HANGING OUT IN AMSTERDAM until Victory!!

Hilda and I reluctantly caught a cab and went back to the hotel. We were so impressed that everywhere, even here, there were so many bicycles. It actually was a lovely thing to see so many riding bikes.
 
When we went up to our room, we found a message waiting for us. It was in an envelope stuck in the door. It simply had an address and said, "What you are looking for is here." Somehow, we thought it was from that same boy who had been so helpful to us at the coffee shop.

We called the desk and asked if she could find a phone number to go with the address.  In just a few moments she called back with the phone number. Now what should we do? Call first? or simply show up. 

I asked Hilda if I could just lie down for thirty minutes...before leaving. We agreed. 

Soon we caught a cab to a street near the red light district. The apartment building looked seedy. We climbed the stairs to the third floor, then knocked. 

Not Hester but a girl around her age answered the door. We explained that we were searching for a red haired blue eyed sixteen year old girl. Then I said, "Would you excuse me, but as you can see I am an old lady and really need to use your bathroom...then stepped through the door as the girl was trying to say no. Once inside Hilda and I sensed that Gretchen was in that very apartment. 

We both started through the apartment calling, "Gretchen, Gretchen, please tell us where you are." We heard a faint groaning and pushed through a bedroom door. There was Gretchen tied to a chair with a gag around her mouth. We quickly untied her and began leading her out as we put the blonde wig over her red hair and a jacket hiding her clothes.  The girl suddenly tried to stop us...but no use. We were two determined women from Memphis, Tennessee....and there was no stopping us!!

The cab was waiting and we took Gretchen back to the hotel and called her stepfather, the embassy, and her church to let them know she had been found. The youth group had already returned to Memphis. and the leader said Mark had not been able to eat since she was abducted.              

First Gretchen needed a hot bath, a hot meal and some sound sleep before she could tell her mother and me just what happened during the four days she had been held prisoner. 
                               *********
A little later there was a knock at our door: LARRY!! 
                                

He said, "You ladies couldn't keep me away...I know I am an old man, but I thought I might be of some help." Larry never liked to miss an adventure, particularly when it was helping old friends. 

Then we sat down and Larry told us all he had learned in the short time since he arrived in Amsterdam.

He said he had known many people in Amsterdam who owed him favors. He went to see the Chief of Police and asked them to send someone to arrest Hester at the coffee shop. Then another policeman went to Hester's apartment where Gretchen had been held. He arrested the girl there.  
 Hester fac simile
 Both girls were questioned thoroughly;  they quickly and fully admitted everything they had done. They had been operating on their own in a scheme to free Hester's sister from forced prostitution.  

When Gretchen first arrived at the apartment she had the munchies and was so hungry. Hester encouraged her to eat all she could. Then Gretchen slept for 24 hours and was out of it for much longer.

When she came to herself,  Hester was trying to shoot her with heroin.  

A volcano erupted in Gretchen and she fought Hester off; and only with the help of the other girl, could Gretchen be restrained. 
She started quoting Bible scriptures. 
FOR I AM THE LORD. YOUR GOD WHO TAKES HOLD OF YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SAYS TO YOU..DO NOT FEAR..I WILL HELP YOU!!..GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE...DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED AND DO NOT BE AFRAID
and singing hymns (VERY LOUDLY.)  

Gretchen belted out VICTORY IN JESUS with all the power that was within her.

Hester wasn't a very good abductor; she made a mess of trying to administer heroin for the first time; she naively thought she could talk the people who held her sister into swapping her for Gretchen. But Gretchen was a rowdy Christian and more than Hester could handle.

 Every time the gag was removed, Gretchen started singing hymns and quoting Bible verses all over again so loudly  they had to gag her again. 
THE LORD IS MY HELPER I WILL NOT BE AFRAID, WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME? ..EVEN THOUGH I WALK TROUGH THE VALLEY OF DEATH I WILL FEAR NO EVIL.

Hester was spooked and flustered  by hearing all this and had no idea what to do. When they captured Gretchen, they  thought Gretchen  had been stranded and was alone in Amsterdam. They had no idea what Gretchen was capable of or that Hilda and I would come searching for her.

We were so glad Larry came; he spent the rest of the afternoon with us. Hilda and I shared our experiences in searching.

                              *************
It was time for dinner; so we went back to the roof to eat and hear what Gretchen had to say.

Now that Gretchen was to herself and refreshed, she confirmed every thing Larry had said. But she also said how sorry she felt for Hester who did what she did, not because she was evil but because she loved her sister and felt desperate. "I forgive her."

We lingered on the roof looking up at the sky and feeling so good!

 Then Larry told us of his plans for us!!
  

But first he wanted to show us the Rembrandt House      
and Van Gogh Museum,
  

then drive to Haarlem to see Corie ten Boom's home. 




Then Hilda, Gretchen and I would fly home. 

You won't believe it, but we declined his offer. We were all so exhausted that nothing sounded better than going home as soon as possible. I gave plane tickets to Hilda, her husband, and Gretchen to return to Amsterdam when a little time had passed...

As for me, I will probably skip it!! 

So Larry  gave each of us a large bouquet of tulips,  
also a pair of wooden shoes for each of us as souvenirs.


 So we had all we wanted, most especially  GRETCHEN!!
So this particular pretend trip comes to a close, there MAY be more.

God is good all the time, blessed be the name of the Lord.
Love annie in memphis

old7lady9blogger80@gmail.com  would love to hear from you......
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I want to add for those who think it isn't plausible that Gretchen would have fought her captors with scriptures and singing, the way she did, I remind you: 
THE WORD IS LIKE A TWO EDGED SWORD. ab

HANGING OUT IN AMSTERDAM: SEARCHING REDLIGHT DISTRICT BY DAY

                                   DAY TIME IN AMSTERDAM


The only explanation I have that I could sleep so well is that I was completely exhausted when we got to bed last night. I was having a pleasant dream of home, when the cell phone rang.  Almost 7:15 as you can see on the clock in the picture. Someone hung up?
Wrong number? How?  Was it Gretchen who didn't recognize an unfamiliar voice and hung up? We decided Hilda should answer the phone if it rang again. But the phone didn't ring again.

Everything looked less ominous in the sunlight. We had room service bring us coffee, juice, and sweet rolls and we nibbled. Being daytime we didn't ask for anyone to escort us, thinking we might look less suspicious by ourselves. Of course that was silly..a middled aged lady and an 80 year old lady in itself would look suspicious!!!
v
We went back to the coffee shop where Gretchen had last been seen and ACTUALLY ORDERED COFFEE. We  told people we were a family seeing the Netherlands together, when the granddaughter decided to go for a walk by herself and got lost. We passed around Gretchen's picture.
                                                . fac simile

Finally a young employee in a wheelchair said, "Yes, I did see her. She was trying pot for the first time...she was here quite awhile then got a headache and the munchies, wanted to eat. Her personality became different, hostile.  Hester, who works here, took her to her place where she could eat, then lie down and sleep it off.  Your granddaughter  is so pretty and has such a nice laugh." 
 fac simile

He spoke good English. "Hester might be on duty again around two o'clock. "

Finally we were getting somewhere!!! But where? Was this girl to be trusted.  So again we left the phone number and name of hotel.

Then we walked for awhile viewing the district in the daytime, looking for any sign of Gretchen, whom I had never met but come to love.

  

Although a few girls continued to scratch on the windows for customers, for the most part the red district was quiet during the morning.   

We were amazed to learn that the Rossebuurt neighborhood is in fact one of the oldest and most beautiful parts of the city with long winding narrow, cobbled streets and utterly charming l4th century architecture.

                           
                           
      

 .

We went back to the original coffee shop to get a light meal. 

Some people recognized us and were friendly.
A few people spoke English, and we learned a lot about the 200 coffee shops in Amsterdam. For one thing they cannot serve alcohol, if they sell pot...they have to choose one or the other. Also, they can't sell to someone under eighteen. 

  We decided to eat something, wait for Hester and rest...we actually did not see anyone smoking dope....maybe having an old lady present is stifling...haha.

We ate this: not sure exactly what it was...maybe fish filet with lots of stuff on it. It was good!!


At two o'clock an attractive oriental looking girl arrived for work.   fac simile
HESTER! THE ONE!!!!

We introduced ourselves and asked if Gretchen was still at her place. She tried to look confused and stuttered that she didn't know what we meant. We showed her the picture and told her a CIA agent was at our disposal if she did not cooperate with us.

 Both Hilda and I began to cry from disappointment. The girl seemed to be moved...but nevertheless, ran out the back door.

Again we left the phone number and name of our Hotel with all the employees.  We asked for Hester's address but nobody seemed to know or admit they knew it. We were too tired to find her apartment or room anyway...but that would be next.

When I know more, I'll tell you more.
love. annie

so far...no tulips ...no wooden shoes 
...no Gretchen.
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HANGING OUT IN AMSTERDAM...Where is Gretchen?

                     


                                                                              




Last evening Hilda______and I had dinner on the roof top of the Hilton Double Tree Hotel in Amsterdam.
 Under different circumstances it would have been so wonderful...beautiful view of Amsterdam and wonderful food. But Hilda and I focused on our plans to find her missing daughter, Gretchen. 



Only three days ago Hilda_, a lovely lady in her fifties, and I were sitting in my kitchen having coffee.   Often people. who had heard I have unlimited money that can ONLY be used for travel, came to Ben and me for help. Now I am a widow and don't have my sweet Ben's input as to what I should do. I didn't  even know Hilda, myself: she belongs to a church where some of my former Humes High School classmates go; and they recommended us to each other.

Hilda was crying. Would I take her to Amsterdam? She needed to find her daughter who had disappeared from a church youth group's four day trip to the Netherlands. Their main goal was to visit Haarlem, the hometown of Corrie ten Boom.  

After the plane landed in Amsterdam, the young people  had the afternoon free to look around before boarding the bus to go to the real destination. 

Hilda explained, "It is Gretchen's dream to become a writer. She wants to experience as much of life as possible." She said that  foolishly  Gretchen and her boyfriend, Mark,  left the group looking for excitement. They happened on the red light district of Amsterdam  

They went into a coffee shop where people were smoking pot; 
they seemed so very happy that Gretchen was enticed to do the same. They gave her some free weed and offered it to Mark who refused. She had never been anywhere before where there was even alcohol, much less pot and had never even smoked a cigarette. Quickly she was feeling quite wonderful. 

 So they saw little of Amsterdam. They did NOT see 
Dam Square 
Royal Palace, 
nor Skinny Bridge 
nor the oldest house in Amsterdam  nor any other sights their friends were seeing.

The afternoon passed right there in the coffee shop.  Gretchen seemed alright, even HAPPY, but it was almost time to board the bus to Haarlem. Mark could not persuade  her to leave..she pushed him away, saying "Leave me alone, Mark!!"

..He went to the group leader for help; they both came to the cafe; but nobody admitted to having seen her. Hard to believe because Gretchen has red hair and bright blue eyes and a delightful laugh, that could never go unnoticed. So distraught and panicked, the leader  and  Mark contacted the American embassy and boarded the bus for Haarlem. They were on a tight schedule and would fly home in two days.

Straight away, the embassy contacted Hilda and Gretchen's stepfather and the Amsterdam police. The church members began praying for this sixteen year old  girl. They feared she might be dead or worse. 

And now Hilda and I  are actually in Amsterdam, in an expensive hotel, (as you know on my pretend trips, I only stay at the BEST);

we had dinner on the roof  having a lovely meal (I also only eat the best on my pretend trips.!) 
In real life I sleep on the Greyhound Bus and eat from Burger King!!


We are planning our strategy. This is my first trip when the best hotel and the best food don't seem to matter one bit!!

In my backpack is a drab blonde wig and nondescript clothing for Gretchen to change into., when we find her.
As I know more, I'll tell you more....
Love, annie with Hilda in Amsterdam
  so far no tulips 
no wooden shoes!!    more IMPORTANT...so far no GRETCHEN.


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HANGING OUT IN AMSTERDAM; SEARCHING REDLIGHT DISTRICT BY NIGHT!

      Hello, to my many stranger friends, whom I have never met. I am pleased that going on 400 people have read this little pretend trip I made to Amsterdam. Wonder how you happened on it as you surfed the internet??? Here goes........annie
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I always thought if I ever got to Amsterdam, it would be with Ben to see the Rembrandt  museum. 
                       


Hilda and I had only been in Amsterdam a few hours when we went upstairs to the roof of our hotel and ate here, as I mentioned yesterday.

As we walked into our hotel room around eight pm, my cell phone rang.

It was my old friend from Humes High School, Larry, retired CIA agent. Ben and I had helped him in a minor way in Poland and he had helped us several times on my trips. 
We had become good friends. 

"Annie, this is Larry. Sorry you couldn't reach me. I have been in South America and only just now returned. What is the problem?" I explained to him about our reason for being in Amsterdam. 

He said he would be in touch with the embassy and could even come over, himself...if..? .I assured him it wasn't necessary. So he said that his son could send an agent or local policeman to our hotel immediately to escort us to the Red Light District, to assure ourselves, Gretchen wasn't  there.

We were glad to hear of the help; neither of us could go to sleep anyway, wondering if Gretchen was in the RLD. Not an agent but an Amsterdam policeman out of uniform arrived:Pieter. We were grateful that he spoke English.

His blonde beauty was wasted on Hilda and me... fac simile
but his understanding  kindness was so appreciated. We arrived in Red Light District around ten pm. Pieter mingled among the crowd showing a picture of Gretchen,
 fac simile
speaking mostly in Dutch, English or French. 
People responded, "Nee, Nee."

We first found the coffee shop where she was last seen by her boyfriend, Mark 
       fac simile  of shop where Gretchen was given the marijuana 
               I left my cell phone number so I could be reached if Gretchen were seen

We learned from Pieter that the mayor has allowed the 220 coffee shops which sell marijuana and Hashish to tourists to continue doing that, but to no one under eighteen. It is now technically illegal, as of this year,  yet tolerated by the government. 

 No one seemed to remember anything about a beautiful teenager with red hair and blue eyes and a captivating laugh.

. Then the panorama of it all floored and sickened Hilda and me.
           

                     

                   There are approximately 300 one room cabins with window rented to prostitutes to use in their work.
           
          Pieter pointed out that from noon to midnight (sometimes as
late as two am,)  girls stand behind windows trying to attract attention of the men walking by. If a man  sees one he likes, he knocks on her door. Then if there is a financial agreement, the curtain is closed for a time.

                 A lot of tourists were simply walking along gaping at what
            they were seeing, while Hilda and I were tearful. There was
             a "hen party" group of middle age women having fun and
             some Japanese businessmen. More than half the clients
             are foreign...tourists, business men. Wonder if they take it off their
                   expense accounts??!!
        
               


 v     
                               Some seemed amused at seeing an old lady like me!!!


 
As you know, I am almost 80 and Hilda is in her mid-fifties...and neither of us had ever seen anything like this before.  but Hilda and I walked along with  Pieter, looking for Gretchen and thankfully didn't see anyone who even resembled her.. Yet we were crying and praying for these girls in the windows who were somebody's daughters and .......and had so little hope for the future. Most girls in the windows were under thirty &  looked as if they were from foreign countries...not sure.

Pieter encouraged us. "Since Gretchen has only been missing a few days, she most likely isn't being held against her will, but hiding or fleeing as best she can. Could she just be embarrassed? The coffee shop where she was last seen has followed the law and not been in any trouble in the past."

Pieter gave us more information. Weed in Amersterdam is legal but not cheap. As of 2012 it is not supposed to be sold in coffee shops. But the shops are well tolerated by the government. Tourists might find the prices very high. Pot in Amsterdam is purer and stronger than in America. He admitted many foreign girls are forced into prostitution. But so far he felt optimistic about Gretchen...no sign of her on the street and he had not heard anything through informers.

We thanked the lovely dutchman  as he left us back at our hotel. 
It was near dawn. 

We would sleep a little and then start out again...confidently praying we would find Gretchen that day.

Hilda and I are tired but hopeful...when we know more, we'll tell you more. Love, annie

so far...no tulips ...no wooden shoes 
...no Gretchen.
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