- Image by wauter de tuinkabouter via Flickr
Antwerp was a beautiful city and full of surprises (read more here). One additional surprise I got was stumbling into the red light district after boat watching.
Here’s a peek behind the curtain inside my head:
Huh, this street looks interesting. Wonder what’s down here? Lots of store fronts and guys walking ar– whoah! That’s no mannequin in that bikini!
Jeezus, there are hundreds of girls behind glass doors posing and pressing up against the glass.
Wait, what do I do?
Keep walking?
But what do I DO?
Okay, look, but only for a second. You don’t want to seem rude.
And smile politely.
Shit! Don’t smile too big! Now she’s waving for you to come over, just keep going.
Haha – that guy just got yelled at for offering a 20 Euro note to a woman.
Okay, looks like I’m halfway through. Geez, this is like a haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights. Except women keep grabbing at you from behind the glass instead of werewolves. They’re all over the place.
Tall one, fat one, old one.
Eeep!! Tranny!
Wait, do I just ignore him? I know it’s rude, but…
Hey, did you ever wonder who invented shoelaces?
This place could totally be more efficient if they just added a bill slot next to the door and it worked like a vending machine.
hmmm… she’s posing totally motionless, like a statue. I guess some guys like that.
70% of them are on cell phones the entire time. I hope they turn them off when they get a client.
Finally, end of the street. I need to stop for a drink and absorb all that.
Well, look at that. This must be where the off the record girls work.
Moving along…
Classic. Joel, my friend, you are hilarious. Loved this.
Keith´s last blog ..Blue Air
Thanks Keith – glad you enjoyed it. The sad thing is, it’s pretty much a direct translation from my brain.
I remember my time in Amsterdam. 40 year old hookers and their ugly 16 year old daughter right next door. Not one of them are attractive in the least bit. Blech.
Yeah, Amsterdam’s red light district was odd. I don’t quite understand it at all – beyond the strangeness of just going INTO one of those glass doors, how can you do it while thousands of tourists are all flowing past playing lookie-loo?
LOL! This is great. I’m really not sure what I would do if I walked down the street. Smile. Look at the floor. Oh crap light pole. Look up. Crap. Eye contact. Smile. Rinse. Repeat?
This is great!
Erica´s last blog ..Travel Photography July 22
haha – yeah, that’s the conundrum. I mean, I guess they really wouldn’t give a crap if you just didn’t pay any attention, but there’s definitely “I have to at least look” quality to walking through there.
I once got yelled at by a stripper at a bachelor party in Vegas because I was “looking disgusted” when I was really just disinterested. So I try to balance that so I don’t seem rude, I guess?
My favourite part is the shoelaces comment.
I’m still curious about it – do you know when they were invented?
I think I would probably have something similar running through my brain too …
With one minor addition …
“Do they take credit cards? … I mean, hello”
Nick Laborde´s last blog ..Weekly Dose of Travel Awesomeness – Planning
haha – seriously, they should just have a mag-reader on the outside of the door. Slide the card and the door opens…
Brilliant post, really enjoyed reading the stream of consciousness. Too funny!
Eeep!! Tranny!
Dustin Main | Skinny Backpacker´s last blog ..Photo of the Day – Death Bed
Thanks Dustin – glad you enjoyed it. I’m at my best when I don’t think too much