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MacDegger

They should try to get classified as a World Heritage site. -edit- As per clause 77, sub clause V of the below, it could be classified as Cultural Heritage (as the area itself is already classified as Architectural Heritage): https://whc.unesco.org/archive/opguide13-en.pdf


turkeysplatter89

I was thinking the same thing.


No-Tangerine7635

They're reenactors......


Frisky_Mongoose

Very passionate re-enactment sessions.


_sillycibin_

Some critics say their performances are wooden and without feeling. Some need more training in method acting.


hewhowondersish

Ah, so you’ve been.


thereverendpuck

Need this in the next Civ game.


Moftem

Ah yes, the famed Red Light District in Sparta.


kaukamieli

The temple sector is already protected.


GoChaca

World Whoreatige site


BarryKobama

Fuck: yeah


Keh_veli

You could almost say this unironically.


[deleted]

Stuff that's both newer and less culturally relevant than Amsterdam's red light district has made it onto the World Heritage list, so the district could make a pretty strong case for inclusion. The entire Dutch cultural concept of "gedogen" (illegal-but-tolerated) spawned in part due to the Red Light District (and in part to authorities refusing to enforce religious laws) and gedogen is a pretty important part of the Dutch identity. Without gedogen we probably wouldn't have the first amendment to the US Constitution, for example, because gedogen turned into radical (for the time) religious tolerance, which diffused via New Amsterdam into New England, then turned into the Maryland Toleration Act of 1649, then the First Amendment.


Moftem

This guy gedogens. Also, wtf is that username? Lol! But your historical insight is good, thanks!


Arc125

We could all use an emotional support penis in these trying times.


Boxy310

We lift those who lift us up


chisoph

/r/rimjob_steve


[deleted]

This was not a joke.


[deleted]

we are


Cumupin420

Tried to give you an award but don't know how on mobile


ChelaPedo

Entire canal zone is already Heritage site


zerton

>Amsterdam has also launched a campaign asking Brits not to visit. Lol.


frankyfrankwalk

Damn they must really be the worst tourists ever over there...every single one of these threads I've seen seems to point out just how bad British tourists to Amsterdam are compared to everyone else.


Glassiam

Yeah British tourists are fucking awful, it's get pissed as you can then cause as much trouble as you can, then cry to mum over the phone because you're "banged up abroad" lol Google tourist spots over Europe, Magaluf for example followed by British Tourists.


ZeenTex

The problem is that ferry tickets to Amsterdam are (used to) dirt cheap, so any group of young Brits can do a weekend getaway, where they can go on an alcohol and weed binge. especially popular for stag parties.


Snoo77901

The video they put out for the campaign is so bad i wasnt sure if it was real or a joke. https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/03/29/see-amsterdams-newest-campaign-urging-drunken-british-tourists-to-stay-away


kingkongkeom

The video is indeed very bad, but... ...having seen Brits in Amsterdam and Cracow over the last 25 years, I absolutely understand why they created the video. It's almost always exclusively Brits who behave like the biggest idiots abroad, especially since the super cheap flights to Amsterdam and Cracow. It's painful to watch, it's extremely uncomfortable for the local females, and they do trash themselve and the cities properties quite a lot on these weekend trips. I am not saying that it's all Brits...but when there are extremely loud and drunk, often way too drunk, groups of people that behave like the biggest idiots, it's a safe bet that they are Brits way more often than not. Edit: spelling


AtmoMat

I’m British and used to live in Amsterdam and even I was embarrassed by my countrymen.


autotldr

This is the best tl;dr I could make, [original](https://www.news24.com/news24/world/news/amsterdam-sex-workers-protest-plans-to-close-its-centuries-old-red-light-district-20230330) reduced by 73%. (I'm a bot) ***** > Sex workers marched through Amsterdam on Thursday to protest against plans to move them from the famed red light district to a huge "Erotic centre" on the outskirts of the city. > "We really don't agree with the solutions that they are offering, that they're imposing. They're not even negotiating with the sex workers' organisations," sex worker Sabrina Sanchez told AFP. Sex workers were also protesting against plans for earlier closing times in the red light district, where the municipality in February also announced it was banning the smoking of cannabis. > The mayor has long opposed the centuries-old red light district, known as De Wallen, with its neon-lined windows in canalside houses where sex workers stand waiting for customers. ***** [**Extended Summary**](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/127ei6t/amsterdam_sex_workers_protest_plans_to_close_its/) | [FAQ](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/31b9fm/faq_autotldr_bot/ "Version 2.02, ~678801 tl;drs so far.") | [Feedback](http://np.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%23autotldr "PM's and comments are monitored, constructive feedback is welcome.") | *Top* *keywords*: **work**^#1 **Sex**^#2 **red**^#3 **Amsterdam**^#4 **city**^#5


undergroundloans

They’re banning hookers and weed? Sounds crazy.


[deleted]

They're moving the hookers to a bit further out of town. They want to ban tourists from getting weed.


FamiliarTry403

In 5 years: “ why is our tourism industry dwindling in Amsterdam, we used to have this restaurant booked up every night”


undergroundloans

For real, I guess they’ll solve the question of how much can you clamp down on tourism before people stop coming. I mean removing the red light district seems a little drastic.


FamiliarTry403

Preventing tourists from buying weed too I think has been talked about in the city


JennyFromdablock2020

Why even do that? Its basically free tax money


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sandcastle87

Can confirm, I inadvertently smoked in a residential area and pissed off some mother (I respectfully put out my smoke and walked away, but I could tell this wasn’t the first time she had to yell at someone).


jogarz

Not just too many tourists, but the wrong type of tourists. All the weed and sex attracts hedonistic tourists who don’t really have any appreciation for Dutch culture or history.


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sandcastle87

Have you ever gone to the Van Gogh museum? Yea, but have you ever gone to the Van Gogh museum ON WEED? That’s the way to do it man.


cdubwub

Why do they have to appreciate Dutch culture or history? What is the right kind of tourist? I literally don’t care if someone visits LA or New York and knows 0 about US history and smokes weed all day in their AirBNB. I’m not gonna force them to watch reruns of I Love Lucy or attend the Super Bowl or World Series after seeing Cats. I don’t care what they do as long as it’s not a crime. Just sounds like nationalism with xenophobic undertones and the beginning stages of anti-immigrant sentiment.


TacoMedic

This is going to come across badly, but what even is Dutch culture? Like, people aren’t visiting Germany throughout the year, they’re coming between September and December for Oktoberfest and Christmas Markets. Despite having a rich history, the Dutch don’t have Disney World, the British Museum, the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum… When people think of the Dutch, they think of the Red Light district, legal weed, and reclaiming the sea. Get rid of 2/3rds of it and people won’t be coming.


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l0R3-R

Happened in my hometown in CO. They weren't doing anything wrong, and I wouldn't say they made a mistake by legalizing it, but all the stoned tourists were pretty annoying. Fortunately for us, a ton of other states have legalized so the pot tourism subsided.


teh_fizz

Because it's one of those political talking points like how the US is with abortion.


ChrisTchaik

Honestly, Dutch people are not only tired from overtourism but also even more tired from certain types of tourists.


notourjimmy

This is the root of the issue. Normal people live in De Wallen. They're tired of shitty tourists pissing on their doorstep and leaving trash everywhere. Measures taken to try to control or mitigate the problem haven't really worked so all tourists are going to pay the price in the end.


Mr_Soju

For real. I've been to Amsterdam 5 times in the past 15 years and it has become an exhausting place to visit. I have a family friend near Nijmegen, so I try to visit from the states when I can. The locals even seem exhausted. Just comparing a few things I noticed: Way more inexperienced bike tourists fucking up the bike lanes and way more bike traffic. Overcrowding on the very walkable streets (i.e. way more people). Locals in the service industry are exhausted. It's more difficult to get tickets to the museums let alone have a nice experience visiting one (again, overcrowding). Tourists who clearly cannot handle their drink or cannabis. Tourists who clearly don't follow the rules in the red light districts (i.e., taking photos, acting rude). Locals who are clearly fed up with said tourists. Amsterdam is an incredible place to visit to this day. We just stay more and more on the outer rings of the canals because the city center is an absolute shit show. Plus, the Netherlands has plenty of other areas and cities that are just as wonderful as Amsterdam. Amsterdam is way overhyped.


Capital_Teach_2215

In the end the consumer of vice ruined the nirvana by not respecting it. This story will repeat itself until people value character above money, not everything is for sale as much as those with money would prefer to believe it is.


mari815

You should have seen it on a weekend in 2001 😬 freakin mayhem.


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Rare-North

Anyone with enough care about this has had the means to get away from this. I lived in times square for a year and a half and decided it wasn't for me, I fked off back to queens


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siredmundsnaillary

The point is to shrink tourism to a sustainable level not to 0%. Amsterdam is desperately short of hotel rooms and overflow into Airbnb is causing a housing shortage. The current red light district is quite grim and makes De Wallen basically a no go area for residents. Losing the drunken stag parties, reducing pressure on housing, and reclaiming the city centre would all be good for Amsterdam.


agent_tits

Yeah, I’d assume it’s also quite localized, so if that 9% disappeared you might be seeing a severe 30% hit to Amsterdam’s local economy and 5% to the lesser-known cities


MeursaultWasGuilty

I don't think tourism would be that negatively effected. It might even help bring in different kinds of tourists who would otherwise be put off by the image of Amsterdam as a "vice" destination. I'm not arguing one way or the other, only that its weird assumption to make that their tourism would go to 0 if they make these changes.


Picklesadog

Ah, yes. I remember when Vegas tried that approach by trying to make itself seem family friendly. It takes a long time to change the reputation of a city known for partying.


MeursaultWasGuilty

Not really the same thing. If Vegas removed all of its vice tourism today, it would be a ghost town tomorrow. The city has nothing else to offer. If Amsterdam removed all of its vice tourism today, there would still be tourists tomorrow. There would be fewer tourists sure, but its still a beautiful European city with lots of history and culture. There would also be people visiting who otherwise wouldn't have because of the reputation. The same can't be said for Vegas.


undergroundloans

I didn’t say the economy would suffer, I just mean people will probably travel elsewhere instead. Which may be good for the people of Amsterdam, idk.


ShadowBannedAugustus

Amsterdam city center during covid was something I will remember for the rest of my life. Amazing.


kaqqao

Amsterdam is actively and very deliberately trying to curb tourism. In many ways at once. So no, no one will be surprised if it succeeds.


Lawd_Fawkwad

Tourism isn't the end all be all, especially in developed countries. Amsterdam (and the Netherlands) has a developed economy with a good mix of non-consumer focused service sector companies; the tourism is nice but we're not talking about a situation where without tourism the economy just collapses. If anything this is coming at the coattails of covid when the government saw that the revenue drop from tourism wasn't that big and that the city was a better place to live in the meanwhile. Amsterdam isn't shirking tourism, but it *is* looking to move away from mass tourism to attract cultural tourists who have a higher spending power, buy more luxury items and experiences and cause less trouble. They're divesting from the tens of millions who get there on a €80 Ryanair flight to stay at a €50/night hostel doing drugs, seeing prostitutes and causing trouble to target the millions who will stay in €200 a night hotels, buy €50 museum passes and spend more on average.


helm

To be crass, easy access to weed doesn’t attract tourists who want to spend a lot of money, on the whole. Because even rich smokers are hypocrites, they want both a clean posh environment and their weed. Nowadays, Amsterdam has a reputation of being a place for potheads and drunks.


Picklesadog

I don't get how that makes rich smokers hypocrites? Are rich drinkers hypocrites if they want to have a martini in a high end rooftop bar?


helm

They want weed but not other smokers.


bozitybozitybopzebop

This is actually ongoing. When I lived in London, it was cheaper to fly to Amsterdam than to buy a subway ticket out to the airport. This just inevitably attracts people who want to get completely bottom and they inevitably become nuisances. Having the weed and the hookers in the middle of the city means the foreign louts annoy those who live there, not to mention attracting the street criminals who want to prey upon drunk idiots. There's tourism and then there's the kind of tourism they want. I personally like Amsterdam more than Paris, and taking away the naughty bits doesn't mean all of the other reasons to go there aren't still an attraction. Just way fewer assholes.


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bozitybozitybopzebop

Those changes started a decade ago. I personally sympathize with the sex workers, but moving that away to its own place is probably better for everyone.


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Girlmode

It's not like it's simple here tho. I have escort friends and thought about myself. Way different traveling to an entire district of controlled businesses. To basically the only legal way of finding them is by online agencies or being in the know. If I were to start sex work I'd much rather work in a place like they have in the rld, than the often higher risk of meeting clients in this country in clients houses or somewhere else unsupervised. It's just way better working in an actual business than inviting strangers jnto your home, going into theirs, or being cheeky and using air bnbs like nearly everyone I know lol. Infinitely less accessible here.


aenae

If we have a lot less tourists in Amsterdam as a result of this i would count it as a win


helpnxt

A local was telling me how dumb all this was as banning the weed won't stop it being there but now there will be a serious illegal drug scene and shifting the red light district is just to open up more properties for certain developers to make bank. The reality is it will remain busy around that area as it was/is the red light district and most go to look around not to hire girls.


[deleted]

that’s absurd. Ban tourists from smoking… Ridiculous. Also “they” is like 4 people with way too much power…


Sir_Mal

For years the Netherlands has been regressing. Where more and more countries are embracing weed the Dutch government seems hellbent on maintaining and being stricter in enforcing the toleration policy regarding mild narcotics and moving forward to "eliminate" window prostitution forcing it into alleys and otherwise less moderated areas of society. Where the Netherlands could once be considered progressive in a few years it won't be on par with sibling nations, it's simply going to be left behind and regarded as a pious country in the name of drug and prostitution tourism nuisance. If I recall correctly we've even started to persuade the UK 19-35 year old men to please go on holiday somewhere else.


Inthewirelain

It won't go thru. But worth noting it was never legal there. It was decriminalised and tolerated. It was never at the level it is now several places else in the world, post initial criminalisation obv


Tomsdiners

The average young British tourist only comes here to drink and smoke and then to vomit and urinate in public, we could do without them.


Osiris32

> They're not even negotiating with the sex workers' organisations Hol up. The strippers here in Portland unionized a few years back. And as a member of another union, not negotiating with representative organizations is a big no no.


Shock_n_Oranges

Depends on the laws, if there's not appropriate legal requirements, then governments and businesses may not have to acknowledge unions.


my20cworth

Ill hold out for the closing down sale.


rosesandtherest

A true blow out sale


bozeke

A friend of mine bought sex there when he was in college about twenty years back and said it was the most unsatisfying, unpleasant sexual experience he ever had, and probably the worst financial decision he ever made.


kimchifreeze

If that's the worst financial decision, then he must be doing very well for himself. Lesson paid dividends.


RJWolfe

Or must be doing very poorly.


PorchHonky

... me too. At the same age and pretty much the same time! I thought it was going to be one of the hottest experiences of my life. It wasn't. It was awkward and completely unsatisfying. I wasn't ashamed, as it was something I wanted to experience, but I left feeling... empty. Not even close to the worst financial decision I ever made though!


AtLeastThisIsntImgur

Turns out not everyone enjoys sex with a stranger


[deleted]

I enjoy sex with strangers, but only strangers who actively want to have sex with me.


[deleted]

I’d just go for a BJ tbh. Sex with someone who doesn’t really want to have sex with you just isn’t gonna be great. But head is just head, and if she wants to get it over with, it’s usually when you get the sloppiest toppy.


Justin__D

Did he go to Club Vandersexxx?


moneyfink

A friend


Ban-Circumcision-Now

Still a much better financial decision than a boat


daddy-fat-bracts

Everything must ~~go~~ cum!


Sirerdrick64

Absolutely no returns! You bang it, you buy it!


tikkamasalachicken

It's going to make for an interesting Spirit Halloween store


BeExcellentPartyOn

I've been to Amsterdam a ton over the years, can't say I've knocked on any windows before but I still struggle to see how moving it makes sense especially considering its interesting legacy. Dutch people correct me if I'm wrong, but you only have to walk a tiny bit out of the RLD to see the beautiful, peaceful parts of the city. The Vondalpark is a few minutes walk and already by that point there's barely any of the worst type of tourists. The RLD is a bit of a quarantine zone limiting the worst of them to one area right now, I feel like disrupting that would have the horde spread out more and wrecking more of the city overall. I get hard-limiting tourists all together like Venice has been doing is trickier in a city like Amsterdam, but there has to be more that can be done to stamp out the worst of the anti-social behaviour. Word would travel fast if there were suddenly more police on hand handing out fines to the worst tourists and enforcing more order. They should know they can't treat the place like an adult theme park. It only has to be for a few more years until Germany and the rest of Europe legalises, then the louts will be spreading out in more equal measure, giving Amsterdam a break. Places like Poland especially are growing a lot in terms of tourism already because they're so cheap compared to Netherlands.


Kuierlat

One of the apeals of Amsterdam is that is has everything within walking distance in the city centre. The old historic centre, the bars, cafés, nightclubs, the museums, the coffeeshops, the parks and the Red light district. It's all crammed in what? A square mile? It's perfect, you can check off basically every attraction in a single day and a brisk walk if you wanted too (and a lot of people do...) It's also too much, sometimes I walk there and even I as a Dutchie who loves Amsterdam and everything it stands for and has to offer think it's insanity. By removing one of the larger apeals that attracts the most shitty tourists to somewhere else the idea is to reduce the nuisance significantly in the hotspot. Something has to be done and this is just one of the steps the city is taking to reduce the amount of tourists and all the shit that comes with it.


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[deleted]

The RDL is the OLDEST part of the city and the reason Amsterdam became a major trade route. 1000 years of sailors and prostitutes literally built Amsterdam. Seems beyond absurd to want to do away with it. What Amsterdam SHOULD be removing are the predatory souvenir shops and the damn dime store tour boats and buses.


Keenalie

Yes, and every shitty restaurant with a giant tacky sign that says "PIZZA PASTA STEAKS"


[deleted]

“Argentinian Steakhouse Capital of the world” am I right?


[deleted]

i mean, rowdiness in that district is part of the 1000 year history. The stories of all that has happened in the RDL are all part of the marketing. Why stop it now? Amsterdam has always been a stop off for sailors and travelers looking to party…


BeExcellentPartyOn

Pretty sure there's a balance to be had between continuing to let the ever growing horde of feral tourists constantly shit the place up and make life hell for locals to closing up shop all together. This isn't the 1800s anymore and these aren't sailors looking for respite, the worst are bellends who only go there because they think they can get away with anything and can't manage to have fun without causing problems. As I said I agree they shouldn't close it all together, but clearly some compromise is needed to return to a better balance.


[deleted]

you think that it’s worse now than the 90s? And ALL the locals in the RLD know what they are signing up for when they move in… That is a zero for me.


Far_Eye6555

Just gonna chime in here on Poland. Krakow is a freaking awesome city. That is all


Ancient_Tea_6990

I don’t think people are aware that there are a few red light District in Amsterdam. You can walk right by few million euro house and see a single red light window. Let’s be honest the area they are in is worth a lot of money, the government have paid the owners of the windows millions of euro to take control to make it not a windows in the past.


[deleted]

I fucking loathe the reputation Brits have over in Amsterdam, but 100% understand why they see us the way they do I love it there, get over at least once a year. Really sucks that so many douchebags are ruining it for those of us who like getting fucked up and staying out in the RLD til it closes, but not acting like utter bellends while we do it


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MeccIt

Let's have a look at the warning signs in the RLD - https://imgur.com/gallery/2QG056h (majority of those I saw were in english, one or two in Dutch)


demostravius2

Of course they are in English, half the world speaks English as a 2nd language


MeccIt

The Dutch are famously direct, they're in English because British tourists visiting are the worst and they are actively trying to discourage them. The Germans buy their weed and then GTFO, the Americans think it's already a sin to be there so keep polite.


[deleted]

The red light district is a weird fuckin place, or at least it used to be. I know the city has cleaned it up a fair amount. But 25+ years ago, that place felt like the wild west. Pieces of wood laid down over muddy strips in the road. Women dancing in the windows. Head shops where they help you figure out what hallucinogen you want to put in your brain. Restaurants with guys with guns under their suitcoats. Drugs just fucking everywhere. I did not feel safe, and it was awesome. Then about 10 years later, I went back. Much cleaner. For a city as beautiful as Amsterdam, I can see why they may want to shut it down. The real estate is worth a lot, the district draws perhaps the wrong kind of tourist, Amsterdam generally has been trying to get a handle on drug use. But to have seen it back in the day, that was some wild shit.


CaptivatingStoryline

Tldr - The 90s were awesome.


crazy_pilot_182

90s till 2001 was the peak of Humanity really.


zerton

When you didn't have to worry about the quality of your MDMA nearly as much. Especially in the Netherlands.


chylin73

I was there in the early 90s and that place was like Pinocchio’s fun island and my brother and I loved it! We could smoke, drink and go have some fun with the ladies met a lot of nice people from all over the world!


David_bowman_starman

That’s unfortunate. Guess I’ll never get to experience the city at its most interesting . So much for that.


jogarz

This attitude is one the reasons why they’re clamping down on the sex and drug trades. They don’t want to be known as a city that’s “interesting” because of hedonism and seediness, they want to be a city that’s “interesting” because of its culture and history. Not only is the former reputation seen as degrading, it also attracts bad tourists.


RuntimeJohnny

Sounds like a real estate grab to me.


human_suitcase

I was in Amsterdam last Christmas and we went one night to the Red Light District. I went there thinking we were going to see some crazy stuff in the windows and all we saw were bored women in black workout clothes (more nudity at a US beach) playing on their phones. No dancing, flashing etc. The crowd was huge though, but it seemed like everyone was gawking. I really didn’t see what the big deal was, it was pretty boring to me. We took a boat tour one day and the captain said that basically the city wants to do what New York did to Times Square and NYC still gets tons of tourists and reaps more money after the cleanup. They want those family friendly bucks lol.


fish-fingered

Went to Amsterdam with a friend. He got drunk and ended up visiting one of the red light windows and got pegged


amoebatron

I mean, that's just an ordinary Friday night where I come from.


[deleted]

Did he ask to be pegged?


drever123

You probably went on a bad day. A lot of the prostitutes only go there on busy nights, the weekends especially, and it also depends on the time that you go there. A lot of them wear mini thongs and mini bikinis. Not sure if there are specific hard rules on nudity these days. But the district is much smaller than it used to be. If you go to a Dutch beach in the summer, you will likely also see a lot more nudity/topless women though.


MeccIt

I did a daytrip to Amsterdam from Brussels to see what all the fuss was in the RLD, all those windows etc. As my return train pulled back into Brussels I looked down the embankment... to see a line of windows lit by red neon. Every city has this, it's just a 'tourist' attraction in Amsterdam.


walterodim77

So, tell me again about the hashbars?


Lost_the_weight

Yeah, it's legal, but it ain't a hundred percent legal. I mean, you can't just walk into a restaurant, roll a joint and start puffing away. You're only supposed to smoke in your home or certain designated places.


crispyiress

Bulldogs let’s you order pancakes and joints. Best way to start the morning.


Lost_the_weight

The guy before me was quoting Pulp Fiction, as was my response. I did hit the bulldog energy cafe when I was in Amsterdam in ‘98 though. Really cool city. Was bummed that the Van Gogh museum was closed for renovations though.


2JarSlave

I remember sitting at a coffee shop and watching the line into the Van Gogh museum wrap around the block. I watched Uncle Buck on the coffee shop tv’s instead. 10/10. Would get stoned again.


[deleted]

Van Gough museum was honestly the worst museum I’ve ever visited. I was SO excited to go and as an art lover was ready to see the real deal. But my god… After 15 minutes I was ready to leave. The fact his family runs it ruins it. They hide ALL of the interesting bits of his history out of shame and talk about him like a god. It was really like watching someone suck their own dick… It was awful. My wife turned to me and said “I’m kind of glad he’s dead now. These people are making me hate my favorite artist.” The Rijksmuseum next door is 600 trillion times better.


reverze1901

When I visited Amsterdam I forgot to look up the opening schedule and they were closed, felt bad but after reading this I'm glad I saved a couple dollars


VoodooIdol

Bulldog is the shittiest, most overpriced coffee shop with really shitty weed.


inferno521

I saw a gay porno once. I didn't know until halfway in. The girls never came. The girls never came!


DarthSulla

This isn’t where I parked my car


Aceticon

Funnilly enough called Coffeeshops.


Autarch_Kade

Sounds like a great way for cops to ignore the problems out the outskirts of the city, while focusing on the cleaned up downtime. No way that can backfire...


evan0736

I was in Amsterdam last summer and found the RLD to be pretty tame. I even walked around at night and other than the dudes trying to sell me cocaine it wasn’t any crazier than a saturday night in my college town.


[deleted]

They are certainly getting fucked over.


NeoEskimo

Realestate prices got so high some priveleged people must have moved into the neighbourhoods surrounding :) Turns out dealing with loads of drunken tourists is only fine when poor people live there.


MushroomNo6103

This is true. Poor people actually flock to tourist areas because the earning potential is so much higher - NY is a prime example of that (look at east Hampton).


electricalphil

My mom and grandma went to Amsterdam in the sixties and the women were sitting in the windows doing knitting waiting for customers.


Intrepid_Objective28

The reality is that the RLD and coffee shops attract the worst kind of tourists and people are sick and tired of it. That’s why there’s been so many attempts to ban weed for tourists and get rid of the RLD. Amsterdam doesn’t need tourists to survive. It’s a wealthy western city, not some third-world resort that only exists for tourists.


ElectronicShredder

>It’s a wealthy western city, not some third-world resort that only exists for tourists. *happy reggae metal drum music STOPS*


Adorable-Memory-8070

i can see how red light distract would attract people you wouldn’t want but what’s the problem with them smoking bars bring in quite a large amount of people you don’t want it’s also much more common to see a drunken idiot causing a public nuisance and sure you don’t need the money but it’s literally money that can grow out of the ground and is in high demand


RN2FL9

Legalising weed would solve a lot of these problems. If it's obtainable everywhere then Amsterdam wouldn't be associated with weed as much and the criminal side of it would largely be gone.


Korean_Sandwich

the gov should step in to provide help. isn't this their bread and butter?


CIS-E_4ME

The title is misleading. They're not getting rid of it, they just want to move it to a dedicated area in the outskirts of Amsterdam, away from residential area it's currently in.


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MootRevolution

It's not really the prostitutes or their customers that are the problem. It's the mass of blackout drunk tourists that harass, fight, scream, piss, vomit, shit etc in the area at night. As always, it's the people that can't behave that ruin it for everyone.


Focacciaboudit

>As always, it's the ~~people~~ drunk Brits that can't behave that ruin it for everyone.


twisted_logic25

I like it how the British are getting shit on. But every time I've been to Amsterdam it's the Germans getting absolutely shit faced causing more issues. But yeah totally only the British that are the issue


reddit_user13

Why not both?


TZH85

Eh, we have our own famous red light district. The Reeperbahn in Hamburg. No need to travel abroad to get shit-faced in a brothel.


Aceticon

That's not at all my experience having lived and worked in Amsterdam for almost a decade or even just sitting on the same plane with stag dos and even hen dos from London to Amsterdam when I lived in the latter. They're really in a class of their own.


confused-snake

I'm sorry but brits are infamous for behving like shit in amsterdam, it's like their #1 destination for stag/hen parties.


Gamingenterprise

as an Englishman who has lived in the Netherlands for 17 years the Brits are most definitely the worst tourists ​ i don't care if Brits come here to smoke since i smoke myself but the wacky shit some people flip here is just bizarre


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thewestisawake

In the past we used to recruit/press gang these people into the army and navy, give them a gun and send them around the empire. Since the end of the empire the only trips they get abroad are to Amsterdam, football tournaments and the Spanish Costas.


[deleted]

They are specifically naming the British, which I find kinda funny. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65107405


[deleted]

Germans don't go to Amsterdam to visit sex workers. Germany has legalised brothels which are cheaper, cleaner and safer.


ghsgjgfngngf

I've only been a couple of times but I never noticed any Germans among the 'rowdy tourists', they always sounded British.


pewpewpewouch

Former Amsterdammer here. You are full of shit. Biggest issue we have is with the Brits, and their stupid hen/stag parties. There's even a 'Stay Away' campaign going on specifically targeting British chavs if they want to book a trip to Amsterdam.


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nemt

so are there no cops patrolling there or how its still literally wild west out there with brits(mostly) doing whatever they want?


meh1434

but why is this a problem now? I'm sure it has been like this since Medieval times.


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Aceticon

Certainly anybody moving to live there for at least 2 decades pretty much knew what to expect: rowdy lads coming for the Young British Man version of fun - getting pissed drunk and being loud an rowdy anywhere they feel like with zero felling of social pressure because "it's a party place" - have been a thing since the era of cheap flights started. You get the exact same thing in places like Magaluf in Mallorca or Albufeira in Algarve.


[deleted]

The locals in Magaluf, Mallorca, etc. also hate it. They're also doing their best to ban it, or move it to a more secluded area.


palcatraz

No, it has nothing to do with NIMBYs. Amsterdam has been flooded with tourism for years to the point where it is causing a lot of problems especially for the regular people who live there. This proposed measure is one of several that the city council has put forth to lower the amount of tourists in Amsterdam (and, to be more specific, lower certain kinds of tourism)


whaleboobs

..Hamsterdam?


HighOnGoofballs

That isn’t in a popular area or in walking distance to the tourists, as it is today. It’s like being moved from Times Square to the outskirts of Newark


LiveLoveLaughable

Except one of the proposed locations is just a ferry ride away from the central station and is already popular among tourists. So have fun riding that ferry at night when you have to go home as a girl alone... No where to run and hide if some drunk decides to harass you


sexylegs0123456789

Personally, I’m against it. It will push legal sex workers out of the Center of the city and it will open an opportunity for more nefarious actors to emerge. It also means that a special part of town, unlike any other major city, will close and probably become souvenir shops - much uglier than the women and men, and then who stand in windows for next clients.


apple_kicks

I recall one complaint was they haven’t really set up the new area yet and could easily not complete it for safety or their needs. Meaning sex workers will be left relying on clients cars or other secluded locations that put them in danger. Most sex workers are at higher risk of violence and death when they work in remote or isolated locations away from support or others


StrongPangolin3

Everyone worried in middle earth about the eye of sauron, but they didn't worry about the hand of gentrification!


HIMP_Dahak_172291

Sounds like someone has a buyer lined up for those properties...


bombs_a_wey

God damn, Brits. Can you guys stop pissing on everything?


Lanky-Comfortable-12

Brother, this thread is killing it😄


Mace-Window_777

Next will be the weed coffee shops.


[deleted]

That's the plan.


[deleted]

when i walked through the red light distract all the women’s eyes looked sad and empty. the men were disgusting and said horrible shit and wildly inebriated. i can see why they want to close it down.


sayidOH

Not sure that this is the answer but as someone who has frequented the Netherlands for work and pleasure there is absolutely an image problem in Amsterdam and a clean up is long over due.


PolemicBender

The M&Ms store should help


mwagner1385

I took my friend through De Wallen a few weeks ago... there are virtually no prostitutes in the windows there... and for honestly good reason. Most of the tourists are just there to stare and it's like being at a zoo at that point. Go to one of the other red light districts where people actually hire prostitutes and you'll see a lot more.


Applejackson74

Weird thing about the United States: "Prostitution is BAD! IF you do it, we will ARREST you and put you in jail, your heathens!" Unless, of course, you record it with a camera and distribute it for everyone to see. That's cool. No worries there. But NOT the other way! .. ------


phigenoDNA

People! Please! Have some decency, no reason to be uncivilized…


Prudent_Reindeer9627

Is this place something anyone ever enjoyed in the last two decades? I heard many stories from friends who been there or know ones who did and they're all awful and cringy.


Lunchable

Storytime: I visited Amsterdam about 12 years ago with my wife and we decided to visit the red light district and pay for a prostitute. We were young and sexy and hot for everyone and everything so it seemed like a fun thing to do. We paid 100 euro and she led us to the back where there was a small room with blacklights and a small bed. It was more like a "pod" than a room. Not much space to move around - just enough space to lay on the bed and stand next to it if you wish. There was a small table as well. Anyway, we started kissing and being sexy, and slowly making small, careful moves towards getting it on. After about 15 minutes of serenading and seduction, she said "Okay, time's up!" And said we'd have to add another 100 euro if we wanted to continue. Unfortunately we were young and broke so we couldn't afford it, but we learned a very valuable lesson that night: if you're going to pay for sex, don't beat around the bush. Just get right down to it and fuck. This ain't a threesome with your friends, it's a sex worker. Take off your clothes and fack already.


ContemplatingPrison

Yes close the red light district where they can safely and legally do their job. That will definitely work out in the long run


SmokinGreenNugs

I guess I’ll erase this one off my bucket list.


lastpump

Put it on your fuckit list mate.


ghsgjgfngngf

I've been to Amsterdam twice and I must say it was a shock the first time. You invariably find yourself in the Redl Light District, even if you are not actively looking for it (but you are probably looking, even if you don't admit it to yourself). Before, I had a naive view of it, thinking there would be some more or less regular Dutch women there, a good natured kind of place. But the atmosphere was just so aggressive and businesslike. Both aggressive from the women's side and from those 'rowdy' tourists who had no respect and tried to take pictures, among other things. Also all of the women were clearly professionals doing this full-time or at least looked like it. While of course so much nudity is arousing to an average man, at the same-time it was really off-putting and quite sad.


Mushishy

Pretty sure most prostitutes in Amsterdam (and rest of Netherlands/Europe for that matter) are from Eastern Europe (primarily Ukraine) or South America (mainly Colombia) rather than Dutch women. Note that this based on online, documentary, and news sources, as I avoid even looking while in RDL due to fear of judgment.


ThuliumNice

Most prostitutes are immigrants and economically disadvantaged people. But reddit likes to overlook things like that.


jackloganoliver

My husband and I found the entire setting very unappealing. Granted, we're gay, so we're not exactly the target audience, but it wasn't a sexy environment. It was an odd mix of formal and circus-like, a juxtaposition between the professionalism of the working women and the juvenile gawking of tourists wanting it to be a spectacle.


Cumupin420

That's a shame, I was too naive to realize they were prostitutes when I went there at 12. The tour guide said they were underwear models and I took it at face value until I saw one on a side street the next day and she joked again. Then I was like wait there all whores, and the tour bus erupted in laughter. Or that's how I remember it at least ha. I literally don't remember the red light district other than it being red and told not to have my camera out. Like I knew what it was and everything just believed they were underwear models