One of the challenges in Amsterdam was to go “shopping” in the red-light district. The task involved approaching three different ladies and comparing their prices for various “services.” Being female (and straight), this seemed like a rather fun task.

I passed by many of the scantily clad women in the window and finally decided to approach one. She opened the door and smiled. I asked if she spoke English and then how much it would cost for her to, um, spend some time with me. She then shut the glass door.

Maybe she really didn’t speak English, I thought, so I tried again behind door number 2, a cute blonde in a teddy-kind-of-thing. I asked the same questions and once again, the door was quickly shut when I asked about the price.

The third time this happened I figured maybe I was doing something wrong. Perhaps I didn’t know the proper etiquette for approaching a prostitute. Was I being rude to discuss money so quickly? Should I get to know her a bit first?

Puzzled, I decided to ask the man working at the sex show shop what I was doing wrong. He said it was fine to ask the price right away and that then there can be a bit of negotiation. I then explained I wasn’t get any prices at all. Then he realized the problem… the “ladies” generally won’t take female customers.

Kind of an ego blow when you find you can’t even buy a “date”.

Sheri/l’etoile