Jurgen

Take your 14 year old son there. You might get a good price for him!

Thyra

Lisa, all of the above posts are correct when they say that there is plenty to do and see in Amsterdam without going to the Red Light dist. Just a cautionary note though. Be aware that in most parts of Europe, you will see prominant and respectable magazine ads, or billboard ads for fashion that feature topless models and most publications have different sets of magazine covers for the same magazine one that will be "European" and may show a hint of Claudia Schiffer's upper assets, and another one for the US that will have the same picture with those assets covered up. Even the UK has the "page 3 girl" that is a naked or semi naked girl on the third page of one of their daily's. This is just a difference in attitudes. Neither right nor wrong and I wouldn't like you to be shocked if you see some of these things (In Rome last year they were promoting a type of clothing or store called Harod.. I believe, tons of huge posters of young models with pierced body parts all over the city). Just be prepared and you should be fine.

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Jen

Hi - <BR> <BR>If you can stand one more reply about the red light district - my sister lives in Nederlands so have had ample opportunity to witness this. The water thing out the window is absolutely true. Europeans are much less prudish about nudity than here in the states, and the windows in the red light district are filled with attractive women in VERY scantily clad attire (how did they fit those in there?) Anyway, perhaps not really the place for a young american man with his mother - unless you would feel comfortable parading him through the equivalent of Fredericks of Hollywood show. Frankly, ever city has a red light district, so why this one is so 'special' is a surprise. If you do go, be out of the neighborhood well before dark - can be rough place. <BR> <BR>Amsterdam is beautiful and there is so much to see and do there - especially the canal tours and the Anne Frank House; if you get a chance to go outside the city, Zeeland is perhaps one fo the most interesting feats of engineering I have EVER seen - a vast man made sea wall with the majority of it under the sea floor to be used only in cases of pending floods. We spent an entire day there alone. I would can the red light thing, and see as much as you can - the food is lecker! have a great time! Jen

Martin

As the father of a 15-year-old boy, I can say with some confidence that: (1) your son would WANT to go to the RLD, and (2) it would probably embarrass him to death to do it with his parents... especially his Mom. <BR> <BR>Although Amsterdam is quite safe, you may not feel at all comfortable letting a 14-year-old wander about the city on his own to "discover" this lesson in the realities of human sexuality. <BR> <BR>I vote vote for giving it a quick walk-through (there's a famous old church right on the edge that you can be going to). I guarantee it'll be his primary topic of conversation when he gets home to his buddies. But pretend you don't know who he is as you're going through, and don't tease him afterwards. <BR> <BR>When I was 14, my hormones were absolutely CHURNING! I would have LOVED a quick walk-through of the RLD.

Duke

This all reminds me of the time I went to Amsterdam with my wife when I was in the Army stationed in Germany. I returned to work and was talking about the city with some of the single guys I worked with that had also been to Amsterdam. Seems like married me and single them visited two completely different citys. They knew nothing of canal boat rides and museums. I never saw the red light district that they all knew by heart. Enjoy the city and see what you want to see. If you do not go looking for it, you won't find it. Your son already knows about it but wants to go without you. This is fact. I was 14 once.....

AC

<BR>I found this for you, Kami!!

jhm

Amik, I went to the RLD when I was 17. My sister was 13, my brother 12 and my other sister was 10. All of us emerged unscathed and unscarred by the experience, and amused by a facet of another culture. <BR><BR>I think it might be a bigger disservice to them to make a "special trip" in which you leave them out -- it would seem as though it was something much more important than it actually is. I would say either skip it all together (I mean, really, big deal), or happen to bump into it with the kids and either turn away or walk through, whichever seems more comfortable to you at the time. Your judgment call as a parent. I just wanted to let you know that young girls have seen the RLD and come out okay on the other side!