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