The World's Oldest Capitalists
Hey Folks,
A long time ago, when I was only 20 years old, my highschool and college pal, Jim Gunther, and I went to Europe for two months.
We went on the “$5.00-a-Day Plan,” and – if you subtracted the air fare – it worked. That covered hotels, train and other travel, food, entertainment, and souvenirs. Needless to say, we were on the economy/youth track – no frills for us; wash your clothes in the sink/hang ‘em in the shower to dry; walk a lot; eat a little; splurge seldom.
Once on the French Riviera I ran into a movie theater in my bathing suit screaming “toilette,” “W.C.,” “bathroom” and holding myself because I’d refused to use the pay toilette at the beach, choosing to wait until I’d returned to the hotel. Since I had developed the infamous traveler’s gut (”the runs”) in the first week of the trip, that was a bad decision. Fortunately, someone at the theater deciphered my gibberish and saved me.
Anyway, by the time we got to Amsterdam, washing underwear and socks in the sink and “drying” them over the course of a week became a chore; and other clothes, too, had reached their limit of re-use – even by the standards of college-aged boys.
One evening we got directions at the hotel regarding the nearest Laundromat and set off to do our laundry.
Somewhere along the way, quite unexpectedly, we passed by a large window behind which sat a rather buxom woman dressed scantily in “sexy” fashion. It was a bit startling to two young guys seriously bent on finding the local Laundromat. We had read about “the District” in the tour book; we just didn’t know our hotel was on the outskirts (so to speak) of the place.
We got a number of eye-fulls, but proceeded steadfastly on to reach our destination.
It was closed.
So, we retraced our steps to the hotel, along the way ogling the Ladies once again. In the morning we returned to the now-open Laundromat and did our clothes – right alongside a number of the women we’d seen in the windows the night before. These were the legal professionals mentioned in the story below.
We also crossed paths with a bootlegging prostitute stationed in our cut-rate hotel. Jim and I had seen her; she was no beauty, and I would never have guessed her profession from her looks, but we got the low-down from some young Canadian soldiers staying there.
Professional girls are independent contractors, licensed and inspected regularly, and restricted to the district. Bootleggers follow none of the rules, work for pimps, and troll around in or near the district (our hotel??).
Anyway, the unfortunate woman in question was one night soundly (but far from soundlessly) beaten by her pimp, according to our Canadian friends (I later saw the black eyes myself). It is open to conjecture why he beat her – probably over money, but - honestly – I didn’t see how she could make much money as a siren, not equipped as she was by nature.
According to the story below, the District remains active and popular in Amsterdam, and – like everything else – has a few problems, but I’m glad it’s still in operation. As long as it remains, I’ll know there is one honest spot on earth where hypocrisy is banished !!! (and where goofy young men can do their laundry with advice from professionals as to how best to go at it).
- Uke Man
Visitors flood Amsterdam's red-light district
By Alexandra Hudson Sat Mar 31
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Amsterdam's sex workers came to work early on Saturday to offer a free look at the city's famed red-light district.
Hundreds of wide-eyed visitors queued in the sunshine to enter the dimly-lit sex clubs and peep shows that draw thousands to the city and to snoop around prostitutes' neon-lit boudoirs.
"I think the open day is a great idea," said Love, an erotic dancer at Amsterdam's Banana Bar, who was on hand to answer questions and pose for photographs in fluorescent negligee.
"It is especially interesting for women. If they learn what we do here they will realize it is not a big deal if their husbands or boyfriends want to come here."
Organizers staged the open day to counter bad publicity surrounding the 800-year-old district after harrowing reports of forced prostitution, human trafficking and organized crime.
More than 30 brothels are fighting closure after officials revoked their licenses last year over suspected links to money laundering and drug dealing.
But tourism authorities say the district -- a warren of narrow alleys and canals lined with sex shops, brothels and neon signs - - is as big an attraction as Amsterdam's art museums and coffee shops, where marijuana is freely smoked and sold.
Every night visitors throng the streets, agog at scantily clad women sitting behind huge red-lit windows, and who sell their services for as little as 50 euros ($66.58).
"I am here because my wife was interested in coming along," said 63-year-old Evert Rijnders from Haarlem.
His wife Jos added: "This has been a chance to look behind the scenes, and some things have definitely surprised me."
Organizer Jacco Wanders displayed a typical prostitute's bedroom, usually concealed behind red velvet curtains and fitted with an emergency alarm bell in case a client turns violent.
He laughed as visitors posed in the tall street-facing window or bounced around on the mattress.
"This day is to help break down taboos around prostitution and to create more understanding and respect," he said.
The "open day" concludes with the unveiling of a statue to an unknown sex worker, intended to honor those employed in the industry world-wide, including those without the same protection found in the Netherlands, where prostitution is legal.
Amsterdam's window-prostitutes are self-employed tax payers, hiring their own windows at around 110 euros per night.
"People who work in the sex industry don't get enough respect," said Mariska Majoor, a former prostitute who now runs the red-light district's information center.
"There are millions of them and many are in trouble. Some are abused by clients or pimps and it is important for them to know that they deserve respect."
(Additional reporting by Anna Mudeva)
A long time ago, when I was only 20 years old, my highschool and college pal, Jim Gunther, and I went to Europe for two months.
We went on the “$5.00-a-Day Plan,” and – if you subtracted the air fare – it worked. That covered hotels, train and other travel, food, entertainment, and souvenirs. Needless to say, we were on the economy/youth track – no frills for us; wash your clothes in the sink/hang ‘em in the shower to dry; walk a lot; eat a little; splurge seldom.
Once on the French Riviera I ran into a movie theater in my bathing suit screaming “toilette,” “W.C.,” “bathroom” and holding myself because I’d refused to use the pay toilette at the beach, choosing to wait until I’d returned to the hotel. Since I had developed the infamous traveler’s gut (”the runs”) in the first week of the trip, that was a bad decision. Fortunately, someone at the theater deciphered my gibberish and saved me.
Anyway, by the time we got to Amsterdam, washing underwear and socks in the sink and “drying” them over the course of a week became a chore; and other clothes, too, had reached their limit of re-use – even by the standards of college-aged boys.
One evening we got directions at the hotel regarding the nearest Laundromat and set off to do our laundry.
Somewhere along the way, quite unexpectedly, we passed by a large window behind which sat a rather buxom woman dressed scantily in “sexy” fashion. It was a bit startling to two young guys seriously bent on finding the local Laundromat. We had read about “the District” in the tour book; we just didn’t know our hotel was on the outskirts (so to speak) of the place.
We got a number of eye-fulls, but proceeded steadfastly on to reach our destination.
It was closed.
So, we retraced our steps to the hotel, along the way ogling the Ladies once again. In the morning we returned to the now-open Laundromat and did our clothes – right alongside a number of the women we’d seen in the windows the night before. These were the legal professionals mentioned in the story below.
We also crossed paths with a bootlegging prostitute stationed in our cut-rate hotel. Jim and I had seen her; she was no beauty, and I would never have guessed her profession from her looks, but we got the low-down from some young Canadian soldiers staying there.
Professional girls are independent contractors, licensed and inspected regularly, and restricted to the district. Bootleggers follow none of the rules, work for pimps, and troll around in or near the district (our hotel??).
Anyway, the unfortunate woman in question was one night soundly (but far from soundlessly) beaten by her pimp, according to our Canadian friends (I later saw the black eyes myself). It is open to conjecture why he beat her – probably over money, but - honestly – I didn’t see how she could make much money as a siren, not equipped as she was by nature.
According to the story below, the District remains active and popular in Amsterdam, and – like everything else – has a few problems, but I’m glad it’s still in operation. As long as it remains, I’ll know there is one honest spot on earth where hypocrisy is banished !!! (and where goofy young men can do their laundry with advice from professionals as to how best to go at it).
- Uke Man
Visitors flood Amsterdam's red-light district
By Alexandra Hudson Sat Mar 31
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Amsterdam's sex workers came to work early on Saturday to offer a free look at the city's famed red-light district.
Hundreds of wide-eyed visitors queued in the sunshine to enter the dimly-lit sex clubs and peep shows that draw thousands to the city and to snoop around prostitutes' neon-lit boudoirs.
"I think the open day is a great idea," said Love, an erotic dancer at Amsterdam's Banana Bar, who was on hand to answer questions and pose for photographs in fluorescent negligee.
"It is especially interesting for women. If they learn what we do here they will realize it is not a big deal if their husbands or boyfriends want to come here."
Organizers staged the open day to counter bad publicity surrounding the 800-year-old district after harrowing reports of forced prostitution, human trafficking and organized crime.
More than 30 brothels are fighting closure after officials revoked their licenses last year over suspected links to money laundering and drug dealing.
But tourism authorities say the district -- a warren of narrow alleys and canals lined with sex shops, brothels and neon signs - - is as big an attraction as Amsterdam's art museums and coffee shops, where marijuana is freely smoked and sold.
Every night visitors throng the streets, agog at scantily clad women sitting behind huge red-lit windows, and who sell their services for as little as 50 euros ($66.58).
"I am here because my wife was interested in coming along," said 63-year-old Evert Rijnders from Haarlem.
His wife Jos added: "This has been a chance to look behind the scenes, and some things have definitely surprised me."
Organizer Jacco Wanders displayed a typical prostitute's bedroom, usually concealed behind red velvet curtains and fitted with an emergency alarm bell in case a client turns violent.
He laughed as visitors posed in the tall street-facing window or bounced around on the mattress.
"This day is to help break down taboos around prostitution and to create more understanding and respect," he said.
The "open day" concludes with the unveiling of a statue to an unknown sex worker, intended to honor those employed in the industry world-wide, including those without the same protection found in the Netherlands, where prostitution is legal.
Amsterdam's window-prostitutes are self-employed tax payers, hiring their own windows at around 110 euros per night.
"People who work in the sex industry don't get enough respect," said Mariska Majoor, a former prostitute who now runs the red-light district's information center.
"There are millions of them and many are in trouble. Some are abused by clients or pimps and it is important for them to know that they deserve respect."
(Additional reporting by Anna Mudeva)
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