I visited the Red Light District for the first time in October.
I interviewed a resident of the area and toured the area.
There are many myths about one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world.
I had never been to the Red Light District before.
Last year, I went on a cruise on the west coast of Europe, which stopped in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, for two nights.
According to the Dutch Art Institute, 2.5 million people from across the world visit Amsterdam every year, and it was voted the second-best city in the world by Time Out in 2021.
The Red Light District is the most well-known part of the city. British men between the ages of 18 and 34 are often seen in this neighborhood, according to the city's government website. Sex workers in the famous red-light windows have been visited for bachelor parties.
There is more to the RLD than its reputation suggests.
There is more than one Red Light District.
I was not aware that there were three red light districts in Amsterdam. De Wallen is the most popular of the three.
The second-largest red light district, Singelgebied, has the highest percentage of blue light windows in the city, which are used by sex workers who are trans.
The same nightlife can be found in the third red light district, but it is much smaller. The website said that it is considered a more discreet place to visit.
Sex workers inform the public about their profession at the Prostitute Information Center.
The Prostitution Information Center is run by sex workers who want to inform the public about sex work in the Netherlands and to end the stigma that surrounds it.
I interviewed a woman who said she quit her job as a nurse to become a sex worker. When she isn't working, she spends her time at the PIC, where she speaks to the public, journalists, and women who have an interest in starting sex work.
There is a high police presence and strict rules in place to stop people from mistreating the sex workers.
A woman who is a resident of the RLD told me that there is a high police presence in the neighborhood.
Several signs in the area warned people that they would be fined if they drank on the streets or urinated into the canals. The public was told not to take photos of the sex workers.
I was told by the tour guide that tour groups are no longer allowed to enter the RLD because of the sex workers privacy.
4,000 people live in the area.
I didn't know that the RLD was a residential area. I thought it was for the windows, clubs, and bars.
A few people in the De Wallen district have taken part in an exhibition to promote respectful behavior from visitors.
The city council commissioned an exhibition next to the PIC that has photos of some of the residents, along with printed interviews where they explain why they enjoy living in the area.
The RLD was not always a popular tourist area.
The RLD was filled with both locals and tourists, who were either in pubs, at the windows, or just exploring the neighborhood like I was.
A local resident and participant in the exhibition told me that it wasn't always popular. She said that when she first arrived, the area was known as a hot-spot for drug dealers and knife crime.
The increase in police cameras and nice trendy shops made the neighborhood popular, according to Carmiggelt.
The original article can be found on Insider.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
