Amsterdam and the Red Light District
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Amsterdam and the Red Light District
Amsterdam is a city with many popular tourist destinations. Just about everything from beautiful cityscape and architecture to designer retail and fashion are tourist favorites of the city. The tourism attractions are just about endless when in the same day you can float in a paddle boat in the Prinsengracht Canal enjoying the stunning architecture of the buildings on the river front and then later in the night shopping and partying at many famous bars and restaurants at the Red Light District. Although this would seem to be the perfect combination of both good clean fun and a late nighters dream, this vast array of entertainment is exactly what many view as the downfall to the city. More than anywhere else in the city the Red Light District is constantly under vicious scrutiny. A local of the town, Jan Captain, says that “from brothels to sex shops, The Red Light District leaves nothing to the imagination” (Captain).
Author of the article entitled Red Light District in Amsterdam; Captain voices her opinion of the controversial part of the city through first hand experiences as well as through detailed research. Without a doubt, Captain has many dislikes of what specifically goes on at the RLD, but the main argument she has is that the RLD takes tourists away from everything else that the city has to offer. The history of the city is very apparent with beautiful buildings such as the Church of St. Nicholas and especially the Anne Frank House. These types of attractions should be the main interest of tourists to any city new to them, but unfortunately it is not. I definitely
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understand why Captain would be upset with what is going on in the city, and I agree with the fact that people should look past the prostitution and sex shops to get a true idea of what Amsterdam is all about. Humans in general, tend to be drawn to the appeal of the more unholy, if you will things in life. Are these actions uncontrolled decisions
Amsterdam and the Red Light District
Amsterdam is a city with many popular tourist destinations. Just about everything from beautiful cityscape and architecture to designer retail and fashion are tourist favorites of the city. The tourism attractions are just about endless when in the same day you can float in a paddle boat in the Prinsengracht Canal enjoying the stunning architecture of the buildings on the river front and then later in the night shopping and partying at many famous bars and restaurants at the Red Light District. Although this would seem to be the perfect combination of both good clean fun and a late nighters dream, this vast array of entertainment is exactly what many view as the downfall to the city. More than anywhere else in the city the Red Light District is constantly under vicious scrutiny. A local of the town, Jan Captain, says that “from brothels to sex shops, The Red Light District leaves nothing to the imagination” (Captain).
Author of the article entitled Red Light District in Amsterdam; Captain voices her opinion of the controversial part of the city through first hand experiences as well as through detailed research. Without a doubt, Captain has many dislikes of what specifically goes on at the RLD, but the main argument she has is that the RLD takes tourists away from everything else that the city has to offer. The history of the city is very apparent with beautiful buildings such as the Church of St. Nicholas and especially the Anne Frank House. These types of attractions should be the main interest of tourists to any city new to them, but unfortunately it is not. I definitely
2
understand why Captain would be upset with what is going on in the city, and I agree with the fact that people should look past the prostitution and sex shops to get a true idea of what Amsterdam is all about. Humans in general, tend to be drawn to the appeal of the more unholy, if you will things in life. Are these actions uncontrolled decisions