Red Light Yellow Light Green Light GO!!!

[Brehnic Kohnar]

Red Light District

Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands, and in Amsterdam, most of it is concentrated in the Red Light District. Even if you don't want to play, this is a place you may want to see at night, when the red lights reflect from the canals' inky surfaces. Lots of visitors come here out of curiosity or just for fun. There's no problem with wandering around, and you don't need to worry much about crime as long as you stick to busier streets -- and keep an eye out for pickpockets. Visiting women going around in groups of two or more won't be noticed any more than anyone else, but a single female might be subject to misrepresentation.

The Red Light District, known in Dutch as Rosse Buurt, isn't very big. The easiest way in is on Damstraat, beside the Krasnapolsky Hotel on the Dam. Then stick to the main drag on Oudezijds Voorburgwal, as far north as the Oude Kerk, the venerable Old Church, which stands watch over this passable representation of Sodom and Gomorrah. If you don't mind the weird-looking, sad-sack males and the heroin whores hanging around on the bridges, you can go farther in to the parallel canal, Oudezijds Achterburgwal, and to Nieuwmarkt's cluster of good bars and Chinese restaurants.

"Ladies of ill repute" populate the many red-fringed window parlors; they're minimally dressed, and tap (or pound) on the windows as potential customers go by. Then there are peep-show joints with private cabins, dark and noisy bars, theaters offering a popular form of performance art, bookstores filled with the illustrated works of specialists in a wide range of interpersonal relationships, video libraries, and dedicated apparel and appliance stores.

For safety's sake, stick to the main streets and the crowds. It's asking for trouble to go off on your own at night down some of those narrow, dark side streets and connecting lanes between the canals -- some are so narrow you literally have to squeeze past other people, and on slow days, hookers come out from behind their windows to turn some of that squeezing into a marketing move. The main streets are usually busy and brightly lit (what with all those red lights and neon signs) and most clubs have security, since they have a vested interest in not having their customers bothered. Remember, though, that the industries active here attract less savory types, including muggers, pickpockets, drug dealers, junkies, street prostitutes, pimps, and weird folks in general. But there are also plenty of tour groups who seem to be having a great time, judging by all the laughing they do as they go around.

Without going into detail about the services on offer in the Red Light District, here are a couple of places that have shown an enduring popularity with visitors.

Rooms with a View

The most celebrated Amsterdam bordello is Yab Yum, Singel 295 in a 17th-century mansion, and named for a goddess of love from the Kama Sutra. The women, all educated, well-spoken, gorgeous, and between the ages of 18 and 24, are strictly moonlighting. Most are reportedly flight attendants, nurses, students, and housewives. The clientele consists mostly of businessmen, jet-setters, and kinky couples who are into threesomes or orgies.

When you get here, a bouncer leads you up the stairs and rings a buzzer. An elegant man then initiates you into the establishment's mysteries. The interior is replete with stalagmite chandeliers, pin-cushion-red velvet walls, gold encrustations, etched-glass nudes, a lounge with a splashing Venus fountain, and a U-shaped bar where ladies perch on stools. The price: about 75? ($94) to get in, and 200? to 600? ($250-$750) for champagne while you chat.

Innocent entertainment -- and expense -- can stop there. If it doesn't, and you're able to pony up around 1,500? ($1,900), you follow a faux-leopard carpet leading to luxury rooms outfitted like the extravagant whorehouses in Hollywood Westerns -- but with whirlpool tubs. Open daily from 8pm to 4am.


The Red Light District ...


Brehnic's second home away from home.

[Brehnic Kohnar]

" You sure the kid is going to be alright there? "

Directed at Brehnic over the semi dull roar of the music that was being played as the strippers/dancers performed for the casual visitors, to the die hard patrons. One of the popular/main attraction was Cheshire Blaze, a saucy wench from the Puerto Rico, with a attitude to match her dancing style.

Nicknamed Amsterdam's own version of Shakira, she was worth the trip alone if one was lucky to catch her performing live, even luckier if you had the financial means to obtain a ... Private session. So, it was never out of the ordinary when groups of men would request a red curtain private session, nor was there any concerns of her personal well being, for Cheshire had proven countless times she's not one to be fucked with ...

No pun intended.

" Yeah, the hotel owner owes me, so no one gets close to that floor without him contacting his
nephews. " That voice would belong to the recently troubled Immortal, Brehnic Kohnar, as he tipped his bottle to his lips, drinking deeply. " Any trouble getting here, Z?"

A flash of a toothy grin would be his response, as Bradyn raised his own glass in the direction of the two gentlemen seated across from him. " Nadda one, bro. Your directions could have given the FBI fits, but hey it's all good. I can't think of a better place to be than in Amsterdam, especially when you're footin' the bill. Brotha's gonna get his swerve on tonight, ya know I mean, CT?"

The third member of the assembled group just nodded quietly, ever vigilant of their surroundings, despite Brehnic's assurances that they would be safe there.

- THWAP !!! -

" Ow!! What the Hell was that for, girl? " Brehnic blurted after being smacked in the back of the head, by Cheshire b.k.a Serenity who leaned over kissing the other two seated men on the cheeks before settling onto Brehnic's lap with a cat that ate the canary like smile.

" That was for this whole woe is me attitude you've adapted of late, Brehnic. Hell, correct me if I'm wrong, but ever since you met Giannini, you've been ... Well, weird. More than usual. Since when does getting shot even bother you? And don't even get me started on the whole knight in shining armor routine you're doing of late with the girl. You guys with me on this? "

Bradyn offered a half shrug, trying not to be too apparent that he was blatantly staring at Serenity's ample wares, while the self titled Urban Warrior nodded quietly in total agreement, before doing something he rarely does ...

He spoke ...

" Deal with it. "

That caused the room to grow quiet for a moment or two, before Bradyn *Biggie Z* finally put his two cents in ...

" B-Tre, we all know the ups and downs of being what we are. We also know that there are some power players out there at are keeping close watch on the next generation of Immortals, some don't care one way or the other, while others don't want to share the pie. Isn't that why you came up with the whole NBI ( New Blood Immortals ) concept to begin with? If it hadn't made sense, I would not have joined this unofficial kliq. "

Feeling his dreadlocks being yanked, and causing his head to snap back, Serenity looked into Brehnic's eyes, with a quite serious expression now upon her face ...

" I swear, if you go all Jere Wulfsohng on me, just forget my number baby. Okay, so some Immortal called Dev has some knowledge. From what you told me, it was all about Giannini right? Close encounter, and it's done. Have you seen him since? No. You're the dumb ass that panicked and messed up the Vegas scene. " Another smack on the back of the head, though softer this time.

Biggie Z flashed that trademark grin of his, also nodding in agreement. " Bro, you said so yourself that Jere would be better suited to work with the pre newb. You did your part. You told her about herself, and got her out of Vegas. But seriously B-Tre, this ain't you. Lettin' other folk pushin' your buttons? That's crazy shit man, and you know it. "

Slowly sliding from his lap, then walking behind him, Serenity wrapped her arms loosely around Brehnic's neck, while brushing aside random dreadlocks, sea blue eyes now settled upon the other two men. " If this Dev character knew so much about you, then he knows about us. Obviously we're not on his potential threat radar, otherwise he could have killed you. Period. Like CT said, deal with it and move on. Say, when was the last time you ... Lifted something? "

That last question actually caused Brehnic to arch an eyebrow, his thoughts running deep for a minute or two. When was the last time he stole something? Damn, had it been that long??? Serenity would whisper into his ear ....

(w) " Time to get back to the basics, baby. "

<font color="#0033FF" size="1">[ June 01, 2008 06:14 AM: Message edited by: New Age Immortal ]</font>

[Brehnic Kohnar]

Tasting blood inside my mouth, and it hurt to breathe ... Probably a few cracked ribs to boot. I may not have the healing factor like that Wolverine fella in the x-Men comics, but mine gets the job done. CT knew this, so he wasn't about to give me that chance to do that. Nope, his ploy was to have me hurting in so many places that my body would be slow to heal itself.

Son of a bitch is good, cuz his strikes would have killed a normal person by now. shit. He's grinning at me know, which means he's seriously enjoying this. Hell, then again so am I. Like the rest of the world Amsterdam was keeping up with what draw in not only the locals, but the tourist as well by having unsanctioned underground MMA style fights.

I'm learning the hard way that this one of CT's favorite things to do, and judging by the roar of the crowd, they were getting their money's worth. We had been going at it full tilt for the past twenty minutes and I was honestly enjoying the workout. The crew was right, I needed to get back to the basics, back to being me. I think my problem was I was having a mid life crisis or something. I would be 100 in a couple of years, and having twice the memories of a mortal was hard enough, but what was worse was the little things I'd tend to forget, especially when it pertained to my former mortal life ...

Needless to say CT kicked my ass, much to the delight of the crowd and won a sizable amount of money in the process. Z was in there like a shot to get me to my feet and out of there before I started healing up in front of everyone.

" B-Tre, you can certainly take an ass whuppin'!!! Never seen CT grin like that, you must have really gave the brudda a work out. "

By the time we were clear of the underground fight club, I looked worse than I actually was. And there was CT, waiting for us. There was talks of more drinking and maybe checking out a few more underground joints, or even catching Blaze's late night show, but Brehnic would decline ...

" You two go on ahead. There's a pre-immie that I left on less than luke warm terms with back at the hotel. Need to do some damage control. Will catch you for early morn breakfast though? " Watching the pair walk off down the street, Brehnic's smile lingered, his sights now set back upon the hotel.

Yup, a night out did wonders to deal with some internal issues he had been having ... A nod given to one of the owner's nephews at the front desk, before the stairs were taken two at a time until his floor was reached ....

A bemused look ...

(m) " Fuck me runnin' ... I gave her my key. "

Since when was a locked door a problem for a self proclaimed Master Thief?

Yes, it was back to the basics ...