Today's entry focuses on a more adult and liberal aspect of Amsterdam. Warning: If you are easily offended, please skip this post. But I very much doubt many of you will stop reading. Some of the traits our education at St Joe of the Seventies imbued in us are: open-mindedness, tolerance and a sense of humour.
Also lest you think this site is going for cheap thrills, that is not so. The purpose is simply to reflect the very open nature of the Dutch culture and policies. Some of you might know that in this country, smoking cannabis is legal under certain circumstances and prostitution is also legal in specially demarcated areas. The Dutch have basically taken the pragmatic approach that if a problem is almost impossible to eradicate, it is better to legalise it but keep it under close control.
Guys, you don't know the sacrifices I'm making to bring interesting material for you on this blog .. LOL
I should also stress that by simply reporting on these topics, it does not necessarily mean I approve or support all they are doing. For that personal perspective, you will have to buy me a good dinner first :)
Amsterdam Coffeeshops
The first thing to note is that there are "coffee shops or cafes" and there are "coffeeshops" (almost always spelt as one word). We are talking about the latter here, and not cafes such as Starbucks and the like.
The rule is that people above the age of 18 are permitted to buy up to 5 grams of cannabis per day from a licensed coffeeshop and also to smoke it within the coffeeshop. I am told that 5 grams is a LOT ... more than what a normal person can smoke even in a few days. I've often been confused about the difference between cannabis, marijuana and hash. Anyway, I've learnt that marijuana (also known as weed, pot, dope, grass, ganja ...) consists of dried flowers or buds from the cannabis sativa or cannabis indica plants. Marijuana looks green and fluffy. Hash (hashish) is a concentrated resin that is extracted from those same plants by a variety of methods. Hash comes in brownish clay-like blocks.
Here's a picture of one of many coffeeshops one can find in the streets of Amsterdam.
All the coffeeshops have special licenses, and I've heard that the authorities are not issuing new licenses any more. I'm also told that such coffeeshops have been decreasing in numbers in recent years, although there are still well over a hundred in Amsterdam.
Before I leave this interesting topic, let me just add the usual caution: KIDS, PLEASE DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME :)
De Wallen - Amsterdam's infamous Red Light District
The Red Light District of Amsterdam is located a mere 10 minutes from the city centre (which is generally agreed to be Dam Square). It is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike - mostly men but a significant number of curious women too - and "window shopping" takes on a very different meaning in this area. (Mostly) beautiful young ladies, dressed in sexy lingerie, stand behind red lit windows, creating an exciting atmosphere. I read somewhere that there are about 250 windows spread throughout the different lanes in the area.
This area, called De Wallen locally, is actually one of the oldest parts of the city and the old buildings here have been left relatively unchanged. A canal runs through it and there is even a sizeable church (Oude Kerk) right in the centre of the area.
Here are some glimpses of the various lanes of De Wallen ...
And some of the windows and their attractions ...
This area is also home to a bronze statue - unveiled during the Red Light District's "Annual Open Day" in April 2007 - in honour of prostitutes round the world. It is believed that this is the first and only such monument in the world. The tourist guidebook has this description "Titled Belle, it depicts a full-breasted woman who is standing in a doorway at the top of small set of steps and looking self-assuredly into the world."
Here's a clearer view of the words on the plaque.
Well, I reckon that's enough for today. I hope you found that interesting and perhaps even somewhat educational. Views, comments and sharing of your experiences are, as usual, most welcome.
And finally, the "C" that I was mentioning in my previous post refers to "CULTURE" ... that's what I meant, of course. What were you all thinking?
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