What comes to mind when you think of Amsterdam? Is the tulips? Cute wooden clogs? Probably not. While these things are associated with Amsterdam, most tourists know it for two other things: marijuana and the Red Light District, or basically, sex. Pretty much anything to do with sex really; sex shops, condom shops, live sex shows and more. Especially not alone. However, when I had the opportunity to see a peep show in Amsterdam, I took it. As weird as it was, I actually loved the Red Light District.
Like blow up dolls with breasts and a penis on full display in shop windows. But as entertaining as it was peeking into these sex shops with their interesting wares, I wanted to know more about what went on behind the scenes of the graphic posters and vulgar neon lights.
As someone who used to work in the victim industry and studied human trafficking, I wanted to know how the system here actually worked. Which led me to sign up for a guided Red Light District tour which just happened to include a stop at one of the popular peep shows in Amsterdam. Over the course of a couple of hours, I learned a lot about the sex trade in Amsterdam.
I learned about the process of becoming a prostitute, the history, and how it is controlled and legislated. I learned about the old local church, and how it used to thrive thanks to needy sailors. And of course I got some great and hilarious stories of the prostitutes of old who, quite frankly, were pretty bad-ass women.
It was a great tour and I highly recommend it but the most entertains part was when the tour wrapped up and we the opportunity to see a peep show in Amsterdam. It was funny seeing everyone kind of shuffle their feet at the idea of seeing a peep show in Amsterdam.
