We visited Amsterdam two weeks ago . Rented room in Leidseplein at the Dikker 220 US a night . There doesn’t seem to be any bargains in Amsterdam anymore. We normally take very little clothes , we go to Waterlooplein and buy some used clothes . But our buddy who sells clothes this time was really going off . He was pissed about the migrants . His son had money but there is a shortage of housing and the migrants come first. He was saying this is no longer Dutch , this is no longer Dutch. ….The restaurants and bars used to have pretty good hospitality . When we were there it sucked . Seemed like everyone is mad ……Went to Brussels and none of the restaurants on restaurant row wanted to accept a credit card . They ended up they did and bitched about it . We went to Hard Rock Cafe one evening and when we were leaving as we left the Casino area we seen 4 rats . The trash to us is like never before . We’re through with Amsterdam . ……It isn’t worth it .

Sad but true

When in Amsterdam this last time we felt like just give them your money and leave . Of course Amsterdam is a tourist town. But at least have some hospitality. Everyone of our friends were complaining about two things . The migrants and the lack of housing because of the migrants. One guy told me , this is Holland and nobody can speak Dutch . I told him I can’t I can only speak English . He said every Dutch speaks English . English is good . A guy in one of the adult clubs told me they want rid of the windows and any form of adult entertainment gay or straight.
He said the government will give an immigrant a store front to sell what he call designer clothes . The guy will have 20 shirts and 20 trousers and display them , nobody buys anything but the guy gets paid by the government
Where is Holland gonna be in five years ? …

100% Agree. I have been to Amsterdam 50 + times since 2002. Between the issues you stated and the issues with Schipol Airport,,,plus ridiculous prices for even 3 Star Hotels,,,,I am done. If I go back it will be to Alkmaar or other small more local towns than Amsterdam. I get better weed at better prices in California as well.


Sad, I love the City but not what it has turned into. Venice, Barcelona, Greece, and lots of Spain are all going through similar issues.

How is the Alkmaar RLD nowadays?
I have not been there since July 2018. I heard that after COVID-19, they raised the standard price from 35 to 50 Euros.
Are the girls still good, is the service still stellar?

Alkmaar is just fine.
In fact, it is getting better.
There was a recent announcement that the Achterdam will now be open until 3AM. Most of the remaining windows are filled in the evenings, and a very few new ones have opened. It is not what it was 20 years ago, when all three passages were open, but it seems to be the only Dutch RLD with plans for a future.
Standard service is now 50.
In addition, escort/incall listings on Kinky.nl and Eurogirlsescorts.com have grown, and the city is allowing some clubs/brothels to open--maybe by the New Year.
Unfortunately, the last train back to Amsterdam is still 0030.

Weasel

The train is also the way I go to Alkmaar; and I'm always running to catch the last one back to Amsterdam. In 2017, my bad timing was on the way there, at 8pm, with a Chocomel because I never travel without one. The Dutch trains are comfortable, albeit not too clean. A German ICE on Dutch tracks bounces all over the place; whereas a Dutch train on Dutch tracks rides as smooth as silk; I digress. The ride was nice, I fell asleep. My subconscious recognizes German stations announced at home; it doesn't parse Dutch, and it didn't wake me up. In darkness, alone, on the train, in a panic, I awoke. I looked outside to gain my bearings - station - last one - luckily - "Alkmaar," I read on the illuminated platform sign. I rushed to put on my shoes, I don't like to wear on the train, and ran towards the forward exit. Closed door, locked, unresponsive, heart race panic. I shouted, "hello", twice, then again, again; nothing. What the fuck do I do now?!? Scan; I spotted an emergency latch on the ceiling above the door, through a sliver of an opening between two small panes of glass. Thought; if I was careful, I could squeeze my fingers between the glass panes, and pull the lever without collateral damage to neither the train nor myself. Squeeze in, grab hold, act slowly, pull down, shatter glass, fuck. Blood, none, cool, breathe. Damn it, the door didn't open. Just then, as I started to scramble up the steps on my way to try another door, I was startled by a loud warning beeping - like a backing up truck, followed by an air-lock release, and the sound of a door cracking open - it felt like prayers being answered. I jumped out onto the platform, looked up and down for an official to whom I needed to apologize; sans any having seen me, I made my way quickly up the platform stairs, breathed calm, walked downwards and out the station in direction of Anytime, the coffeeshop.

I love, love Alkmaar; I love walking at night through the narrow streets lined by quaint Dutch houses, many of which have no curtains. Warm and cozy feelings flow though me as I peer inside each lit living room each time I walk briskly towards the city center.

I ordered something to smoke and a warm drink; it was cold outside, it was November, it was Anytime inside.

Experience taught me a personal rule: when intoxicated, wait until being of sound mind to make decisions. Meaning, with the blood forming on the scratch on my finger which wasn't apparent beforehand, I wasn't going to be playing with naked prostitutes. Imagine such a disappointing downer realization exasperated by my being high.

Already past 10pm, the budtender at Anytime didn't have a band-aid, I only learned from this incident to carry one in my wallet, and the Spar across from Achterdam didn't have latex gloves. I felt deep disappointment and frustration that none of my remedies were. I resolved to make a last pass by the windows to flirt with the girls I couldn't touch, before heading back to the train station. It was colder then before. As I put my hands into my coat pockets to grab, thick leather winter gloves, my slow stoned mind realized, what the fuck.

"Hi, Angel" ... "Hi" ... "I'm Eric" ... "I'm Roxanne" ... "I have a problem". She looked at me curiously. "I want to massage you naked, but I had an accident on the train on the way here"; I took off my right-hand glove to show her, "on this hand, I'm wearing my glove, okay?"... "Okay", she laughed.

I had never visited Alkmaar two days in a row before; but, having had such a spiritual time with her yesterday, I want back to see Roxanne. "I'm a tall girl," she apologized, when noticing my clumsiness figuring out how to navigate her heavenly body...

Cheers,
... Eric

p.s. Between the evenings, my friend standing in the afternoon, smoking a cigarette outside the restaurant we met to have lunch, heard my Alkmaar story. "What was her name?", he was curious. "Roxanne". Assuming the song, "you've gotta be kidding me."

p.p.s. I'm heading back to Amsterdam and Alkmaar in a couple of weeks. I always look, but have never found Roxanne again; I'm holding on to destiny.

p.p.p.s. Thanks, Weasel, for the impulse to write the story which I've intended to put to paper for 7 years. Likewise, thanks to my dear friend, she knows who she is, who begged me for a story this morning. A motivational coincidence it was, I hope someone enjoyed reading.

Eric, thanks very much for an entertaining read. Our trains are kind of a disgrace... I doubt you'll find them any cleaner this time around, probably the opposite. Station announcements are hit or miss, as is the functioning of the LCD displays intended to convey the same information. We've gone from being one of the better signposted, tourist-friendly countries to, well, fuck off...

I like Alkmaar too. I guess that's why I've lived here for the past four years. I only ever visit shithole Amsterdam for work once a week, and I try to find any excuse not to. Hope you enjoy your upcoming visit.

Thank you, Bluto - I greatly appreciate the sentiment!!

My millennial friend with whom I'm in a mentor-mentee-mentor relationship (I teach him about the past, he teaches me about the future), also enjoying the story, uploaded it to AI to illustrate. Amusing, even if the details aren't accurate, the gist is - well, for the part of the story which is "safe for work" ;-)

Haha, love it. And, if the AI can be coaxed into producing something NSFW, please feel free to post that too. :-D Definitely not a problem here.
I hope nobody is visiting ignatzmice in the office, on office equipment (I mean, definitely didn't work out for me... lol)

Enjoying this thread. Thanks for all the recent news and sublime perspectives.

Started visiting the Netherlands back when Bill Clinton was in The White House and his relationship with a particular intern was grabbing the headlines. The U.S. dollar was exceptionally strong until 2002 or so. Too good to be true. In retrospect, I feel good that I took full advantage. Fifteen minutes with a cute girl next door or stunner in any RLD was on a par with the cost of a vehicle's oil/filter change in the States circa 1999, when guilders were still around. Those were unique times. I even got a 45E Ibis hotel room (with decent breakfast) not that far from the Museumplein around 2002.

So many major changes between that era and the present. The cost of hobbying has gone way up overall. Even parabolic in cost in some of the leading cities of the world. Especially for top-shelf escorts. While the notion of good service (along with technical skills, enthusiasm, and dedication) strikes me as hit-or-miss. Fake or misleading pictures. Escorts, some still in very fine shape, are saying they are late 20s but are actually early to mid 40s. Much more upselling. Getting emails every 2-3 weeks from some ladies (one superstar I met a couple years ago with amazing performance) wanting you to return soon. But this hobby can easily drain a bank account without self-discipline. Because eventually we guys get significantly older and need to retire from the working world's grind. Then what is left in the way of assets and cash flow in this current super-expensive environment in many Western countries and elsewhere? My perspectives present-day? Be very selective. And perhaps get out and explore places like Alkmaar, Den Haag, Rotterdam, and elsewhere (including Belgium) for RLD/escort possibilities. The allure of window girls? Low entry price in the big scheme of things. What seems to be elusive now in that venue: F&S (covered), multiple or unlimited positions - all for one price agreed upon up front...and then delivered. And girls who enjoyed repeat customers...with guys they liked.

Thanks again, guys.

Eric,

That's great. I love that Roxanne looks like Alexa Grace. That works for me!
Panic, chaos, a minor injury and a hot girl. What a perfect night out.
Alkmaar is my regular haunt now. I still wander the Pijp, and have a good friend on Singel, but the Wallen is a mess.
I will have to look for Roxanne in January.
I'm afraid of what AI would generate if I gave it some starting points.

Weasel