. If it’s not, someone could just go to another coffeeshop and legally buy cannabis from a different provider. That’s the benefit of coffeeshops: they all compete with each other and try to offer the best quality possible. Source: Jellinek

Amsterdam, Red Light District, Coffee shop The Bulldog First. 

10 | Under what conditions are coffeeshops in Amsterdam allowed to operate?

Amsterdam drug laws stipulate that coffeeshops are not allowed to advertise. They can’t sell hard drugs either. Coffeeshops can not cause any public disturbances like noise nuisance or filthiness caused by loitering customers. No entrance or sale to youth under the age of 18. No sales larger than five grams. And coffeeshops are not allowed around schools in a radius of 200 meters or 250 meters walking distance. Source: Union Of Coffee Shop Retailers

9 LAWS FOR COFFEESHOPS >

 

Amsterdam Drugs Tour

Did you know that the Netherlands used to have its own legal cocaine factory in Amsterdam? Did you know that 99% of all coffeeshops get their cannabis from illegal growers? Did you know that addiction-care is free here? And did you know that the Netherlands is one of the biggest XTC producing countries in the world?

 

ALSO READ:

9 Laws For Amsterdam Coffeeshops

10 Best Coffeeshops in Amsterdam 

10 Laws in Amsterdam Red Light District 

10x Magic Truffles FAQs

Anne Frank Comic Book Made From Diary

Posted on: October 28, 2017

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Anne Frank, drawn as the lauded journalist and writer she hoped to become. This Article was originally posted by Dutch newspaper NRC.

New Anne Frank Comic Book Shows Her Thoughts & What She Hoped For

For the first time, an official comic book of Anne Frank’s diary has been published. Israeli film maker Ari Folman (known for the animated film Waltz with Bashir) and draftsman David Polonsky converted the world famous diary-in-letters into a graphic novel. They did so at the request of the Anne Frank Fund in Basel, which owns the rights to the diary. The reason for the authorised Anne Frank comic interpretation is the fact that it was seventy years ago that Anne Frank’s diary first appeared in print. Her father Otto Frank, the only survivor of the family to make it trough war and out of the camps, published Anne’s report of hiding in the backroom in 1947. Among others, after advice from author Cissy van Marxveldt, whose books Anne Frank admired, and were the form on what Anne’s diary letters are based: a (imaginary) girlfriend. (“Cissy of Marxveldt writes bang,” wrote Anne on October 14, 1942).

“When the Nazis came to power, they wanted to remove all the Jews from German society. Even though the Jews only made up 1 percent of the population, still the Nazis believed that we are the root of all evil.” – excerpt from the Anne Frank Comic Book

Catering To A New, Younger Audience

Folman and Polonsky have been working on the project for five years. Initially, he did not see anything in the project, Folman writes in the afterword: what can you add to the diary of the thirteen-year-old that is already world-renowned and written so imaginatively and humorously? The fund of the heir’s of the Frank family also asked him to make an animation film about Anne’s life – coming out next year. That request struck him less hard to do than the stumbling block of the book. The Anne Frank Fund would like to have this Anne Frank comic book (and animation film) to keep the story of Anne and the murderous persecution of the Jews alive among a younger audience, which is more attracted to images than texts due to modern media forms.

Eventually, Folman and Polonsky took on the task of depicting Anne’s diary. They sometimes follow the diary literally, with complete letters, and they place Annes’s text into images with speech bubbles. Like Anne’s description of the eight people living in the Backroom having dinner – all persons being drawn as funny animal species.

The fellow residents and Anne hiding from the Nazis in the Backroom, presented as funny animals.

This is done with the spirit of Anne in mind, not her literal descriptions. There are more of those successful artistic solutions to capture the atmosphere of Anne’s diary. Like her dreams of fear, or how she has continuous criticism about herself – we see Anne in the form of Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream. There is also a portrait of Anne in which we see her later self, as a famous writer and journalist – that she dreamed of becoming: „[…] Will I ever become a writer or journalist again? I hope so, I hope so […]” (April 5, 1944).

Anne Frank imagines herself being one of the famous movie stars of that era.

The unsettling atmosphere in the hiding place, the piercing war news, Anne’s humorous look at fellow residents, her emerging sexuality – they are very successfully captured in comic form. Because her letters are sometimes literally included, you get the feeling close to the written original. The comic book stops where Anne’s diary ends, on August 1, 1944. How they and others are taken out of the Back House three days after and die in the camps, is told briefly in the afterword. In the animation film that Folman made about Anne Frank’s life, he wants to portray her end, he said.

The Anne Frank comic book adaption is 148 pages long and will published in a total of 40 different languages.

Did you find this article interesting? Others who’ve read this article also read: Red Light District History: During The Second World War and 10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Netherlands.

Aid To Prostitutes In Utrecht Swells To Close To A Million

Posted on: October 26, 2017

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Prostitutes In Utrecht Aren’t Cheap

In the Dutch city Utrecht, only a handful of prostitutes are active. Yet they cost the community tons of money, reports Dutch newspaper WNL. This year alone, the municipality has spent 833.226 euros in aid and other services for prostitutes in Utrecht.

Outdoor Prostitution Allowed With A Permit In Utrecht

Currently, 62 women have a permit for the designated tippelzone (hustle zone), an outdoor are where cars come to pickup prostitutes . Of these 62 women, 26 women are addicted to some type of drugs. They usually live in Lister hostels (specialised in drug addiction and mental care) or at the Army of Salvation. There they get shelter and guidance. The addicted prostitutes who live in hostels can apply for addiction care and relief assistance.

Parking spaces for sex at the hustle zone in Utrecht. Picture by: Hanno Janse/Mobypicture

Living Room For Prostitutes In Utrecht

The only place where addicted prostitutes are active is at the designated hustle zone at the Europalaan (Europe Lane). There is also a living room project at the Europe Lane where about 25 to 35 women spend every night. They get shelter during work, can request for help, and a doctor is present twice a week. This project is operated by “de Tussenvoorziening”, a company with various projects that assist prostitutes. De Tussenvoorziening is the largest subsidy applicant with 1.05 million euros. They were awarded a little more than 783.000 euros.

From that amount, long-term projects are also funded. These are projects that, according to their spokesman, require a lot of personalised care. The goal is to support the women who want to leave prostitution.

Hustling in the rain at the Europe Lane. Picture by: Matty van Wijnbergen.

Hustle Zone At Europe Lane In Utrecht Needs To Move

The local VVD (a conservative-liberal political party in the Netherlands) calls the high costs “ridiculous” and would prefer to close down the hustle zone at the Europe Lane. “Of course, we want women to get out of prostitution as easy as possible. But there’s just too much that goes wrong within prostitution,” said group chairman Dimitri Gilissen to The Telegraph. The hustle zone at the Europe Lane is located on a neglected industrial area. Prostitutes have been active there for thirty years. The municipality has been looking for another workplace for the prostitutes for years, but it has not been able to find a suitable alternative location so far.

Did you enjoy this article? Others who’ve read this article also read: Interview With A Dutch Prostitute In Amsterdam and Street Prostitution in Holland – An Interview With A Sex Worker.

Amsterdam Safety Rating: Number Six In Global Ranking

Posted on: October 19, 2017

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The Amsterdam Safety Rating One Of The Highest In The World

Major capitals aren’t by definition unsafe and thanks to The Economist we now have a list of the safest cities in the world. Most noteworthy, Amsterdam is in place six of the safest cities in the world. Curious about the safest city in the world, and want to know where you should probably not walk the streets? Find out what the Amsterdam safety rating was based on below.

Yearly Safety Rating Done By The Economist

The Economist has compiled a list of the safest and unsafe cities in the world, the list was made by using 49 different indicators. It looked at personal safety, digital security, health safety and the quality of infrastructure. When it comes to personal security, you should think of terrorism and crime together with other types of violence. Similarly, digital security mainly deals with preparedness against cyber attacks. For health security they looked at access to healthcare, hospitals and first aid. With secure infrastructure the looked at the quality of the roads, buildings and bridges.

Japan Has The Most Safe Cities

The safest city in the world is Tokyo in Japan with 89.8 points followed by Singapore with a rating of 89,64. After Singapore we find the Japanese city, Osaka, in third, with a rating of 88.87. Amsterdam safety rating is 87.26 points. The city ends up between Melbourne and Sydney at the sixth spot. Last we find Karachi, located in Pakistan. Karachi was named to most unsafe city with just 38.77 points. Karachi had around 21,242,625 inhabitants in 2011, making it one of the largest cities in the world.

Most Safe Cities In The World according to The Economist’s Safe Cities Index 2017

1. Tokio –  Japan
2. Singapore
3. Osaka –  Japan
4. Toronto –  Canada
5. Melbourne –  Australia 
6. Amsterdam –  Netherlands
7. Sydney – Australia
8. Stockholm –  Sweden
9. Hong Kong –  China
10. Zurich –  Switzerland

How safe is Amsterdam?

Very safe! It ranks in the top 6 safest cities in the world. There is a very low crime rate and strict laws against drugs and violence. Amsterdam is also small enough that you can easily walk or bike anywhere you need to go. The only time you might need to be careful is when you’re out at night, as there are areas of the city that can be unsafe. However, as long as you stay in well-lit areas and don’t wander off the beaten path, you should be fine. So overall, Amsterdam is a very safe city to visit.

Most Unsafe Cities In The World According To The Economist’s Safe Cities Index 2017

And these are the unsafest cities in the world…

1. Karachi –  Pakistan
2. Yangon/ Rangoon –  Birma 
3. Dhaka –  Bangladesh
4. Jakarta –  Indonesia
5. Ho Chi Minh City –  Vietnam
6. Manila –  Philippines
7. Caracas –  Venezuela
8. Quito –  Ecuador
9. Teheran –  Iran
10. Cairo –  Egypt

ALSO DISCOVER:

13 Amsterdam Red Light District Laws

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De Wallen in Amsterdam: Everything You Should Know 

10 Best Amsterdam Red Light District Bars in 2024

Posted on: January 11, 2024

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The Tailor cocktail bar. Picture by: Roï Shiratski

10x Best Amsterdam Red Light District Bars

Avoid bad bars and avoid bad experiences. Discover this useful list with the ten Amsterdam Red Light District bars and cafe’s according to visitors who’ve already been here and left their reviews at Tripadvisor!

1 | The Tailor

First on our list is hotel bar The Tailer of the Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky. The Tailer actually received the best hotel bar award for 2017. The bar is located on Dam Square in the heart of Amsterdam. Online reviewers state that the personnel there have a true passion for their craft and that the bar has a great ambience.

The interieur of The Tailor cocktail bar.

2 | Excalibur Café

If you’re in for some hard rock music the Excalibur Café is a place you should definitely visit. The café also has pool tables at the top floor if you want to do more than drink beer and listen to music.

3 | Belushi’s

A great place to eat some hamburger and have some drinks. The drinks here are better prized compared to other similar bars in the area.

4 | Het Elfde Gebod

A typical Dutch café where you can have a drink and a chat (the music isn’t too loud). The beer lover should definitely check this place out because they have a huge selection of beers. One negative: they don’t serve food.

The cosy and warm interieur of Het Elfde Gebod.

5 | Dirty Nelly’s Inn

Another hotel bar on our list of 10 best red light district bars. This one offers cheap drinks. Located on the Warmoesstraat – in the Red Light District – it’s great place to start off a (party) night in Amsterdam!

6 | Mata Hari

This “bar, restaurant and living” is named after the famous Dutch spy and femme fatale; Mata Hari. Don’t expect any James Bond stuff though, just a good atmosphere, food and drinks at a great location. It’s situated on the main canal of Amsterdam’s Red Light District and has a nice view on the back of the Zeedijk street. Cocktails are delicious here!

The original Mata Hari, not the restaurant though 😉

7 | Winston Kingdom

The Winston Kingdom is a mix between a club and a bar. It’s a great little venue with live music and good dj’s. Winston is located on the oldest street of Amsterdam and it attracts mostly tourists. As one reviewer put it: “The bar might be small but they know how to throw a party.”

8 | Café De Pool

According to many reviewers this is great place for a short stop to eat some food,. The price for a high quality burger with fries is just € 7,50. This is great value for money by Amsterdam standards. The bar also has a good selection of beers.

Great looking and tasting burgers at Café de Pool. Picture by Marta H.

9 | Temple Bar

A great place for (Dutch) drinks and to feel like an Amsterdammer. Besides drinks they also have some finger food. The location of the bar makes it perfect for watching people go by.

10 | Café Remember

A true Dutch parry café that has fair prices for their drinks! The staff is great; expect the DJ to play party music like 90’s cheesy dance music. The bar also has a smoking area so no one needs to go outside whilst having a blast.

ALSO DISCOVER:

5 Bars On Amsterdam Dam Square

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The Best Terraces In Amsterdam For Sunshine Outside The Summer Season

Posted on: January 3, 2024

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25 Best Terraces In Amsterdam For Sun Lovers

As the weather warms up in Amsterdam, locals and tourists alike flock to the terraces in Amsterdam to enjoy some of the best views, food, and drinks in the world. Whether you’re in the mood for a Dutch beer, a French wine, a refreshing cocktail or a delicious meal, there is a terrace in Amsterdam that will exceed your expectations. In this article, we’ll take you on a journey to discover the top 25 best terraces in Amsterdam. From canal-side cafes to hidden rooftop bars, each terrace has its unique specialty, picturesque location, and atmosphere. So sit back, grab a drink, and get ready to explore the best of Amsterdam’s terrace culture!

Nothing beats hanging out at one of Amsterdam’s many terraces. And with a jacket on, it can also be done outside of the summer season. What follows are the best terraces in Amsterdam, with the most sun throughout the day, according to Dutch newspaper Het Parool.

Best Terraces in Amsterdam North

Amsterdam North has terraces by the waterfront and it still has plenty of open space. In North one can do some great sunbathing. For example, at Hangar and at de Ceuvel. Both have a Industrial design and everything well assembled. Another great spot for some early or late summer time chilling is Pllek? Pllek’s beach will have you in a heat wave in early March!

The beach at Pllek in Amsterdam North.

Best Terraces in Amsterdam East

This part of Amsterdam has many roof terraces like: GAPP at Casa 400 and Badplaats van het Volkshotel (bathing terrace). But you also have some nice places below sea level in the Eastern part of Amsterdam like Elsa’s and de Vergulde Eenhoorn, where even a watery sun is pleasant.

Best Terraces in Amsterdam South

At Gent aan de Schinkel you can sit with a blanket on the terrace as the sun shines. If you find that place too noisy, you can cycle on towards the Blue Tea House in the Vondelpark. Don’t feel like doing self-service? Then go to the beer terrace Vondelpark3.

Het Bosch located on the waterfront of de Nieuwe Meer will provide you with plenty of sunshine, but you’ll need a windjacket.

The Blue Thee House located in the center of the Vondelpark.

Best Terraces in Amsterdam West

In West, Rooftop terraces have also become a normal sight. At Floor17 you’ll sit like a royal in a beanbag slurping a cocktail. A more fashionable audience can be found at Radijs at the Admiralengracht. And, of course, the Westerpark is a wonderful place for some careful sunbathing; at Pacific Park and Ton Ton Club West you’ll be in the sun for a long time.

Best Terraces in Amsterdam City Centre

Where do you find a terrace in the center that isn’t very touristy? We would like to be in: Hanneke’s Boom and Roest though they are on the edges of the center of Amsterdam. For some real center terrace action we’d advice the Soundgarden. The terrace is on the side of the Lijnbaansgracht, not far from the ‘tropical’ waterfront terrace. Nice and quit is the terrace of Pension Homeland, which received five stars from a reviewer of the Parool.

Best Terraces in Red Light District

De Wallen or Red Light District is also located in the city centre of Amsterdam. This is the oldest and most beautiful part of the city. The terraces on the a square which is named the Nieuwmarkt, have surprisingly long sunshine, lots of cafes and really great for people watching. Combine your terrace visit with this fascinating Red Light District tour. It’s an app with an amazing audio tour hosted by a virtual guide and it has real stories from 22 experts, including sex workers.

The Nieuwmarkt in the center of Amsterdam. Picture by: Roeland Koning. 

Best Terraces In Amsterdam New West

At Hotel Buiten, on the north side of the Sloterplas, You’ll see the sun disappear in the water of the Sloterplas. And it’s a bicycle ride, but at Het Rijk van de Keizer you’ll sit heavenly in the meadow at the edge of the city. Close to Sloterdijk, Bret’s roof also is quite nice to bath in the sun.

Best Terraces In Amsterdam’s Southeast

There aren’t that many nice terraces in the Southeast part of Amsterdam, but at Oma Ietje at the Heesterveld, you can sit well. Here you can enjoy tasty sandwiches and salads and they also serve a nice seasonal beer. A little further away, at the Gaasperplas, is Boerderij Langerlust, an idyllic spot in the middle of the greens.

Tips on the best time to visit and reservations or booking requirements

Amsterdam’s terrace culture is incredibly popular, and you may find that some terraces are packed during peak hours or the weekends. If you want to avoid the crowds, it’s best to visit during the early afternoon or mid-week. Additionally, some of the terraces may require a reservation, especially during the summer months. It’s always best to check beforehand, especially if you’re visiting with a large group. Finally, don’t forget to dress appropriately for the weather; Amsterdam can be unpredictable, and you don’t want to get caught in the rain while enjoying a drink on a terrace. Make sure you checker the weather in Amsterdam with these forecast apps.

Frequently Asked Questions

1 | What are some of the best terraces in Amsterdam with a canal view?

Some of the best terraces in Amsterdam with a canal view include Café de Jaren, Hannekes Boom, and Waterkant.

2 | Are there any rooftop bars with a terrace in Amsterdam?

Yes, Amsterdam has several rooftop bars with terraces, including SkyLounge Amsterdam, Canvas Op de 7e, and Madam.

3 | Can I smoke on terraces in Amsterdam?

Smoking is banned in all indoor public spaces in Amsterdam, including terraces. However, some terraces may have designated smoking areas.

4 | Are there any terraces in Amsterdam that are open year-round?

Many terraces in Amsterdam are only open seasonally, from April to September. However, some terraces like Café Wildschut and Café de Jaren are open year-round.

5 | Are there any family-friendly terraces in Amsterdam?

Yes, there are several family-friendly terraces in Amsterdam, such as Pllek, Roest, and Westergasterras. These terraces offer a variety of food and drink options and often have outdoor play areas for children.

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New Dutch Prostitution Laws Would Bring A Compulsory Licensing System

Posted on: October 13, 2017

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New Dutch Prostitution Laws Will also Create A Compulsory Licensing System

The new cabinet wants to re-introduce the ban on pimps. There will also be a compulsory licensing system for prostitutes. These are the new Dutch prostitution laws set out by the future cabinet. Those involved in the cabinet formation confirm that these new dutch prostitution laws are in the new government accord. VVD, CDA, D66 and Christen Unie (Christian Union) hope to fight exploitation in the sex industry. There will also be additional money for prostitution-exit programs.

Pimp Ban In The Netherlands

The ‘souteneursverbod’ (pimp ban) was scraped back in 2000, along with the brothel ban. Since then it is a legal profession. But gaining financial benefit from other people’s sexual services now returns to the Dutch criminal code, if its up to the new coalition.

Dutch parliament. Picture by Markus Bernet, Wikimedia.

Prostitutes To Register With The Government

Simultaneously with the reintroduction of the ban, the new coalition wants prostitutes to register. This has been the subject of debate within Dutch parlement for years. Proponents, such as the Christian Union, think that such a duty of consent gives the government better visibility over the sex industry. Opponents, including D66, say that the privacy of prostitutes is being violated. In the formation, D66 party has now given in to the Christian Union.

Mandatory Registration Has Been Debated For Years

Previously, Cabinet Rutte II abolished the proposal for a registration requirement for prostitutes because there was insufficient support for it in the First Chamber (Senate). Instead they went for a minimum age of 21 years for workers in the sex industry. This proposal however has not yet been adopted.  In practice, municipalities like Amsterdam, Utrecht and The Hague already use a form of registration. Recently, the administrative court and the Personal Data Authority have slammed this practice: it would be in violation of the Personal Data Protection Act.  These new Dutch prostitution Laws are the brainchild of the Christian Union, which has been fighting against forced prostitution for years. Party leader Gert-Jan Segers previously submitted a law that would make it a criminal offence if someone has sex with a prostitute who might know that they are victims of human trafficking. That proposal was adopted last year in the Lower House (congres).

Did you find the article interesting? Others who read this article also read: Interview With A Dutch Red Light District Prostitute and Interview With A Male Sex Worker In Amsterdam

20 Best Red Light District Pictures of Amsterdam

Posted on: January 1, 2024

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The 20 Best Red Light District Pictures and of Amsterdam

The pictures were collected from our Instagram account and sorted according to the number of likes by our followers. Like the pictures? Stay up to date on Amsterdam and the district via our Instagram account and get the best Red Light District pictures everyday!

Number 1, with 375 likes!

One of our guides took this picture from his bike in Amsterdam. “I just came from the Red Light District and cycled home – to the south of the city.” 

Number 2, with 282 likes!

Meanwhile in Amsterdam… the World Naked Bike Ride!

Number 3, with 235 likes!

Amsterdam’s Red Light District in LEGO. ???

Number 4, with 234 likes!

The heart of the Red Light District.

Number 5, with 232 likes!

The famous Bull Dog coffeeshop is number five on our list of best Red Light District pictures. The shop in the picture was the first Bull Dog coffeeshop in Amsterdam and is one of the highlights of our tour.

Number 6, with 228 likes!

The Red Light District, not just on the street level.

Number 7, with 225 likes!

A farmer looking for a wife in Amsterdam.

Number 8, with 222 likes!

Amsterdam, Red Light District, Oudezijds Kolk. Yes, this is the Red Light District too! ?

Number 9, with 213 likes!

Amsterdam from above, look like lego!

Number 10, with 213 likes!

This dog is waiting for his boss to come…

Number 11, with 212 likes!

Winter in Amsterdam… and this also a highlight during our walking tours!

Number 12, with 208 likes!

The Red Light District (a.k.a. De Wallen) is part of The Canon of Amsterdam – a list of 50 subjects, called ‘windows’, containing important events & developments in the history of Amsterdam.

Number 13, with 202 likes!

Number 13 on our list of best Red Light District Pictures, don’t you just love Amsterdam?!

Number 14, with 199 likes!

Yahoo & Fox News listed us as one of the wackiest tours of the world. Join us and learn everything about the most fascinating part of Amsterdam!

Number 15, with 198 likes!

Chilling by the canals in Amsterdam.

Number 16, with 198 likes!

Is this the real life?

Number 17, with 197 likes!

Hotel de l’Europe is a five-star hotel located on the Amstel river in the centre of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Hotel de l’Europe is situated opposite to and overlooks the Munt, where the river Amstel flows into the Rokin canal. The 19th-century hotel became an official monument (rijksmonument) in 2001.

Number 18, with 198 likes!

Prostitution comes from Latin and means: Placing in front [pro is upfront and otatuere means placement]. ‘Whore’ is an old Indo-European word, related to the Old Indian word Kama [like in Kamasutra] meaning lust.

Historically, levied at any women who stepped outside the norms of modest behaviour and upset the status quo. Whore originally derives from the Germanic ‘horon’ meaning “one that desires”.

In old Norwegian the word is ‘hora’ [adulteress woman]. In Dutch it’s called: “hoer” and is almost pronounced the same way as the English word ‘whore’.

Number 19, with 197 likes!

A stormy night in the Netherlands.

Number 20, with 195 likes!

The last one on our list of best Red Light District Pictures, take a walk on the wild side…

Others who read this piece also read Frequently Asked Questions of Amsterdam’s Red Light District and something you should know about Amsterdam’s La Vie & Proost

New Documentary About Amsterdam Red Light District: Filemon Op De Wallen

Posted on: October 12, 2017

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Amsterdam Red Light District In Dutch Documentary ‘Filemon Op De Wallen’

On Tuesday September 26th 2017, Dutch reporter and presenter Filemon Wesselink from Dutch public broadcaster BNNVARA joined one of our Red Light District tours with his camera team to do a recording for his new documentary series: Filemon op De Wallen.

In it he will try to get a better picture of Amsterdam’s famous Red Light District and the changes that have been made to it in the last 10 years. For the documentary Filemon op De Wallen other stakeholders like the brothel operators, sex workers, employees of sex theatre Casa Rosso, locals and the Dutch justice department were also interviewed.

Our local guide showed him around in Amsterdam Red Light District together with 15 other regular tourists. The rich history of the Red Light District was discussed and our guide showed the highlights of the area, like: world’s first condom shop, Amsterdam’s oldest building, the window brothels, the coffeeshops, the typical Dutch architecture, the last peep show in the Netherlands, transgender & female sex workers, the infamous Zeedijk street, hidden art and much more…

Not Just The Highlights Of The Red Light District Were Discussed

Besides the highlights subjects like the safety measures on the Red Light District, Dutch liberalism and open mindedness, sexual education in the Netherlands and Dutch drug policies were discussed.

How Did The Tourists And Filemon React To The Red Light District?

During the recording for Filemon op de Wallen, Filemon asked questions to both the tourists and our local guide. Filemon was particularly interested in the views that the tourists had about the Red Light District of Amsterdam. The tourists were pleasantly surprised about the openness of Dutch society in the Red Light District.

Amsterdam, Red Light District, Old Church Square (Oudekerksplein)

After the tour was finished Filemon interviewed our local guide and asked him questions, such as: What can be improved in Amsterdam’s Red Light District? Where do you get all your information? What can be done about the big crowds in the Red Light District? What is your opinion about the recently implemented covenant with the City of Amsterdam? Do you tell the tourists not to take pictures of the sex workers? Etcetera.

Filemon Wesselink’s Rise To Dutch Fame

Filemon Wesselink arrived into the Dutch national spotlight when he became the last person to do a radio interview with Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn just minutes before he was assassinated. By pure coincidence he also witnessed the arrest of the assassin. After that the Netherlands got to know him a little better with the TV program “Injecting And Swallowing” (Spuiten en Slikken). In this program he tried out a different type of drug every week on Dutch National television.

Production House De Witte Geit (De White Goat)

The documentary is being produced by production house De Witte Geit, established in 2014. The company is owned by Pim Castelijn and Balt van Zeggeren. Van Zeggeren also joined us on the tour during the recording night. The duo behind the De Witte Geit have produced some of Holland’s best known TV programs like: Try Before You Die, Ranking The Stars And Spuiten En Slikken Op Reis (Injecting And Swallowing Travels Abroad). You can check out more of their production work here.

Tourism In Netherlands: Visitors Spend More In 2016

Posted on: October 4, 2017

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People Spend More On Tourism In Netherlands

Foreign tourists spent 7% more during their stay in the Netherlands in comparison to last year according to the CBS (Governmental Statistics Bureau). Tourism in Netherlands continues to grow, showing only positive numbers. Compared to the entire Dutch economy, the tourism sector has been growing faster for years. As a consequence the interests of tourism sector are also gaining in importance.

Light blue line: hospitality sector, dark blue line: Dutch GDP. 100 represents 2010, starting point. Source: CBS

Netherlands Tourism Revenue

At this time tourism in Netherlands accounts for 3,9 percent of the Dutch economy. A few years ago in 2015 this number was just 3 percent. This big increase is predominately due to the foreign tourists. When the Netherlands was in a double dip recession during the great recession and Euro crisis, tourism in Netherlands kept increasing. One could say that the foreign tourist bailed out the Dutch economy.

Foreign Tourists Go To Amsterdam

Besides the increase in euros spent the number of tourists visiting the Netherlands has also increased. This is especially the case for Amsterdam which attracts tourists from all over the world who want to stay for a couple of nights or people who are in Amsterdam for a plane change over and decide to stay for one or two days.

Other popular places in the Netherlands for international tourists are Volendam en Giethoorn.

The Dutch Themselves Are The Biggest Tourist Group In The Netherlands

In the rest of the Netherlands there are more Belgian and German tourists, but the increase in tourism for these parts of the Netherlands is predominantly due to the Dutch spending more themselves. In general, the Dutch tend to avoid Amsterdam. In total the Dutch spent around 45 billion euros on tourist activities in 2016 in their own country.

Tourism spending in the Netherlands in billions of euros, source: CBS

– Dark green: foreign tourist spending

– Light green: domestic tourist spending with internal destination

– Dark blue: domestic tourist spending with destination abroad

– Light Blue: Other

Tourism Jobs In Netherlands

With the increase in tourism and spending the number of jobs also increased with 20% in the last 6 years. A total of 542.000 people work in the hospitality sector accounting for 389.000 full time jobs. Around three quarters of the jobs in the hospitality sector consist of typical services like the hotel and catering services, amusement parks, air travel, travel- and mediation and culture and art. The remaining quarter consists of retail, public transport and taxi services.

Others who read this article also read 10 Things You Didn’t know About the Netherlands and An Interview with a Prostitute and her Boyfriend

Amsterdam Prostitution Policies Renewed

Posted on: September 18, 2017

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Amsterdam Prostitution Policies Won’t Given Up Without A Fight. City Of Amsterdam Won’t Settle For Judges Verdict

The court ruled, among other things from the current Amsterdam prostitution policies, that window brothel operators no longer need to take do intake interviews with their candidate tenants to test whether they are doing the work voluntarily. Since 2013, operators were obliged to conduct such conversations, but according to the judge, they did not contribute to improving the position of the sex workers.

Window Brothel Operators Can’t Be Responsible For Everything

The Dutch judge ruled that that window brothel operators can not be responsible for checking if sex workers clean their sex toys with the right disinfectants. According to the court, they can’t do more than inform and facilitate the sex workers.

Registration Of Sex Workers in the Netherlands Information Goes Against Privacy Law

The fact that operators have to keep the copies of signed intake forms, and be able to present them during inspections, is in violation of the Personal Data Protection Act, which is National legislation. In other Dutch municipalities, including The Hague, this type of data was registered at the municipality level. But on Tuesday, the Authority on personal information announced that the municipality has no right to do so.

Interviews Have Been Taking Place For 4 years

The intake interviews were mandated by the municipality in 2013, allowing operators to become aware of signals that indicate exploitation and possible human trafficking. However, according to the court, this goal is not achieved because operators are not trained in recognising these signals.

City of Amsterdam Won’t Settle For Judges Verdict

Amsterdam continues to believe that the window brothel operators have a responsibility in preventing wrongs in their companies and fears that the new ruling has far-reaching consequences for the implementation of Amsterdam prostitution policies. The municipality has requested an accelerated appeal. In the interim period, the operator’s duty of care remains valid. The operators have been informed about this by letter.

Others who read this also read Criticism On Prostitution In the Netherlands Rebutted By Dutch Professor and An Interview With an Amsterdam Prostitute and her Boyfriend

In Defence Of The Sex Workers

Posted on: September 13, 2017

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Everywhere, within prostitution in the Netherlands and outside of it, you’ll find aggressive assholes

Aggressive assholes can be found everywhere, in and outside of prostitution in the Netherlands. Most customers of prostitutes use their services in a correct manner, writes professor Ine Vanwesenbeeck, associated with Rutgers Knowledge Center on Sexuality in this opinion piece, originally posted by the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant.    

Ine Vanwesenbeeck is Professor of Sexual Development, Diversity and Health at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Utrecht University.

Renate van der Zee, journalist & writer, recently made the call in the Dutch media that above all we should stop romanticising prostitution in the Netherlands. Against, in her eyes, unreasonably rosy representations of prostitution she brought some so called objective facts that had to convince the reader of the fact that prostitution is a horrible place, where women are systemically abused by malicious men.

As we have become to expect of her, she won’t shy away from lying, exaggeration and ballyhoo. My work gets indecently cited using figures found by me that 40 percent of women in prostitution have been abused in their youth. She doesn’t mention another study done by me, published at the same time, which showed a number of 15 percent (a figure that doesn’t meaningfully differ from abuse figures among the general female population).

Link Between Childhood Trauma And Prostitution Remains Vague

No word on my central conclusion, after a systematic review of 20 years of scientific research on prostitution in the Netherlands, that the link between childhood trauma and sex work remains vague. Or on the fact that figures invariably differ with every sample that is researched and that the only fact in all this remains that most sex workers don’t have childhood traumas and that most trauma victims don’t become sex workers.

Violence Against Women Is A Societal Problem

The biggest problem with the tendentious rabble rousing done by Van der Zee is that she makes it seem like just about all violence against women happens just in prostitution. But even tear-jerking, sensationalised anecdotes about ‘anal rape by large endowed males’ are not exclusive to the world of commercialised sex. Stories about sexism, exploitation, manipulation and sexual violence can be cataloged for private and work environments too. The same goes of course for ‘cultures of silence and secrecy’ with, eventual, psychological problems as the end result.

Don’t Ignore The Happy Sex Workers And Customers

In 2015, prostitutes protested in Amsterdam’s Red Light District against the closure of dozens of window brothels. 

Aggressive assholes can be found everywhere. Most customers of sex workers use their services in a correct manner. The denial of this basic fact shows the ignorance about the positive quality of many commercial sex relationships. And the belief that commercial sex isn’t sex together with romantic sex being the only good form of sex, is entirely unrealistic and naïve. Everywhere, in sex work and outside of it, there is a large diversity. Everywhere things like autonomy, agency and vulnerability are unevenly divided. The point is to work out how the position of especially the most vulnerable, in sex work and outside of it, can be empowered.

Critic Offers No Vision For Improvement

And this shows the second flaw in Van der Zee’s analysis. It offers no vision for improvement for sex workers or other women. Screaming out loud that prostitution is unacceptable doesn’t console anyone. Moreover, the actual framing of sex workers as sorry victims and prostitution as the ultimate form of misery only strengthens the stigma on sex work and the vulnerability of sex workers towards exploitation and violence.

Don’t Ignore The Scientific Research

These days there is an international body of work that shows it’s lawlessness and the marginalising of sex workers that promotes isolation and aggression. Van der Zee is apparently unfamiliar with this body of work. She decries the so-called romanticisation of ‘us Dutch’, ‘free thinkers and sex positives’, but the battle for de-stigmatisation and sex workers rights has been amply supported by science and is being campaigned for by dozen’s of respected NGO’s and 250 sex worker organisations globally. The continuous discourtesy against millions of sex workers, who are represented by these originations, is unbecoming of a fair-minded opinion maker.

Want To Help? Stop Stigmatising Prostitution in the Netherlands!

Prostitution in the Netherlands isn’t an isolated phenomenon, but part of the large complex whole of sexual and economic relationships: between the sexes, between ethnic groups and between countries and continents. All (hetero) sex, commercial or not, relates to in one-way or the other the current female sexual subservience and male sexual privilege. Sex workers won’t as a matter of course draw the short straw automatically, but as a group they do become relatively vulnerable because of stigmatisation. Opinion makers who endlessly hammer on about the horrors of prostitution only make that problem worse.

Others who read this article also read: Interview With A Dutch Red Light District Prostitute and Illegal Sex Work Takes Place In Areas With The Least Control

Illegal Prostitution In Smaller Cities in the Netherlands

Posted on: September 1, 2017

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Illegal Prostitution On The Move in the Netherlands

Illegal prostitutes (without license and/or registration) have become more active in the border communes of the city of Rotterdam and also in the Eastern provinces of the Netherlands: Overijssel and Gelderland.

In Rotterdam illegal prostitution has been on the decline since new strong measures by the Dutch government have been implemented. Illegal prostitution and the accompanying crime are now moving to Vlaardingen and Ridderkerk, located 30 minutes away of Rotterdam.

A map of the Netherlands. The red circles mark Dutch cities with increased illegal prostitution.

In the last few years’ dozens of properties have been closed in Rotterdam. The properties usually stand in normal residential areas. In the illegal brothels one generally finds bad working conditions and exploitation of the women who work there. Neighbours have to deal many hindrances because of the visitors during the day and night. Whore visitors stand in their streets and sometimes, by accident, in front of their door.

Other Dutch Municipalities Are Following Suit

Schiedam, Vlaardingen, Ridderkerk, Nissewaard and Capelle aan den Ijssel have al started closing down their illegal brothels. Other municipalities in the Rotterdam region, such as Barendrecht and Maassluis, state that they are unfamiliar with illegal prostitution.

Zoomed into the Dutch cities Vlaardingen & Ridderkerk, just outside of Rotterdam.

The Problem Of Illegal Prostitution Is Still Being Underestimated By Others

All these facts came to light after stock-taking done by Dutch newspaper Het Algemeen Dagblad who got the information after applying for a Dutch version of a freedom of information request. According to many persons involved, municipalities still underestimate the problem.

Illegal prostitutes offer their services on multiple online platforms specifically for sex or even on Dutch versions of Ebay, like Speurders.nl. Who searches for a random municipality will almost certainly find active prostitutes. A segment of them do it by the book, the others illegally.

Rotterdam On The Offensive Against Sex Industry

Rotterdam has been clamping down on the sex industry in the last few years. It saw the number of in-home sex workers increase significantly after it closed the tippelzone (hustle zone: prostitutes can offer their sex services on a designated street outdoors or indoors) on the Keileweg. It wants to stop the uncontrolled growth.

An example of a tippelzone in the Netherlands, located in Utrecht.

Crime Just Moves To Other Places

Maria Scalei, director of SHOP (Social Workers for Prostitutes and Victims of Human Trafficking), warns against the ‘waterbed-effect’. She argues that; “Criminals will start operating in the areas where the chances of getting caught are the lowest”. Municipalities with a plan/ procedure against illegal brothels check every sexual advert. They also receive reports from the anonymous crime report hotline in the Netherlands.

Total Number Of Illegal Prostitution Cases In Rotterdam

Last year Rotterdam handled a total of 66 cases concerning illegal prostitution. 30 of them were about the closure of illegal prostitution brothels – including 10 massage parlours – and 29 non-compliance penalties. A total of 5 warnings were also handed out. Two times, after further study of the case, Rotterdam refrained from sanctions. By comparison: the combined number of cases for 2014 and 2015 was just 39. Documents also show that illegal prostitution isn’t just confined to problem areas, it happens in every quarter of Rotterdam.

Illegal Prostitution On The Outskirts of the Netherlands

In the eastern provinces of the Netherlands, Overijssel and Gelderland, illegal prostration has been on the increase according to the Dutch Prostitution Surveillance Team from East-Netherland. The special police team reported 100 cases of illegal prostitution in the last year alone.

Three-quarters of the cases were about prostitutes working from home without a permit. In most of the cases their pimp provided the housing. In 43 cases the prostitutes had debts. They were trying to get out of debt by doing illegal prostitution. 7 times the police found cases of human trafficking.

Less Options For Legal Work In Prostitution in Netherlands

The number of legal brothels in Gelderland and Overijssel has decreased in the last few years from 85 to 68. The surveillance team of the police checks about 1200 adverts per day so the increase of illegal prostitution is quite obvious.

Others who read this article also read The Red Light District in Amsterdam Is The Most Pedestrian Friendly Part of the Netherlands and An Interview With a Dutch Street Prostitute

Amsterdam's Red Light District Most Pedestrian Friendly Part Of Holland

Posted on: January 1, 2024

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Best Streets of Amsterdam in Red Light District

60% of all space is designated for pedestrians

The Netherlands is a bicycle country, but research encompassing the 20th largest municipalities shows that predominately the car gets the most public space. Both cyclists and pedestrians lose out. But for pedestrians there is most space in Amsterdam’s Red Light District, it has the best streets in Amsterdam and 19 other major cities.

The Red Light District has the best Amsterdam pedestrian area.

Cars Have Primacy in the Netherlands

According to this study commissioned by the Nederlandse Milieudefensie (translated: Dutch Environment Defense) more than half of all the streets, 55% to be exact, have been reserved for cars. About a third of all street space is designated for pedestrians. The Dutch cyclist has to do with just 12 percent of all street space.

Research Done In 20 Dutch Municipalities

Researchers looked at every municipality in the Netherlands, separating the square meters designated for every car, bicycle and pedestrian. Based on this they determined which type of road users get priority in every neighbourhood of all 20 municipalities.

Red Light District Has The Best Streets In Amsterdam For Pedestrians

Interesting detail: Amsterdam’s Red Light District is one of the neighbourhoods where pedestrians get most of the available space. A total of 60 percent of all space is designated for pedestrians making it the highest scoring neighbourhood in all of Holland and the best streets in Amsterdam to walk around.

A lot of streets in Amsterdam’s Red Light District can not be reached by car and many alley’s in this area are for pedestrians only. The Old Church Square (Dutch: Oudekerksplein) is located in the heart of the Red Light District and is also only for pedestrians. Cyclists and moped riders can be fined if they ride on this square.

How To Prevent Future Congestion

A view of Amsterdam’s Red Light District during the day.

According to Milieudefensie municipalities should give more space to bicyclists and pedestrians to keep the cities live-able and to improve the air quality. Campaign leader Anne Knol states that “Cities are increasingly more congested and the largest polluting means of transportation takes op most of the space.” Saskia Kluit, director of the cyclist federation agrees with Knol: “Giving more than half of all space to cars is of course bizarre.” According to Kluit this research proves that cars take up an unevenly amount of space. “For a long time this worked out well because bicycles don’t take up much space. But we can see now that the limited space for bicycles is starting to cause problems.”

New Types Of Bicycles Cause Problems

Kluit emphasises that in the last few years many new types of bicycles have been added to the road. “You can see an ever larger variety of bicycles: from the “bakfiets” (cargo bicycle) that moves slower than average to the new speed pedelecs that reach speeds of up to 45 kilometers an hour.” With wide bicycle lanes you could manage all different types of bicycles according to Kluit. “Only that rarely ever happens because there are always parked cars in the way.”

Dutch source: http://www.ad.nl/binnenland/meeste-ruimte-voor-wandelaars-op-de-wallen~a93340ce/ 

Others who read this news article also read New Rules for Amsterdam Red Light District and An Interview with an Amsterdam Prostitute together with her Boyfriend.

Amsterdam Red Light District Stories: Sex Worker Confessions

Posted on: July 23, 2017

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Amsterdam Red Light District Stories

Some while ago, we received a comment on our website posted under our article about the Sex Palace Peep Show. A former stripper left a short message and shared what it was like to work in the Red Light District of Amsterdam. We’re always interested to hear Amsterdam Red Light District stories. Therefor we contacted this person, arranged an interview and asked these 10 questions:

Male Sex Worker in Amsterdam

1 | Who are you and what kind of work did you do in Amsterdam’s Red Light District?

I am Jimmy Wilson; born in Newcastle UK: I am now aged 59 years old,  and during the 1990s I used to work in the Red Light District of Amsterdam as a performer in the peepshows. I was approx. 33 years old when I began performing in Amsterdam.


A photo of Jimmy outside of a sex shop in Amsterdam in 1992.

Peep Show Definition

2 | Can you explain what a peep show is? How does this work exactly?

A stripper in Amsterdam’s peep show.

Amsterdam Red Light District Live Show

A peepshow such as the sexy palace – The Krat; was an establishment in which there could be up to 30 cabins built around a revolving circular podium, which would be approximately 2.5 metres in diameter. The customer would go into the cabin which had a window approx. 400mm x 300mm, some were two way mirrors and some had a curtain, there was a coin slot into which you had to insert guilders to open the curtain or reverse the mirror which would enable you to enjoy the performers and behind the closed door they could pleasure themselves.

There was a DJ who would play music non stop throughout the day. There could be up to twelve girls who would take it in turns to perform on the podium for 4 minutes at a time. The podium was never left empty; and so, when time was up for the girl who was performing another girl would say “hello”, and then pull the curtain aside and step onto the podium as the other girl gathered her material and got up to leave: each girl had her own velvet sheet to perform on; this was mainly for cleanliness.

There would also be a live show couple: this was a couple- man and wife; boy friend & girlfriend; that would put on a live sex show. We exchanged places in the same way as the girls; except that when the next girl to come onto the podium said “Hello”, I would stop what I was doing; wrap the material around myself and exit the stage via the curtain covering the doorway; the girl would then go on stage and my partner would exit the stage.

The girls who danced or performed would wear sexy bikinis and pose erotically for the men looking through the windows. They would slowly strip off what they were wearing, then when naked they would slowly and seductively go through different poses; rubbing their breasts; tweaking their nipples, opening their legs: they’d move from one position fluently and effortlessly from laying on their backs legs open’ then onto their sides raising a leg and then ono their hands and knees; always letting the customer see what he desired but could not touch. always making eye contact with the windows, pouting and licking their lips.

The entrance of Sex Palace Peep Show. Home to many Amsterdam Red Light District stories.

The sex show would be performed 14 times per day, seven days a week by the same couple; each show would last 15 minutes and would begin on the hour or on the half hour; depending on the peepshow. The couple show – live sex show – would always be performed to the same music by Enigma from their album MCMXC: The first 15 minutes of the album.

Some couples wore a costume or the men wore shorts: my partner always wore just a bikini and I walked on naked. During the first five minutes would begin by standing in the centre of the revolving podium kissing and touching each other. I would strip her bra away as we kissed and she fondled me, then we would be on our knees doing more of the same; I would then take her bottoms off so that she was like me; completely naked, the next five minutes was spent performing oral sex on each other. The final five minutes was spent having full intercourse in different positions; including anal sex with one girlfriend. After fifteen minutes our time was up and we’d exit the stage.


The inside of Sex Palace Peep Show: Solo cabins.

There were also two or three solo cabins in which a client or customer could have a one on one with any performer working that day. There were photos of the girls and the couple in the cabins each with a number. On the wall there was a panel with lit up numbered buttons; and the customer would push the button and a number on a panel in the girls room would light up letting them know who was needed in which cabin.

The girls room was where the girls relaxed; ate and watched TV between dances.

Instead of watching the girl or couple perform through a small window, the solo cabin windows were full length and the men could talk to the performers and ask them to do certain things to themselves. A striptease used to cost the equivalent of £10; a masturbation show was £20; and a vibrator show was £30. There was a space in the glass where the customer could pass the money to the performer. If they wanted to watch the couple together it was a lot more money. £50 for kissing and touching: £100 for oral: and £150 to watch the couple do it all. As long as the customer kept putting coins in the slot to keep the light on the performer; the girl or couple kept on going. Once the light went off the performer and went on in the customers side the show was over.

The first live show was at 11am and the final one was at 1 am. The girls started maybe an hour before the live show and finished a few minutes after the last live show.

3 | When and why did you do started working as a stripper in Amsterdam Red Light District?

Before starting as a stripper in Amsterdam I was a stripper in the pubs and clubs in the north east of England and Scotland. Then I began bringing girls over to Belgium to do striptease in the porn cinemas between breaks in the film, it was while my wife at the time that we ventured into the peepshows and saw how clean and horny it was compared to Scott’s cinemas. The manager of the Kuperskai peepshow was a coloured guy named Jean; I used to have a girl working in Gent porn cinema ABC and I used to drink in the bar over the road and id have a few drinks with Jean. He asked me to do a kind of half live show with my wife. It sounded like good money and it sounded horny so we agreed.

In these shows I could not take my shorts off nor could any kind of penetration take place; oral was only allowed on Paula. It was the same in the solo cabin: however once the door was locked and the customer asked to see us fucking, if the money was right we’d fuck in front of the customer as he masturbated. Once we’d had a taste of the live show we liked it, it was well paid; exciting and horny.

Our next stop was in Brussels where there were two porn cinemas on Adolph max boulevard; the ABC and the Paris. Just out of Brussel’s Nord train station was the Pigalle and the Babylon peepshows just about next to each other. The manager of the peepshow was Christoph and we spoke to him and his brother,’ Dito’, about doing live show. They asked if we’d seen a live show before to which we answered ‘no’. ‘ Go watch one’ its due on in five minutes’ we were told. We locked ourselves in the cabin and inserted some franc’s into the slot and the window cleared; the girl left the podium and the music of Enigma began to play and the couple started to do their thing; except this was a real live show; unlike the show we had performed in Gent.

We decided that we’d like to give it a shot and so went back to the office and discussed a contract. Christoph booked us into the Krat- sex palace, in Amsterdam for our first two weeks of real live show. This would have been about 1992. The manager of the peepshow was Eric- the boss’ son.

4 | How was it to work in Amsterdam Red Light District during the 1990’s? What were the reasons you liked this job so much?

This is what Amsterdam’s Red Light District looked like in the 1990’s. (Source: Huub Prickaerts)

The work in the red light district of Amsterdam was great! It was new; exciting; and of course everything about it was horny. I was being paid to fuck on stage; I was sitting in a room surrounded by naked and half naked girls; everywhere you looked there was a bar; porn; drugs; prostitutes; and some of the girls were up for sex too, a 3some with me and my wife.

‘I was being paid to fuck on stage…’

Amsterdam, 1994. A man paints a window brothel in the Red Light District.

I also carried a camera around with me and some of the dancers wanted their photos taken for the publicity boards outside the peepshow doorway and in the solo cabins. I got on well with Eric and everyone working in the peepshows, even some of the girls in the windows got to know me and used to give me a wave passed their window. What was there not to like?

5 | What kind of shows did you do in Amsterdam strip night club(s)? Solo? With women? With men?

All of the shows that I did were with my girlfriend or wife: I got through three marriages whilst doing the sex shows. Quite the Amsterdam Red Light District Stories. The only time I was alone with a male was in a solo cabin. The guy would press the number for the couple show and my partner would go to the solo cabin to tell the guy the prices of the show. A few times she came back and said that the guy wanted me! He wanted me naked and masturbating but he wanted me to watch him masturbate too. I did not enjoy that part of the work, and thank god it did not happen very often.

6 | How old were you when you realized you wanted to become a stripper/performer/sex worker?

I was 28 years old when I began stripping in the UK. My wife had began working as a stripper two years before me. I needed a job and she talked me into being a stripper.

Stripper Salary

7 | How much money did you earn per month as a sex worker in the peep show(s) of Amsterdam?

The pay worked out the same in most of the places that I worked, whether it was the German mark; Belgian franc; or the Dutch guilder it all worked out about £20 per show: 1000 Belgian Francs per show x 14 shows per day. 50 or 60 Dutch guilder per show; 1000 Luxembourg franc per show; all were 14 shows per day for the first few years; except in Hanover, Germany where I worked 19 shows per day. Multiply the pay per show by 14 and then multiply that by 7 and then multiply that by 4.2

8 | Did you have a relationship while you worked as a stripper in Amsterdam? If so, was your partner okay with working in the strip clubs?

Yes I was in a relationship while doing the live sex shows, though none of my marriages lasted. But I did have relationships with some girls over there too. I had a few threesomes with one of my wives and a girl, and more threesomes with another of my wives a few guys. It was free love just like back in the 60s I suppose.

9 | What were the things you liked most about Amsterdam?

I enjoyed Amsterdam and its people very much and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I liked the openness; the honesty; the girls; the bars; the atmosphere; the cafes; the sex; I loved it all and would do it all again if I could.

It’s just a shame that all of the establishments that I worked in, around Europe are now closed. But every time I hear the music of Enigma, the first 15 minutes of the album MCMXC it takes me right back there…

Amsterdam Red Light District Advice

10 | What would you like to say to people who visit Amsterdam Red Light District?

Leave your inhibitions behind. Try what you want to try; do what you want to do; live the life while you are there; embrace the way of the Red Right Area; no regrets…

ALSO READ:

Peep Show Amsterdam 

10 Sex Shows in Amsterdam

Amsterdam Red Light District Prices

New Amsterdam Red Light District Rules

Posted on: July 12, 2017

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New Amsterdam Red Light District Rules By City of Amsterdam & Tour Companies

The number of organised tours in the Red Light District has grown quite a bit in the past few years. Amsterdam’s Red Light District (locally known as “De Wallen“) is a popular area because it’s unique area in the world. It’s the oldest & most fascinating part of Amsterdam and contains typical Dutch architecture, several churches, a Buddhistic temple, cannabis shops, stock exchange, restaurants, bars, many window brothels, prostitutes and much more. But the Red Light District of Amsterdam is not just a tourist attraction; people also live and work there, and that has to be respected. New Amsterdam Red Light District Rules for tour organisations where made by the local government together with the help of  tour guides.

Goal Of New Amsterdam Red Light District Rules

A select group of tour companies (us included), neighbourhood residents, interest groups and the local government have recently joined forces to ensure that the growth in interest in the Red Light District develops on the right track. They want to reduce the inconvenience that some tour companies cause and wish to maintain the industry’s good reputation as a hallmark of Amsterdam. For this reason we have agreed on new Amsterdam Red Light District rules created by the local government that stipulates how to carry out tours in this unique part of Holland’s capital. We’re a very proud member of the Amsterdam Red Light District tours agreement, sanctioned by the City of Amsterdam.

One of the goals of these new Amsterdam Red Light District Rules is to keep the area nice and liveable.

Exclusive members (inclusive us) of the Amsterdam Red Light District Tours agreement, sanctioned by the local government.

The picture above contains a big white-board with all the signatures of the companies/people who created and agreed to the new guidelines and Amsterdam Red Light District rules. The board is held by among others: Chairman of the City Centre of Amsterdam Boudewijn van Oranje (with glasses on the right) & alderman and the deputy major of Amsterdam Kajsa Ollongren (center, wearing the light brown coat). We’re at the top; fourth row.

You can read about the new guidelines on Red Light District tours in Amsterdam in this article.

The City of Amsterdam asks that all tour companies working in the Red Light District comply to some ground rules. By working together they can keep the Red Light District liveable and attractive for residents, business owners, prostitutes and visitors alike.

10 Guidelines For Red Light District Tours In Amsterdam

1. The agreement pertains to the area that border the following streets/squares:
   1. Dam Square
   2. Warmoesstraat
   3. Zeedijk
   4. Nieuwmarkt
   5. Kloveniersburgwal
   6. Oude Hoogstraat
   7. Oude Doelenstraat
   8. Damstraat
2. The goal is to limit the size of groups to 20 persons per tour guide. 20 persons is the maximum, but can be raised to 25 persons under exceptional circumstances.
3. There will be no more Red Light District Tours after 11 pm.
4. In order to limit nuisance to local residents, businesses and road users, groups will not standstill in the following areas:
   1. The alleys in the Sint Annenkwartier.
   2. In front of the entrance of coffeeshop The Bulldog.
   3. The Bridges on Oudezijds Achterburgwal.
   4. In front of the entrance of Casa Rosso Erotic Theatre.
   5. In front of the entrance of the Condomerie when it’s opened.
   6. Stoofsteeg alley.
   7. Gordijnensteeg – corner of Monnikenstraat.
   8. Bloedstraat.
5. The guides will make every effort to prevent groups from restricting the flow of traffic.
6. During opening hours, there will be no stopping in front of shop entrances, or entrances to restaurants, pubs, etc.
7. The guide and the company can be identified by their company logo or badge.
8. Sound amplification is not permitted during tours.
9. The guide will kindly ask the participants to comply with the following local rules of conduct:
   1. Do not take pictures of sex workers.
   2. Do not misbehave, either in general or towards other members of the group or people on the street.
   3. Stay with the group.
10. The guide will ensure that:
    1. The group doesn’t spread in different directions;
    2. The group doesn’t stand still in from of the window brothels;
    3. The group does not block entrances to shops, restaurants, etc. And only enters establishments with the permission of the owner;
    4. The group does not impede the flow of traffic;
    5. The tour ends before 11 pm.

Amsterdam Red Light District Tour Map

The image below shows the area where the new rules apply. The streets where groups aren’t allowed to stand still anymore are marked in dark red.

Amsterdam’s Red Light District and Dam Square.

Are There Also Tour Companies That Do Not Follow The New Rules For Amsterdam’s Red Light District?

Yes, some tour companies or individual tour guides did not agree to these new Amsterdam Red Light District rules. For example: Sandemans New Europe Tours a.k.a Sandemans New Amsterdam Tours. Most likely this company did not want to sign the government’s new rules because it uses a business model that requires more than 25 or 30 attendees per tour guide. This creates a lot of irritations for everyone associated with the Red Light District including the prostitutes. It is a pity that Sandemans New Europe Tours (and some other companies) do not care about the area and the people in it. The City of Amsterdam contacted this company several times trying to convince them, but repeatedly they refused.

There are currently about 36 organizations (including us) that agreed with these new Amsterdam Red Light District Rules and the City of Amsterdam is working hard to convince (new) tour operators to follow these rules too.

Also read 11x Amsterdam Red Light District Laws & Amsterdam Red Light District Ban Still Allows Tours.

Medical Cannabis In the Netherlands: Grow Your Own

Posted on: April 6, 2017

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New Agreement On Cultivation Of Medical Cannabis In the Netherlands

With great pride Dutch stoner magazine “Rolling Stoned” has introduced the newest home grower in Holland: BeëlzeBud (Nickname). One of the first patients who is now legally allowed to grow his own medical cannabis in the Netherlands (medical marijuana). BeëlzeBud has gotten this option by signing an agreement that was realised by the PGMCG Foundation (Patient Group for Medical Marijuana Users). We’ve translated his first report for the readers of Rolling Stoned below!

One of the First Legal Growers of Medical Cannabis in the Netherlands Introduces Himself

Source: RollingStoned.nl

My name is BeëlzeBud. I will be reporting about my legal indoor growing of medicinal marijuana. Being a medical cannabis user myself I recently signed the newly launched agreement by the PGMCG foundation together with the mayor of Tilburg. I’m a stay at home dad who has two amazing sons aged 1,5 and 4 years. Since the start of the 90’s I’ve been using cannabis for recreational and therapeutic ends. I use the term therapeutic because even though I didn’t get a doctor’s recipe, I was using weed for medical purposes. A situation that I think a lot of people are in without actually realising it. I myself for example was a teenager who got prescribed Ritalin to curb my ADHD. (I was one of the first kids in Holland who got this prescription.) After a few years I was so fed up with the side effects of that drug that I decided to stop using it for good. During that time I was also a rebellious teenager and started experimenting with cannabis. I soon discovered that this particular plant had a far better effect on me than the medications a got from my doctor. So I did not have prescription marijuana but certainly used it for medical reasons.

Chronic Nerve Pain And Cannabis

Fast Forward To 2015. At this time I was already suffering for a couple of years from chronic nerve pain due to several hernias. As a result, I pretty much tried every known painkiller. Nothing was good enough. Only Oxycodone (a synthetic opiate) worked well. But the side effects I got from it were too much. I also read many stories about problems of addiction so I also wanted to stop using this drug, and as soon as was possible.

Medical Cannabis In the Netherlands

And then there was Medi Cannabis! After a few good conversations with my doctor, he decided to write me a recipe for Bedrocan and – like I expected – it really helped me with my ADHD. Ever since I’ve been using weed types with a high BBD content and at night types with THC. A fine recipe, if I may say so myself!

Fast Forward To Today

I’ve been using medical cannabis in the Netherlands for quite some time now. However the options at the pharmacy are so limited that I’m still forced to go to coffee shops. And that is quite expensive. So expensive that I can’t really afford the amount that I need. And this problem led me to the PGMCG foundation. Pioneers Marian Hutten and Serge de Bruijn have been fighting for years for the right of patients to grow their or medical cannabis in the Netherlands, at home. And not without results! Thanks to their efforts I’m now allowed, with the approval of the mayor, to grow my own medical cannabis in the Netherlands at home! And I’ll keep you guys informed about my efforts in the future for your enjoyment!  Now that I’ve introduced myself I’ll keep you posted about my efforts, about my grow setup, the ins and outs of the new agreement and everything I have to deal with to make this thing work! I’m looking forward to it, I hope you guys do to.

Green Greetings, Bud.

Others who read this also read Coffeeshop The Bulldog Wins Lawsuit Against Red Bull and New Dutch Law On Cannabis Could Legalize Production

The School For Amsterdam Prostitutes

Posted on: April 1, 2017

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Aspiring Amsterdam Prostitutes Can Get A Diploma

Honey Pot – A new Dutch organization by and for sex workers – in collaboration with the city of Amsterdam has officially opened The School For Amsterdam Prostitutes today. The new institution will provide a 4-month course for aspiring prostitutes from all over the world. The course offers “sexual knowledge” for its participants. The cost for enrolment will be 400, – Euros (approximately 430 Dollars). This is in large part due to subsidies by the city of Amsterdam and volunteer teachers.

School For Prostitutes Not Just About Sex

According to Justin Beaver, spokes person of Honey Pot, topics of the course will vary greatly.

‘Besides the sex stuff we’ll dive deep into the history of prostitution, changing social views and its stigma”. The course also intends to convey the traditional Dutch entrepreneurial spirit: “accounting, sales, (online) marketing, customer service and necessary negotiating skills will all be taught’.

Government Supports Amsterdam Prostitutes

‘We believe education plays a key role in creating safe working conditions for Amsterdam prostitutes”, states a spokesperson of Amsterdam’s city council.’

The local government hopes that the new prostitution school will further professionalize the local industry. People are already speculating that a diploma from The School For Amsterdam Prostitutes will become mandatory before one can enter the trade. However, Justin Beaver has made numerous official statements in the past trying to dispel this rumour.

Amsterdam Prostitutes School Affects Coffeeshop

Not everybody is happy with the arrival of the new school. Due to current Dutch laws there is a big chance that the world famous cannabis/coffee shop The Bull Dog will eventually have to close its doors. The so called “distance rules” ordains that coffee shops within a 250 meter range of a school should be closed. The School Of Amsterdam Prostitutes will be located 249 meters from cannabis store The Bulldog. A quintessential Dutch legal cannabis debate is expected in the near future.

(This article was published on April Fools day, 2017.)

ALSO READ:

20x Amsterdam Red Light District Rules

10x Amsterdam Red Light District Hotels

Amsterdam Red Light District Prices 

Amsterdam Cannabis Shop The Bulldog Wins Lawsuit Against Red Bull

Posted on: March 29, 2017

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Coffee Shop The Bulldog Takes A Bite Out Of Red Bull’s Wings

For more than twelve years Henk de Vries – Dutch Fortune 500 member and owner of coffee shop The Bulldog – has been under judicial fire from the Austrian soft drink maker Red Bull. De Vries introduced his own energy drink at the start of the century called “Bull Dog Energy Drink”, a brand name that didn’t suit the Austrians of Red Bull.

One of Forbes Richest Dutch

The owner of Amsterdam’s cannabis store The Bulldog is the 254th richest person in the Netherlands. (Source: Quote)

Did you know that the owner of coffee shop The Bulldog in Amsterdam is the 254th richest person in the Netherlands?

Henk de Vries and his business are worth 95 million euro or 106 million dollars. This was estimated by Quote in 2016. Quote is a Dutch magazine which is most notable for making the Quote 500, a list of the 500 wealthiest people in the Netherlands with their financial position, similar to the list produced by Forbes.

Bulldog And A Bull, What’s The Difference?!

According to the Austrians the brand name “The Bulldog” is too similar to “Red Bull” which could lead to confusion among consumers. Beside that, De Vries has the bad fortune of registering The Bulldog brand name on the 11^th of July 1983, three days after the registration date of the brand name “Red Bull”. Nevertheless, the court of Amsterdam rejected Red Bull’s claim on the basis that the brands were different enough and that it wouldn’t lead of confusion among consumers.

Red Bull Fights On!

However, on appeal, the court of Amsterdam sided with Red Bull. De Vries stopped selling his energy drinks fearing further problems. Red Bull threatened coffee shop The Bulldog with a million dollar claim, an amount that would bankrupt the coffee shop The Bulldog empire, if the court ruled in favour of it. But the European court ruled against one of the objections made by Red Bull, and in cassation the case was eventually sent back to the court of The Hague.

This court has now ruled that there is enough difference between the names Red Bull and The Bulldog to prevent confusion from happening, confirming the original decision made by the court of Amsterdam.

Nitpicking Of The Highest Order

The front of the first coffee shop The Bulldog in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. 

The considerations that were made for the ruling are nitpicking of the highest order. Some passages from the ruling: ‘A bull and a dog differ ways from each other: a bull is a hoofed animal/ herbivore/ meadow animal and much larger than a dog, which is a predator/ carnivore/ pet. The average consumer, whilst perceiving the ‘bull (1) dog’ or an image of the animal won’t think of a bull.’ Red Bull countered by stating that the brand could indeed cause confusion because the bulldog breed gets its name from the fact that the animal was used for bullfights. The Austrians also find that ‘a bulldog and a bull are both animals, and more particularly: strong, aggressive animals.’

The judge cast the argument aside because ‘in the Benelux it is generally not known that the bulldog was used in bullfights’ ‘with regard to the second argument, ‘animals and ‘strong, aggressive animals’ are to vague and general categories to create the relations argued by Red Bull: there are an infinite number of animal species,, including countless strong and aggressive species. ‘

Coffee Shop The Bulldog Not Celebrating Yet

De Vries, owner of coffee shop The Bulldog, told Dutch magazine Quote that he was satisfied with the verdict. “But Red Bull may still appeal, and I’m quite superstitious, so that is all I’ll say about that”. Red Bull’s attorney informed Quote that they didn’t want to comment on the case.

Some Background Info On Bulldog Owner Henk De Vries

A picture from the 1980’s of coffee shop The Bulldog in the Red Light District.

He is considered to be one of the most famous members of what ones was called: Penoze or Penose is a colloquial term that is used to describe the organized criminal underbelly in Amsterdam and other major cities in the Netherlands. Penose usually means the organisations formed by criminals of Dutch descent, especially used between the 1960’s and 1990’s. It is a slang word coming from the old Amsterdam Bargoens language. The people who hanged around the Red Light District with a tendency towards street selling and sex shops, but with their harts in the right place. The Grandma of Henk de Vries was Mien Veth, the first brothel owner on the Zeedijk, and his dad’s Rinus sex shop, he turned that it into his first coffee shop.

The Next Step For De Vries

This is how coffee shop The Bulldog in Amsterdam warned the basement for a police raid, when selling weed was still illegal. 

In 1985 the police station on the Leidseplein was relocated and De Vries bought the property with the help Freddy Heineken (CEO for Heineken from 1971 until 1989). ‘Heineken ones lent some money to my grandma for her hospitality business’, he tells Quote. ‘I traveled after him to the south of France.’ With great succes, because he was able to get a loan from Freddy. The coffee/cannabis shop in the former police station, called the Bulldog, is now the most famous in the world. De Vries slowly expanded his business with more coffee shops, cafes, souvenir shops and a hotel in Amsterdam. Because of the legalisation of cannabis in several American states the interest in the Dutch coffee shop has increased a lot. There are rumours that there is currently a bid for 60 million dollars.

De Vries doesn’t want to think about it. ‘At my anniversary last year I spoiled 46 people who have worked between 10 and 40 years for me. They are the people, together with my family, who will inherit the company. But it is true that people from the US really want the Bulldog.’

Others who read this also read 10 Tips For Using Drugs in Amsterdam &  10 Do’s and Don’ts for Amsterdam’s Red Light District District.

20 Titles For This Amsterdam Red Light District Picture

Posted on: January 11, 2023

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The Best Titels For This Funny Red Light District Picture

We asked the internet to send us the best captions for this red light district picture. This is how the internet reacted – check out the best ones:

1. “Would you look at that… this advert says there’s single girls in my area.”
2. “I need better headphones.”
3. “Study or you’ll end up next door.”
4. “Brian never knew that one day his colourblindness would throw him a curve ball.”
5. “Cash me outside , how bout dah.”
6. “The new “Beats one off” by Dre.”
7. “I wonder if next door accept Paypal “
8. “I was confused why they said the rent was hourly, until I opened the blinds.”
9. “Tits and I.T.”
10. “New bose noise cancelling headphones, guaranteed to drown out the loudest noises.”
11. “Google Search: “Amsterdam escorts near me…”
12. Ask your employer about working from home.
13. “It only seems honest to put the Apple Store in the red light district.”
14. “Even Metallica at volume 10 didn’t drown out the incessant banging from next door.”
15. “Amsterdam’s co-working space attracted more attention than Bob thought… but the office parties were a hoot!”
16. “When you live in the city that never sleeps but minecraft is life.”
17. “No matter how hard life gets, always remember someone is getting fucked harder.”
18. “Living next door to Alice.”
19. “Stealing the brazzers wifi the little snake.”
20. “Man sits in window while his mates keep next door busy.”

Some Facebook comments on this Red Light District picture.

We spotted this guy during one of our walking tours in Amsterdam and we just had to make a picture!

Amsterdam Red Light District Etiquette

You might wonder if it’s allowed to take pictures in the Red Light District. The answer is yes! You can photograph all the beautiful buildings, streets and sights in the area.

However we wouldn’t recommend taking pictures of the sex workers. They don’t want to be photographed. They have their own reasons for that. Most of the sex workers do not want to be photographed because they don’t tell friends, relatives and acquaintances that they do this kind of work.

Our local guides know the best places in Amsterdam’s Red Light District for taking pictures.

Do you have a better caption in mind for this Red Light District picture? Drop it in the comment section below.

Why Are Amsterdam Coffee Shops Closing Down?

Posted on: January 13, 2017

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Amsterdam Coffee Shops Closing, Not A Good Idea

It’s rush hour in Mellow Yellow on the last day of 2016. Italian tourists who just visited the Heineken Experience are crowding around the counter. Coffee shop owner Johnny Petram calmly weighs their order. Mellow Yellow is one of eight coffee shops that were closed in the first weekend of January 2017, by order of the municipality of Amsterdam. The reason for the Amsterdam coffee shops closing policy is just 230 meters away: a Barber Academy. Had it been just 21 meters further away, then Amsterdam’s oldest coffee shop – since 1972 – would have remained open. Johnny Petram has fought hard. Conversations with the local government, gathering signatures and lawsuits: it was all to no avail.

Dutch Political Trade-Off Led To Amsterdam Coffee Shops Closing Campaign

The closure is the result of a “trade-off” from 2012 between Mayor Eberhard van der Laan and former Minister Of Justice Ivo Opstelten. The minister wanted to implement the so-called “nationality test” nationwide, whereby foreigners would be excluded from purchasing cannabis. This policy was implanted to tackle drug disturbance in the border provinces of the Netherlands. Amsterdam managed to convince the national government that this criterion was unworkable in Amsterdam. In a deal with the Ministry of Justice it was decided to not introduce such a criterion, in exchange for more measures to curb cannabis use among young people. The most important criterion was the “distance test”; in a radius of 250 meters around primary schools or vocational schools no coffee shops would be allowed because the children could encounter cannabis that way.

Coffeeshop Mellow Yellow on the Vijzelstraat in Amsterdam is closed down.

Amsterdam Coffee Shops Closing Down

The Mellow Yellow coffee shop is one of the eight shops that were part of the Amsterdam coffee shops closing action during the first weekend of January 2017, as a result of this deal. Meanwhile, the number of coffee shops in Amsterdam has been reduced from 350 in 1995 to just 167 in January 2017. Most of the coffee shops closed due to financial reasons or on grounds of public order. Around twenty other coffee shops had to be closed because of another Amsterdam coffee chops closing initiative: Project 1012, a project – started in 2007 – that tackled the monoculture in the Red Light District. Another 11 coffee shops were closed because of the distance criterion.

Statistics of Cannabis Coffee Shops in the Netherlands

At the end of 2014, the Netherlands had 591 coffee shops spread over 103 municipalities.  The number of coffee shops decreased by 4.2%, compared to the previous measurement in 2012 – when there were 617 coffee shops. At the end of March 2015 there were 582 coffee shops in 103 municipalities in the Netherlands. The number of coffee shops has decreased in the largest cities (over 200,000 inhabitants). In 1999 there were 443 coffee shops located in these municipalities, while there were 297 in 2014. The average number of residents per coffee shop spread over 103 towns/cities was 32.459 by the end of 2014. This average is slightly higher than in 2012 (31 523).

Source: https://www.intraval.nl/

Coffee Shops Closed in Rotterdam

However, the effects of the measure are controversial. Research company Intraval did a study in 2015 commissioned by the city of Rotterdam on the effects of the “distance test” on schools. ”The closure of coffee shops has had no effect on the use of cannabis by students”, state representatives of the schools. Interval concludes that the proximity of coffee shops to schools does not have an effect on students and them using cannabis or not. Previous experiences in Rotterdam paint the same picture. The city already implemented the distance test back in 2009. This led to the closure of 16 coffee shops. A total of 45 remained open in the city of Rotterdam.

No Effects

An evaluation done in the autumn of 2010, once again by Intraval, is crystal clear about the effects of the distance test on cannabis use among students: zero. Amsterdam now has to deal with the reality of an increase in tourism and a decrease in the number of coffee shops. This has pushed the sale of cannabis back onto the streets again. The demand for cannabis has remained, according to the owner of Mellow Yellow. He points outside; where tourists smoke their first joint of the day.

Drug Rip Deals More Likely

An unexpected effect of the Amsterdam coffee shops closing is that the sustained demand for cannabis has led to much more revenue in the remaining coffee shops. The increased demand at the door leads to problems at the backdoor: “You must resupply several times a day,” says Ferry de Boer, “because the Dutch law only allows for one pound of cannabis, but these days 1.5 kilo in stock is already a tight supply”. The Bonger Institute of Criminology conducted a study last year on behalf of the cannabis industry on the impact of the closures. The Institute points out that those who need to get new stocks of cannabis are more vulnerable, because they are on the road more often and stand out more because of this. The chances of being mugged on the way (rip deals) increase, as does the risk of discovery by the police.

Tourists Become Prey Of Illegal Street Dealers in Amsterdam

Petram points out another consequence of the Amsterdam coffee shops closing: street dealers. “My coffee shop was located on a busy tourist route, but was the only coffee shop. You’ll soon get these little rascals here who store their cannabis stock in their scooters and start dealing with 5 grams in their pockets (the legally permitted amount in the Netherlands).”

According to the Dutch authorities, the street dealers entered the trade because of years of increasing tourism flows. The Bonger report agrees with that in part, but also suggest that Project 1012 is responsible. Foreign tourists are now a prey to street dealers, which nowadays even sell them fake drugs. The Bonger Institute expects that the street trade will increase even more because of the closure of more coffee shops in the future.

What Will The New Dutch Government Do?

Meanwhile, it is still questionable whether the municipality will now stop with Amsterdam coffee shops closing after these last 8 coffee shops. Although Mayor Van der Laan referred to the distance test as “symbolic politics”, at the same time he stated that he would abide by the previous agreement to show goodwill for a subsequent government.

The reason for this is simple: the distance test is anchored in the Opium Act, and a new Minister of Justice may still call for enforcement. A spokesperson for Mayor Van der Laan announced that in that case “the mayor will say he has had the exact same conversation with Minister Opstelten ‘who was receptive for our very reasonable arguments.” And with a progressive government Amsterdam could perhaps reopen 8 coffee shops again.

Petram won’t wait for that, and is already working on a new location for coffeeshop Mellow, because “the oldest coffee shop in the world should not be lost.” Would you like to learn more about the latest cannabis news in Amsterdam? Hear all about it during our walking tours in the Red Light District.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR TOURS

Source: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/01/04/als-de-coffeeshop-sluit-gaat-de-handel-de-straat-op-6023362-a1539697  written by P. Zandstra

Others who read this article also read Undercover Police in Amsterdam Hunt Fake Drug Dealers & The Drug Test Lab in Amsterdam: An Exclusive Interview With August de Loor

An Interview with A Dutch Salvation Army Officer in Amsterdam

Posted on: January 4, 2024

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Salvation Army Officer in Amsterdam

Amsterdam Red Light District Stories

Who are you and what do you do for the Salvation Army?

My name is Henny Tinga and I have worked for the Salvation Army in the Red Light District for a very long time, more than 50 years! I have seen a lot and have met a lot of people.

What does the Salvation Army do here in the Red Light District?

The Salvation Army does all kinds of different things in the Red Light District and throughout all the years. Major Bosshardt, well known in the Netherlands, started with the army work in 1948. Back then they took care of all the children living in the district. Since then things have changed.

Major Bosshardt, the public face and officer of the Salvation Army in Amsterdam, year 1965.

What we do today in the Red Light District is taking care of the ladies who work in prostitution. We have a meeting point for that and we visit the sex workers three/four times a week and ask them how they are doing, offer them a cup of coffee or some chocolate. We offer people from the neighbourhood a place where they can drink some coffee. On Sunday we have the Salvation Army service. We also have place where people who are really ill can spend the last period of their life. We have all kinds of different work to do in this neighbourhood.

How many people work for the Salvation Army in Amsterdam?

More then 1200 people work for the Salvation Army in all different kinds of jobs, from helping the homeless to looking after children who are badly ill.

Are those volunteers or people that are employed by the Salvation Army?

Most of the people are employed by the Salvation Army. Volunteers visit the sex workers who work in the Red Light District and they do the soup rounds. They bring the people who live on the street soup, coffee and bread. They also run the meeting place for the neighbourhood every afternoon. That’s the work of volunteers.

Henny Tinga in front of the home of the Salvation Army in Amsterdam’s Red Light District.

What do you think of prostitution, Henny?

Prostitution has always been in this neighbourhood. I believe that we have to accept the ladies for who they are and what they do. However when things are not right we have to help them and we must always have an open mind when meeting one of the ladies about who she is or what she does and try and do something for her.

Do you think that there is human trafficking or forced prostitution in the Red Light District?

Everywhere where there is prostitution there is human trafficking and forced prostitution. Figures about it however are politics! Someone says this the other says that, most things that are happening are not black or white but grey.

How did Amsterdam’s Red Light District change from your point of view?

Through the years a lot of things have changed. In the sixties you had Dutch women working here with their pimp and things like that. After that you had women from all over the world and you had a period of a lot of heroin prostitution. Afterwards I saw that the prostitutes were very young because we took care of some of them that had gotten aids. When they died we saw that they had to be so awfully young when they started. These days you see women from all over Europe and South America working here. The Red Light District has become much more international, and you see that reflected in the pubs, the food you can eat. In that way things have changed a lot.

Salvation Army volunteer “Aunt Jans” at sex shop Nana in Amsterdam’s Red Light District, year 1995. Pic: Bogaerts, Jan.

Do you think that the Red Light District has improved or that it has gotten worse?

I think neither. It hasn’t changed, it hasn’t really improved and it hasn’t gotten worse. The only thing that has changed is that it has become globalised.

Are you in contact with the police in Amsterdam or the local government?

Yes. The meeting point is paid for in part by the local government. They have a lot of contact with the police. The police always contact us when they are searching for a missing person. When we see that things are wrong we of course always go to the police and tell them.

So you have worked for the Salvation Army for a long time. You are now retired. What do you do nowadays for the Salvation Army?

I can’t really stop. The Salvation Army is my life! Downstairs we have a meal for men who don’t have much contacts or are homeless. On the other canal of the Red Light District we offer meals for women who work in prostitution or former prostitutes. We have a program for them and I’m part of that. I also visit the girls working in prostitution. I also visit the people who are responsible for the housing that the prostitutes work in. I also do the soup-round in my own way. I try to do a lot of things! I love it! I love to meet people.

Can you tell us something about Major Bosshardt?

My husband and I have known Major Bosshordt our whole lives. I started working here when I was 17. I started as girl giving a cup of coffee and she asked me to come work for her. Coos, my husband, was born and raised in the Red Light District. As a young boy Bosshardt helped him go to school and to go to university. She said that children from the Red Light District could best be helped by learning. That’s what she wanted.

Amsterdam’s Salvation Army in 1950’s.

One of the greatest things that she has done is that a lot of young people from the 1950’s and 1960’s were sent to school because of her. This gave them the opportunity for a better life than their parents. She has been a part of our life and we have helped her by doing the work here.

What would you like to say to visitors of the Red Light District?

Be respectful when you walk around! Everybody; men and women work here or people being here, they are all also God’s people. So be careful with each other even though we are all different, be careful with each other.

Salvation Army in Red Light District Audio Tour

Henny Tinga is also part of our new audio tour in the Red Light District. In it, she tells more about Major Bosshardt – a national hero & officer of the Salvation Army –  and her important activities in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. 

Others who read this article also read An Interview With The First Condom Shop Of The World & An Exclusive Interview With A Prostitute And Her Boyfriend.

An Interview With The Owner Of The First Condom Shop in Amsterdam

Posted on: January 1, 2024

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Interview Founder First Condom Shop In Amsterdam

We spoke with Theodore van Boven who is one of the owners of world’s first condom shop which was founded in 1987, on the oldest street of Amsterdam. It was opened in a time when there were more sexual transmitted diseases (STD’s) in the Netherlands and when talking about sex was still a taboo. Theodore, who lives in Amsterdam Red Light District – right above the condom shop, is a huge fan of sexual education at a young age. Early sex education decreases the chance on STD’s and teen pregnancy.

Fun fact: the child birth rate among teenagers in the Netherlands is one of the lowest in the world.

Theodore van Boven in front of the Condomerie – world’s first condom store. And the most famous condom shop Amsterdam.

History Of The Condom Shop In Amsterdam

When and why did you decide to start a condom shop in Amsterdam?

In 1987 on the 10th of April the idea popped up in our minds. A condom shop was necessary because of AIDS, the epidemic of the eighties. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was a deadly disease in those days. When you think about Aids you look, sour, sore and sad. We thought that if you make love in times of aids but you use a condom you can smile again! And that was the philosophy, to give the smile back to the people with safe sex. On the 20th of April we decided to do it and we opened the shop on the 30th of April 1987.

How did people react when you started this now famous condom shop Amsterdam?

When we started discussing this idea immediately the smile came on the faces of the people. We took it very seriously. Despite the art that we have, the color, the open atmosphere and the transparency, the fun parts, we seriously focus on the condoms. But even if you talk serieus about sex and safe sex automatically a smile will be on everybody’s face. So we have that perfect combination between serieus and fun.

Where does the name “condom” come from?

Nobody knows exactly. They say it’s latin, they say it’s from England, some say it’s from France, but I guess it has something to do with the latin origin but I’m not sure. The word Condomerie is something else! It does not exist, it’s a word we invented, it sounds French but it isn’t. In French it would be “capotterie”. In Dutch the word Condomerie gives a smile and some chicness. Lenny Bruce was my inspiration, he said “tits and ass is dirty, but if you say it in French it’s art”. So we decided on Condomerie.

Could you tell us something about the history of the condom?

The word condom is a couple of hundred years old probably. The condom itself, the history of the condom, is much much older. I like to study so I know that 5000 years ago king Minos on Crete used fish bladder condoms. But that was just written history, I’m pretty sure oral history goes even further back in time, maybe 10 – 20,000 years old. If we consider homo sapiens as our equal they had the brain to draw conclusions so I’m pretty sure it was used worldwide as a prevention tool.

When we started the condom shop in 1987 we were lucky because the Dutch liberal approach on sex education in general already existed. I believe that it existed because of the pragmatic approach of the Dutch in general. When you have a problem you have to solve it. It has to do with water, with dikes and other stuff but also with sex education. You also need a liberal mindset within society but also within the churches and that already existed. Of course you have left and right wing parts in the churches but for example in the sixties my father was involved in the protestant church in the legalisation of condom sales, and also sex education in primary schools. You need to educate your population. You need to provide them with products to protect themselves. You need to provide them with the knowledge to know how to protect themselves. If you don’t do that as a society or as a country in my belief you’re pretty stupid. The people living in all countries worldwide are not stupid and they are eager for knowledge. Sometimes politicians and decision makers are blocked by some belief, not religious per se, but just to stop educating their people.

Sex Education In (Public) Schools

At which age should people or teenagers get sex education?

In the Netherlands you get sex eduction in schools. I remember that I got my first sex education from the head of the primary school when I was 11 years old. It took around an hour but I only remember a single point he wrote down on the chalkboard. We believe now, because of our experience in the Condomerie with education and helping schools, that sex education should be given four times. The first time should be in primary school, the second time should be in secondary school in the first year when the are 12/13. When they become sexually active around the ages of 15/16/17 they should get the third instalment. And we believe it should be repeated when children leave the home. So when they go into the army, start at a job, studying, you have to repeat it.

Why do you think sex education needs to be started at this young age?

At a young age you have to explain it because they are starting to experiment with their thoughts, you don’t have to be very explicit. Unfortunately nowadays with the internet and social media children get confronted with images from a very young age. Don’t be naive, you have to tell them. Tell it in a good way, but not everything, you just have to start with it. If you ask young people about kissing you have to watch their expression if you start about adults kissing or parents kissing. Almost every young child finds that to be one of the most dirty things in life. But you have to educate them in a smart way.

The Target Audiance For The  Condomerie Condom Shop Amsterdam

Where do most of the customers in your condom shop come from?

When we started in ’87 we were in the centre of Amsterdam. From the start we have had Dutch customers, local customers, from the rest of the country and prostitutes. The prostitutes have all different nationalities. And because Amsterdam is a tourist destination we also get people from all over the world. In the beginning we had people from Thailand from the ministry of health to see how we were doing it. We have a Dutch approach but we get interest from all over the world. What I have found out is that every culture and country is interested in a pragmatic good solution.

Is it mostly men or women who buy condoms in your shop?

Of course we sell male condoms since 1987. But not to our surprise women are also really interested. It’s probably 50/50 between men and women. We predominately focus on the women part because they are more interested in self protection because they can get pregnant. Their reproductive health and sexual hygiene are important. So it’s been 50/50 from 1987 all the way till the present.

What’s the most sold product in your condom shop?

In the beginning I did research for the brands and the novelty stuff. The novelty stuff like a hand or an elephant, everybody want’s to take a picture of that, but believe me, they only buy that one time. The most sold condoms, maybe 98/99%, are the dull standard condoms. But they do of course differ in size, material etc. etc. The normal condoms are sold the most, in the millions!

What if someone has an allergy for latex?

In 1987 the first questions were about sizes and latex allergy! So we researched that and asked advice from dermatologists and we developed our own allergy system which we called “CASSFFAC”. It stands for Condomerie, Amsterdam, Search System, For Finding, Allergy free, Condoms. That is what we use to advise people on allergy free condoms.

Condom Safety Tips

What’s important to guaranty the safety of a condom?

What we learned pretty quickly is that size is very important for safety. The standard size fits around 80% of all men so that’s fine. But you really need a good size, if it is too big it slides off, if it is too small it breaks! Circumference size is maybe even more important than thinness. The quality of the condom itself is of course also really important. In Europe the EU quality stamp is CE. ISO is the international standard, we are members of that organisation and the quality of condoms is written down for global use. The current set standard is ISO 4074 – 2002 but we are working on an update. Wherever you buy a condom both standards tell you that it is a good condom! Much better than 27 years ago. I’m not a big fan of the European community project because of some crazy rules but in this case it definitely works and the world standard is also helping to protect the people.

Condom Market Trends

What are the latest trends in condom shopping?

In 87 we had a couple of different brands but the development speeded up a lot. In the 90’s you had the non-latex condom and the arrival of the female condom. The female condom is made from nutrition and polyethyleen. It’s a good product. Then you had a trend with thinner condoms, non-latex condoms, sensoprene, isoprene. We still sell the sheep gut condom which is new but in a way also very old. The funny thing is that you have all kinds of new stuff and new trends but everybody entering the safe sex market is a newby. That is the fun part about selling condoms, every year you have a new generation who needs explanation! Luckily we can help them much better these days in finding the best option for them.

What’s the reason for the female condom not being really popular?

The female condom entered the market in 1992. I think it’s a very good option. Back then I figured that the market for the female condom market would be very small, around one or two percent. People say that it doesn’t sell that well versus male condoms but you should not look at it that way. In the Netherlands we have a whole range of options to protect ourselves and we should be happy with that. Something selling better than the other is really irrelevant for the consumer, they should be happy that there are so many options.

Condom Tips and Tricks

Could you share some do’s and don’ts with condoms?

When we started we developed our own list of do’s and don’ts to help our customers. One example is that young people like to shave. Strangely enough all the hipsters grow big beards but down there they shave! If that shaven hair grows then you have sharp hair and sometimes that sharp hair can cause breakage of the condom. Another example is making love for too long causing too much stretch of the condom. We advice a formula one tire change kind of pit stop to solve that problem. I challenge everybody to change their condom as fast as Max Verstappen changes his tires.

What would you like to say to the visitors of Amsterdam’s Red Light District?

We have a lot of sex workers here in Amsterdam and they should be respected at all times because they are practising safe sex while earning their money. What I really hate is people making pictures of the ladies, cursing, yelling and disrespecting these women. Most of the female sex workers are pretty well aware of what they are doing and you should respect them. Be gentle and be nice!

People Pretend To Be A Prostitute To Get A Free STI Test in the Netherlands

Posted on: November 23, 2016

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STD Tests In Holland Are Free When You (Say You) Are A Sex Worker

Robbie regularly visits the Dutch Area Health Authority (locally known as Gemeentelijke GezondheidsDienst or GGD abbreviated) to get an STD test in Holland. Every time he makes up a fake story so he doesn’t have to pay.

“I don’t feel like paying 90 Euros for a regular STD test in Holland. So I check some extra marks on the application form”.

Robbie isn’t alone. GGD’s across Holland suspect that people regularly lie to get a free test. This fact has emerged after research done by the Dutch news network NOS.

“It’s a daily occurrence”, our doctor assistants have almost become police officers. We know this is happening because everyone uses the same story when they call us. The story apparently has been doing the rounds at students’ guilds.” states a spokesperson for GGD Gelderland-Zuid.

STD Testing For Sex Workers

It’s not mandatory for prostitutes in the Netherlands to get tested on STD’s. Everyone in the Netherlands can decide for themselves whether he or she would like to get tested on STD’s or not. That is a fundamental right and therefore it also applies for prostitutes and their customers. Although it’s not mandatory to get tested, the Dutch government and several Dutch organizations promote STD testing for these 3 groups (sex workers, youths and gays) by offering them for free.

Stricter Rules To Get A Free STD Test In Holland

The 2015 stricter rules were implemented for getting a free STD test and the total number of STD tests that could be done by GGD’s was decreased. Only people who are a part of so called “high risk groups” can get a free STD test in Holland. Youths under the age of 25, homosexuals and sex workers are considered high risk groups. Those not part of a high risk group can still get a free STD test in Holland if they are warned by their sexual partner, have obvious symptoms, or if they had sex with someone from a high risk group.

The GGD’s determine via a screening procedure if people are granted the free STD test. People who are not part of the aforementioned high-risk categories have to go to their general practitioner. You often have to pay your own bill if you get tested there because of the obligatory deductible that comes with health insurance in Holland. The bill for an STD test can run up to 200 Euro and doing the test at your general practitioner is of course less anonymous.

Excuses, Excuses

These rules and costs give big incentives to people to make up symptoms, lie about their age or exaggerate their sexual past. Some GGD’s inform the NOS that people openly admit to this once they are accepted into to the consultation. Statistics also show that people don’t always tell the truth. “We know that with certain typical excuses, less STD’s will be found than expected”, states a spokesperson for GGD Noord- en Oost-Gelderland. “The detection percentage is remarkably low”.

Costs Push People To Lie

The Dutch RIVM, responsible for coordinating the national health services, recognises the observations. “Despite a strict screening, people are able to get a free STD test in Holland. We have noticed a relationship between the higher obligatory deductible and the increase in GGD-testers”. Even though many GGD’s doubt the claims made by some of the applicants they rarely send someone home because of it.

“When someone is at the free consultation, even though they shouldn’t be there, our professionals would still rather help them instead of sending them away” states GGD Zeeland. “Taking care of people is our line of work”.

Fewer STD Tests In Holland

According to the RIVM, the number of people who got an STD test in Holland has decreased for the first time in years. This is in part due to the fact that less people can be tested. However, the detection percentage has increased, which means that more just applicants have been tested. For this reason GGD’s are still satisfied with the current state of the program. “Our detection percentage has been increasing for years”, states GGD for the Utrecht region. “We’ve observed that also the right people get a consultation!”.

Increase In Sexually Transmitted Diseases In Holland

STI Statistics

A total of 66,000 people were tested in the first half of 2016. The number of people who actually had an STD increased from 16.7 percent to 18.2 percent. 9,429 people were diagnosed with Chlamydia. An increase of 6 percent compared to 2015. Chlamydia is especially prevalent among females and heterosexual males. The number of Gonorrhoea infections has also increased by 12 percent to 2,800.

In the past it affected mostly homosexuals but the last few years heterosexuals have been getting the infection at an increasing rate. Infectious Syphilis has increased from 446 to 629 cases. This STD is more common among homosexuals.

A total of 125 people got an LGV-infection. This is an aggressive variant of anal chlamydia. In the first half of 2015 there were only 88 cases.

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Street Prostitution in the Netherlands - An Interview With A Sex Worker

Posted on: November 11, 2016

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Street Prostitution In Holland Through The Eyes Of A Sex Worker

Utrecht wants to end a designated street prostitution zone, called ‘tippel zone’ in Dutch, where street prostitution in Holland is legally allowed. Closing of the designated street prostitution zone at the Europalaan is a hotly debated topic within the municipality. Project developers and entrepreneurs are urging the government to make a decision as fast as possible. Currently the hustling zone is a major impediment for new large-scale home construction in the area. The mayor and aldermen are now looking for alternative locations. People are expecting a definitive decision at the end of the year. Rightwing and Christian parties want to get rid of the hustling zone while leftwing parties argue for maintaining a hustle zone for legal prostitution in Utrecht.

Meet Sex Worker Bubbles

Bubbles (not her real name) has worked for six months at the designated street prostitution zone. During the interview at a sandwich shop close to the Europalaan, she only picks vegetarian sandwich fillings. Later in the conversation she states; “I could for instance never become a butcher. Killing animals is horrible”. However Bubbles has chosen a profession that a lot of people couldn’t imagine doing themselves: working as a street prostitute. She also does work for PROUD, a Dutch union for sex workers.

What did your workday look like?

“During the day I did things for PROUD or for myself. At the end of the afternoon I would get my clothes and make-up and take the Bus to Utrecht. I live in a rural town. In the living room at the designated street prostitution zone I would talk for a couple of minutes with my colleagues, then I got changed and went onto the street. No high heels, because I’m tall. When a car drove by I would try to make contact to see if the man inside was interested. Some asked how I was doing. Most of the time however they started out with: how much does it cost?”

Did you have your personal spot on the street?

“No, but I liked standing underneath a big tree. That is of course less street like. Sometimes I found it pleasant to lean against a lamppost. Lampposts are the symbol of prostitution. In former times in France prostitutes were allowed to solicit for costumers when the lampposts started to glow. “

Did you accept every costumer?

“I make a quick judgment. I pay attention to the tone and look and feel of a person. If there are multiple persons in the car I never get in. You can get fined for that. That rule has been implemented for our own safety. I refuse at least half of all requests. A lot of scum passes by as well. They’ll insult you and after that ask you to come with them. I hate that kind of behaviour. Or they want to pay too little, or without a condom. I always have safe sex. Most men only want a blowjob. The standard rate is about 40 Euros. If everything feels right I get in the car and then we drive to the sex drive-in. On our way to the drive-in I usually make small talk. I consider it a part of my safety check. My costumers are very diverse, from students to the elderly and everyday blokes to traveling businessmen who do a stopover in Utrecht. Some men you see just once and some loners you see everyday. In the sex drive-in area I do my job. For penetration this can be quite tricky in the smaller cars. When we’re done the costumer drops me off at the designated street prostitution zone.

In the debate about the designated street prostitution zone some political parties state that it’s demeaning work.

“It’s a subjective and personal view. Before there was a designated street prostitution zone there was less safety for the women. If you find the work to be demeaning at least provide better working conditions for street prostitution in Holland. There’s still a big stigma surrounding street prostitution. People view the work as dirty and sad. But I made the conscious decision to do this job. The work itself means very little to me. I just go trough the motions and get paid. I believe that sitting behind a cash register is a far tougher job. Working hard for little money.”

What do you like about the work?

“When I was a kid I really hated my looks. I’ve become more confident because of the positive attention that I get. It can get annoying when the umpteenth man wants to start a relationship with you, but it is also a very nice feeling. I also really enjoy the contacts that I have with my colleagues and costumers.”

Many cities have closed down their own designated street prostitution zones. Utrecht wants to move or even close down this hustling zone because of housing developments.

“Closing the zone without an alternative is too drastic. Women would start making money illegally on the streets or the Internet. In Amsterdam, where there are no designated street prostitution zone, girls hustle around the Central Station.”

Less women are working on the Europalaan in Utrecht. This year only 64 permits were given compared to a 140 in 2009.

“That is correct, but you never hear the authorities talking about the waiting list that exists for getting a permit! The list applies to women from outside the region. If Utrecht has problems with the costs associated with sex workers from outside the region other municipalities should help. Sex workers won’t have a problem if they get a viable alternative for the Europalaan.”

You already work somewhere else?

“Everything was alright, but I had some unpleasant interactions with the police. Officers have questioned me multiple times while I was in the designated street prostitution zone. That creates distrust among colleagues and costumers. I got the impression that they believed I was standing there against my will. They probably meant well but I just want to make money. I also had some nasty costumers one of them was aggressive. He was taking pictures without permission and was doing things we hadn’t agreed upon. The police took real good care of me. Sadly there aren’t any security camera images. I’ve accused him of sexual assault. The case is being investigated. Colleagues advised me to go look in Antwerp. I’m now renting a window brothel for not that much money. The landlord didn’t ask any questions. I only had to show my passport and pay on time. For now this is the best place for me to work.”

How long do you want to continue?

“Sometimes I think about getting an education, but it costs so much money. I only have my high school diploma.”

Many prostitutes don’t want publicity, why did you want to do this interview?

“The interests of sex workers must be heard! On the designated street prostitution zone there is police surveillance and you have great coworkers. prostituting illegally outside of the zone is far more dangerous. Nobody knows where you end up. Working in the designated street prostitution zone didn’t pan out great for me. There are no guaranties. But if I was at home with that aggressive costumer he probably would have gone much further! That is why designated street prostitution zones should be a regulated part of street prostitution in Holland.

Others who read this also read this interview with a window prostitute and her boyfriend & 10 Laws in Amsterdam Red Light District

Xaviera Hollander B&B Amsterdam Netherlands

Posted on: November 9, 2016

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Xaviera Hollander – ex-call girl, former madam, & famous author of the book ‘The Happy Hooker’ – runs a bed & breakfast in Amsterdam

Xaviera Hollander, born in Surabaya, Indonesia, is a Dutch author and former prostitute and madam. She became world famous for her book The Happy Hooker: My Own Story 1971.

Xaviera Hollander, after she finished her highschool, won the award of “best secretary in Holland” at a competition organized by ManpowerGroup, a multinational human resource consulting firm. She left the Netherlands in her early 20’s to stay with her stepsister and family in Johannesburg. In South Africa she met and became engaged with an American economist. In 1968, when the engagement was broken off, Hollander went to New York, where she worked at the Dutch consulate in Manhattan as a secretary. She left this position to work as a luxurious call girl/ escort, something she could no longer combine with her day time job at the Consulate.

In 1969, she opened her own brothel: Madame Xaviera’s Girls. Within a short period of time Xaviera Hollander became New York City’s leading madam. Three years later, in 1971, she was arrested for sex work by the New York police and forced to leave the United States. This after she had also become involved in a massive Police Corruption  Scandal in Manhattan,  referred to as the Knapp Commission scandal.

The Happy Hooker Book

In the same year, 1971, Xaviera Hollander published her memoir; The Happy Hooker. The book was remarkable for its frankness by the standards of the time & is considered a landmark of positive writing about prostitution and sex.

In the Happy Hooker book, Xaviera Hollander detailed her life as an open-minded woman. It was also the very first book in the world where an author could freely write about sex in a frank way without using misguiding words. In other words Xaviera was allowed to mention the proverbial “beasts by their names”. Four letter words have since been totally accepted by the usually quite prim and proper American people.

From Happy Hooker to Happy Hostess in Amsterdam

Nowadays she lives in the south of Amsterdam, called “Gold coast “. Together with her darling Dutch husband Philip, she runs a lovely bed and breakfast in a beautiful and quiet part of the city. It’s the fanciest neighborhood of Holland’s capital and it has the highest average disposable income per household from all parts of Amsterdam.

Details Bed and Breakfast Xaviera Hollander

Hollander’s Happy House B&B is closely located to Museum Square with its Van Gogh, Rijks and Stedelijk museum. Her B&B offers free WiFi, king size beds, a beautiful and spacious garden, terrace, lovely art and a cozy ambiance.

Xaviera and her husband speak 5 languages between them. Staying in Xaviera’s Happy House gives you the opportunity to meet & greet a famous writer, who can also organize a delightful workshop for up to 12 people with, as her main topic: How to Make Your Partner Into A Super Lover. It’s most interesting to actually meet her and her charming man. He is also a great cook and they organize lunches and dinners up to 10 people. You can ask her all sorts of questions!

Book Bed and Breakfast in Amsterdam

Xaviera’s accommodation has 84 reviews and is rated with a 7.8/10 on Booking.com. On TripAdvisor it has 96 reviews and a 4-star rating. Click on the link below for more details, prices and reservations.

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Effects Of Ecstasy Use: 11 Facts & Fables in 2024

Posted on: January 1, 2024

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11 Important Facts And Dangerous Fables On The Effects Of Ecstasy Use

This article on the effects of ecstasy is based on research from the Dutch Trimbos Institute. Examples in the article refer to incidents that happened in the Netherlands.

FACT: Women Are More Sensitive Towards The Acute Effects Of Ecstasy Than Men

Women are more sensitive towards the effects of ecstasy than men when they take the same amount of product. Why this is the case is not yet clear. Clinical studies have shown that the female body responds differently to MDMA than the male body. The female body needs more time to remove all the MDMA from the body. The maximum concentration of MDMA in the blood, when the same amount of MDMA per kg of bodyweight is given, is higher among women than men. The female body is made up out of relatively more fat than the male body leading them to have a lower volume of fluid in the body. Because MDMA can only spread over a lower volume of fluid the concentration increases more rapidly for women than for men.

FABLE: The Best Way To Combat The Effects Of Overheating Is To Drink Alcohol

Most serious ecstasy related health disturbances and fatalities are cases that also involve alcohol. A big part of those fatalities are due to overheating after excessive dancing in a hot and crowded establishment where people start to sweat a lot. Fluids are lost due to the excessive perspiration and are not replenished. One the of possible effects ecstasy is overheating and dehydration, alcohol also dehydrates the body. Combining both products thus increases the chance of dehydration and with that overheating.

FACT: When You Think That The Ecstasy Has Worn Off The Effects Are Not Over Yet

Ecstasy still has an effect on the body even though the subjective (desired) effects have worn off. Depending on the taken amount of MDMA the effects of ecstasy can last for many hours, even a day.

FABLE: Nobody Dies From The Pure MDMA Drug

Some people believe that you can only die from polluted ecstasy pills. Yes, ecstasy pills that contain PMA or PMMA instead of MDMA pose a greater health risk but people have also died from “pure” MDMA. Autopsy reports in the Netherlands show that many people have died from taking just one or multiple “pure” ecstasy pills or MDMA powder.

FACT, But.. : It’s Better To Start Off With Just Half A Pill And Take The Other Half If It Gives The Desired Effect

Taking half a pill first is in general less bad than swallowing an entire pill entirely. For most users the total amount of substance taken is the most important factor, not spreading it out in smaller doses. It should be noted that back in 2015 three young women in the Netherlands died because of ecstasy use even though they first took one half of an ecstasy pill and two hours later the other half. In all three cases victims got ill immediately after taking the second half of the pill.

FABLE: Water Intoxication Is The Greatest Danger When Using Ecstasy

Water Intoxication due to ecstasy use is a rare occurrence. Due to media attention (in the Netherlands) a lot of people believe it’s the most dangerous side effect of ecstasy use. The number of people who arrive at the intensive care due to overheating or heart problems is far greater. Prevent water intoxication by drinking a maximum of 1 glass of liquid per hour.

FACT: Combining Ecstasy With Other Forms Of Medication Brings Extra Risk

The current medical literature shows that people who are on medication have a heightened risk of side effects. People who already have high blood pressure or hart problems should avoid MDMA. Same goes for people with liver or kidney problems. Multiple fatalities have been recorded where people were also on anti depressants. Some anti depressants (Prozac, Zoloft) can suppress some effects of MDMA, which can lead to people taking more ecstasy. The biggest threat, according to the literature, is HIV inhibitors. Using ecstasy in combination with other types of medication can also lead to dangerous side effects.

FABLE: Pillreports Gives Reliable Information About The Composition Of Ecstasy Pills

Many sites on the internet give information about the composition of ecstasy pills. Pills with the same appearance (logo, diameter, thickness and color) can have totally different contents. It is best to test each pill individually.

FACT: Safe Ecstasy Use Doesn’t exist

Some users present ecstasy as a harmless drug. Indeed, ecstasy addiction almost never happens, but taking ecstasy is definitely not risk free. A few people die every year in the Netherlands due to the effects of ecstasy. Long and intensive use possibly leads to brain damage and damages the liver and kidneys. Safe ecstasy use is therefor impossible, even when ecstasy pills are tested!

FABLE: Accidents With Ecstasy Happen Due To Polluted Drugs

This is a persevering misconception. Ecstasy on the Dutch market is generally quite pure. Back in the 90’s large batches of ecstasy sometimes contained amphetamine instead of MDMA. In 2008/2009 the Dutch market was also quite ‘polluted’. Since 2009 there are more pills with high MDMA dosing, this adds risk.

FABLE: When You Had A Good Experience Taking Ecstasy Pills You Are No Longer At Risk The Next Time

This is incorrect! The literature shows that there are multiple fatal cases of people who had used ecstasy before. It is possible that a different set of circumstances had a big effect on the outcomes in those cases. MDMA disrupts multiple regulatory mechanisms in the body. The body might not have needed to ‘intervene’ the first time because internal or external conditions didn’t demand it. The next time, when it was necessary, it didn’t happen because the regulatory mechanisms were disrupted by MDMA.

Undercover Police In Amsterdam Hunt Fake Drug Dealers

Posted on: October 18, 2016

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On The Hunt With The Undercover Police In Amsterdam

Two men in alien suits are walking in the Red Light District, singing and dancing, screaming and cheering. They look drunk. Every twenty meters they check the drink menu of a bar. Until they get asked if they are interested in some cocaine, xtc or speed. “Good stuff, want to try it?” asks the short man with a white cap. The aliens tell him that they aren’t interested. At that point colleagues of the men in alien suits have to make their move. In an adjacent street amidst hundreds of tourists stands Jeroen Hahn with other members of the Priority Police Team, specialised in pickpocketing. They are part of the undercover police in Amsterdam. Their mission for this night: “arrest fake drug dealers”.

Fake Drugs In Amsterdam

Varied products are being presented as real drugs whilst being regular household items. Small pellets of molten candle wax are sold as crack cocaine. Grounded up Dutch cough lozenge tablets go for heroine, moss from the closeby flower store is presented as weed and a piece of shoe sole is sold as hash. Another favourite among dealers is lidocaine. Intended to be used for the treatment of haemorrhoids and premature ejaculation, sniffing the substance gives the same effect as cocaine. All the dealers in the Red Light District buy the stuff for 1.50 Euro per gram and sell if for 50 Euro per gram.

More Drug Dealers In Amsterdam

According to the undercover police in Amsterdam the group of street dealers is growing. They believe that the growth is correlated with the booming tourism in the city and the Red Light District. You’ll find the street dealers wherever there are English, Italians, Spaniards, Saudi’s and Americans. The dealers come from all parts of the Netherlands and even Belgium. In the last two years a total of 3000 arrests were made.

Source: Police Amsterdam Centre 

A New Type Of Drug Dealer in Amsterdam

The whispering little men on the streets are an image problem for the city of Amsterdam, annoying and possibly dangerous. The biggest danger lies in the addition of new ultra young and aggressive fake drug dealers. Team leader Hahn gives a warning on the kids in town. They are more violent than their older drug addicted counterparts and armed. Failed dealings often end up becoming a street-robbery. “These boys often have knives, never make an arrest on your own.”

Teamwork To Catch The Bad Guy

For this reason the Undercover Police In Amsterdam will work in groups of three or four tonight. They should behave themselves like regular Red Light District visitors: strolling around with an empty beer bottle. Fake drug dealers are sharp and relay descriptions of undercover officers to each other. For this reason the group has decided on wearing the alien suit.

Amsterdam Undercover Police Makes An Arrest

After Jeroen Hahn and his team arrest the short man with the white cap they add his name to the white board: number seventeen of the night. Most of the arrested dealers don’t stay in jail for long. Most of time just an hour. The problem is that the selling of fake drugs is not regulated under Dutch drug laws. New offenders will only get a maximum fine of 250 Euro and a 24-hour ban from a certain area in Amsterdam. Repeat offenders are not allowed to enter the district for half a year.

Can The (Fake Drug) Problem Be Solved in Amsterdam?

Arrests alone won’t fix the problem. Put double the amount of cops on this case and you’ll only catch twice the number of fake drug dealers. There are many, many more. Add other tourist areas like Leidseplein and Rembrandt square and het Spui and you begin to understand that a week of undercover police in Amsterdam cleanup actions would be a drop in the ocean. Warning campaigns, more police, variable-message signs with information; they are all just temporary measures. A systematic solution is not available. “Nothing works, there is just too much money to be made”.

ALSO DISCOVER:

10 Best Sex Shows in Amsterdam

Top 10 Coffeeshops in Amsterdam

Moulin Rouge Amsterdam Review: Is It Worth Visiting?

Rent A Boat In Amsterdam To Get The Full Experience

Posted on: January 1, 2024

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Why You Should Rent A Boat In Amsterdam

It is thanks to the 17th-century canal ring and its spiderweb of canals that weave around the medieval city – that Amsterdam is occasionally referred to as the Venice of the North. It’s a city that must been seen via its old streets but also through its beautiful canals. And what’s a better way to explore Amsterdam by boat yourself? These days you can easily rent a boat in Amsterdam! Or you can of course hop on one of those big tour boats but isn’t it more adventurous and exciting to find your way trough those 4 centuries old canals all by yourself?

Requirements to Rent A Boat in Amsterdam

It turns out that there aren’t many requirements for visitors who want to rent a boat in Amsterdam. You don’t need a license to steer the boats that are being rented out. No experience is required. You do however have to be 18+ to be able to rent and no more than six persons are allowed per boat. You will get thorough instructions on how to safely operate the electric boat by the rental companies and they will provide you wit a rout map so you don’t get completely lost. They will also give you instructions on the rules of navigation on the canals. An important thing to remember is that the big tour boats always have precedence over you.

Cheap Boat Rental

A three hour boat trip cost 79,- Euro. However we always advice our clients to take the four hour tour (prices are around 99,- Euros) because that makes everything a lot less hasty. Remember, your sailing in a fairly slow electric boat not a powerboat so take into account that things move a little slow.

Tip: Make An Online Reservation

Plan your trip well in advance because renting a boat is quite popular, especially on one of those warm summer days! Bookings can be done by phone or online. Most companies offer a rescheduling service if the weather forecast turns out to be really bad so don’t let that hold you back when making up your mind on if your should rent a boat In Amsterdam.

Rent A Boat in Amsterdam Electric

Forget about your carbon footprint for a sweet couple of hours. Most boats these days are equipped with electric motors. Besides not ruining the planet you won’t have to worry about a stinky or noisy engine. Explore Amsterdam noise and smell free, what more could one ask for?

Tips To Rent A boat In Amsterdam

Food & Beverages

– Before sailing off into the sunset make sure you bring enough snacks and drinks
– A few big bottles of (sparkling) water is recommended.
– Alcohol-free beers (or wines) are a great option for the captain. You or one of your fellow-travellers.

Keeping it cool

– Most supermarkets in Amsterdam like the Albert Heijn supermarket sell cheap cooling bags.
– Most supermarkets also sell ice cubes in kilo bags, a cost-effective and an easy way to keep everything cool for the day.

Alcohol on the canals of Amsterdam

– While everybody on board can drink alcohol the captain of the ship has to remain sober! The police conduct routine checks on the water, so keep that in mind.

Restrooms

– Amsterdam offers public urinals next to canals on many locations. Sadly the city offers no such facilities for the ladies. Luckily all canals are surrounded by cafes and restaurants. Most of them are easy accessible by boat. These places usually charge 50 euro cent to a visit to the restroom, so make sure to bring some change.

New Drugs Laws in the Netherlands

Posted on: September 23, 2016

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New Dutch Weed Laws Aim To Legalize Weed Production

For the first time in Dutch parliamentary history a majority of parliamentarians are in favour of legalising weed production. The new Dutch weed laws are proposed by D66 (liberal democrats) and could signal the end for the Dutch world famous so-called “gedoogbeleid:” policy of tolerance.

State Of Current Dutch Weed Policies

Combatting illegal weed plantations is costing too much money and the government should regulate weed production, states Vera Bergkamp, D66 Member of Parliament. The Netherlands should again become the global standard for forward-looking policies. Crime is flourishing at the moment and fire hazards due to illegal plantations are estimated to exist on 50,000 separate locations throughout the country according to Bergkamp.

She further states that: “the Netherlands has had a crooked weed policy for far too long, you can sell weed but you can’t grow it on a professional scale or transport it. We believe that is wrong. When we regulate, it should be good for public health and enables us to get a grip on related criminal activities. A large part of Dutch society and many municipalities support these new Dutch weed laws”. Regulations would also mean governmental quality control on weed, according to Bergkamp people at this point don’t have a clue about what exactly they are smoking.

Dutch Mayors In Favour Of New Dutch Weed Laws

Several mayors have been advocating for measures that reduce illegal weed plantations for quite some time. Back in 2013, 25 mayors asked then minister of Justice Ivo Opstelten to reconsider his position on not allowing for legal weed plantation experiments. The new Dutch weed laws gives coffeeshop owners the possibility to buy weed from permitted weed plantations. The weed will be checked by the government, which would make it easier to track down and disrupt illegal plantations.

Dutch Cabinet Position

The current cabinet believes it is up to congress, and will deal with the matter when it is presented to them. The cabinet position will be determined in the procedure. It should be noted that at this point there is not a senate majority in favour of the new Dutch weed laws so anything could still happen.

ALSO READ:

9 Laws For Amsterdam Coffeeshops

10 Best Coffeeshops in Amsterdam

Interview With Sensi Seeds CEO Ben Dronkers

Interview With Amsterdam Window Prostitute & Her Boyfriend

Posted on: January 1, 2024

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Jaw-dropping Interview With An Amsterdam Window Prostitute And Her Boyfriend

(Last updated: 1 November 2020)

A little introduction

For some years now we’ve been following Felicia Anna and Mark on social media. She is a sex worker from Romania who works in Amsterdam. Not as an escort but as a window prostitute. Mark is her Dutch fiancee. They both like to stay anonymous and use pseudonyms. Felicia’s says the following about herself on Twitter: ‘Real Romanian prostitute in the Amsterdam Red Light District (De Wallen), speaking out for the truth about prostitution‘

A window brothel in Amsterdam.

We became really curious and wanted to know more about them so we decided to send them a request for an interview. They said yes. Read the exclusive interview below.

How did they meet?

ARLDT: How did you guys meet each other?

Mark: Hahaha…

Felicia: He was my customer!

Amsterdam’s most narrow alley.

What? Really?!

Mark: Yeah I went in as a customer, it was four years ago in the summer – in 2012. It was the first time that I ever went to a window prostitute. So I was looking around and saw this beautiful woman.

A man talks to a window prostitute.

Second day I went back and walked around and I thought; ‘Ok, maybe I’m going to do this.’ The third day I was kind of like; ‘I want to do this but I want to go to that woman that I saw on the the first day.’

So I walked around and around, and then I saw her and thought; Yeah I think that’s her! So I went inside and the first time was kind of normal. Kind of the typical thing, I guess.

Felicia: And then he said maybe I’ll come back. Perhaps next week.

Mark: And the next day I was back again, haha! And, let’s see, the second time when I visited we started to talk after I paid the 50 euros. I came in at around 12 PM and I think we then talked till 5 AM! So that was money well spent! Haha…

Then I went back two more times and after that we went to her place and since then I’ve never left! So that’s how we met. Funny story!

Dating A Window Prostitute

So then you dated for a while?

Mark: Actually it went very quickly, within a few weeks we were actually living together.

Felicia: Yeah, we were at my place a couple of times and he came back.

How long were you living in the Netherlands at that point?

Felicia: Two years, two and a half.

So in 2010 you came to the Netherlands?

Felicia: Yes.

Getting Into Prostitution in the Netherlands

So why did you decide to leave Romania?

Felicia: I wanted something more, like my friends. It’s not like if you live in Romania that you are starving because you don’t have work to pay for food. I had a normal job, I made around 300 euros a month. For me that was pretty good, an average salary.

Compared to prices here in the Netherlands this is of course nothing but over there you could rent a pretty nice apartment for 50 – 100 euros. I had money for going out and buying stuff, everything. But at one point I just wanted more.

I always had the dream of buying my own house but without taking out a mortgage for it because I was always scared of what would happen if I’d lose my job and couldn’t make payment on the mortgage and lose the house. So then I thought about this, something where I can basically make more money.

The Oudezijds Achterburgwal.

How did you make the decision to come to the Netherlands specifically? Did you hear it from friends?

Felicia: Yes, from a friend of mine who was working here. So that’s how I came here.

Did you first come here to explore Amsterdam to see how it was or did you directly start to work?

Felicia: The first week I stayed with some friends and after the first week I started working in Alkmaar for three weeks. Back then you needed much more papers than you need right now. After I worked in Alkmaar for three weeks I moved to Amsterdam and since then I’m still here.

Mark: That’s because at that moment people from Romania and Bulgaria were not allowed to work in the European Union without papers. That only started in 2014. In 2010 you needed a working permit to stay here.

What Is It Like To Be A Window Prostitute In The Netherlands?

How was it to start the first day or week in this business in the Netherlands? 

Felicia: It was weird because I basically came here with the idea of trying it and see if I could do it. At that point I could’ve easily have gone home back to my regular job and don’t lose anything.

The first couple of days were weird but then you know it is kind of a weird feeling but at the end of the night you count your money and see how much you’ve made. That’s satisfying.

My first night for instance… I was really nervous but I made like 800 euros. So I was like; that’s really good! Haha!

Sex Work And Relationships

So you met each-other via a window brothel. Were you still okay with her doing the job while having a relationship, Mark?

Felicia: In the beginning, no! Hahaha!

Mark: Well it’s actually kind of funny… I had a girlfriend before and I used to be really jealous with my ex-girlfriend when she was a little to close with another guy. But I think because I’ve been there as customer and I understand the platonic kind of relationship that it is with a customer it is really different than having sex with your boy or girlfriend which is really intimate.

I was a customer so I can understand that there is really nothing between her and her customers. That was a big reason why it was easier for me to accept it. At this point I really don’t have a problem with her job.

I would however have a problem if she started an affair with someone! Everybody would.

Felicia: But in the beginning you were kind of like; ‘Yeah now you should change your job, get another job’, etc’. I was up for it but it had to be good and steady job. But because we were in the beginning of a relationship I didn’t want to give up everything that I had for something that wasn’t 100% certain.

Mark: But I was also thinking of the long term you know. You don’t want to be doing this job forever till your fifty or something.

Felicia: My god, no!

Mark: So it’s not the work itself. You work in the nights and I think that that is really hard work doing it years on end. It also effects your social life when you do nightshift. So for instance we only have one off day in the weekend where we can do stuff, watch a movie or something. Friday night drinks are never an option.

Working Hours

How many days do you work?

Felicia: Five.

Ok, and never during the daytime?

Felicia: No, too much light. Haha! To be honest, I don’t want it. There is less work because there are less customers during the daytime and I would have to start at 10 AM and work till 7 or 8 PM. During dayshifts you have to work more to make the same amount of money.

When I work in the night I start at 11 or 12 PM and am home at 5 AM. The next day I sleep till 12 or 1 o’clock in the afternoon. Then I have till 11 PM to do whatever I want. I feel like when you work during the day you are there constantly.

What Do Prostitutes Tell Their Partners When They Get Home?

What do you share with your partner when you get home?

Felicia: We are pretty open about that because I always have a lot of funny stuff to tell him!

Mark: I always tell her to write more about it on her blog about the funny stuff, it’s hilarious. Of course a lot of things she does are not so interesting, yeah I had a guy and he wanted a blowjob. That’s not very interesting, I already know that. It’s more the extreme cases like a guy who wanted her to step on his balls or something like that. Weird stuff! Or just the crazy stuff that happens in Amsterdam Red Light District every day.

Felicia: A lot of stuff happens.

Mark: I work in IT (Information Technology). I’m also not going to talk about the codes or scripts I wrote. That’s not really interesting. I only talk about the out of the ordinary stuff.

Felicia: Or when I had a fight or argument with somebody who pissed me off.

Mark: In those cases she’ll blow off some steam, when she had a bad night. You also try to help and offer some support.

Felicia: Basically the same as every couple.

Do Prostitutes Still Have Sex When They Get Home From Work?

When prostitutes come home, do they still feel like having sex?

Mark: She comes home around 5 AM and I start working at 9 AM so usually when she comes home I’m asleep. In the weekends I try to stay awake when I can so I see her when she comes home. But when you’ve worked the whole night you’re kind of tired after that.

Felicia: I just want to go to sleep. When I had a bad night (not many customers) I’m still really tired. Even more tired than when I’ve had a good night! Just standing there and waiting is more exhaustive than being busy.

Amsterdam Red Light District Prices

Do you always stick to the agreed time with a customer or are you flexible?

Felicia: No, I always stick to my rule: 15 minutes for 50 euros. But the pricing depends. From some people I ask 100 euros, others 50. It depends on how you see the customer. When I can earn more money from him, yeah why not?

It also depends on what they want. Not everybody want to have sex. I have customers who come to me just to talk. I have my own customers like that and with them it depends on how long they want to stay.

Services in Amsterdam’s Red Light District

What are the things that you don’t offer?

Felicia: Oh there are many things. Haha!

Mark: Haha, anything without a condom.

Felicia: I do everything with a condom. Even hand jobs! I do not kiss. I do not allow oral sex. I used to do threesomes when I was working next to my best friends. But now? No!

But it really depends, a few weeks ago I had a couple of guys who just wanted to come in, sit down and talk for 5 minutes and then they left. So I take those two.

You don’t allow couples?

Felicia: Yes I do, sometimes. But that also depends on what they want. If they want me to go down on her or stuff like that, no. Because I don’t do that. I’ve had really bad experiences with couples so I prefer not to.

What Do Window Prostitutes In Amsterdam Offer?

Quite often when we walk in the Red Light District we wonder why there aren’t signs on the windows stating what the ladies offer? Is there a specific reason for that?

Felicia: No.

Mark: I think it has to do with the fact that they always negotiate with someone, I think.

Besides reading the Amsterdam Prostitution Menu. How can people know what’s for offer?

Felicia: They should just go to the Red Light District and ask window prostitutes. Every window prostitute can decide for herself what she does for 50 – 70 euros.

Mark: There are no standard rates for anything. Sometimes there’s room to negotiate. With the standard price of 50 – 70 euros everybody has kind of an equal chance.

Salary Of A Window Prostitute In Amsterdam

Lately Amsterdam is becoming more popular. Does this also mean that last year your revenue has increased?

Felicia: Actually the work for us has gotten a lot worse.

Whats the reason for that?

Felicia: I still think it’s the economic crisis because in 2010 – when I started to work here – I easily made a 1000 euros per night without really that much effort. But now? Not really.

If you make a thousand euro a night you’re really, really lucky.

Back then, I had English customers who didn’t even ask for the price. They just gave the money and afterwards they asked if they could pay more to stay five minutes longer. They were paying like 100, 150 of 200 euros extra.

Mark: I also think that different kind of tourists are visiting Amsterdam.

Felicia: I don’t see it that way, really. I still see the same kind of people everyday.

Mark: But it’s kind of interesting because brothel owners are saying that it’s becoming more quiet. I think there are different types of people, maybe older people and couples. They’ve heard about the Red Light District and for years they didn’t want to go to Amsterdam. Maybe it helped a little that the government closed down some window brothels and some coffeeshops, get a little bit more of a friendly family face.

That is what the city government wanted: to attract a different type of tourist.

Amsterdam Red Light District Visitors

Where do most of your customers come from?

Felicia: Most of them are tourists. I have a lot of British and Italians customers. They are the type of guys who pay but don’t pay more because they don’t have it. They just pay the 50 euro standard price. But they are nice people and quick. That’s why I like working with them!

And British tourists? They are quite known for drinking a lot and yelling a lot. Are they also like that in the window brothel?

Felicia: No, not at all! If I had to chose between a drunk British guy or a drunk Dutch guy, I’d go for the British one.

Amsterdam Prostitutes & Health

How often do you get tested for sexually transmitted diseases?

Felicia: I do everything safely. I always use condoms. I also check all the condoms I use. And I regularly get tested on STD’s.

A few times per month?

Felicia: Not a few times a month, no! You actually have to wait more than a week to get your results. I heard stories before from other window prostitutes who say they check themselves everyday but that’s not true. You have to wait for more than a week for the results.

What If Your Boyfriend Would Get Into Prostitution?

What if your fiancé would also become a sex worker? Would you be okay with that?

Mark: Haha…

Felicia: I don’t think he can do it!

Mark: Hahaha…

Career of A Window Prostitute in the Netherlands

How long do sex workers in the Red Light District usually work here? 

Felicia: I really don’t know. From when I started 6 years ago there aren’t that many left. Only a few came back.

Mark: I think the average is around 5 years if I remember correctly. It also makes kind of sense to me because there are some women that really work for a long time like 10 to 15 years and there are some girls who do it for 2 years. It’s really difficult to say.

Felicia: Pretty much about how smart you are. One of my best friends from Bulgaria decided to spend as little money as possible and save everything that she made. She worked for 4,5 years and she has stopped working in the sex industry.

Prostitution & Anonymity

Why do you use pseudonyms? I get it why Felicia uses a pseudonym but why does Mark use one?

Mark: Because my parents don’t know that my girlfriend does this kind of work. We talked about this for a long time. My parents are Dutch so you would suppose that they would be very open about this. But I talked to a lot of sex workers how they experience these things. We basically came to the conclusion that even though Dutch people think that we are very open-mined. In reality, when it comes to sex work, we are not as open as we think.

Felicia: Not at all actually.

Mark: Yeah, we are pretty close-minded. I’ve started to see more openness about sex workers in other countries than in Holland, really interesting.

Felicia: Sometimes people ask me how he can let me do that. Then I’m like; he doesn’t own me!

Mark: A lot of people say; how can you let your girlfriend do this?! I don’t let my girlfriend do anything! I don’t own her or tell her what to do. Even if I would say like you can’t do this it’s not like I can really stop her from doing it. I respect her enough to make her own decisions. If I would demand from her to stop, then who is forcing who?

Felicia: After school I immediately got a job so I’ve always been an independent person. I always wanted to earn my own money. People always said; why don’t you get a rich boyfriend then you don’t have to work and you have a lot of money! I had that and did that, no thank you. I like to earn my own money. I don’t want to ask anybody for it. I like to fight for myself. That’s just who I am.

Dutch Authorities And Prostitution

How often are you checked by the authorities?

Felicia: I was checked a few months ago I believe, and before that one time four years ago. The people who came to see me were surprised that the last check was four years ago.

What kind of check was it?

Felicia: They checked my ID card and permits and asked me a few questions.

Mark: I also think the reason why she hasn’t been checked for so long is because she always starts working late. Usually the inspectors come early in the evening. Felicia starts her shift at 11 or 12 PM. So they usually miss her.

They check window prostitutes in Amsterdam about 2500 times a year. Thats really a lot because there are around 350 windows brothels in Amsterdam.

Prostitution And Taxes

Have you ever been checked by the Dutch tax authorities?

Felicia: Yes, they wanted to check my wallet and my bag. I didn’t let them because it’s private stuff. If you come with a notice in advance then it’s okay you can check everything that you want. But if you don’t do that you can just ask my bookkeeper. Thats why I pay him.

Mark: But they also just don’t have the right to go trough all your personal belongings.

Felicia: I heard from other window prostitutes that the authorities wanted to search their trashcans on the number of condoms they used.

Mark: It’s pointless to count the amount of condoms.

Felicia: But it’s good for them because it means they can do their job!

Safety In the Window Brothels of Amsterdam

Is it mandatory to have condoms in the window brothels? And do you have to buy them yourself?

Felicia: Yes it’s mandatory and you have to buy them yourself. Everything you need you have to buy yourself. Condoms, lube, sexy outfits, etc.

Do you wear a different outfit every night?

Felicia: No, before I bought so many costumes. I think I spent like 4000 euros on costumes. I kept trying everything. But in the end I had like four bags of costumes at home but I kept wearing one. For four years I’ve worked with the same one because I was making a lot of money in that outfit. When I put on something else I made less. These days I don’t buy anymore new outfits.

Mark: But it also depends because there are some other girls who, if they don’t have enough customers, change their outfit every two hours. The girls who constantly have work don’t change their outfit and it’s also a way to recognise them. It could actually be bad for business if you keep changing your outfit. Lets say a guy was looking around and he sees a nice girl with that costume and he comes back an hour later and doesn’t recognise her?

Felicia: I just see it as a waste of money.

What About Violence?

You’ve been doing this job for six years now, have you ever witnessed or experienced violence? A violent customer?

Felicia: No, not really. I can take care of myself. Of course I get into trouble sometimes but I always manage, I never need the police.

Mark: But nobody ever beat you or something?

Felicia: No! I always think like, I’m not going to wait till somebody hits me, I hit first! That seems to work haha.

Mark: I think that is the same for most of the girls. I talked the other day to one of the brothel owners and we always kind of talk about how the outside world perceives these women as very fragile. It’s like they have no idea who these women are. Seriously, if you knew these women you would know not to mess with them! You are going to be the one that gets beaten up! It’s not the other way around. There is one girl, you know who I’m talking about Felicia, and I think her boyfriend actually needs help not the other way around. In reality you don’t want to mess with these girls. The way they are portrayed in the media is just not how they are in real life.

Felicia: You learn to be tuff with this job. You learn to not let anyone walk over you. Sometimes people say I’m very mean or I’m very aggressive. If you are like that with me I will respond in the same way. If you treat me nice I will be really nice with you but if you start to mess with me then I can not be nice, but that is normal I think. When somebody starts talking shit about me I will respond in the same manner.

Mark: The other night out the blue these two tipsy Norwegian guys started talking to me about their experience with a window prostitute. One started to talk about the fact that one of the girls was squeezing his balls so hard that it started to hurt. I asked which girl he went to and he pointed at her! As soon as the girl saw that she was like; oh, Norway come here! And the guy was like noooo and started to run away! I think there are more times where the customers needs protection from the girls haha! Wasn’t there ia sign saying “don’t beat the customers” in your old workplace Felicia? Haha!

Felicia: haha yeah we had that one in the house rules because it happened a couple of times!

Me: And in your brothel window do you have something like a panic button?

Felicia: I have three actually. Haha! I have one next to my door, one next to my bed and I have an alarm close to my bed.

Have you ever used the panic buttons?

Felicia: No, I don’t really need it.

Window Prostitution and Politics in Amsterdam

If you were the mayor of Amsterdam what would you do to improve the Red Light District?

Felicia: Oh, thats a good question!

Felicia: There is far too little accessible information available on how to become a successful window prostitute in the Netherlands. If you look online you can not find any information. The City of Amsterdam has maybe just one dedicated page at the end of a twenty page sites. And, it’s only in Dutch! So good luck with that if you are from abroad like me.

How To Improve Prostitution in the Netherlands

So the first thing you would do is offer more information?

Felicia: Yes, more information and more help. For example, if a girl from another country comes to the Netherlands, she’d need at least 10.000 euros to be able to start. Before you start to work you need a house or an apartment. And before you can start to work you need to register.

It’s already really difficult when your working to find an apartment in Amsterdam. So when you don’t even have a job it’s even more difficult because companies require that you had a steady income for at least three months. But girls who’ve just arrived don’t have that because they want to start working. It’s really stupid.

I was earning around 300 euros a month and it took me a really long time to save up the 10.000 euros. And even I had it I’m here and then what? With other businesses you have employment agencies who can help you with moving from one country to the other and help you with housing. In this industry you have nothing, not even information.

Mark: And then the authorities are surprised that some people take advantage of people in this type of situation. Of course if you don’t offer even the basic help criminals will fill that void. Thats whats happening. The media portrays it as women being forced into prostitution against their will but that is simply not the case 9 out of 10 times. The girls want to do this job but they need help in getting here and getting set up and the government isn’t offering it.

Felicia: I while ago I actually met a girl when she walked in asking how to get started. She was already living in Amsterdam for 1,5 month, she came from another country, but she simply didn’t know where to go what to do or how to begin, anything. Until she found me and I helped her. I don’t want to say how many emails I get from Dutch girls who want to start who are in their own country and they don’t even know.

Mark: They spend three million Euros a year on an exit programs. It’s not like I’m saying they shouldn’t help these women, but there are like 341 women that they help each year of which 50 to 60% fall back into prostitution again. When you are spending that much money on an exit program maybe you should use a part of those funds to also help girls enter prostitution so you can prevent human trafficking before it happens.

Felicia: They will never do that. It is is never going to happen because most people will see that as the government promoting prostitution!

Mark: The only thing they are focusing on is prostitution itself which is already to late because then they are already among the criminals. It starts before that. They should close less windows so that less girls are forced to go into the underground. They closed down 40% of the legal businesses in the Netherlands so of course girls are going to work illegally. Thats only logical. They are closing down 300 windows in Utrecht, they are closing down 50 windows in Groningen and they are talking about closing windows in Den Haag and then they act surprised when illegal prostitution is becoming a big problem.

Felicia: You don’t need too much brains to understand that.

Mark: Haha!

Have you ever worked together in a window brothel?

One of our tour guides would like to know if you guys ever worked together?

Mark: Haha, a colleague of Felicia had a guy one time and he wanted to pay a lot of money just to watch people having sex. I said to Felicia, if you ever have a customer like that, call me! I would absolutely do it. The guy wanted to pay her like 3000 Euros for 10 minutes. But she couldn’t find a guy who wanted to basically fuck her for free. She was screaming outside on the street for somebody to come in and fuck her haha.

Real love is…

You talked about going back to Romania, Felicia. Would you consider going with her, Mark?

Mark: Yeah! I go where she goes!

Since May 2017, Mark also hosts our Red Light District tours.

Learn more about Amsterdam, Dutch culture and the Red Light District during our walking tours. Our local guides (including Mark) show you the most fascinating area in the Netherlands.

YES, I WANT A TOUR! >

 

ALSO READ:

Amsterdam Red Light District Prices

13 Amsterdam Red Light District Laws 

Amsterdam Red Light District Map

This is What 10 Dutch Political Parties Think About Prostitution

Posted on: September 7, 2016

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10 Dutch Political Positions On Prostitution Explored

(Last updated on the 18th of August 2017)

Prostitution is still a hotly debated topic in the Netherlands though it may not appear that way from abroad. For this reason we’ve decided to sum up the Dutch political positions on prostitution of every major political party.

The Dutch Political System Explained

Before digging deeper into all the different viewpoints we thought it might be a good idea to give you some information about the Dutch political system. Holland is a parliamentary representative democracy. The Dutch Parliament consists of the lower house (congress) and upper house (senate). Both Houses debate proposed legislation and review all the actions of the cabinet. The lower house has the right to propose and alter bills. The lower house is considered the most important and has direct elections every four years. Because the Dutch system has proportional representation, it has a representative body that reflects the overal distribution of public support. This system insures representation for minority groups which explains the large number of different political parties and the variety in Dutch political positions on prostitution!

 

 CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal)

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Prostitution is seldom a free choice. To make prostitutes less vulnerable the age for prostitution should be raised to 21 years in the whole country. Prostitution is allowed in Holland and should be practiced at safe locations. Organisations that help women who want to get out of prostitution should get full support.

ChristenUnie (Christian Union)

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Prostitution is always a dire situation. Crime, human trafficking and exploitation are the reality. Prostitutes are the real victims. ChristenUnie supported a new law whereby a visit to a prostitute who is clearly a victim of human trafficking is punishable. Fully supports so-called “get-out programs” that help women get out of prostitution. The ChristenUnie also wants:

• A ban on pimps.
• Effective information for young girls about the lover boy threat.
• A single hotline for notifying the authorities about illegal prostitution, human trafficking and child pornography.
• A hotline and application stop option for the chamber of commerce for applicant cases where they suspect women to be victims of coercion or human trafficking.
• Provide information to prostitutes on the abuses, risk of exploitation, psychological consequences of the job and that they will be given shelter and protection if they decide to go to the police.
• Priority should given towards human trafficking, child pornography and illegal prostitution even when police capacity is strained.
• Safe accommodation for victims of lover boys and pimps directly.
• So called “get-out” programs should become structural policy tools
• Maximum sentence for prostitution related human trafficking should be raised to 12 years.
• Human trafficking should be stopped at the source. There should be a prevention program for source countries like Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria. Expertise should be shared and shared safe care back to their home countries.
• Costumers should be punished when dealing with coerced prostitutes.

D66 (Democrats 66)

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Support the nationwide license duty for prostitution companies. Prostitution companies should be required by law to have a business plan stipulating what measures with respect to hygiene, health, safety and the right of self-determination of prostitutes the company must take. This measure should lead to better position for prostitutes. The party is also in favour of an easy accessible complaint hotline.

Ariella Verheul, councilor for the Democrats 66 in Amsterdam, tweeted this in May 2016:

“Don’t do this @groenlinks ! Hold course and don’t support the proposal on criminalizing clients of prostitutes.”

D66 is the only party that opposes the rise in the minimum age for prostitutes from 18 to 21 years in the whole country. Compulsion and human trafficking should be dealt with harshly. A client can only be punished if he or she knows that the prostitute works under coercion.

GroenLinks (Green Left)

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The party has observed that illegal prostitution continues to grow compared to the legal one. According to GroenLinks this is because enforcement is primarily focused on the legal side of the market. This forces companies into the non-licensed underground. Current legalisation is not the problem, it is unequal enforcement. Too little has been invested in the legal sector of the prostitution market.

Partij voor de Dieren (Party for the Animals)

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Prostitutes should be given more resources: safer and cleaner workspaces and more protection against abuse. Forced prostitution, exploitation and human trafficking should de dealt with harshly. Future prostitution locations should be checked thoroughly and regularly to prevent injustice and unsafe situations.

PvdA (Labour Party)

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A costumer who knows that the prostitute works under coercion should be punished. Prostitutes are often the victim of pimps and loverboys. The labour party wants anybody who profits from forced prostitution to be compliant with requests and that abuses are reported more often. All these points are to fight abuse in the prostitution sector, to prevent human trafficking and to improve the position of prostitutes.

PVV (Party For Freedom) *anti Islam

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The minimum age for prostitution should be 21. Illegal prostitution should be dealt with forcefully.

Fleur Agema is a Dutch politician and a member of the Party for Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid) she has been an MP since 2006. She focuses on matters of caregiving.

SGP (Reformed Political Party)

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Sexuality is only fully appreciated within marriage. Its more than mere lust and satisfaction for money, sexuality is not something like a consumer good. Prostitution is the abuse of a woman and a form of slavery.

Kees van der Staaij – party leader of the Reformed Political Party – tweeted this in 2014:

The SGP works against prostitution wherever possible. If possible they would ban the practice today. The SGP has the most extreme view of all the Dutch political positions on prostitution.

SP (Socialist Party)

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Supports the newly proposed law that punishes costumers if they visit a prostitute how is coerced into the trade. SP supported full legalisation. They are currently in favour of a better permit system to get a better view on the sector and more control. They point out that with changers in policy (raising minimum age) the government should always take into account that some activities move into the underground. Whoever credibly proves to be a victim of human trafficking or exploitation should get a residence permit. When the police find illegals they should always investigate if they are victims before deporting them. The SP is also in favour of more accommodation and care for the victims of pimps and lover boys leading to more charges of criminals.

VVD (People’s Party For Freedom and Democracy) *conservative-liberal

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The VVD has the most libertarian stance of all the Dutch political positions on prostitution. Prostitution is a legal profession that needs little government interference except for licensing, enforcement and the fight against human trafficking. Municipalities are tasked with designating window brothel areas. The window brothels themselves, rent and utilisation should be left up to the market.

Source: Knowledge Center For Emancipation And Female History (Dutch report)

Human Trafficking in the Netherlands Trends and Recent Developments

Posted on: September 2, 2016

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Eighteen Percent Reduction In Cases Of Human Trafficking In the Netherlands

The number of declarations on victims of human trafficking in the Netherlands has declined substantially last year in comparison with the prior year. In 2015 a total of 1.321 possible cases of human trafficking were reported to the police, compared with 1.561 cases the year before.

 Concerning Development Within Human Trafficking in the Netherlands

According to the national rapporteur on human trafficking and sexual violence against children, Corinne Dettmeijer, this new development is “concerning”. According to Dettmeijer “there is no reason to assume that these numbers prove a low number of victims”. A possible reason for the reversion in the number, according to the national rapporteur, is a change in priorities at the military police and regular police force.

The military police has been shifting its attention from human trafficking towards people smugglers. An extensive reorganization of the regular police force could be a cause for a reduced attention into human trafficking in that branche. The largest reduction in the number of reported cases comes from the military police: 46 percent less declarations than the prior year. At the regular police there was a decline of 14 percent. A year before that the decline in declarations had already started with a decline in victim declarations of 36 percent in 2013 compared to 2012.

People Smuggling And Trafficking Both Deserve Full Police Attention

“Refugees, who arrive here with the help of people smugglers, are vulnerable to human trafficking, that is why people should be extra alert towards the signals of human trafficking. The focus should be on the action against people smugglers and security, simultaneously not maintaining our attention towards human trafficking in the Netherlands leads to a false sense of security. The new measures are at the expense of the victims of human trafficking” warns Dettmeijer. Dettmeijer wants the minister for justice and security to implement measures so that the signals of human trafficking can be recognised faster within the current migration- and refugee flows.

Migrant Flows Put Pressure On Police Recourses

A spokesperson for the ministry of justice and security stated that there has been a shift in attention towards, among other things, the recent migrant flows. Within these flows of migrants and refugees the police is still on the lookout for human trafficking. The ministry further stated that although a lot is still being done against human trafficking, they will have talks with the public prosecutor and the police to discuss the needs for keeping the attention towards human trafficking in the Netherlands at an acceptable level. Talks are currently in progress.

New Amsterdam Cannabis Law Is Bad News For Coffee Shops

Posted on: September 1, 2016

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Dutch Coffee Shop History – A Brief Introduction

In Holland, “coffee shops” are stores where the sale and use of cannabis for personal consumption is tolerated by the Dutch authorities. The first coffee shop – not be confused with cafes of coffee houses – in Amsterdam was founded in 1972 by Wernard Bruining in a squatted bakery shop. It was a logical follow-up of the friend to friend service that was going on in the place before that.

The first cannabis coffee shop of Amsterdam.

The group of friends extended swiftly, smoking cannabis, drinking coffee & tea and relaxing together. That gave them the idea to open a teahouse or a coffee shop, that was easy, since there was no permit required. They named their coffee shop Mellow Yellow which was inspired by the Donovan hit in those days.

Why Are Cannabis Shops in Holland Called Coffee Shops?

Classic picture of Coffeeshop Mellow Yellow in Amsterdam.

Wernard: “We called the place a teahouse, thinking that would indicate the sales of stuff, as we called cannabis those days. However, everybody knew it as coffee shop  & they all knew what was offered there. The atmosphere in the beginning was superb and enlightning, friends who all gathered, to smoke, talk and play a game of table football.”

Number of Coffee Shops in Holland

Amsterdam, 1992. A woman looks at coffeeshop La Tertulia on the Prinsengracht.

In the mid 1990’s, Holland had more than 1.500 coffeeshops spread over the country. By the end of 2014, the number of coffeeshops have rapidly decreased to 591 coffeeshops spread over 103 municipalities in Holland.  The decline in the number of coffee shops continues. In fact, in March 2015, there were 582 coffee shops left.

What Caused the Decrease in Coffee Shops in Holland?

Amsterdam, Red Light District, 2014. Coffeeshop Hunters in a time when they were still allowed to sell cannabis in this area.

The main reasons that coffee shops in Holland have disappeared in the last several years are Dutch municipalities enforcing a distance criterion, closure due to a negative “BIBOB” advice (BIBOB translated: Public Administration Probity Screening Act) and coffee shops violating the applicable tolerance criteria, leading them to be closed permanently.

Dutch Judge: New Amsterdam Cannabis Law Is Justified

Coffee shops located within a 250-meter radius of secondary education schools must be closed on workdays during the daytime because of a new Amsterdam cannabis law. The judge ruled that under the new Amsterdam cannabis law the municipality has the authority to close the coffee shops. The city of Amsterdam intends to discourage soft drug use under youngsters. The first coffee shops had to close their doors on the 1^st of January 2014.

Coffee Shop Owners Disagree With New Amsterdam Cannabis Law

Fourteen owners appealed to the courts back in 2014. They argued that the new measure wouldn’t have its intended effect. Under existing laws they were already prohibited from selling drugs to minors. Furthermore they argued that they had little to no time to change their opening hours before the law came into effect.

The court of justice ruled that municipalities have a lot of authority when it comes to these types of issues because of the Dutch liberal drug policy. The drugs that the coffee shops sell are still officially illegal to sell according to Dutch law. The judge also stated that the coffee shops were informed well in advance about the so-called new “distance criteria”.

Twenty-Six Coffee Shops Set To Close

Based on the new ruling Amsterdam plans to close 26 shops. This will be implemented in four different fazes, starting off with more limited opening hours. Though the initial appeal by the coffee shop owners was only about the opening hours the judge has now ruled that municipalities can move forward with the eventual closing of the shops. Eleven coffee shops have been closed so far due to the new Amsterdam cannabis law.

Remaining shops can stay open until the 1^st of January because the city of Amsterdam is waiting on a verdict from the supreme court concerning a countrywide implementation of the so called “weed pass” (people will have to get a special card to get cannabis if this gets implemented). This verdict will arrive in the coming months according to a spokesperson for Amsterdam mayor Eberhard van der Laan. The Hague, Utrecht and Rotterdam have already successfully implemented the new “distance criteria”.

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Over The Edge Swing on A’DAM Tower

Posted on: August 22, 2016

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New Over The Edge Swing Thrill Ride In Amsterdam

Amsterdam now boasts Europe’s highest over the edge swing. The over the edge swing let’s you swing over the edge (no surprise there) of the one hundred meter high Lookout! Observation Deck situated on top of the Amsterdam Tower. After strenuous testing the over the edge swing was finally accredited. It will start servicing adventurous minded people starting Friday the 26^th of August, 2016.

Lookout! Observation Deck

To get to the over the edge swing you first have to go up to Adams Lookout! Observation Deck. “The Lookout!” alone is worth the trip because of its breathtaking 360 degrees view of Amsterdam. View Amsterdam’s historical centre, Red Light District and port from an angle that few people have! To complement the viewing experience an interactive exhibition about Amsterdam’s rich history and culture has been added.

History Of A’DAM Toren

Around 1965 the board of directors of Shell, the oil company, decided that the corporation needed a new main office building for the managing board and general services. Because Shell only owned a small plot of land Architect Arthur Staal designed a tall building.

The building was in use by Shell as recently as 2009. In 2014 it was reported that the building was acquired by a quartet of investors who all have roots in the Dutch dance scene. A’DAM stands for Amsterdam Dance And Music. A’dam toren is intended to be the homebase for internationally leading creative companies. However because of its long history most people in Amsterdam still call the building “the Shell tower”.

Ticket Prices Over The Edge Swing

To experience the swing you first have to buy a ticket for the Lookout! Observation Deck. The ticket price for adults is 13,50 euro per person. Per child a ticket costs 7,50 euro. An individual ride on the swing costs 5,- Euro per ride. Lookout is opened every day from 10:00 till 22:00 hours. Last admissions are at 21:00 hours so don’t be late ;).

How To Get To Amsterdam Tower

Getting to A’DAM Toren is relatively easy. There are several ferry docks located behind Amsterdan Central Station. The ferry you need to take is ferry Buiksloterwegveer, number 901. This ferry is in operation 24/7 and is at minimum available 5 times per hour. All ferries in Amsterdam are free to use.

Over The Edge Online Tickets

Get fast-lane entrance tickets for 15 euro, enjoy the most beautiful view of Amsterdam and the highest swing of Europe. 

BOOK HERE!

When you book a 20 minute time slot ticket we advise you to arrive at Lookout! at least 30 minutes before your swing time slot. The Lookout! Observation Deck can’t guarantee a new time slot if you are too late.

Amsterdam Pictures Gallery

Posted on: August 17, 2016

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10x Amsterdam in Pictures in 1951

As true history nerds we love old pics, especially when they were made in the city we love most – Amsterdam! We are fascinated in knowing how things were in the past and how they are nowadays.  Some people say “in the past everything was better”, but is that really so? Maybe these Amsterdam in pictures will answer that question. Let’s have a look.

The picture at the top of this page shows two American soldiers on a tandem-bicycle 6 years after the end of WWII. It was taken on 6 September 1951 at Leidse Square – next to the city theatre. The front soldier had a single yellow chevron on his left sleeve, meaning he was a private first class (6th grade).

This Is What Amsterdam Looked Like In The Year 1951

Amsterdam in Pictures: Dam Square

Amsterdam, Dam Square, 10 September 1951. 

This photo shows a man carrying a puppet show decor. In the back is the shopping mall The Bijenkorf and the Hotel KrasnaPolsky. Did you know that since 1893 there has been a puppet show on Dam Square; Every Sunday, there is a show – nowadays performed by Wim Kerkhove. The puppet show tells the story of a Dutch legend: Three centuries ago there was a man called Jan Klaassen, he was a trumpeter and the bodyguard of Prince Willem II. When he passed away Jan Klaassen lost his job and moved to Amsterdam. To earn some money he performed behind the puppet show, with himself and his wife – Katrijntje Pieters – as the main characters.

Puppet show on Amsterdam’s Dam Square. Every Sunday till October 2nd. Showtimes: 1, 2, 3, & 4 pm. Go check it out!
More info: https://www.facebook.com/PoppenkastopdeDam

Amsterdam in Pictures: Canals

Amsterdam, Leidsekade, November 1951. 

This picture depicts a man on a ferry for pedestrians and bicycles on the Leidsekade. People had to pay a small amount to get to the other side;The Nassau-kade. Back in the day Amsterdam had fewer bridges than it does nowadays. Instead ferries where used. The man on the ferry pulled it forward by using the manual-mechanic which he had in his hand.

Amsterdam in Pictures: Streets

Amsterdam, 3 September 1951.

A few decades ago, Mobylettes were quite popular in the Netherlands. They were also known as Moby’s – a French moped manufactured by Motobecane. It was launched in 1949 and made until 1997 with peak production during the 1970’s. The Mobylettes displayed on the picture had a 2-stroke petrol engine. The City of Amsterdam recently decided that mopeds which are older than 2010, will be banned from 2018.

Amsterdam, Washing Day at the Lindenstraat, 2 Augustus 1951. 

The photo above shows a boy who is being washed outside on the street, probably by his mother. The picture raises some questions: Did this little boy have to washed on the street because it washing day? Was he punished? Or maybe did they just have some fun on a hot summer day?

Amsterdam in Pictures: Jordaan

Amsterdam, Jordaan, 1951.

The Jordaan is a neighborhood in Holland’s capital. It is part of the borough of Amsterdam’s city centre. The area is bordered by the Lijnbaansgracht canal to the west, the Prinsengracht to the east, the Brouwersgracht to the north and the Leidsegracht to the south. The former canal Rozengracht (now filled in) is the main traffic artery through the district.

The picture above shows a little fair and Amsterdam’s beautiful houses in the background. When visiting Amsterdam, make sure you go to the Jordaan! You’ll love it.

Amsterdam in Pictures: Red Light District

Amsterdam, Red Light District, Winter of 1951.

The pic above shows a beautiful winter view of the Red Light District (a.k.a. “De Wallen”) in Amsterdam. Was the guy in the picture looking for some a warm window brothel perhaps?

Amsterdam in Pictures: Streets

Amsterdam, Tram Line 9, February 1951.

Some people waiting for the tram. Although it’s February, that little guy in the middle of the photo is wearing shorts, while the man on his left is wearing a long winter jacket.

Amsterdam, Prins Hendrikkade, 1951.

65 years ago there used to be a little beach on the Prins Hendrikkade, close to central station. Unfortunately, there is now no more beach at this location.

Amsterdam in Pictures: The Zoo

Amsterdam, Zoo Artis, 1951.

Oh nothing special… Just an ostrich reading his caretaker’s newspaper.

Others who read this article also read 20 Pictures of Amsterdam’s Red Light District  and Amsterdam on May 7th 1945 – The Shooting

Pokemon in Amsterdam Red Light District

Posted on: July 14, 2016

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News: Pokemon in the Red Light District of Amsterdam

Some while ago we toured around in the old city centre and we spotted Pokemon in the Red Light District of Amsterdam! Matt – our local guide – found out there are some PokeStops (things where you can find Pokemon items) at infamous erotic theater Casa Rosso.

This sex show is 47 years old and really part of Amsterdam Red Light District – it offers sex on stage only inside of course. And this is not the only… The Red Light District is packed with Pokestops.

Pokemon Gyms in Amsterdam

Matt also noticed that there are 2 gyms (places where users can battle against each other to win Pokemons) in and around the Red Light District. One is at the oldest building of Amsterdam – a highlight during our tours – located in the heart of the Red Light District.

The other one is located on Dam Square – our meeting point location – where you’ll see many Pokemon Trainers catching new Pokemons.  The other one is located in front of a 47-year old sex theatre (pink elephant logo). The spot of this Pokemon in the Red Light District is surrounded by window brothels, prostitutes, sex shops, bars and a strip club.

Smart Phone Use in Red Light District of Amsterdam

Good to know!

The prostitutes in the Red Light District don’t want to be photographed – it’s advised to use your mobile phone only here accompanied by a local experts. The ladies in the windows can get very angry when they think they are photographed. In the Red Light District it’s considered very impolite and disrespectful when someone takes pictures of sex workers.

Photographing prostitutes is not allowed

The narrow streets in Amsterdam’s Red Light District make it difficult to use a smart phone without a prostitute thinking she is being photographed. It has happened before that cameras and mobile phones were smashed on the street or into the canal by the sex workers. Pokemon users need to very careful here!

How to find Pokemon in the Red Light District

When our local expert Matt was walking in the Red Light District he noticed that there are a lot of Water-Type Pokemon. This is probably because of all the canals that the Red Light District has. All the PokeStops in the Red Light District are often sights we visit during our Red Light District Tours.

Pink Elephant

The Pink Elephant in the Red Light District is a PokeStop.

This place of this Pokemon in Amsterdam Red Light District can be recognized by the elephant logo. But it must be said that it can be quite challenging to find the right location as there several elephant logos in this area.

Pokemon and Canals in Amsterdam

Furthermore, the PokeStops are located next to one of the canals in Amsterdam. Pokemon fans are advised to be careful not to walk into the canal, because there are no railings next to these canals. Also, the water is quite dirty and cold – one can quickly be undercooled resulting in hypothermia.

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8 Sex Dating Apps In Amsterdam

15 Fun Things To Do in Amsterdam Red Light District

10 Best Coffeeshops in Amsterdam

Brothels in Amsterdam Red Light District

Posted on: July 8, 2021

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Window Brothel Owner in Amsterdam Tells Her Story

Retired window brothel owner Tonia Hermans (67) was interviewed by the Dutch regional newspaper De Gooi en Eemlander. What follows are some quotes and key takeaways from that interview to give you an impression of the life of a window brothel owner in the Amsterdam Red Light District.

A Window Brothel Owner Needs To Be Tuff

Although Tonia is a small lady, you don’t want to mess with her. Customers who didn’t pay were kicked out, no exceptions. Tonia tells the story of a customers who couldn’t finish in 30 minutes and therefor didn’t want to pay, but also didn’t want to leave. She gathered all his clothes and threw them on the streets and kicked him out the door naked.

It’s Not A Gold Mine

A lot of people believe that owning a window brothel is a goldmine, Hermans disagrees; “That’s what they all say, look around in my small apartment. No, it was hard work. Every day I had to collect the rent, no weekends off and definitely not together with my partner. There were weeks where I had to make ends meet with just a hundred Euros per week. I made the coffee, delivered sandwiches and cooked dinner for them. They were young girls back then, 18 years old. Today they have to be 21. Besides that I cleaned all the window brothel rooms twice a day, clean the sink, toilet, windows and bring al the bedding to the launderette. I had some dirty girls in my time but I always kicked them out after a single warning”.

Brothel Owners and Prostitutes Don’t Like To Be Photographed!

Tonia tells the story that one day she was wiping the windows of a brothel in her pajama (because she likes wearing them) and a tourist took a picture of her! Without hesitation she threw the bucket of soap and water onto the tourist. “Camera ruined, I’m not a portrait. Lot’s of whining and there came the police…”.

Red Light District Rules And Regulations

According to Tonia; “Amsterdam Red Light District is being destroyed by rules and regulations of the local government, cleaning suddenly had to be done with three different rags, a green one for the sink, a yellow one for the toilet and a blue one for the floor. The local authorities even started telling brothel owners which brand of detergent we had to use! I also had to start checking if the sex toys were clean. Never in my life! The ladies can check it themselves. Window brothel owners even had to start teaching sex workers that customers first had to wash their hands, that condoms had expiration dates and some could give you cancer. Crazy bureaucrats, if my former partner was still alive….”

ALSO DISCOVER:

10 Sex Shows in Amsterdam

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10 Tips For The Amsterdam Gay Pride Parade 2016

Posted on: June 18, 2016

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Amsterdam Gay Pride Parade 2016: Tips From A Local

From the 23rd of July till the 7th of August the Amsterdam Gay Pride Parade 2016 will once again display all the splendour of the Dutch (and international) gay scene in the heart of the old city. The Pride lasts for a total of 16 days. Most of the parties and the canal parade will take place during the last three days of the event (5–7 August). In this article we’ll give you some tips on navigating one of the busiest events in Amsterdam.

More Than Just Partying

The Pride is made up out of several different events. You can lose your mind in gay venues and parties as well as straight. But the Pride also offers you the option to enjoy filmfestivals or sporting events. For a detailed schedule you can check out the English Amsterdam gay pride 2016 website.

Source: https://twitter.com/amsterdampride

The Gay Pride Parade In Amsterdam 2016

The main event of all the Pride parties is without a doubt the canal parade and will take place on Saturday the sixth of August between 1:30 PM and 6:00 PM. Amsterdam is the only city in the world where a Pride parade passes by on boats. The parade navigates across the entire Prinsengracht so there are plenty of spots for people to get a good look at the eighty extravagantly decorated boats. What follows now are 10 tips that we’ve carefully selected for you.

 Tip 1: Don’t Underestimate the Crappy Dutch weather

Even during the summertime Holland (21th of June till the 20th of September) is known for lots of rain. Bring a poncho, just in case even if it’s just a little cloudy! Here’s Holland’s most popular weather forecast site: www.buienradar.nl   Keep a close eye on that website as it forecasts rain super accurate.

Tip 2: Plan Things Ahead

Because the city centre is extra crowded during the parade it’s possible that the phone network will temporally break down. Preplan a time and meeting point with your friends.

Tip 3: Bring your own booze!

And lot’s of it ;). Chances are high that there will not be street bars at most points next to the canals, the cafes and street bars that are open will have long waiting lines. Officially you are not allowed to drink alcohol on the streets in Holland but during these kind of events the police generally don’t mind/ tolerate it.

Tip 4: Some Good Spots For Viewing The Amsterdam Gay Pride Parade 2016

Eenhoornssluis:

A small gangway between de Haarlemmerstraat and the Haarlemmerdrijk. Close to the dancing crowd and really energetic because the boats have just left the starting point.

Stopera:

A long curved canal located at city hall. A populair place for viewing the Pride parade. Try to get a spot at Café Amstelhoek.

Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge):

Click on the picture to enlarge it.

The “Magere Brug” is definitely one of the best places to see Gay Parade! It’s our favorite spot… It’s recommended to go here early, let’s say around 10 am, then you can claim a good spot on the bridge or just next to it.

Café Sluyswacht:

Located at the end of the canal parade. Wave the boats goodbye from the terras.

If you decide to go your own way:

When picking a spot next to the canal try to make it one that is close to a hotel or bar, this gives you an option for when you have to go to the toilet.

Tip 5: Drink Enough Water

If it get’s really hot it’s best to also drink some water besides only alcoholic beverages.

Tip 6: Wear your craziest outfit

Source: https://twitter.com/amsterdampride

Plenty of people come to the canal parade wearing regular clothes so try and spice it up a little for them!

Tip 7: Don’t be late!

The tour starts at 1:30 PM so the further along the route the more time you have. People will generally turn up early to get the best spots along the parade route. Don’t underestimate how crowded Amsterdam will become and get there early for the best spots.

Tip 8: Don’t Swim In The Canals

It might sound like an awesome idea, but the canal water is actually pretty dirty. Best to skip that one.

Tip 9: Leave Your Valuables At Home

There will be pickpockets, best to have ease of mind when partying so only bring the vital stuff. We would also advice you to not wear a backpack, they can be really annoying for other people at the party who stand behind you. If you do bring one (with say, beer) just put it on the ground and form a small circle around it with your friends.

Tip 10: Book Early

The Gay Pride Parade In Amsterdam is well known internationally so chances are that all the good hotel rooms and Airbnb’s will be taken if your late.

We hope these simple tips will help you navigate through the fun madness that is the Amsterdam Gay Pride Parade 2016.

By the way, did you know that The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage? Learn more did-you-knows and fun facts during our tours with a local guide.
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Chris Brown Arrested By Police Again, In Amsterdam This Time

Posted on: June 11, 2016

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World Famous Singer Arrested By Police In Amsterdam Red light District

Yesterday, police in the Red Light District arrested American R&B singer Chris Brown. He was driving a dirt bike without a license plate next to the canals and the window brothels.

Who is Chris Brown?

Chris Brown, born May 5, 1989, in Tappahannock, Virginia, is a renowned singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Known for blending R&B, pop, and hip-hop, he soared to fame with his debut album in 2005 and hit “Run It!”. Despite commercial success, his career faced setbacks due to legal issues, notably a 2009 assault on Rihanna. He bounced back with albums like “F.A.M.E.,” winning a Grammy. Brown, influenced by Michael Jackson, is one of the best-selling music artists, with over 140 million records sold worldwide

Chris Brown Set To Perform in Amsterdam

Brown is set to perform in Amsterdam today in the Ziggo Dome, a 17.000 seat indoor arena. To kill some time he bought three bright yellow dirt bikes yesterday but didn’t realise that you need a license plate in Holland in order to take part in traffic. He posted a picture of his bikes on Instagram.

Amsterdam Police Were Alerted By A Bystander

According to a police spokesperson somebody pointed out that a person was driving a dirt bike in the Red Light District. At practically the same time Brown drove by on his striking bike. The police pointed out that he was driving without a license plate and he was taken to nearest police station. The police spokesperson stated that this all transpired in a calm manner.

Fine Time

At the police station Brown was told that he would get a fine. The total sum of the fine is not known at this time because the public prosecutor has yet to determine it.

Don’t Try This At Home Kids

Via a video on Instagram a very relaxed Brown tells his fan base that the Amsterdam police in the Red Light District treated him well. He even took some pictures with some of the police officers. Brown appears to appreciate the Dutch police way of handling things stating in the video that: “The police are really nice about it man. I actually like the police out here. Cool as shit, for real.”Chris Brown ends his video with a warning for his fans: “ don’t ever drive a motorcycle without a license plate”.

Enjoy this article? Others who read this also read Walter White Had His First Time in the Red Light District and Fake Drug Dealers in Amsterdam Swingle Tourists Aggressively

First Time in The Red Light District of Amsterdam

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Having Your First Time In Amsterdam Red Light District Is Breaking It Bad

In a distant past actor Bryan Craston, known for the character Walter White in the hit series Breaking Bad, had his first time in Amsterdam Red Light District. The actor came clean during an appearance on Bravo’s “Inside the Actor’s Studio”. During the interview Carston started talking about his one month Euro trip with some 20 other teenagers back when he was eighteen years old. “It cost us like seven or eight hundred dollars, if you don’t include the prostitutes,” he quipped.

That’s What Friends Are For

Arriving in Amsterdam he met up with a couple of friends he knew from Los Angeles. His friends wanted to go to the red light district. Craston stated that he told his friends to go on without him, but they insisted that he should join.“I didn’t want to tell them I was a virgin. I’m panicking,” he stated. “We go to this house with a red light, which I thought was very convenient and subtle advertising. I’m backing out. I’m nervous as hell.”

Inside The Window Brothel

Inside a brothel, his friends negotiated a deal and went off with a pair of prostitutes. At that point another prostitute came up up to him and asked how much he was willing to pay for her services. Carson stated that he protested at first but the woman was insistent.

“She takes [the money], grabs my hand and pulls me into a room,” he said, smirking. “It was awful… and wonderful.”

“And she and I have been married now for…” he joked, much to the audience’s roaring approval.

Carson added that he was basically “the man” once he reunited with his buddies and told them what happened.

“Of course when I got back to the other 20 guys with the group, all 16 to 18 years old, I was good,” he joked.

A Love Story

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Bryan Cranston had his first time, in the Red Light District.
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/936241686

Enjoy this article? Others who read this also read this Interview With a Dutch Prostitute and FAQ

Dutch City Utrecht Ends Prostitution At Hardebollenstraat

Posted on: May 20, 2016

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Utrecht Ends Prostitution At Hardebollenstraat Without Immediate Alternative For Sex Workers

Prostitution won’t return to the Hardebollenstraat if it’s up to the executive board of the municipality of Utrecht (Holland’s fourth largest city). The board of Utrecht Ends Prostitution at the Hardebollenstraat by buying up 5.9 million euros worth of real estate. Thus preventing sex workers from returning to their former work environment. What the municipality plans to do with its new real estate is unclear at this time. The upper floors of the buildings are still inhabited by regular tenants.

Utrecht Ends Prostitution: Hardebollenstraat during daytime. 

Decision Postponed

Mayor Jan van Zanen communicated this long awaited decision to the board last Friday night on the 13^th of May. The decision was originally set to be released on the 1^st of April, but van Zanen kept postponing. According to the mayor a third party had presented new information that would possibly be important.

Disappointment Among Sex Workers

The postponement led to great disappointment at Freya. The company, owned by former prostitute Caja van Tolie, has been trying  to get a permit since November 2013 from the local authorities to start its business. Freya met all the requirements. Van Zanen acknowledges that the executive board has tested the patience of Freya and its sex workers.

The Neighborhood

The neighborhood is strongly opposed to the return of window brothels because of the hindrance and trouble they brought, according to some locals. “What a great Friday the 13^th” states the chairman of the neighbourhood campaign against the return of window prostitution.

A window brothel in Utrecht – the Netherlands.

All Window Brothels Are Going To The Nieuwe Zandpad

A majority in the executive board now wants to concentrate all prostitution at the Nieuwe Zandpad in Utrecht. The question is if the mayor can make this happen from a legal perspective.

Utrecht Ends Prostitution Three Years Ago

City of Utrecht Ends Prostitution at Hardebollenstraat

All the window brothels on the Hardebollenstraat and the Nieuwe Zandpad were closed three years ago because the operators of the windows didn’t act enough against human trafficking that was believed to be going on at that time.

Interview Caja van Tolie

In September 2015 we did a comprehensive interview with Caja van Tolie, former prostitute and prospective brothel owner in the Netherlands. We met each other in Amsterdam’s Red Light District and wanted to know more about her profession and experiences. Read it here:

The Things You Always Wanted to Know From A Dutch Sex Worker – An Exclusive Interview 

20 Amsterdam Red Light District Tour Reviews

Posted on: May 17, 2018

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Amsterdam Red Light District Tour Reviews

We take great pride in presenting some of our guest reviews to you. Most of our visiting guests state that our Amsterdam red light district tour added a lot to their experience of Amsterdam and their understanding of the city. Our team has a passion for Amsterdam and takes great pleasure in sharing its rich history, strange habits and unique perspective on life.

“You must take this tour to really understand the red light district” is what most guests state. What follows next is a selection of 20 Amsterdam red light district tour reviews from TripAdvisor.com with some comments from our team!

1 – Could Be The Best Part Of Your Trip in Amsterdam!

Amsterdam’s red light district (locally known as “De Wallen“) can a bit of culture shock, but we believe it’s an area you must see as it’s the oldest and most fascinating neighbourhood of the city. We’ll help you navigate trough the beautiful historic alleyways and show you the best, hidden places that people never see! People often tell us that the tour was the best part of their trip to Amsterdam.

2 – A Personal Tour, With Plenty Of Jokes

Tour guide Martijn (peace sign) with his Red Light District tour guests.

We try to make the tour as enjoyable as possible. So expect jokes, personal anecdotes, interesting facts and an unforgettable time!

3 – We Bring Depth And Nuance To Your Amsterdam Red Light District Experience!

This is the most narrow alley of Amsterdam – one our highlights.

By walking down the Red Light District on your own you probably only get 10% of the experience. Our local tour guides present the historical and cultural framework for you to understand this fascinating place!

4 – A Local Company With Real Love for Amsterdam

5 – We Fight The Stereotypes!

There are a lot of misconception out there about the district and the city as a whole. Amsterdam is A LOT more than just weed and sex.

6 – A Great Variety In Everything

Amsterdam offers a great variety in, well, everything. Including in the types of female sex workers surprising some of our guests:

7 – We Go The Extra Mile For Our Guests

Our company is all about having great experiences. If there is a special request or an unexpected problem we’ll do everything in our power to make our guests happy!

8 – History Runs Through Our Blood

We have some major history buffs here at Amsterdam Red Light District Tours. Via great stories and added digital media we will bring the district’s rich history to life!

9 – Not Just For Foreign Tourists

We often get locals from Amsterdam or other parts of the Netherlands who are amazed at how little they know about the Red Light District – the oldest part of town.

10 – 1.5 Hours Will Fly By

Our tour is a feast for the mind and eyes 😉 Probably the most pleasant educational experience you’ll ever get!

11 – Rain Or Sunshine, Our Experts Deliver!

Holland isn’t exactly known for its good weather, but you can be assured that our guides will give you the best tour experience under any weather condition.

12 – Quality For All Ages

We frequently cater to parents who bring their children with them.

13 – Our Guides Are A Highlight Of The Tour 😉

14 – Some Say Our Red Light District Tours Are “Mind Blowing”

If you take a tour with us chances are high that you’ll go home with a fuller understanding of Amsterdam and Dutch culture!

15 – Our Guides Are Really Involved With The Red Light District!

Our guides are deeply involved with the Red Light District! Several live their lives in the district and one is even engaged to an active sex worker in the district!

16 – “Fascinating And Informative”

17 – “An Amazing Way To See The Legendary Ladies”

You’ll see the ladies in a completely different light if you take one of our tours. Seeing them without the needed background information could give you a completely wrong impression of the Red Light District and Amsterdam.

18 – We Challenge Perceptions

19 – One Of The Best Of All The Available Tours In Town

20 – Just. Do. It.

Taking this tour is one thing you’ll certainly won’t regret from your visit to Amsterdam!

Within 1.5 hours you’ll really understand the Dutch culture and red light district area! We hope to have given you a good impression about our tour with these Amsterdam red light district tour reviews. If you want to read more reviews you can always check out our page at tripadvisor.com.

Also, Fox News & Yahoo listed our Red Light District Tours as one of the wackiest & weirdest tours around the world. Furthermore, we also have a tour with two twin sisters who’ve worked as prostitutes for 50 years! That’s right… for 50 years! They are Holland’s most famous former prostitutes and we are the only company in Amsterdam who have a tour with them. We are really proud of that!

Join us and let our local tour guide show you what Amsterdam’s most fascinating area is really all about!

Drug Facts Netherlands

Posted on: May 4, 2016

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(This article was last updated on the 23rd of March, 2018.)

Dutch Drug Information And Monitoring System 2015 Results

Every year the Dutch Drug Information and Monitoring System (DIMS) releases a report about tested drugs in the Netherlands. The organisation has a countrywide network of test locations set up to give insights into the illegal Dutch drugs market. DIMS does research into the substances contained in illegal drugs, the health risks associated with them and analyses trends in the drug market.

Drugs Information Netherlands

There are a few legal drug test labs in the Netherlands where people can get their illegal drugs tested. Most of these labs are located in the major cities in the Netherlands. Amsterdam has a few. These legal businesses test the ingredients of illegal drugs (XTC, amphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, etc.) and it’s 100% legal. They share their expertise about drugs and alcohol, its quality, effects and risks. This is the Dutch approach on informing people about drugs – The government rather have someone using drugs safer by testing it than less safe without doing so. In Amsterdam there are two official drug test labs called GGD and Jellinek. These are mostly visited by locals because tourists don’t know this.

The 2015 Drug Results Netherlands

XTC/MDMA test in one of Amsterdam’s drug test labs.

The number of tested XTC samples has more than doubled since 2005. The average amount of MDMA per pill rose from 81 to a 150mg during that same time period. The second most turned in drugs for testing was cocaine, 13 percent of all samples were cocaine. Cocaine is often diluted with levamisole, which adds extra health risks. In 2015 cocaine powder samples contained on average 64% of pure cocaine.

Total Number of Drug Samples Increased Again

The Dutch Drug Information and Monitoring System notes that, surprisingly, in 2015 the total number of handed in samples increased again substantially. The number of 4-Fluoroamphetamine samples doubled since last year. After XTC/MDMA, cocaine and speed 4-FA is now the most handed in drug recorded by the Dutch Drug Information and Monitoring System.

How Does The Dutch Drug Information and Monitoring System Work?

Different types of organizations across the Netherlands are connected to the Dutch Drug Information and Monitoring System. They offer weekly consulting-hours. During consulting-hours drug users can present their drugs for testing. If the taken drugs sample corresponds with samples in the database the drug user will immediately be informed about the safety profile of the drugs. If the drug sample doesn’t appear in the database a sample will be sent to the test lab for further analysis. After a week the results will be relayed to the drug provider.

Sometimes a drug test leads to such alarming results that a national warning is issued, sometimes with help of the Dutch government. In 2015 this happened for instance because of very high doses of MDMA in XTC pills. During the Amsterdam Dance Event in 2015 there was a pill on the market with a MDMA dosis of 300 milligram.

The Collected Drug Samples And Their Risks:

The Dutch Drug Information and Monitoring System made an overview of the drug samples and accompenying risks.

XTC/ MDMA

• 57% of all samples that were handed in at DIMS contained more than 140 mg’s of MDMA. The strongest pill of 2015 contained a stagering 293 mg of MDMA.
• Risks: Overheating, exhaustion, brain damage.

Cocaine

• 13% of all samples were cocaine. Cocaine often gets cut up with levamisole, a medication used to treat parasitic worm infections.
• Risks: Paranoia, Strong dependence, ways heavy on the body, cardiovascular problems. Lung damage from smoking, abscess from needling, nasal mucosa infection from snorting cocaine.
• Cocaine cut up with levamisole can lead to: weakened immune system, fever, rash, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, disorder and dizziness.

Speed

• The amount of amphetamines in speed samples handed over to Dutch Drug Information and Monitoring System varies per year. In 2015 the average percentage was 46 percent. Nine percent of all the collected samples were speed related.
• Risks: Overheating, exhaustion, brain damage, paranoia, ways heavy on the body.

4-Fluoroamphetamine (4-FA)

• 4-FA is described subjectively as being between amphetamine and MDMA. It first showed up at DIMS back in 2017. Since then it’s the fastest growing sample test drug. In 2015 more 4-FA samples were tested than in all previous years combined.
• Risks: Exhaustion, nausea, vomiting, headache, disorder, dizziness, heart palpitations.

Ketamine

• Ketamine also gets tested a lot, in the last five years test samples have tripled at Dutch Drug Information and Monitoring System. In 2015 Ketamine samples had an average purity of 77 percent.
• Risks: Bad Trip, nausea, vomiting, respiration problems, muscle rigidity or muscle paralysis.

2C-B

• 2C-B is mostly found in pill form and occasionally in powder form. The effects of 2C-B are strongly dependent on the dose. 95% of all tested samples actually was 2C-B.
• Risks: Bad Trip, effects are stronger than expected/ overdose.

LSD

• Two percent of all tested samples were LSD but more than 25% of them were something completely different.
• Risks: Bad trip, Nausea, Flashbacks.

10 Tips For Kings Day In Amsterdam

Posted on: April 25, 2024

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Top 10 Tips For Kings Day In Amsterdam

On the 27^th of April, Amsterdam turns into one giant party to celebrate our Kings birthday. Kings Day is one of the best days of the year. It’s our favourite and also this year it’s gonna be legendary! Discover the best tips for Kings Day in Amsterdam.

For an insightful and comprehensive guide on how to navigate through the festive celebrations of King’s Day in Amsterdam, make sure to check out our detailed Red Light District directions. This map will help you find the best routes and good highlights.

Tip 1: Don’t Mistake The Date!

The date for Kings day Amsterdam is the 27^th of April. It might be a good idea to write it down. Some tourists make the mistake of using dates that are mentioned in old tourist books. Those describe the date for Queens Day – showing up completely in orange in Amsterdam on 30th of April.

GET AMSTERDAM APP >

 

Tip 2: Check The Weather Forecast

If it rains there will not be enough places to shelter as most of the parties are hosted outside. Taking some extra clothes with you when rain is forecasted is advised. Make sure you check Holland’s best weather forecast site too. It shows any predicted rainfall and is very accurate as well.

Tip 3: Buy Something Orange, Anything!

#3 of Tips For Kings Day In Amsterdam: Get yourself an orange outfit!

It doesn’t matter what you wear as long as it’s orange! From orange tuxedo’s to orange burkas, anything orange will do!

Tip 4: Avoid Dam Square & Rokin Street in Amsterdam

Having a party with a lot of people is fun. But being able to move is more fun! We recommend avoiding these overcrowded places.

Tip 5: Arrange An Accommodation In Amsterdam

Public transport is a nightmare on Kings Day and taxis are too! Best thing to do is find a room, hotel or Airbnb close to the party that you want to go to.

Tip 6: Buy Your Beers/Drinks The Day Before Kings Day!

#6 of Tips For Kings Day In Amsterdam: Buy your drinks the day before Kings Day.

During Kings day the shelves at the liquor aisle will be mostly empty. You’ll probably only be able to get high percentage craft beer. If you prefer local beers like Hertog Jan, Grolsch, Bavaria, Amstel or Heineken buy it the day before Kings day. At party locations throughout Amsterdam you will only be able to buy watered down beer for a hefty price, possibly combined with long waiting-lines at the bars. Our advice is to buy a couple of six packs, a kilo of ice and a cooling bag. All available at the normal super markets like Albert Heijn, Deen, C1000, Jumbo, etc.

Tip 7: Watch your alcohol intake!

Drinking beer is fun and all, but is it really fun when your completely wasted at two o’clock in the afternoon? You have all day/ evening/ night so take it easy and enjoy all the (party) people, music and scenes. You’ll love it!

Tip 8: Don’t Put Your Valuables Next To The Canals Unsecured

Locals from all over the country come to Amsterdam to party. Some of them throw stuff in the canals – “just for fun”. A harsh reality for bikes and other valuables in Amsterdam.

Tip 9: Kings Day By Boat

Kings Day by boat is the best way to experience this amazing event. But a boat brings with it new problems like traffic jams of boats each blasting out their own music to the max.

The “vaarwater app” (waterway app) shows all the possible routes. It also comes in handy when you have to find a snackbar or toilet close to the canals.

Tip 10: Don’t Fall Into The Canal!

The last of our 10 tips for Kings Day in Amsterdam might sounds perhaps a bit weird but people have actually died by falling in the canals (mostly during the nighttime). So after a long day of partying watch out where you’re walking.

10 Places To Go in Amsterdam During Kings Day

1. Jordaan District – Explore the charming streets of Jordaan, where spontaneous street parties and local bands create a festive atmosphere. It’s a great place to experience the traditional Dutch King’s Day vibe.
2. Vondelpark – Ideal for families, Vondelpark opens up to children for a special “vrijmarkt” (free market), where kids sell toys, perform acts, and play games. It’s a relaxed environment compared to the bustling city center.
3. Amstel River – Watching the boat parade along the Amstel River is a must. Boats of all sizes and shapes, filled with party-goers in orange, create a lively spectacle on the water.
4. Museumplein – Often hosting large-scale events with live music and DJs, Museumplein is the place to be for high-energy celebrations and concerts.
5. Nieuwmarkt – Check out Nieuwmarkt for its bustling scene. The square is known for its food stalls and beer tents, making it a popular gathering spot for both locals and tourists.
6. Dam Square – Visit Dam Square for some of the biggest public gatherings and performances. It’s central and usually features a variety of entertainment options.
7. The Nine Streets (De Negen Straatjes) – Wander through these quaint streets for unique shopping opportunities. The area is famous for its boutique shops, which often have special King’s Day offers and displays.
8. Rijksmuseum – Take a moment to visit the Rijksmuseum, which usually stays open on King’s Day. Besides its fantastic collection, the area around the museum is filled with activity and street performers.
9. Rembrandtplein – Known for its nightlife, Rembrandtplein is a hot spot for those looking to continue the celebration into the night with bars and clubs hosting themed parties.
10. A Local Café or Pub – For a more laid-back King’s Day, consider visiting a local café or pub. Many establishments have special offers and orange-themed decorations, providing a perfect spot to people-watch and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

ALSO READ:

10 Tips For Using Drugs in Amsterdam

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New Dutch Public Transport Tourist Pass Test Launch This Summer

Posted on: April 13, 2016

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Dutch Public Transport Tourist Pass Test Starts This Summer

Prior to the definitive launch of a new national Dutch public transport tourist pass there will be a one-year test period. The testing period will probably begin before the summer of 2016.

Streamlining Tourist Transportation

This was penned in a letter to the parliament, written by state secretary Dijksma (infrastructure and environment). The letter further contained information about the progress in streamlining public transport for tourists. Earlier in the year Dijksma had already promised that the special tourist pass would be made available this year. Dutch political parties VVD (conservative/ liberal) and D66 (social-liberal/ progressive) insisted that there should be a tourist pass.

Two Tourist Pass Options

There will be two variants of the Dutch public transport tourist pass: a day pass valid from 09:00 in the morning and one that lasts all day. The all-day pass will cost 59,- euros. The pass from 09:00 will be priced at 39,- euros. With this pricing strategy the government hopes to spare the morning rush. Both passes will allow tourists to travel throughout Holland. All public transportation will be accessible: bus, subway, tram and train. The passes aren’t exclusively for tourists according to Dijksma. Other travelers can also use the new tourist pass system.

More Tourist Passes

A year after introduction sales, prices and ease of use will all be evaluated. The main goal of the evaluation will be to further develop the pass and possible corresponding products. According to the state secretary transporters are already looking into introducing regional products, thus expending the service.

Tourist Passes in Amsterdam

Here in Amsterdam we already have two passes specially developed for tourists: the travel ticket, consisting of a return ticket between the Schiphol and Amsterdam train stations and a day pass for the public transport within the municipality, and the Amsterdam and Region Travel Ticket. With the second pass tourists can travel by bus, tram and subway to the countryside, for example, the Zaanse Schans or Volendam.

ALSO DISCOVER:

8 Best Date Apps To Get An Unforgettable Night

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Museum of Sex: Should I visit this attraction?

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Drugs In Holland

Posted on: February 8, 2024

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Drugs In Holland: EU Report Points To Holland As Largest Drug Trading Hub

According to the EU Drug Market Report, produced by the EMCDDA, Holland is the number one producer, processor and transit point for drugs in Europe. The drugs in Holland get imported from all over the globe and we return the favour with large exports. Get educated about Europe’s largest drug supplier and read these 10 things about the Dutch drug trade.

(Last updated: 19 April 2021)

1 | Europe’s Cocaine Arrives In Rotterdam

Around 25 to 50 percent of European cocaine goes through the port of Rotterdam – Europe’s largest seaport. The port handles around 11 million freight containers every year. Dutch port authorities can only check around 5000 containers.

2 | No Ingenious Smuggling Techniques

Drug smugglers in Holland have mostly ditched the old ways of hiding contraband in fluffed toys or fruit transports. Instead they have opted for enlisting corrupt port employees. Traffickers bribe port workers in both the exporting and importing ports to get illegal drugs in Holland.

3 | Cocaine in Holland Is Cheap

Thanks to the massive in-and outflows cocaine, by comparison to other European countries, is relatively cheap in Holland. Cocaine in cost around 55 euros per gram in the Netherlands. In other European countries, cocaine price vary between 70 to 120 euros. In Australia, 1 gram of cocaine cost approximately 150 to 200 euros.

4 | MDMA Is As Dutch As Dutch Stroopwafels

Around 8 % of Dutch people have used MDMA once in their live (830,000 persons). The European average for MDMA use is just 0,5 percent.

5 | MDMA Production in Holland

Red = amphetamine production. Blue = methamphetamine production. Pink = MDMA production.
Source: Europol, EU Drug Markets Report 2016.

According to the EMCDDA drug report, the production of MDMA in Holland is becoming ever more professional. Some production locations use selfmade reaction vessels of up to 750 liters. Automation has reached a level where almost no manual labour is necessary.

6 | MDMA Exports

According to Vice.com a quick glance at pillreports.net shows Dutch XTC pills designs like the pills with an orange lion, the Heineken logo and tulips can be found from India to Australia to Texas.

7 | Almost All The Hash In Holland Is Imported

Old trading routes from North Africa and the Middle East still play a vital role for the hash trade in Holland. Most of the hash arrives trough Spain from Morocco. Morocco is the major supplier of Dutch hash. This has led to many Moroccan criminal gangs in Holland. Most of these gangs are referred to as the “Mocro Maffia”.

Red: Afghan hash trade routes, Blue: Moroccan hash trade routes.
Source: Europol, EU Drug Markets Report, In-dept analyses, 2016.

8 | Cannabis Imports And Exports

Dutch cannabis exports and imports. Source: Europol, EU Drug Markets Report 2016.

A Dutch governmental report stated that between 30 and 90 percent of Dutch grown cannabis ends up abroad. Conclusion: they haven’t got a clue.

9 | This Dutch Province Produces Most Hard Drugs

Brabant has the dubious honour – in the Netherlands and abroad – of being one of Europe’s top criminal performers. The province, located in the south of Holland, is home to professional criminal organisations operating far beyond Dutch borders.

Brabant’s top economic sectors are: chemistry, agrifood, logistics and high tech. Just like these sectors, the drug industry mainly does export. And just like these sectors the drug industry innovates its growing techniques and its accompanying equipment. It operates with a circle of trusted suppliers and uses the strategic location of Brabant, and the presence of many logistics companies, for the export and transportation of drugs.

Discovered drug lab in Brabant. 

Numerous international connections are also used to strengthen links with criminal networks elsewhere in Europe, giving way to even better export opportunities for the Brabant XTC pills, weed and raw materials for drugs. Brabant has in a sense achieved the role as the supermarket for foreign dealers where everything is for sale.

It is difficult to get an indication on how much money is spent in this clandestine industry. Yet there are indications that it has to be a huge number. The police and the justice department conclude, based on investigations and data from informants, that 60 hemp syndicates are active in the city of Tilburg alone and make around 800 million euros a year, or the entire city budget of Tilburg.

The drug industry has also been a job engine for the 2500 people who work in the underground ‘weed industry’ and who, with minimal efforts, make large annual salaries.

10 | The War On Drugs In Holland

Drug fact: producing cannabis for commercial purposes is illegal in the Netherlands.

A lot of people still believe growing marijuana in Holland is legal. Well that’s sort of the case. Every person in Holland is allowed to have five cannabis plants for personal use.

Industrial production however is strictly forbidden. The Netherlands has soft drug laws – especially when you’d compare them with countries like the United States, Australia, Indonesia or the Philippines. Sentences range between a fine and a couple of years in prison if you get caught producing or trafficking drugs. Compare that to the death penalty in Indonesia, or the Philippines.

Harm Reduction Model

Jellinek Amsterdam – where you can get your illegal drugs tested legally.

Drugs in Holland Fact: There are a few legal drug test labs in Holland. At these drug test locations people can get their illegal drugs tested legally. These companies (named GGD and Jellinek) test the ingredients and quality of the hard drugs (XTC, cocaine, MDMA, speed, etc.). It’s 100% legal.

These drug test locations share their knowledge about drugs and alcohol, its quality, effects and risks. The goal of these government sponsored companies is to educate people and to decrease the risks of it.

ALSO READ:

10 Best Coffeeshops in Amsterdam According To Pro’s

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9 Laws For Coffeeshops in Amsterdam

10 Tips For Using Drugs in Amsterdam

Amsterdam Prostitutes Offer Huge Red Light District Discount

Posted on: April 1, 2016

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Red Light District Discount As Activist Tool

In an effort to fight stigmatisation and to campaign for a new Dutch law that officially regulates prostitution in the Netherlands, a large group of sex workers, will be offering large discounts (50% off) to customers today. On this campaign day there will be a lot of red light window brothels offering red light district discount. This remarkable form of protest was designed to draw attention to these topics.

Red Light District Price List

Only today, sex workers will lower their their prices by 50 percent. For example, normally oral sex in the red light district of Amsterdam cost around 30 euro. With this unique discount applied, customers save 15 euro, or they can spend it on some extra services. Usually, a customer gets 15 to 20 minutes with a window prostitute.

• Oral sex

  Was: 30 euro
  Now: 15 euro

• Oral + Penatration

  Was: 50 euro
  Now: 25 euro

• Threesome

  Was: 100 euro
  Now: 50 euro

Discount Voucher

Clients need to show them this free discount voucher below to get a 50% off on their servies. It needs to be printed and it must be handed over to a prostitute in the window. Only valid in Amsterdam’s Red Light District.

 

Campaigning For Better Regulation

This stunt was set up to draw attention to a new Dutch law for the regulation of prostitution. If it doesn’t pass, prostitution without a license will again become illegal. This has not happened in the Netherlands since the days of Napoleon. Besides this absurd fact, sex workers argue that these days local governments rarely grant new licenses. Just 40 percent of all municipalities now have prostitution businesses. According to Yvonne Loers – a cam girl – all home workers should have a license. This would include cam girls and prostitutes who work from their own home.

The Sex Worker Stigma

Dutch sex workers still need to fight old conceptions about prostitution. A lot of people still belief that the large majority of the sex workers in the Netherlands are forced into the industry against their will and abused. To fight these concepts, sex workers in Amsterdam will offer a remarkable red light district discount today on April 1st 2016. After all, prostitutes are officially entrepreneurs in the Netherlands so in the end it isn’t that strange that they offer discounts like any other business.

This article was written on April’s fools day.

Did you enjoy this article? Others who read this article also read Amsterdam’s Female Prostitutes Are Currently Outnumbered by Male Prostitutes and Naked Prostitutes Build Human Tower in Amsterdam

Long-Term Effects of Cannabis On The Brain

Posted on: March 25, 2016

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Long Term Effect Of Cannabis Is Lower Dopamine Release In The Brain

Heavy and prolonged use of cannabis changes the release of dopamine in the striatum. This in turn has a negative impact on the cognitive functioning of the brain. Rubicon researcher Elsmarieke van de Giessen, who specialises in molecular psychiatry, has drawn this conclusion after a study on the long term effect of cannabis use. Lowered dopamine release was already proven with other addictive drugs, but not with cannabis use alone.

Dopamine And Drugs

During earlier studies the research only focused on subjects who were addicted to multiple substances, most of which are already known for influencing the release of dopamine. Substances like: cocaine, heroine, nicotine and alcohol. Dopamine is an organic chemical in the brain that functions as a neurotransmitter – a chemical released by neurons (nerve cells) to send signals to other nerve cells. PET scans showed that an addiction to hard drugs like cocaine or heroine influences to dopamine system in the brain. The same effect with only cannabis wasn’t demonstrated until now.

The Test Subjects

It was quite a challenge to find sufficient subjects for the study since other addictions weren’t allowed. By using a system of measurement that’s really sensitive to dopamine release the study, on eleven subjects, was statistically strong enough. The eleven test subjects were tested positive for marihuana and had to stay clean in the hospital for a weak to be certain that the researchers weren’t just registering the direct effects of marihuana use. The test group ranged in the ages between 22 and 38 years old. On average, they had been heavy marihuana users for seven years.

Method Used On The Test Subjects

Van de Giessen examined dopamine release in the striatum and surrounding areas in the brain by making PET scans with a tracer that binds to the dopamine receptors. The PET scans were made before and after a one-time amphetamine stimulation. The amphetamine stimulation has an immediate and accurately measurable effect on the dopamine system. It gives a good impression on the total dopamine release capacity of the brain.

The Long Term Effect Of Cannabis Use: The Conclusions

The study concludes that among the group of long term cannabis users less dopamine is released in the striatum than among the control group. A relation was also made between a reduced release of dopamine in the striatum and impulsivity and depressive characteristics. The long term effect of cannabis use among addicts was more impulsivity and depression in comparison to the control group. The more impulsive and depressed the test subject were, the lower their dopamine release.

Where Was The Study Held?

The study was done at Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute. Elsmarieke van Giessen received a Rubicon grant back in 2011 from NOW. The grant is meant to give young Dutch researchers experience abroad.

Cannabis Effects on Liver

Cannabis is a liver toxin. The active ingredient in cannabis, THC, is metabolized by the liver into other compounds. These metabolites are then excreted in the bile and can accumulate in the liver. This can lead to liver damage and liver disease. Cannabis also increases the risk of liver cancer. Cannabinoids are thought to cause liver damage by causing oxidative stress and by promoting inflammation. They may also damage the liver by interfering with liver enzymes that break down other drugs and toxins. In addition, cannabinoids can increase the levels of certain lipids in the blood, which can contribute to fatty liver disease. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the potential liver risks associated with cannabis use.

Cannabis capsules effects

THC pills are capsules that contain THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis. THC pills offer a convenient and discrete way to consume cannabis, and they can be a useful alternative for people who cannot or do not want to smoke. THC pills typically take effect within 30 minutes to an hour, and the effects can last for several hours. The effects of THC pills can vary depending on the dosage, but they may include feelings of relaxation and euphoria, as well as increased appetite and impaired coordination. THC pills can also cause side effects, such as anxiety, paranoia, and dizziness. Therefore, it is important to start with a low dose and increase gradually as needed.

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(First picture source: www.consciouslifenews.com)

Sex Education In Holland: Still Room For Improvement

Posted on: March 18, 2016

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An Impression Of Sex Education In Holland

The Dutch are, in general, quite open about sexuality. Most countries around the world are conservative when it comes to open conversations about sex. This leads to a lot of our clients asking questions about sex education in Holland.

Three In Ten Children Aren’t Well Informed

Three in 10 children (30 percent) in the Netherlands between the ages of nine and twelve years old have never talked about sex at school, at home or with friends. Even subjects like sexual boundaries or bodily changes during puberty aren’t discussed.

The Data

The Dutch sexuality research institute Rutgers in cooperation with the NOS (Dutch state broadcasting service) did a study among over a thousand children between the ages of nine and twelve and their parents. The accumulated data made Rutgers conclude that children know too little about sexuality. 48 percent of the questioned children know what making love or sex is and six in ten children know where baby’s come from. The majority of the children indicate that they know what homosexuality is.

Parents And Their Children’s Sexuality

Parents know pretty well at what stage their child is when it comes to their sexual development. 71 percent of the parents indicate that they answer their children’s questions about sexuality. Their children however dispute this statement; only 52 percent of the children indicate that their parents answer their questions about sexuality.

New Instructions

To improve the sex education in Holland, Rutgers commands the schools in the Netherlands to give more attention to sexual education and to bring the material in a not too serious manner. They’d rather see that teachers use current events, stories that are in the news, or a coincidental remark to start a conversation about sexuality. Parents themselves could even “accidentally” leave an educational folder out in the open at home

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Source: Gravify News

Sex Education In Holland Still One Of The Best In The World

According to PBS, Holland has garnered international attention because it boasts some of the beste outcomes when it comes to sexual health. Dutch children don’t have sex at a younger age than their fellow Europeans or children from the US. Among 12 to 25 year olds, most say they had wanted, and fun, first sexual experiences. In the US 66 percent of sexually active teens wished they had waited longer to have sex for the first time.

Dutch Teens Among Top Users Of Birth Control

According to the world bank Dutch teens are among the top users of the birth control pill. Holland’s teen pregnancy rate is, not surprisingly, one of the lowest teen pregnancies in the world. Rates of HIV infection and sexually transmitted diseases are also low.

Why Did We Write This Article?

We published this article about sex education in Holland to give our readers an impression on how Dutch society deals with sexuality in general.

(First picture source: Dailygenius.com)

Amsterdammer Finds Drunk British Lad In His Own Bed

Posted on: March 12, 2016

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Drunk British Lad: “I thought it was my hotel room”

An occupant of a flat on the “Oetgensstraat” in Amsterdam-East was quite surprised last night when he unexpectedly found an unknown man in his bed.

xThe man was a drunk British lad who had climbed through the open window of his first floor apartment. “At first I thought, what the hell did I do this time? Until I realised that I didn’t know this man at all “, says the resident to the local news channel AT5. “The British guy woke up and thought he was in a hotel room.”

Source: AT5.nl

Finally the resident decided to call the police. “Police officers have called several hotels, eventually they decided to just take him with them.

The drunk British lad stated that he visited Amsterdam with a group of colleagues, but he had lost his phone. He has tried contacting them via Facebook, but without succes. ”

Source: AT5

The police officers advised the resident – who lives on the first floor – to keep the windows closed from now on.

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Fake Drug Dealers In Amsterdam Swindle Tourists Aggressively

Posted on: March 8, 2016

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The authorities are failing at squelching the problems with fake drug dealers in Amsterdam. In the center of town, dealers turn to ever more aggressive methods to swindle tourists.

Fake Drug Dealers Run Rampant in Amsterdam

Intimidation, threats, robbery and swindling’s. Fake drug dealers in Amsterdam and customer satisfaction don’t go hand in hand. They represent a serious problem for the municipality. In the last fifteen months alone a total of 1,208 street dealers were arrested for selling fake drugs. Together they were responsible for 4,857 incidents, of which 3,051 concerned the selling of fake drugs.

We spotted this prevention sign in a flower shop in the city centre – hanged by the owner to warn tourists.

Tourists Are The Targets

Most victims are men in the ages between twenty and forty years old. They predominately come from Germany and Great Britain looking for a weekend of the “the Amsterdam experience”.

A tab of XTC or lines of cocaine are a part of that. But those vital elements sometimes turn out to be something completely different. XTC/ MDMA turns out to be aspirin, a gram of cocaine: baking soda.

Non-Drug Using Tourists Are Victims Too

The fake drug-dealers don’t only double-cross those tourists who are looking for drugs. Especially in De Wallen & on Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein random tourists get accosted in an aggressive manner. Sometimes they even will be forced to buy drugs. It’s not out of the ordinary for such “deals” to end in a classic street-robbery.

Authorities: Stop Fake Drug Dealers In Amsterdam

The authorities want to end the troubles with fake drug-dealers. However, the call for harsher penalties bumps into legal objections. Dutch drug laws for instance, do not apply to the selling of fake drugs. The public prosecutor doesn’t believe a separate law against fake drugs is feasible. So far dealers usually get a couple hundred-dollar fine. A maximum prison sentence of six weeks is set for the most extreme cases.

Anti-drug campaign in 2014 from local government of Amsterdam.

Prevention Is The Solution

Because of the inadequate legal tools the authorities are implementing a preventative approach, both on the supply and demand side of the problem. Tourists will be warned against street-dealers via short movies and posters. In the same way the public was informed during the killer white heroin scare in 2014. Strategic communication must make the ‘tourist trap’ visible. Besides this, tourists will be encouraged to press charges. Something tourists mostly refuse to do because of fear of getting a fine themselves.

On the supply side the authorities will apply the “personal approach” to the predominately young fake drug dealers in Amsterdam. Young criminals will be monitored from an early stage to prevent them from ending up as a fake drug dealer.

Mystery Tourists in Amsterdam

The authorities are also considering the use of “mystery tourists”, officers who look and act like potential victims.

Did you enjoy this article? Others who read this article also read: FAQ – How do I book a tour with a local guide? and 10 Tips for Using Drugs in Amsterdam

Oscars For Playing Prostitutes And Mistresses

Posted on: March 1, 2016

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12% Of the Oscars For Best Actress Went To The Role Of Whore Or Mistress

The Dutch newspaper NRC did a study on the total number of Oscars for playing prostitutes and mistresses that were awarded throughout it’s history. The Oscars are an American movie award spectacle held every year in Los Angeles. According to research by the BBC a total of 12 percent of the Oscars for best actress went to roles like a whore or a mistress. To find out if the BBC number is the correct one the NRC did their own count.

Is The Total Number Of Oscars For Playing Prostitutes And Mistresses Really 12 Percent?

In total the NRC counted 91 female lead Oscar winners. A total of five characters worked in prostitution. A large overrepresentation considering that there are only an estimated half a million prostitutes in the United States, 0.15 percent of the total population.


A young Jodie Foster plays a prostitute in Taxi Driver.

Oscars For Playing Prostitutes And Mistresses

Sixteen of the Oscar winning characters had a relationship with a married man: 17.5 percent. This number corresponds with reality. 15 percent of American women state that they have practiced adultery at some point in their life.

The Numbers Are In

The combined number for mistresses and prostitutes infers a staggering total of 23 percent. A much higher number than the original BBC source states. How is this possible? Possibly the BBC only counted characters who’s primary occupation was being a mistress: licentious female characters. That would be 7 percent. Prostitutes and licentious women combined make a total of 13 percent.

Why These High Numbers?

According to Helen O’Hara of the British film magazine Empire: “society still loves strong men and vulnerable female characters”. Film scholar Maryn Wilkinson argues that females have been cast for big dramatic lead roles in melodrama’s since the beginnings of film. This is the type of role that tends to win awards for women. Men dominate the action and thriller genres. “Melodrama’s are about struggling relationships, adultery, poverty and social mobility, so you easily end op with these types of roles. Women tend to have excessive emotions, men are stoic and powerful.”

Charlize Theron plays a prostitute in the movie monster. Source: Mirror.co.uk

Change Is Happening

Wilkinson does see a shift happening; strong female characters are making an appearance in Hollywood. Since 2007 there hasn’t been a prostitute lead role awarded with an Oscar. The last one was for the movie “Monster”, a biographical film about a prostitute called Aileen Wuornos, played by Charlize Theron. Not really your typical vulnerable woman: she killed seven of her costumers. There is good chance that the number of Oscars for playing prostitutes and Mistresses will decline in the coming decade.

Did you enjoy this news article? Others who read this article also read these articles about the History of Prostitution and Missing Window Prostitute Found After 55 years!

Alligators Guard Crystal Meth Gains In Amsterdam

Posted on: February 26, 2016

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The Amsterdam Police Almost Got A Bite From Crime

Synthetic drug dealers who sold crystal meth in Amsterdam used two alligators in an Amsterdam safe house to protect their illegally acquired earnings. The Amsterdam police announced that this bizarre “straight out of Hollywood” discovery was made last Tuesday. It seems like a scene of a Netflix-serie, but this drug-story is true and it took place in the East of Amsterdam.

Crystal Meth in Amsterdam Safe House

The police raided a total of six properties in Amsterdam and one in nearby Almere. The action was undertaken after a long-run investigation into the synthetic drugs trade. A total of eleven gang members were arrested, consisting of nine males and two female ranging in the ages between 25 and 55 years old. Half a million euros in crystal neth, several kilos of other synthetic drugs and 300 thousand euros in cash were confiscated. Several firearms were also found.




The money and crystal meth in Amsterdam were hidden in such a way that for people to get close, they had to get past the two alligators. The gators are still located in the raided safe house in Amsterdam. The owner of the building has the required permit to keep the animals according to the police spokesperson. The police had to call on a reptile expert to be able to get the past the mordacious animals.

Crocs To Stay Put

The two alligators that protected the crystal meth in Amsterdam will remain in the safe house for the time being. A permit is being sorted out and in the meantime someone will feed the animals on a regular basis. The police won’t mention where the animals are located because this may reveal the identity of one of the suspects.

Breaking: “Steve Irwin” of Amsterdam Implicated

Suspect “Steve Irwin” of Amsterdam during an alligator show.  Source: AT5

According to local Amsterdam news agency AT5, the possible supplier of the alligators is none other than Ferry T. T. – who is locally known as the “Steve Irwin” of Amsterdam. Ferry T. normally uses his alligators and crocodiles for shows. T’s precise role in the crystal meth gang is not known at this point in time.




This is one of the first crystal meth cases in Holland. This hard drug is not popular at all – it’s mainly used in the gay scene. Cocaine & XTC/MDMA are the most used illegal drugs in Holland. In 2010, the estimated illegal trade in cocaine was 317 million euro and XTC was estimated on 103 million Euro. Source: CBS

Did you enjoy this news article? Others who read this article also read this article about an Amsterdam Coke-Killer Sentenced to Prison and this Interview with Amsterdam’s Drug Test Lab.

 

One-Year Prison Sentence For Amsterdam Coke-Killer Dealer

Posted on: February 25, 2016

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White Heroin Dealer Behind Bars For One Year

The court of Amsterdam has ruled that the 43-year old man, who last year sold life threatening white heroin as cocaine in Amsterdam, is not guilty on most charges. The suspect, Flip S., reported himself to the authorities back in April 2014. According to the prosecution S. arrived in an overly emotional state, expressing that he couldn’t live with the thought that his actions led to the death of three British tourists. Since then S. has claimed that he never made that statement.

The judge sentenced S. to a one-year prison term for dealing in illegal drugs. However, S. will be released from jail shortly, because he has already been in jail since April last year.

The public prosecutor demanded a four year prison sentence for the sale of white heroin to three Danish tourists back in February last year, but the court found that there wasn’t enough conclusive evidence which proved that S. knew that he was selling white heroine as cocaine to the three tourists. This has been the counter-plea of the S. throughout the trial. The court did find that S., who knew that the so-called “killer-coke” was in circulation, should have tested his wares. And if he didn’t do it himself he should have at least told his costumers to test their drugs.

Acquittal White Heroin Dealer for the three British deaths

The public prosecutor had already asked for acquittal for the death of three British tourists back in 2014 because of a lack of proof. This led to an acquittal by the court.

Anti-drug campaign in 2014 from local government of Amsterdam.

Drug Unrest In Amsterdam Because Of White Heroin Dealer

The sale of the deadly drugs caused a lot of unrest in Holland’s capital at the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015. This led the police to organize a large information campaign to warn the public and tourists about the dangers of white-heroin in circulation. Besides the three dead British tourists a dozen more people were hospitalised.

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Brad Pitt Outsmarted By Dutch Tycoon!

Posted on: February 21, 2016

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Big movie star Brad Pitt was keen on buying the biggest penthouse in Amsterdam but lost out in a bidding war against an Amsterdam hospitality tycoon. A Dutch entrepreneur outsmarted Pitt by making the bid and finishing the deal around the 2015 Christmas Holidays. All the other interested parties weren’t paying attention at that time.

Biggest Penthouse In Amsterdam Worth 16 Million Euros!

(Source: Christie’s International Real Estate)

The winning knock out bid is estimated to be a staggering 16 million euros (17.7 million USD) making it the most expensive penthouse in the Netherlands. Besides being the most expensive – it is also the biggest penthouse in the Netherlands with a total surface area of 1.440 square meters. According to Christie’s International Real Estate, broker of the deal, the total cost per square meter of the apartment averages around 11.000 euros (12.225 USD). These are high figures even compared to international hotspots like New York and London according to Christie’s. By comparison, presidential candidate Donald Trump’s Penthouse in New York is now on the market for 31.5 million euros (35 million USD).

This biggest house in Amsterdam will be finished in May 2018 on the “Pontsteiger” in the “Houthavens”.

And the new owner of the biggest penthouse in Amsterdam is…

The man who made the winning offer is Won Yip (46) one of Amsterdam’s wealthiest hospitality entrepreneurs. If you ever manage to get to Amsterdam chances are high that you end up drinking or eating in one of his many bars and restaurants. He owns almost all the cafes on and close to the Dam square, a popular tourist attraction in the centre of Amsterdam. This plushy position has earned him the nickname: “King of the Dam Square”.

On February 4th – during a Dutch talkshow – Won Yip said: “The challenge of this penthouse is to keep things manageable… There will be occasions where my wife will ask me: Where have you been today? To which I’ll reply: I was at home”

(Source: picture by Friso Keuris for Quote NL)

Won Yip’s life can best be described as the American dream, in Holland. Son of a Chinese immigrant who fled from China, Yip started out with a small café at the age of 19 years old. He was never much interested in school, but loved to work. Win Yip does’t have one diploma but through hard work, averaging eighteen hours a day, he has built his global hospitality empire stretching from Las Vegas to London in a mere three decades. What was and is his motto throughout creating all this? “Do as much as you can to make the guest feel important”.

Did you enjoy this news article? Others who read this article also read this article about Holland’s most famous prostitutes

Missing Former Prostitute Found After 55 years!

Posted on: February 19, 2016

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Dutch Window Prostitute From Amsterdam Found in Canada

The Dutch police missing persons taskforce has found a missing dutch window prostitute who had been missing for over 55 years. Johanna, referred to as Jopie, de Haas went missing from Amsterdam back in 1960, leaving behind her then three-year-old daughter. It turns out that the woman was already deceased since 2010, resting in a Canadian graveyard.

Adoption in Amsterdam Cafe

Back in the 1950’s, Johanna de Haas made her living working as a Dutch window prostitute at the Amsterdam Red Light District. She gave her daughter, Rosa, up for adoption in a cafe just weeks after giving birth to her. Rosa’s stepmom was working behind the bar in that cafe. In 2009, Rosa called the Dutch television show “Vermist” (Missing) to help find her lost mother. Back then all the signs were pointing towards de Haas having migrated to North America. The television show Missing spent most of its time searching the United States yielding no results.

Cooperation with Canadian Police

The breakthrough in the case came back in December 2015. The Dutch missing persons taskforce found traces of Johanna de Haas online. Working jointly with the Royal Canadian mounted police, better known as the Mounties, they discovered that the Dutch window prostitute had been living in Canada under the name of Johanna Dehaas. Sadly, she died five years before anybody from the Netherlands could find her. She lays buried at a cemetery on Vancouver Island. Directly after finding out about her mother Rosa released the news to the public. Follow-up research of the grave has finally proven conclusively that the grave belongs to Johanna de Haas.

According to the Dutch authorities daughter Rosa has already visited Canada. There she found her younger half- brother and two sisters, all coming from Johanna’s marriage to a Canadian man.

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10 Amazing Photos of Amsterdam in 1916

Posted on: February 14, 2016

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Amsterdam in 1916 – Hundred years ago

With his horse, Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) jumps over the rooftops of Amsterdam. His boat was captured by the British – including his bag with sweets and cookies. The British also arrested Zwarte Piet – his helper, so Saint Nicholas had to do all the gift deliveries on his own. He must hurry to be in time.

 

Amsterdam in 1916. An employee of the Dutch Electron Corporation demonstrates a vacuum-cleaner on the interior of a car (Ford T?) on the Overtoom street.  Photographer: C.J. Hofker.

 

Amsterdam in 1916. Mussels-stall on a canal in Amsterdam. Photographer: Unknown.

Amsterdam in 1916. The street-comedian Maupie Steel tries to convince the people on Dam Square of an imaginary airship. A young magazine salesman  is helping him. Photographer: Unkown.

Amsterdam in 1916. A house filled with refugees of the flooding in North-Holland. Click on the picture to enlarge it. How many persons do you count? Let us know in the comment section below.

Amsterdam in 1916. Houses with sidewalks and steps to the front so that people could sit outside. Sheets are hanging out of the windows and wood barrels are lying on the quays. In the past – also in these years – a lot of heavy transportation (like those barrels) was done by boat. Nowadays, it’s mostly done via trucks. Click on the picture if you want to zoom on those people. Photographer unknown.

 

Amsterdam in 1916. Miss A. Neeter helps a customer in her beauty salon with facial hair removal. She applies an American electric hair removal device – one of the newest inventions of that time. Mind the beautiful crystal decanters on the left.

 

Amsterdam in 1916. Protest against the closing of barber shops on Sundays. Look at the name of that store at number 35: The Gentlemen’s Toilet Club. Fancy name! Click on the picture to enlarge it.

 

Amsterdam in 1916. This picture was taken on the Oudekerksplein (Old Church Square) in the heart of the Red Light District. These crooked houses are one of the oldest ones in town and are still here this very day. The house left of that man is nowadays filled with a few window brothels. During our tours through the Red Light District we can show you these beautiful buildings. Amazing piece of architecture, this is! Photographer unknown.

 

Amsterdam in 1916. A small girl gives money to a beggar on Leidse Square, in front of the fashion store Hirsch. Photographer unknown.

Source: Geheugen van Nederland & Spaarnestad Photo

Did you like these old pictures? You might like these 10 Awesome Past and Present Pics of the Red Light District as well.

Interview With Dutch Film Maker Roeland Kerbosch

Posted on: January 7, 2024

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Amsterdam Red Light District in the 1960’s

Roeland Kerbosch was the very first to film the Amsterdam Red Light District in the rough 60s. During his film he was accompanied by Haring Arie – a local pimp – who showed him De Wallen with prostitutes in front of the camera.

(Last updated: 1 May 2022)

Roeland Kerbosch is a Dutch film director, film producer, photographer and writer. In 1968, he made one of the best movies about Amsterdam’s Red Light District. His Dutch documentary film “Rondom het Oudekerksplein” (translated: “Around the Old Church Square”) gave an unique impression of what life in the Red Light District was like in the 1960s.

 

Roeland was fortunate enough to met an infamous Dutch pimp and criminal called “Haring Arie“. In that time it was quite normal for the prostitutes to have a pimp, who usually also was the boyfriend. Haring Arie was willing to show Roeland around in the impervious world of pimps and prostitutes.

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Amsterdam, Red Light District, 1968. Prostitute Parijse Leen in a window brothel.

An Introduction

In the 1960s, Amsterdam Red Light District became known to the general public. It was a time of ancient pimps and criminals with crisp nicknames like Frits of the World, Herring Arie, Pistols Paultje, Black Joop, Fat Lap, etc.

Sex workers in that time were called Blonde Mien, Paris Leen (see picture above), Chinese Annie, De Fokkens, etc. The Red Light District was known as an authentic & cozy area in Amsterdam. But behind all the cosiness and beautiful names there was also abuse and violence back then.

Blonde Mien (real name: Mien Sligte) was the wife of Haring Arie and worked as a prostitute in the Red Light District.

The picture above is a screenschot of the movie Around the Old Church Square made by film maker Roeland Kerbosch. Blonde Mien & Paris Leen both described their life in the film.


Haring Arie in 1968. Photographed by Cor Jaring. 

Arie Elpert – also known as “Haring Arie” (English: “Herring Arie”) was a Dutch criminal & pimp who showed Roeland Kerbosch around in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. Arie was a burglar in the thirties and after the Second World War he robbed some trains in France.

Amsterdam, Rembrandt Square, 1960’s.

When he had enough of that he started selling herring on the Rembrandt Square in Amsterdam. This is why he was called Herring Arie. His trade in herring ended because he didn’t have a license for selling fish.

The Interview with Dutch Film Maker Roeland Kerbosch

Roeland Kerbosch in Grand Cafe First Class on Central Station in Amsterdam.

“My name is Roeland Kerbosch. I graduated as a film maker from the Dutch Film Academy in 1962, started from then on working for television as director and also as a camera man. In those days, you’d combined those jobs quite often. Then suddenly after making more or less important films, I met a guy named Haring Arie.

He introduced me to the Red Light District and I made this wonderful film about the Red Light District, Haring Arie and all those people who were there in those days. The first time I came to the Red Light District in Amsterdam, I was about 23, 24 years – when I started becoming a film maker.”

Roeland Kerbosch in 1974.

“Some time later I Haring Arie. I was making a few shots in the Red Light District for a short film about carillons (bells) of the Old Church and then suddenly Haring Arie was there. Kind of nosy he asked me who I was, what I was doing there and so on.

We started talking and I made a very short interview of him. While doing the interview I noticed that this guy was quite interesting and thought: He has probably much more to offer…. Haring Arie was my step into the world of whores and pimps.”

1 | Could you describe the Red Light District of the 1960’s?

“Not as busy as it is nowadays, but I think it’s more or less the same as today. It’s people who make their money in a way that you and I would probably not like to make our income.

Amsterdam, Trompettersteeg, year 1968. Photo by: Elliot Erwitt. (Click on the pic to enlarge it.)

I think that it’s less aggressive than before, because in those days – in the 1960’s – it was not allowed to be a prostitute, let alone being a pimp. That changed over the years and now it’s an official profession, so that is a big difference.”

“Amsterdam’s Red Light District was like its own government. You had the prostitutes, the pimps, bars and some small shops – and that was it. That was an economy on itself – they didn’t need anything else.”

Amsterdam’s Red Light District, 1969. Some men stare at erotic magazines in a sex shop, while two cats look the other way. Photo by: Cor Jaring.

2 | Could you describe what kind of person Haring Arie was?

“Haring Arie was a very vane guy. When I met him he really behaved like “Follow me, I’m the boss of the Red Light District”, which was not true. In those days, he was not taken that seriously by the real important guys (like Black Joop). But through him I met almost everybody who was in those days influential and important.

Haring Arie was some kind of a messenger. He introduced me everywhere and we had a very good relationship. Thanks to him I made a lot of interviews with prostitutes, pimps and other people in De Wallen.”

Amsterdam, Red Light District, 1968. Haring Arie and his girlfriend Parijse Leen 1968. Photographer: Elliott Erwitt.

“Haring Arie was a very small criminal and especially when you’d compare him with nowadays criminals. He was a pity thief, really small – but he was a nice guy! He always had a big mouth and that was impressive. I was impressed by him as well!

When I met him for the first time I thought he was a very important guy and it took a few weeks before I found out that he was not at all that important.”

3 | How would you describe the prostitutes in Amsterdam in those years?

“I think most of the prostitutes came from Holland. There were hardly no foreign prostitutes – maybe some German or Italian girls – but most of them were Dutch.”

Amsterdam’s Red Light District in 1968. Photo by: Elliot Erwitt.

“Not all, but lots of the women were just lured into it, you know. When they came to Amsterdam they didn’t what they could expect and they were probably not even aware of the Red Light District at all. But there was always a guy who took them through Amsterdam and would give them a “nice life” and so on. And then they became prostitutes…”

4 | Were there any drug dealers in Amsterdam in the 60’s?

“There were hardly no drug dealers. There was some heroin, but hardly anything. That also had its influence of course, because in those days it was overall less aggressive. There was also less money involved and it’s only in the 70’s that all the heroin came into Amsterdam and that changed a lot.”

5 | How was Amsterdam Red Light District for you back then?

“Very romantic! A village so to say. Around Amsterdam’s Old Church was a very romantic neighbourhood with a lot of history. That is still there, of course.”

6 | How long did you spend in Amsterdam Red Light District to make the film?

“The shooting of the film took about one year, I think. It was very difficult to make the movie because we had no money & no permits. I started with my own money. I bought some roles of film and started shooting.”

Red Light District Amsterdam, Old Church Square, 1969. A couple walks next to a brothel. The man can not resist to have a look. Photo by Cor Jaring.

“I showed it to a Dutch television station and they said “okay, we’ll finance a little bit”. In those days a little bit is a few thousand. The funny thing is, the film has never been shown on television in Holland. It has been shown everywhere, but not in Holland and I still don’t know why.”

7 | Did all prostitutes and pimps allow you to film them?

“Most of them were not okay with it – they didn’t like it in the beginning. I had to talk with them a lot to convince them for permission. I also used the argument that people around them may think that they were a bad person.

So I said: “Show it and then we know you’re not – that you’re just human beings like we all are. That was a strong argument. Plus I had the help of Haring Arie and his wife of course. From then on I happen to know more and more people in De Wallen.”

Two prostitutes in Amsterdam’s Red Light District waiting for customers in 1967.

“I lived 10 minutes away from the Red Light District, so I quite often went there to look around and to see people without the camera. So the prostitutes and the pimps got to know me: “Oh, that’s the guy who’s making a film”. “

8 | Did you always go to Amsterdam Red Light District together with Haring Arie?

“No, after a while it was not necessary any more to go somewhere with him because people knew who I was. I always worked with my wife, my first wife. She did the sound and that gave some confidence, you know. When you see a guy with a camera and woman who’s doing the sound then you think that’s truth worthy. So that made it also easier, I think. And I must say that the people in the neighborhood were more honest because my wife was there with me. Especially among women it was easier to exchange knowledge and so on.”

Holland’s most famous prostitutes – Martine & Louise Fokkens – in their younger years.

9 | What did you say to the prostitutes in the Red Light District?

“Most prostitutes didn’t want anything to do with my film in the beginning because they were scared for their parents or they had other reason. But in the end, they were all quite happy with the film because it became a kind of presentation of the Red Light District. So, they trusted me and saw that I was honest in what I was showing.”

Blonde Mien & Haring Arie on the premiere-night of the film Around the Old Church Square in 1968. 

“And we had a wonderful premier night at the theatre in Amsterdam. All the prostitutes went to the premier as well – with all the crowns in their hairs – it was really something special.”

10 | Are you still in touch with some persons you met in Amsterdam Red Light District back then?

“No, not anymore. I think most of them died. The people I met back then, were of my age or older. They probably passed away.”

11 | What would you like to say to those who want to visit the Red Light District?

“Welcome! You’re welcome to Amsterdam Red Light District. And, it’s exciting! I travelled a lot around the world and I must say that the Red Light District is one of those places in the world that has something very special and it’s very authentic!”

Amsterdam, Red Light District, 1968. Picture made by Erwitt Elliott.

ALSO READ:

Amsterdam Red Light District History

History of Prostitution in the Netherlands

Amsterdam Red Light District FAQ

An Interview with Amsterdam's Drug Consultancy

Posted on: January 1, 2024

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Drugs Information Amsterdam

Amsterdam has a few places where people – locals & tourists – can get information about every kind of drugs. Including testing legal and illegal drugs. Professionals share their knowledge about alcohol and drugs, its effects and risks. Relatively speaking the Dutch are quite good informed when it comes down to alcohol and drugs. More open access to this information decreases the risks among users.

Amsterdam’s Foundation of Drug Consultancy

One of the most famous drug info place of Amsterdam was “Advies Buro Drugs” (translated: Foundation of Drug Consultancy). Unfortunately, after several decades this drug test lab closed it doors on this location. Since January 1, 2016 it stopped testing drugs.

Drug Test Lab in Amsterdam

We spoke with the founder of Foundation of Drugs Consultancy Amsterdam which was established in 1975. It aimed to increase knowledge and insight into everything related to the use of drugs. They want to make drug information available to the widest audience possible. People visited this drug test clinic, where various kinds of drugs – mostly illegal drugs like XTC, cocaine, MDMA, speed, etc – could be tested on its quality.

We wanted to know more about this place and interviewed the owner.


After 30 years the Foundation of Drug Consultancy stops testing drugs. From 1 January 2016 you can get your drugs tested at the Jellinek & GGD.

Could you tell us who you are and what kind of place this is?

My name is August de Loor. I am 67 years old and this is my office – my consultancy bureau of drugs. I give advice to the Dutch Ministry of Health and I give drug related advice to the City of Amsterdam, that’s my main task. I also do professional drug tests and inform those who want to know more about drugs.

Drug Policy in the Netherlands

Since when are you involved with the drug policy in the Netherlands?

I started in 1969 as a street corner worker and I saw the start of the modern drug use. The hippies started smoking cannabis and I was there. In the parks, in the center of Amsterdam and then a few years later when the explosion of heroin started, I was there too. So, my carrier started in the same period as the modern drug use started. Before that time – in the 1920’s – there was also drug use, but in the high class of society. In the 60’s, the drug use socialized. It  was the revolution of a completely new world and also in the use of drugs.

An article of a famous Dutch new paper: “Monday morning is busiest“…. “Listen to uncle August”

How did you become so interested in drug use and the drug policy in the Netherlands?

I was curious because I have been young too. I saw all the changes. The first cannabis users in Holland were arrested by the police or they had to addiction clinic and it was only about smoking a bit of weed. So that was a real stupid policy in Holland. Back then, the government’s policy was about repression and they had a mindset of “you’re a patient”. My approach was different.

I said: You have to accept the use of drugs but minimize the risk of it.

In other words: Harm Reduction!

Promotional material for safer drug use: “If you use XTC, take a taxi”.

So what did you do to reduce the risks of drug use?

I gave first aid on big parties in the Netherlands. I also tested cannabis in that time because it was being sold on the streets – so it was polluted. I also tested cannabis of drug dealers. In the time that heroin was popular in Holland – I became a person where junkies could go to for advice. More importantly, I started the needle exchange program – where one could get new, clean needles. I’m not a social, but more an inventor. To minimize the healthy risks, I invented a lot of things that became normal nowadays.

Target Audience for Drugs Advice

What kind of customers do you get here at your Foundation of Drug Consultancy?

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10 Awesome Now and Then Red Light District Photos

Posted on: December 21, 2015

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Amsterdam’s Red Light District Now and Then

It’s amazing how things and people change through time. We explored how locations across Amsterdam looked in times gone by. Click on the pictures below to enlarge them. Let’s start off at Dam Square…

Amsterdam’s Dam Square & Damrak street. (click on the pic to enlarge it)

The picture above shows the most visited area of Holland’s capital: Dam Square and the Damrak street. It shows Amsterdam in 2015 and 1960. Since the early days of the city, this has been the main entrance of Amsterdam and it’s located just 5 minutes away from the famous Red Light District.

Amsterdam’s Warmoesstraat. (click on the pic to enlarge it)

View of the oldest street in Amsterdam: The Warmoes street in 1900. The building on the left is hotel Krasnapolsky – an exclusive hotel which was build in 1880. Between the year 1770 and 1811, this building used to be an exclusive brothel – also known as a Play House.

Red Light District Now and Then: The Old Church Square. (click on the pic to enlarge it)

Johannes Baptista Bickhoff took this photo of the Old Square in 1914. Some of the buildings in the Red Light District are still here to this very day, as can be seen in this picture. The houses on the left are a few centuries old and have witnessed quite a lot of events and changes.

This is one of the many highlights during our walking tours.

Red Light District Now and Then: Narrowest Alley. (click on the pic to enlarge it)

This is definitely one of our favorite historical photos of Amsterdam’s Red Light District. It was taken in 1968 by the talented photographer Elliott Erwitt, who took famous pictures of Marilyn Monroe, Fidel Castro and Jacqueline Kennedy.

Red Light District Now and Then: Oudezijds Voorburgwal. (click on the pic to enlarge it)

This is perhaps the most beautiful painting of Amsterdam’s Red Light District. It was painted in 1670 by the brilliant Dutch painter Jan van der Heyden – who lived in the Dutch Golden Age (17th century). He was an artist who painted very precisely – especially for that time. Van der Heyden wasn’t just a painter, he was also an inventor. He wrote history by inventing the first firehose and street lantern.

 A brothel on the Oudezijds Achterburgwal street.

A view of the Red Light District on April 3rd 1984. A man with a leather jacket and hat walks next to a brothel where a prostitute is waiting for customers.

A street organ on the Oudezijds Achterburwal.

Same street, different time – most likely the 50’s. Some youngsters try to make some money by playing a street organ. Meanwhile, everyone continues their activities; A man lights his cigar, a guy cycles through the area and the youths are hanging around on their bikes. If you look closely you can see that Cafe Corso was already there in the 50’s and still to this day the cafe is around.

Red Light District Now and Then: Amsterdam’s Zeedijk street. (click on the picture to enlarge it)

This picture was taken on 28 November 1978. It shows The Sea Dyke street, one of Amsterdam’s oldest streets, located next to central station. Back then cars were allowed to park on this narrow street. The Sea Dyke is pretty filled with bars, restaurants, shops and whatnot. It’s also known as China Town.

Red Light District Now and Then: Zeedijk 46.

A lady is taking a siesta in front of Cafe Brabant which is nowadays a pizzeria and steakhouse. This pic was most likely taken in the 1960’s. During our walking tours we’ll pass by these beautiful locations in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. Book a tour and get shown around by a local.

BOOK HERE >

10 Safety Measures for Prostitutes in Amsterdam

Posted on: January 1, 2024

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Safety Measures For Prostitutes In Amsterdam

In order to ensure the safety of prostitutes in Amsterdam, the Dutch government has implemented several standardised laws throughout the years. With these prostitution rules the government believes that they make prostitution safer. For the prostitutes in Amsterdam Red Light District it comes down to the following 10 safety measures.

1 | Every prostitute has to be registered at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce.

In the Netherlands, every prostitute who is not working for a company has to be registered at the Kamer van Koophandel (Dutch Chamber of Commerce) as an independent entrepreneur.

Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands, and every prostitute working independently must be registered with the Kamer van Koophandel, the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. The KvK issues a business license and a tax number, and the prostitute is required to pay taxes on her earnings.

In addition, the KvK provides prostitutes with access to health insurance and other benefits.

Amsterdam escorts (sex workers) who work for a licensed escort agency or brothel are not required to register with the KvK, but they must obtain a work permit from the Dutch government. There are strict regulations governing the operation of escort agencies and brothels, and all businesses must be licensed by the government.

2 | Prostitutes are allowed to refuse customers (because they are self-employed)

As self-employed workers, prostitutes are allowed to refuse clients for any reason. In some cases, a client may be aggressive or they may not be willing to pay the agreed-upon fee.

In other cases, a client may simply not be somebody that the prostitute feels comfortable with. Whatever the reason, prostitutes have the right to refuse service. This ensures that they can provide a safe and enjoyable experience for both themselves and their clients.

3 | Daily shifts cannot be over 11 hours a day

Prostitutes in Amsterdam are subject to maximum working hours. They are not allowed to work more than 11 hours per day.

This limit is meant to protect their health and safety, as well as to prevent them from being exploited by their employers. Amsterdam’s prostitutes are some of the most well-regulated workers in the world, and they enjoy a high degree of protection from exploitation.

4 | The minimum age for prostitutes in Amsterdam Red Light District is 21

The minimum age for window prostitutes in the Amsterdam Red Light District is 21. This is not in line with the minimum age of other sex workers – like escorts – in the Netherlands, which is 18.

The Red Light District has a long history of catering to tourists and locals alike, and it has always been a popular destination for those looking for sexual services.

21 is now the legal age for all prostitutes in Amsterdam Red Light District, and this has helped to improve conditions in the Red Light District.

5 | Brothel operators have to contribute to the safety of the prostitute by being present at all times in case of emergencies.

It’s the responsibility of an operator of a brothel to contribute to the safety of the window prostitutes. This means providing security for them while they are working.

This includes CCTV, panic buttons, private security and being present in the Red Light District. It is also the operators responsibility to ensure that the windows are clean and well-lit, so that clients can see the prostitutes clearly.

This will help to deter clients from behaving in a violent or disorderly manner. Finally, the brothel operator should provide access to basic amenities, such as toilets and water, so that the prostitutes can take care of their basic needs.

By taking these measures, the window brothel operator can help to create a safe and pleasant working environment for the prostitutes in the window brothels.

6 | Sex workers have to show their registration at the Chamber of Commerce and a certificate of residence

As safety rules go, this one is fairly straightforward. Sex workers in the Netherlands are required to show their registration at the Chamber of Commerce and a certificate of residence to the brothel operator.

The rationale behind the rule is to help ensure that sex workers are who they say they are and that they are legally allowed to work in the Netherlands.

In addition, the law helps to protect sex workers from exploitation by ensuring that they are not being trafficked or forced to work against their will.

While the law may be inconvenient for some sex workers, it is an important safeguard that helps to protect their rights and safety.

7 | Brothel operators are regularly checked by the (local) government and police

In Amsterdam, sex work is legal and regulated by the government. Window brothel operators are required to obtain a license from the city, and they are subject to regular inspections by the police. This system is designed to protect sex workers from exploitation and sex crimes.

In addition, the government provides free health care and other services to sex workers. This system of regulation has been successful in reducing sex crimes and protecting the rights of sex workers.

8 | All window brothels have security systems like camera’s outside at the entrance & panic buttons inside

The safety of sex workers is of paramount importance. For this reason, all window brothels have security systems in place to protect the women working there.

These measures include cameras at the entrance to deter potential attackers and panic buttons inside the brothel in case of an emergency.

The women working in the window brothel also undergo safety training sometimes, so that they know what to do in the event of an attack.

As a result of these safety measures, window brothels are relatively safe places for sex workers to ply their trade.

9 | The police monitor the area 24/7 with dozens of camera’s and (undercover) officers on the streets

The police monitor Amsterdam Red Light District 24/7 with dozens of live cameras and (undercover) officers on the streets. By day, the area is bustling with tourists and locals alike.

The live cameras help the police to keep an eye on activities in the area, and the undercover officers help to deter crime. In addition to deterring crime, the police presence also helps to ensure that the area is safe for everyone.

The Red Light District is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Amsterdam, and the police work hard to make sure that it remains a safe and enjoyable place for all.

10 | The prostitutes are checked on income and tax.

Amsterdam’s Red Light District Is A Safe Area

Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands and therefore the prostitutes have the right to be protected by the government. Although absolute safety is difficult to guarantee, the implementation of these safety measures for prostitutes demonstrate that Amsterdam Red Light District has become a relatively safe area.

Especially compared to other countries in the world. It’s not for nothing that Amsterdam has a lot of prostitutes from abroad.

Amsterdam’s most narrow alley  – with 9 window brothels.

Although it is not mandatory, prostitutes make their own work environment more safe by doing regular health checks. Furthermore most prostitutes only do safe sex. They often get themselves tested for STD’s, which isn’t mandatory by the way.

The Dutch government supports these kind of safety measures for prostitutes by offering it for free.

There are actually three Amsterdam Red Light District areas: De Wallen, De Singel/Spuistraat and the Ruysdaelkade. All the districts are in residential areas surrounded by cafes, restaurants and stores. This results into a lot of social control, which is one of the safety measures for prostitutes.

De Wallen – a.k.a. the Red Light District – is the biggest area of its kind in the Netherlands. It currently contains 201 window brothels.

ALSO READ:

13x Amsterdam Red Light District Laws

Prostitution in Holland

Amsterdam Red Light District Prices

3D Printed Bridge In Amsterdam Red Light District

Posted on: June 21, 2021

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3D Printed Bridge In Amsterdam Red Light District

The 3D printed bridge at the Stoofsteeg in Amsterdam Red Light District, which was actually expected at the beginning of 2019, will be installed in about a month. Local residents and entrepreneurs are happy with it, because the emergency bridge that was previously on that spot was already removed in November 2020.

As a result, it took about half a year to go around. “We are very happy,” says a local resident, who also works in a shop on Oudezijds Achterburgwal. “It took so long. We didn’t hear anything. We also didn’t get input from the municipality.”

Entrepreneurs’ association BIZ Burgwallen sent a complaint to the municipality last week. “In addition to the lack of a necessary bridge on our canal, communication about this to our neighbors (residents) and entrepreneurs in the neighbourhood, despite repeated requests to create clarity or at least to communicate about the state of affairs.”

A few days after the letter, the municipality announced that the quay wall will be repaired from 14 June to early July. About a week later, the bridge can be supplied and placed over the water. The festive opening of the 3D bridge is expected two weeks later.

A spokesperson for the Centrum district says that the 3D printed bridge was repeatedly postponed because the quay wall turned out to be in poor condition and excavation and diving research was needed on the quay wall. The company that made the bridge says that the renovation of the quay wall was an “incredibly complicated project with all kinds of setbacks” for the municipality. The bridge has been ‘printed’ with special techniques and has been finished for a few years. Placing takes no longer than a few days in July.

The 3D-printed bridge is also a temporary bridge, which will remain in place for up to two years. After that, the original bridge is placed again. It is currently being renovated.

Several residents of the Red Light District are happy with this. “The old model fits a little better in the neighborhood.”

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