InIndiana

This is a psudeo-trip report about my trip to the Bar Why Not | Blue Boy Club in Amsterdam recently. I originally wrote this for email distribution to my friends--but before I posted it here, I modified it for content. It may still have some chop left in it as I am edited it on the fly--trying to take out everything that others might deem too graphic and offensive.

I hope y'all find it interesting :-)

- - -

Generally speaking my friends immeidately ask me about Drugs and Sex whenever I go to Amsterdam, but I've never engaged in either because (a) I don't do drugs, and (b) sex just seemed too outlandish. Of course--drugs are easy to do in Amsterdam while walking through the clouds of smoke that emanate from the "coffee shops." This past trip I decided to explore sex, so that I could say "Yes, I've done something sexual in Amsterdam."

That said, I have wandered through the Red Light district in Amsterdam before, which is a despressing experience--and one at the time I found disturbing because I couldn't stand the objectification women--they sit in these doors with windows wearing g-strings and bras and men walk around staring at them and evaluating the size of the breasts and whether or not they'd like to have sex with that woman.

What I did: Using the "Out around Amsterdam" book I researched things to do in Amsterdam. I've been there enough times that I have already wiped out 8 of the top ten attractions. My Amsterdam Day was about (a) shopping, (b) dinner with a friend, and (c) sex. The "Out around Amsterdam" book was of mediocre quality--I found a couple really cool things because of it, but it also had maps and addresses that misled me while searching for a couple shops/markets. It did, however, direct me accurately to the "Bar Why Not / Blue Boy Club" and its web site, so I was able to review the information about the Why Not bar and not rely entirely upon the book.

Between the book and the web site, I made my plans for Saturday: I would take a train from Rotterdam (where I was staying) to Amsterdam in the morning, get to Amsterdam at noon, buy my ticket to the live sex show at noon, then go shopping, dine, and return to the bar at 10pm for the live sex show.

My plan got slightly off kilter when I stayed out until 3am Friday night -- thus setting me back substantially. I got up at 10 (after the complimentary breakfast at my hotel, naturally), took a shower, and was, essentially, operating very slowly.

I got to Amsterdam at something like 12:30 or 1 -- and immediately went to the Blue Boy Club to purchase a ticket for the live sex show at 10pm. It was immediately interesting--the bartender sold me my ticket, and this cute guy materialized around the corner of the bar and asked me where I was from.

"Indiana," I replied.

"I'm from Brazil," he said.

"That's nice, I'm going shopping," I replied.

"Why don't you stay awhile and have a drink?"

I smiled, and departed out to the street and on to my shopping adventures: Drappermarkt (Black turtle neck), Cyberdog (awesome black/clubbing like tee-shirt), Sissy boy (tee-shirt)--and around places in general. I had a really great day, although I didn't find everything I wanted to find--ultimately leaving me 30 minutes to kill before I met my lovely, wonderful, friendly, charming, and sweet dinner date. It's funny how I missed the tourist part of Amsterdam until I had time to kill--it's just not that interesting to me--too crowded, too much trashy trash for sale. But I did it anyway.

At 5:30 I met my friend for dinner, and we had a lovely time... we went to Dutch eetcafe where I had Chicken with peppers, onions, and mushrooms. It was a tasty meal--I showed her what I bought, chatted--all the things that make an evening perfect.

I returned to the Central Station and used a locker to store my backpack and everything else except my wallet and coat--immediately setting out from the train station to the Bar Why Not / Blue Boy Club -- I got there in five minutes -- at 9:30.

I figured that I needed a half hour to figure out what was going on and to relax--and relax and figure out what was going on is the key notion here. It was--at least for me--amusing.

I sat down at the end of the bar--there was one stool to my left, and then the rest of bar was straight in front of me--I noticed that directly behind me when I sat down there was a television playing hard core gay porn--I suppose I could have sat differently in the hopes of watching porn, but I really just wanted to sit down and get my bearings. I asked the bartender for my complimentary drink (complimentary with the €30 live sex show ticket) -- an amaretto and coke -- got it and was drinking it-- actually before I got it i heard a voice.

"Hello."

It was a voice out of nowhere! One of the cute young rent boys had sat himself down next to me and wanted my attention. His approach didn't work -- because he slinked off less than a minute later. I then looked around the bar and one of the guys noticed my looking around and immediately stubbed out his cigarette and came over to me.

Tall. Muscular. Aggressive. Hunk. Oh, so my type, save for the smoking--my guaranteed turn off. But I chatted with him.

"Where are you from," he asked.

"Indiana."

"Me, I am from Spain."

I never quite figured it out, but I think that he had either been working at the Blue Boy Club either for a week or for six months. He wasn't strong in English, but he was good at rubbing up against me and massaging my upper inner thigh.

"Would you like to see the menu?"

Menu?! I was intrigued, so I naturally said yes, and he brought over a menu. Yes, a menu -- like one you would get in a restaurant--complete with the fake leather cover and the word "menu" in fancy type on the cover of it. Inside was a page listing the prices of the boys. I don't recall the exact prices beyond the fact that one hour cost €150 by plastic or €135 in cash.

Rebuffed, the Spaniard left me alone--I ordered a second drink -- €7! Mucho expensive!

The club was (temperature wise) very warm. Probably the warmest spot in all of the Netherlands--I would estimate 80ish degrees. It was probably so the boys would be half naked--and the customers (me!) would feel the urge to strip. (It was really cold in The Netherlands -- I got to see people skating on the canals the next day.)

Now the exact sequence of events escapes me, and the next two paragraphs might have been one young man instead of two, but I remember it as two different men.

Another young man approached me -- he was eager to show off his talents--he had a bottled drink with him and a straw-- he put the bottle down whilst chatting me up, and took a sip through the straw -- with his hands behind his back--except it was more than a sip, it was -- erotic -- up until the point where the straw slipped from his lips and he had to use his hands to get the straw back.

The last young man approached me and chatted me up -- He was from Columbia. Cute. Not my type, but cute. He was rubbing my hands up my legs -- rubbing up against me -- and being very pleasant. At this point the whole situation seemed completely absurd to me -- and I gave a big smile.

"You're smiling, I see," he said.

At this point I was beside myself -- I have a million questions that I wanted to ask and still want answers to like:
- How long have you been doing this?
- How long will you do this?
- What do you want to do after this?
- How many men a day can you do?

Those questions would have ruined the atmosphere and I'm not sure they would have willingly answered the questions.

A couple minutes before 10, I gathered my coat and my drink and made my way back to the door to the theater where the live sex show was scheduled to start. In front of the door there was a bored rent boy who was playing a video game and an eager client. Alas, the client had to wait because he was running the lights and sound for the live sex show.

The bored rent boy opened the door and I went in and took a seat on the left side in the third row from the front. The eager guy sat one row in front of me and on the right.

"Why don't you sit back here with me," the rent boy drawled to the guy. "I have to run the lights and sound and that's in back.

The guy moved and a third member of the audience came into the room. There was a quiet music background and the bored rent boy was talking to the eager client who had to wait -- fortunately the music was quiet because I was fortunate enough to hear parts of this conversation -- which I won't post here.

Sadly I missed the entire conversation because the bored rent boy turned up the music.

The actual show started about 10-15 minutes late--and the first segment featured a black guy in a jock strap dancing on stage--he had metal chains as his prop and was dancing around them, wiggling his ..., and, in general, being erotic.

The second segment, another young man in underwear joined him on stage and was a quasi-romantic scenario -- rubbing, kissing, caressing.

The third segment featured simulated sex set to a strobe light.

At this point, I think I won because the audience was small -- it turned into a lap dance -- and, I will admit it was hard (no pun intended) for me to judge, but I think I got the most attention of the three audience members. The black guy was aggressive, and other guy was as well. Then they moved over to the third audience member -- but briefly, and then to the guy in the back of the room for a short period of time.

I don't remember exactly all the details, but I sort of stopped being the observer and got into it -- it was fun, interesting, and lots of fun.

It was with a great deal of disappointment that they moved back on to the stage for the next two segments that were not simulated. I would describe them in additional detail, but it's not really ready for prime-time FlyerTalk posting -- i think.

Then the curtain was closed -- and it was over.

I was ready to go at this point -- I wasn't really willing to spend the money on sex.

They, however, were not ready to let me go. For some reason I appeared to be a really good prospect for sex--because as soon as the show was over a guy sat down next to me and wanted me to stay. The other man was being ignored--only I received the special attention. (That said the guy who really wanted the bored rent boy had already left the theater and paid his fee to spend some intimate time--I sort of followed them down the hall and watched them go into a bedroom.)

I left, as I had experience overload (for me at least) and wanted to think and get away from the insanity -- skipping the 11pm strip show.

catwood

Fun report!

The details of my Thanksgiving trip to AMS can't be posted here and still keep with in FT guidelines.

Where did you stay? I'm looking for a new hotel when I go in Feb.

Chris

epi231

Very interesting report... Last time I was in Amsterdam, I was young (18) and I had only seven hours there. (Layover en route to Tel Aviv, though I did manage to make it to two of the art museums.) Looking forward to investigating the city and its gay life next time I get a chance to go to Europe.

InIndiana

I was actually there for business and I was staying in Rotterdam, not Amsterdam. If you want a nice place to stay in Rotterdam, Hotel Emma works--it's a bit pricey, but it has a good location.

When staying in Amsterdam, I think my friend will let me stay at her place--which I would recommend, but she might object. :-)

Adam

maple

Wow, that's quite some report. Despite my numerous visits to AMS I did not know that they also offer an all-male show. I thought there was only the hetero Casa Rosso. Every evening when I go bar-hopping, I choose between the Cockring, Dirty Dicks and the Eagle, which are all near-neighbours along Warmoesstraat. Anybody else shares the same taste?!

room service

I am going to AMS in 3 weeks with a lady friend who wants to try a lesbian experience. Any suggestions on where to go?

meFIRST

Me, wow soundslike AMS sounds like Bangkok for gay people. Interesting review, menu and all.

SFO2AMS

Since this has kind of turned into a conversation about hotels in my other favorite city, I'll add my EUR 0,02...

I've actually stayed more privately than in hotels, but now when my friends in the Flevo polder are out of town I do still occasionally need a hotel.

I regret to say that it is the opinion of my friends and myself that there is no unqualified good deal in hotels in Amsterdam.

Of the gay pensions I have stayed in, The New York was the best, but it seems they've closed, and I thought them rather expensive, anyway.

As, I take it, is true of most of the pensions, The Orfeo (near the Leidseplein) is cheap, generally clean, with a friendly staff, but the rooms are small and austerely appointed.

The Golden Bear (in the Kerkstraat) is perhaps a notch above the Orfeo, and also caters specifically to bears, but I have also heard of people having bad experiences there (indifferent staff, construction noise).

I once stayed at the Hotel Quentin (also near the Leidseplein on the Lijnbaansgracht, around the corner from the Melkweg "Milky Way" a disco I have never been to, but which apparently every straight traveler to Amsterdam is required to attend). The Quentin is not really gay, but is gay friendly, and friends seem to have done O.K. there.

On my last visit, in November, I thought I'd try a hotel in the Warmoestraat. Yes, so I could be near Club Jacques, The Eagle, The Argos, and The Web. At the suggestion of a friend, I stayed at the art hotel Winston (http://www.winston.nl) which is charming in an off-beat artsy kind of way, but also suffers from that Dutch austerity, has rooms that while decorated by local artists are sometimes tiny (I had to get into the shower sideways), and is surrounded by the noisiest alleys in the red light district.

I have also stayed at the Hilton, mostly because of its John and Yoko history. It is a nice hotel, but most of the time overpriced, and in the middle of nowhere -- an hours walk from the center.

The reports I have heard of the other high-end hotels have mostly had criticisms.

I have wondered, though, about the Polynesian -themed Barangay Guest House (near Centraal Station http://www.barangay.nl/who.html). I have never stayed there, but there website looks cool.

If there are great deals to be had in gay hotels in Amsterdam, people seem to be keeping them to themselves.

dlnewbie

I'm not gay, but last week when we went to AMS we stayed in a gay-friendly guesthouse, The Truelove Antiek & Guesthouse

www.amsterdamby.com/truelove/
or
www.truelove.be

It is run by a nice guy Sean Maguire, who seems to go way out of his way to ensure that his guests have a good times, whether straight or gay. The facility is not a large hotel or anything but located near the Jordaan area of town near the intersection of Prinsenstraat and Prinsengracht, which we found quite easy to get from place to place. We payed $130/night for their two story apartment which we found to be great. This was my first time in AMS, but I would definitely stay here again.

-Brian

[This message has been edited by dlnewbie (edited 01-18-2003).]

WilliamTheTraveler

Great report, but I object to your comments on the Red Light District:

"That said, I have wandered through the Red Light district in Amsterdam before, which is a despressing experience--and one at the time I found disturbing because I couldn't stand the objectification women--they sit in these doors with windows wearing g-strings and bras and men walk around staring at them and evaluating the size of the breasts and whether or not they'd like to have sex with that woman."

I've been to Amsterdam many times and I admire the Dutch attitude toward prostitution. The women in the windows are working on their own without pimps, etc. The system empowers the women to work on their own and earn a living without any one else taking advantage of them. They have made a choice to work in the "world's oldest profession".

Your comments are interesting since you left the Red Light District and headed for "Blue Boy" where they object young men to the same "objectification" that you deplored in the Red Light District.

It works both ways!

mumbri

Just back from a weekend in Amsterdam - my first. For those interested in the nightlife: the “Eagle” and “Cockring,” of course, both attract a mostly leather crowd, mixed ages. The Eagle was much more lively and, um, entertaining on Saturday night than the “Cockring.” My friend and I left at around 4:30 a.m. and the place was still packed. We had gone to "IT" earlier, which is more of a disco and, according to some Dutch friends, one of the more popular Saturday night clubs. Nice crowd, age range 20-30s.

Sunday night we went to "Trut" -- my favorite experience of the weekend. The club is relatively small, a bit out of the way and not really known to most tourists; but with a good mix of music and men. Most of the crowd seemed to be in their early 20s, very laid back and talkative. Doors are only open from 11:00 p.m. to midnight and people start to line about at about 10:30.

Also recommended is “April” – especially for the happy hour when drinks (or at least beers) are 2 for 1, and there is also the rotating bar. There was another place across the street: “Arch” or “Ark” that had a really stylish interior and was nice to stop in for a coffee or drink during the day.

InIndiana

Hmmm, WilliamTheTraveler –you managed to find the flaw in my editing on the fly—I managed to eliminate the part where I explained that I found the women for sale depressing, but was unsure about how I actually felt because I’d never seen men for sale. The reason for the live sex show was to see how I would respond to men being sold—and I liked objectifying men. This does stand in stark contrast to my opinions about the objectification of women.

I suspect if men stood in doors and we walked down the streets looking at them, I might find it depressing—then again, maybe I wouldn’t. I haven’t seen men being sold that way in Amsterdam, so it’s hard to judge. I do know that my thoughts about prostitution have softened substantially. I don’t object to it any more: but that doesn’t change the fact that I find the way women are sold in Amsterdam to be depressing.

AndyO

Any original guys out there <circa 1988/89/90> i.e peter, tom, tommy? I know alex is r.i.p.. Hulger, Michelle,Joan,Edwin, Davi, Micheal, SCOTT USA anyone get in touch!

djjaguar64

I have to say, been to Amsterdam before and never really liked it, found it a little boring. Prefer Madrid.

PDXGUY1

Smart! Madrid is amazing...#1 in my book!