The Green and Red Light districts in Amsterdam

I've been away travelling so I am a bit behind with my posts. Two weekends ago (26-28 October) we went to Amsterdam, the city famous its red light district and for it being legal to smoke marijuana. Through most of the city you get wafts of sweet, sometimes musky smell of marijuana smoke. Even though it is preferred that you don't smoke it in the streets it is allowed in so called "coffee shops" where you can legally buy and smoke marijuana - from pre-rolled joints, to loose marijuana leaves which you can roll yourself. Ironically enough, it is not allowed to smoke normal cigarettes in most of these coffee shops.

Photo from Telegraph.co.uk

Although it is rather funny that a "soft" drug is legal in a country, I feel it doesn't necessarily justify that you use it. Hence, I cannot comment on the "coffee shops" experiences. I can comment and say that you will smell like smoke when you finally go home after walking through the streets and you will most certainly see people (mostly tourists) appearing very high (especially those who get the munchies and scavenging the supermarket isles). You can find marijuana flavoured lollipops and cookies in most tourist shops, although it doesn't contain marijuana. The "Green Light District" (which is also the name of a coffee shop in Amsterdam) is where most of these coffee shops are situated.

Photo from TravelPod

The other famous "attraction" is the Red Light District, also known as De Wallen. Now I really cannot comprehend how desperate you should be to 1) willingly become a prostitute and 2) make use of the services offered by prostitutes. To me, the area is really seedy and sordid - just the thought of girls wasting away their lives as prostitutes saddens me terribly. Especially when you realize that, despite the Government's efforts to control prostitution, there are many girls who were sold, trafficked or sold into prostitution. Often the girls get so caught up in dept or live such a lavish lifestyle that they can't or don't want to quit the industry.

The beginning of De Wallen

Nevertheless, the Red Light District is known for its tiny cubicles with bright red lights illuminating the glass doors (which are discreetly closed by a curtain when "occupied"). All the girls stand in prerogative poses, casually sits and chew gum, play with their hair or chat with their neighbour prostitute whilst waiting for a client. Often the girls lure people in with a wink and a come hither hand gesture. Usually there is a ultra violet light which also lights up the girls' neon underwear.  It's all rather funny to see young and old, couples and single people walking around, the men gawking and the women (often) giggling. In the area there are also several sex shops, a sex museum, peep shows, porn theaters and probably the most disturbing of them all, live sex shows. Tourists aren't allowed to take photos of the prostitutes, as can be expected, but it is allowed to take a photo of the streets etc. We even saw a group of young men having a bachelor's party - I'm sure that probably turned out into a disaster... unless the groom behaved himself, of course!

De Wallen

The irony of a church in the vicinity of the Red Light District. 

Amsterdam definitely has more to offer than these two popular districts. But it still is an experience to see it - I just don't necessarily think that the saying "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" counts in Amsterdam... Just because it's legal doesn't make it right, does it? That's just my opinion.

I'll make another post this week about some interesting sights in Amsterdam.

Have you ever been to Amsterdam? Would you smoke marijuana if it is legal? What is your opinion about legal prostitution and soft drugs?