| Probably you have heard about the Amsterdam | | | | of regulating and monitoring workingpractices and |
| Red-Light Districtas this is a very famous section | | | | standards. Also, it is worth noting that contraryto |
| in the Netherlands. Much toyour surprise, what | | | | the popular belief, the Amsterdam Red-Light |
| you may have heard is true! Here are somefacts | | | | District isactually the safest area in the city as |
| about the Amsterdam Red-Light District, a place | | | | clusters of policemenand private bodyguards |
| unlikeany place else. | | | | employed by the girls themselves arealways on |
| The famous Amsterdam Red-Light District covers | | | | duty. |
| a large areain the oldest part of the city. It has | | | | The Chinatown |
| been servicing the personalneeds and desires of | | | | The Amsterdam Red-Light District is one of the |
| locals and visitors for five centuries, andthanks to | | | | few places onearthy where you can authentic and |
| the old buildings leaning at odd angles | | | | really tasty Chinese food. |
| overlookingthe tree-enshrouded canals that a | | | | The restaurants in this district are easy to find as |
| certain charm tempts youto linger longer in the | | | | cooked |
| area. In this district, music of everygenre can be | | | | Duck is typically hung in the front window. |
| heard along the streets from a dozen or | | | | However, Chinatownin itself is misleading as there |
| moreplaces late at night. And, it is the classier | | | | are also dozens of Malaysian, |
| restaurants,redone streets, and revamped | | | | Indonesian and Thai restaurants and cafés |
| facades that transform whatonce dark and dingy | | | | scattered along thebeautiful canals. Besides the |
| into one of the most attractive parts oftown - | | | | restaurants, there are other |
| the Amsterdam Red-Light District. | | | | Chinese businesses in the Amsterdam Red-Light |
| Prostitution in the District | | | | District,including a well stocked supermarket |
| Did you know that prostitution is legal in the | | | | across from the Waag,near the Nieuwemarkt. |
| Netherlands? | | | | The Red-Light District Today |
| Yes, it is! It is most concentrated in the | | | | Amsterdam now prides itself on its wholly liberal |
| Amsterdam | | | | and tolerantattitude. The city embraces, with the |
| Red-Light District where it has enjoyed a long | | | | Amsterdam Red-Light |
| tradition oftolerance. It has been reported that | | | | District, embraces the fact that people may be |
| since October 2000,window prostitutes have been | | | | intoprostitution, pornography and soft drugs. So, |
| allowed to legally ply theirtrade. Much to your | | | | instead ofcriminalizing everything, Amsterdam |
| surprise, the prostitutes in the | | | | wears its heart on itssleeve. What you see is |
| Netherlands are also taxpayers. However, | | | | generally what you get. So, how doyou get to it? |
| discrimination isstill very much part and parcel in | | | | The answer basically lies on which Amsterdam |
| this kind of trade as anumber of the prostitutes | | | | Red-Light District you are looking for. There are |
| reported that some banks evenrefuse to grant | | | | actually three |
| mortgages for instance. | | | | Red-Light Districts in the city: the main area is in |
| Now, as a legal profession, the government | | | | the Walletjesarea, the Singel, and de Pijp. |
| ensures that allprostitutes are able to access | | | | Article written by Burt Cotton. |
| medical care and work inbetter conditions by way | | | | |