Amsterdam: Liberated, Progressive, Beautiful

First things first: Aunt Karen- Your spirit has touched us all and we will always remember and feel you with us.

After a brief hiatus in the U.S. filled with the 3 Fs (family, friends, and food) I headed back to the mother-land. An 8 hour layover in Amsterdam brought a wonderful opportunity to take the train into the city and experience this progressive, old world, European town. Driving through the city was enlightening as I passed various neighborhoods including the “slums” as my new friend pointed out. These “slums” reminded me of middle-class America, their neighborhoods were litter-free, had colorful playgrounds, gardens, and fields for playing. Windmills surrounded large factories and green fields were interspersed throughout the city. I arrived in the city center and hit up some “cafes” and “coffee shops” and got a taste of local-legal life! The beer was fantastic and I met 4 great guys on their lunch break, we shared an experience together while talking about their innovative ideas for the future of T.V. (interactive TV from home).

A fancy, historical building?...naa just the train station.

The canal running through the city provides an opportunity for boat rides and reminds me that we really CAN have a Litter-Free Inner Harbor in Baltimore!

You walk through the narrow alleys and streets surrounded by beautiful Dutch architecture and an array of shops unfamiliar to America. Shops like the ones below were definitely not a rarity!

Erotic Supermarket...what more do you need? :)

Get your education here...

A little blurry but look closely at the signs...Steak House & Sex Shop

Think these two shops were placed here by happenstance? I think not.

Your Choice.

The city is filled with sexual liberation and freedom. Whether relaxing with friends, smoking a joint on the side of the road, having a delicious beer, or greeting the ladies of the Red Light District, you just feel like people are enjoying life! I wanted to take picture of the ladies of the district but I was hesitant because I didn’t want them to feel like I was using them just for a photo. For those unaware, prostitution is legal in Amsterdam (along with weed) and the Red Light District, in the center of the city, provides a centralized place for these ladies to work. They came in all shapes, sizes, ages, experiences, and techniques. Walking through the district is kind of like windowing shopping for clothes or accessories accept this is for the boom boom!

The ladies stand in window fronts some flirting, others relaxing, some in bikinis, others in dresses or jeans. Behind the window-front lies a small room with a bed and curtains- most looking very nice with dark wood furniture and room décor. My feelings walking through the district were mixed. I wanted so much to know these women’s stories! I felt empowered and glad that these women had the freedom to do their thing without legal barriers. At the same time I wanted to make sure that they wanted to be there doing this work and not there for some other reasons. It’s interesting to note that the HIV rate in Holland (The Netherlands) is about .2% and the rate in the U.S. is about .6%... They’re clearly doing something right which in my opinion is normalizing taboo topics such as drugs and prostitution.

After my quiche at an organic café (again not a rarity) I went to the SEXMUSEUM.

It included the history of sex from various cultures with photos, art, displays, models, interactive activities, and exhibits such as a ‘mock red light district.’ It wasn’t just a bunch of porn, it really was educational. It explained the history of sex and sexual liberation from various cultures and philosophies. It had photos from the 1800s, a room about fetishes, and a great exhibit about sex from various mythologies and religions. It was fun and it seemed like no visitors felt “dirty” for being there because it was just a museum, out in the open- nothing 'taboo' about it.

Chastity Belt

A Chinese Dynasty's History of Sex...on a dinner plate.

I guess smoking IS allowed...

Just 'cause
(the chair in the middle vibrates when you sit on it)

We can learn a lot from Amsterdam. Liberate people, give them freedoms in a safe environment and chances are they will make good choices. Put it out there- don’t hide ‘taboo topics.’
Talk about SEX. Talk about DRUGS. Talk about PROSTITUTION. Talk about GREEN ENERGY.
These things are woven throughout the culture and therefore very little is abused or mistreated.

THERE WAS NO LITTER! EVERYONE HAS HEALTHCARE! THEY FEEL LIBERATED! I even ate at the McDonalds there and didn’t want to puke afterward! It was a great experience…