Sometimes the word “Compromise” plays a very big role in running the harsh life smoothly but here striking a balance requires lot of efforts in satisfying many principles.
I experienced a lot in terms of development of European cities while maintaining the heritage with faster urbanism and competitiveness. It’s my coincidence that I usually found the streets of pleasures in every city. Blame it on my luck, chance or inquisitiveness, my lusty mind set experienced mixed reactions of vice and virtue. Voyeuristically, I observed the situations are changing and inclining towards the act of “Clean up”
Case1: De Wallen/ Red light district, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
De Wallen has long been famous as major sex tourist area in Red light district, which is hardly 10 minutes of walking distance from Amsterdam’s centraal station. This area is full of marijuana selling coffee shops, erotic museums, sex shops, peep shows and sex theatres.
Though prostitution has been tolerated here from long time, both prostitution and marijuana has become major drawing cards for tourism. But the city's new blueprint calls for replacing brothels, cannabis-vending coffee shops, sex shops and peepshows with cafes, boutiques and specialty stores.
I saw few of the windows now replaced by fashion dummies and art pieces where the red light still glows. Art and fashion are the new tenants in these brothels. I was also co relating that it’s not a bad idea for existence as art and sex always fascinated the artists.
Case 2: Reeperbahn, Hamburg, Germany
There are fewer windows shopping going on in Hamburg as prostitutes can display their inviting bodies behind windows only in the gated Herbertstrasse, a street where minors and women are not welcome.
Reeperbahn offers a whole range of entertainment: theatres, cabarets, sex shops, strip clubs, bars and nightclubs. The prostitution was legalised in Germany in 2001 and the docks of St. Pauli was famous to entertain the tired and sex starved sailors a way back. But from past many years the seduction loosing its edge, because of illegal trafficking,the real estate development and junkies.
The city administration is making efforts in making the area quite familiar spot to roam and with security. Few illegal sex hotels and brothels are closed as well. The setup of café shops, trendy bars, theatres, international fast food chains and discotheques not only in new buildings but in former porn theatres and brothels are few reasons to sit over a cup of coffee or a glass of beer and roam in the city of beetles.
Case 3: Rue St. Denis, Paris, France
Luckily this is the street when you get tired of watching or patronizing the sex workers,ethnic eateries will satisfy your hunger. Today it has been reduced to a few striptease clubs better known for extorting money from unsuspecting clients than for the quality of their services. Illegal brothels still operate in the area but the area has now grown into a gay culture centre.
The scene is similar as of any red light area, where sex shops and kinos are run but the establishment of many family joints and stores to shop and eat as well as encouraging artisans are one of the initiatives by municipal council to make the area more convenient for the residents.
“We don’t have any trouble with sex and prostitutes, we’re proud of our culture where art and sex seduce each other” says one of the artist.
At last, I realized that, balance is the key to life, if anything overpowers it will make the things disproportionate. Extortion and human trafficking etc. are the reasons behind this “clean up” process on the surface and yes, they are hurting the people and city. Isn’t it nice to experience the streets of pleasure where different groups of people can enjoy beer, watch fashion and do some shopping as well?
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