And it is Don Quichotte in the french version.
Good to see you speak Spanish - I don't.
Good to see you respect the original names, if not the bodies. In French we'd call you a 'poildeculteur' for that.

How do you call the man who took Jerusalem during the crusades ?

Whathello..

While prostitution is not a choice for all if not most, there are some who DO choose it.. because they can make very good money....just like dancing in a strip club.. the ladies likely do not love it.. but they love the money most of the time.. some girls pay their way through college.

Where prostitution is legal its better for the ladies.. in Nevada for example.. I have seen interviews of the ladies that work at the legal brothels. They are not unhappy.. they like the money, they like that they feel safer then having to walk the streets.. they get medical and dental plans.. its much better then working at mcdonalds.. now. would I want to.. no, would I want my daughter to.. no. but that's not the point..

You do realize in a way you are really looking down on some of these women.. belittling their choices ?

And yes..we all know about the horrible conditions for most prostitutes.. and most especially for the ones forced into it by pimps or drug addictions .. very sad indeed..

I think legalizing it does make it safer for the women though.. but their will always be a criminal element trying to crawl in.

I'm more looking down at the men who go to these women.
These men are wankers...

And yes, I'm looking down at these ladies who do choose this, but I'm focusing on the vast majority of the others and am shocked that we turn a blind eye to the poor women who are used by pimps.

Legalizing would be a step towards a souner situation, like with drugs etc. We saw that prohibition didn't work that well, didn't we.

Thanks for coming back Justine !

(we're very far from giving interesting travel advice to these 18 years old guys...).

There are things that really get me carried away :
- handicapped people
- rapes and other mistreatments of women inc prostitution
- child mistreatment

Sorry for all the others, it looks like I'm stuck with an Asperger syndrom when it comes to these subjects.

We should go back to beer - german beer is better than french which is better than Dutch - all well below the belgian beers, actually the only good ones.

And yes, I'm looking down at these ladies who do choose this

No woman chooses prostitution, my dear man. That's a convenient lie people tell themselves. Legalization would mean something like legalizing slavery. Actually I'm surprised any man still supports the existence of prostitution with the notion that people (ie) women should be free to do with their bodies (for men) as they please.

In case of sexwork, that freedom simply does not exist.

suze writes: Prostitution is a woman's choice and right

Nope. It's the same kind of choice that people suppose exists for the homeless, whose way of life is also termed a "choice" or even a "lifestyle". That's the same nonsense.

Menachem. Do read my earlier posts.

I'm answering Suze who says some women chose this job - which I think is right ... in 0,01% of the prostitutes.

I'm in overkill on the subject, so I'll stop here - nothing to add.

Shame then on the Dutch government for allowing such exploitation - if that is so - why is it legal then if so abusive - this ain't Thailand you know - why is it legal?

This topic is interesting.. I have done further research. There is a lot out there.. google "legal prostitution " and start reading.

I have somewhat revised/expanded my views.

I still believe having it legal is safer for the women.. because in the systems where it is illegal not only do they suffer all same risks ( assault and exploitation) but they are also afraid to reach out help from law..since technically they are "crimminals " too.. but I agree while its a choice most of the women working in LEGAL should be free to make.. without judgement from us ( Menecham I mean you .. lol ) its not a choice most of them want to make..

Unfortunately though.. money for sex is nothing new... been around since beginning of civilizations.. still think it should be something the women do not have to hide ..

It's not just a woman thing - Amsterdamned is also know as one of the gay capitals of Europe and there is a lot of 'escorts' in the business - no so up front like the red-light district but still the same - so it is not just women who are allegedly exploited:

http://www.humanityinaction.org/know...he-netherlands

In a free society every individual IMO should have the option of doing whatever they want with their bodies as long as it is freely done - I don't like it and would never use any such services but who is to say what is right and wrong for others - again as long as they are not exploited by others - the cops should have undercover (no pun intended) agents to ferret out such exploitation - apparently Amsterdamned is lax in this and shame on their public officials for allowing it - well the alleged seemy aspects of prostitution in Holland.

If you want to argue about whether prostitution should be legal or not, do it somewhere else. I am just asking for advice for my trip.

Back on the real topic, we have a loose itinerary for the 12 days. We will start in Berlin, then go to Copenhagen, then Amsterdam, then the Black Forest, spending about 3 days at each.

Berlin - 3 days
Night train via boat to Copenhagen
Copenhagen - 3 days
either all day train or fly
Amsterdam - 3 days
All day train or night train to Freiburg, main city in Black Forest
Day trip into Black Forest by train - say to the Titissee and do some hiking.

Personally I'd drop the Black Forest which though nice is hard to appreciate without a car and then though nice not as awesome as some day trips from Berlin, Amsterdam or Copenhagen.

If you're flying out of Frankfurt consider the Rhine/Mosel valleys as final stopping points - two of the most scenic river valleys in Europe and not far from Frankfurt airport.

We are flying out of Frankfurt. Would there be any cool hiking that we could do from any of the cities that we are going to?

There is no really cool hiking I think from either Amsterdam (though many GREAT bike rides) or Berlin or Copenhagen - but from Freiburg you could take the train up into the Black Forest and do some great hikes - like to Seeburg and then around the Titisse - a very very popular hiking area for Germans.

From Copenehagen where I have been many times I think one possible nice hike would be to take the train to Gillelje, on Jutland's north coast and hike along it to the east and Helsingor and Hamlet's Castle - an interurban train line parallels the hiking path should you tire.

I hiked for a couple of hours then took the train to Helsingor - nice area:

https://www.google.com/search?q=jutl...HZdIDpAQsAQIHg

Others will say 3 days is not enough for Copenhagen alone but I always enjoy seeing the more real country outside of the tourist meccas too.

Oh one nice hike near Amsterdam - take the bus to Marken and then boat to Volendam and then walk the 3 miles or so along the former Zuider Zee shore to Edam, an ancient cheese town. Marken is like an open-air museum:

https://www.google.com/search?q=mark...HYepCksQsAQIGw

I walked between Volendam and Edam and it was sweet - bring a picnic - take buses back to Amsterdam from Edam.

Oh another cool hike (thinking more there are some!) would to go from Amsterdam by train to Zaandvoort - a hopping seaside resort with lots of folks you age in the seaside pubs and on the beaches (including famous nude beach just south of town) - but then do a dunes hike south for however long you want:

https://www.google.com/search?q=zand...HbfYA3UQsAQIHg

And from Copenhagen too (again re-thinking this) you can take a train to Bakken, the world's oldest amusement park and unlike spiffy swank expensive in town Tivoli is free - lots of outdoor shows and music and lots of rides (for those you pay) - but the vast sprawling deer park next to it is great for hiking - I did a few hours there - some old villa in it and of course lots of deer - the beaches near here are very popular with young folks.

And in Berlin- take an S-Bahn to Potsdam and walk to Sans Souci Palace and waltz around the vast park and then do as a I did once - walk back via Bebelsberg Park - a park with lots of weird things in it and walk to the Glockner Bridge (sp?) where spies were once traded during the Cold War into Berlin and head to Peacock Island, known for its many follies - whimsical edifices and statues - walkto the Wannssee S-Bahn station to return to central Berlin.

Peacock Island - a really neat place: https://www.google.com/search?q=peac...HY8JBN4QsAQIGw

Bebelsburg Park: https://www.google.com/search?q=babe...HW_NBDkQsAQIHQ

This SansSouci-Bebelsberg-Wannssee-Peakcock Island hike was one of the best things I did in several trips to Berlin - you do go along a beach area just after the bridge that however had zillions of nude bathers - common all over Germany - most were rather old however! But don't be shocked if you see that.

So sory at first I said no good hikes near those cities as I was thinking in terms of Black Forest or Swiss hikes - but these hikes I outline are really sweet and gets you into nature and some interesting areas not normally seen.

Cheers!

'If you want to argue about whether prostitution should be legal or not, do it somewhere else. I am just asking for advice for my trip.'

Duh, I'd advise you to totally start (yet) another thread.
Your title for this one is like Amsterdam for teens, what you ask is like :

Berlin, then go to Copenhagen, then Amsterdam, then the Black Forest

Not the same.

If you reorganize your itinerary into landing in Copenhagen you could then take the night train via boat to Berlin and a night train to Amsterdam (well changing in the morning at Duisburg) - and Amsterdam to Freiburg - saving valuable travel time for your limited time and saving on the cost of an accommodation to boot and IME folks your age may find it a real adventure. At your age I hopped night trains like that and loved it.

All those I think are spiffy German run CityNightLiner (CNL) trains - book early and get ridiculously cheap fares - cheapest accommodation is a reclining chair but a couchette is better for sleeping - get a berth of your own and blanket, pillow, etc:

http://www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/pr...t-travel.shtml