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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...
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 similespeaking 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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