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...in the Hauge. It's a Stayokay which is affiliated with HI. Just stayed in one in Rotterdam which was ace. Is one is an a slightly rough but ok area.
Was out for a family walk after dinner last night when my wife said there looks to be a Few shops down that street let's take a look.
At first I thought they were sex shops and I was looking at a mannequin in the window. Then she waved at me and I noticed there was another 20 or so ladies behind lots of windows. Loads of guys (just guys) milling around in the street and talking to the ladies.
We decided to pick up he pace and go straight back the the hostel. The younger 2 kids didn't have a clue what was going on but the 10 year old was a little traumatized. Poor lad.
What fun adventures has anyone else had on a family holiday?
I'm sure the poor 10 year old is currently traumatising himself senseless.
Haha.
Let's hope OP doesn't run into one of their regular punters.
Is it a crime to be a wh#re in the Hague?
Thread of the week!
Didn't Jesus hang out with the prostitutes and bless them? Username checks out then.
My stepdad tells a funny story about accidentally walking into a brothel in rural Spain asking for directions. “They were very friendly women” apparently.
My wife and I accidentally boarded the wrong bus in Thailand once. We had big backpacks on and we’re in the middle of nowhere, paranoid we’d miss the last bus to Chang Mai. Everyone was laughing at us, so we were smiling along and sat down. Eventually someone speaking English told us that it wasn’t a public bus but was full of teachers being taken back to the city from their village schools. Driver insisted on taking us to our hotel!
Accidentally came across the one in the Hague once whilst walking from the station to the centre.
I just remember blokes in drag with titjobs pulling the most ridiculous poses in the window.
Used to be a tourist attraction up the road in Amsterdam but (as I understand it) it was binned off. So yeah, Dutch heritage tourism along with
A cigar and a waffle
A shmoke and a pancake
A flapjack and a cigarette
A pipe and a crepe
A bong and a blintz
I read 10 year old as ‘year 10’ first time around. Y10 would’ve been delighted!!
If a guy with a big moustache turns up saying good he’s here to fix the fridge/air conditioning/whatever, while wielding a massive tool, don’t let them in
Beats my mistake in the Hague last summer: booked into what I thought was a hotel with the family, turned out it was an asylum claimant holding facility. Booking.com will sell anything to anyone. It was rated as "superb". I'm sure it was superb in comparison with a people smuggler's truck. Properly eye opening and distressing.
We took our two (girls) to Amsterdam when they were probably 13 and 10
Canalside stroll took us straight through the red light area. We explained a bit to the younger one in particular, who looked a bit confused but eventually said "oh - you mean like hookers ?" 🤣
... so we took them to the museum of hookery to do some proper learning. I think the youngest might've chosen it as a "show & tell" when she got back to school, too.
We took our two (girls) to Amsterdam when they were probably 13 and 10
Canalside stroll took us straight through the red light area. We explained a bit to the younger one in particular, who looked a bit confused but eventually said “oh – you mean like hookers ?” 🤣
Not the best place to get coke though.
Apparently.
Take the kids to seaworld/ legoland and they’ll forget everything else😊😊😊
Off the the waterpark today. Should do the same trick.
Watersports eh?
Beaten to it...
Seems about the right time to read the Eager Beaver thread on the front page.
As a teenager I stayed in a convent in Rome.
They nuns were very nice, but none too chuffed when we rolled up at 3am after a big night out.....🙂
Beats my mistake in the Hague last summer: booked into what I thought was a hotel with the family, turned out it was an asylum claimant holding facility. Booking.com will sell anything to anyone. It was rated as “superb”. I’m sure it was superb in comparison with a people smuggler’s truck. Properly eye opening and distressing.
We had the same, a friend who is tighter than a nats chuff, booked our accommodation for Paris-Roubaix, in Roubaix centre, the car park was full of temporary shelters for migrants wanting to get across channel, as was the "hotel", people cooking on makeshift stoves in hall ways, loads of drugs etc.. our room was triple height bunkbeds in what i think was a cupboard!
My worst mistake, was once pulling up in truck in Ghana to what i thought was a quiet spot, mate and i putting up our tents on a raised dry section, woke up in morning and seemingly we'd pitched in middle of what passed for a road, and had people driving either side our tents...
Eventually someone speaking English told us that it wasn’t a public bus but was full of teachers being taken back to the city from their village schools.
Thailand eh, teachers being brought from the villages to the city for their week's work. I'd say they could have thought you a few things all right 🙂
Brother and I off to Ibiza for his 50th next month, I was expecting a bit of a 'group of lads on tour' vibe but it's just the two of us, and when I realised this I pointed out that we'd look like a gay couple on holiday.
I booked the flights, he booked the accommodation.
He sent me a link telling me he'd booked it. I click the link and there, top of the page, dead centre in large friendly writing "We're hetero-friendly".
He's booked an apartment with a company that specialises in LGBTQ+ community. He says its an accident...
I'm not bothered by it, I find it funny, but it's an odd way of coming out and I've told him that 😀
My worst mistake, was once pulling up in truck in Ghana to what i thought was a quiet spot, mate and i putting up our tents on a raised dry section, woke up in morning and seemingly we’d pitched in middle of what passed for a road, and had people driving either side our tents…
Did the same on a walk the Ridgeway camping trip with my mate when we were at school. We found a beautiful flat patch of grassy land to pitch on but then were woken up in the morning by an irate bloke in a landrover telling us to shift quick because there were a load of horses on their way. We were slap bang in the middle of the gallops.
Went to see Black Sabbath at a warm-up gig at Birmingham 02 Academy ahead of their 'The End' tour with my brother. Had a few beers in the afternoon and ended up at a bar quite close to the venue. We were sat there drinking our beers and I noticed there seemed to be lots of framed pictures of very muscly, oiled and tanned men all around the place. In addition, most of the other customers looked like extras from a Frankie Goes To Hollywood video 🤣🤣🤣
As a teenager I stayed in a convent in Rome.They nuns were very nice, but none too chuffed when we rolled up at 3am after a big night out….
@RustySpanner I'm guessing thats was because you hadnt invited them along...
The younger 2 kids didn’t have a clue what was going on but the 10 year old was a little traumatized. Poor lad.
Really ?
You have talked to him about sex haven't you and that it involves men and women, or women and wormen, or men and men etc ?
My parents once booked us into a hotel with no windows above a sex shop in Spain. Nothing bad happened apart from it having no air con.
Brother and I off to Ibiza for his 50th next month, I was expecting a bit of a ‘group of lads on tour’ vibe but it’s just the two of us, and when I realised this I pointed out that we’d look like a gay couple on holiday.
I've holidayed with a mate multiple times, it never crossed my mind that anyone might assume that. I'm not overly sure as I'd care anyway, they can think what they like so long as we get twin beds.
I once stayed in an AirBnB in Indianapolis. It wasn't quite Canal Street but it was an area with a vibrant LGBTQIA+ community. Where I was staying was like the East Wing of someone's house, it was palatial for not much money and one of the most amazing beds I've ever slept in. There was a bookshelf with choice titles like "The History of the Penis" or some such, and a box of magazines with, underneath the top couple of innocuous mags was stuff like Playgirl. Somewhat amusingly, the gay grumble quietly disappeared whilst I was out for dinner.
You have talked to him about sex haven’t you and that it involves men and women, or women and wormen, or men and men etc ?
I think there's a bit of a difference between sex and intimacy education and accidentally exposing a 10 year old to the sex (and modern slavery) marketplace of an evening. Dutch Windows are quite different to Canal St or Old Compton St...
I lived/worked in Morocco for a few years on a big engineering job with another guy. We used to call in the El'Kendra bar in Casablanca on the way home as they had a good 'happy hour' piano bar (think Sams bar). It used to be on the coach tour trail with well off Americans/Europeans staying in the hotel. It was really funny watching them when they realised it was a very thin veneer of respectability and the well dressed ladies in there where all working girls. We were in Casa for 18months before moving up to Fez&Meknes so got to know them and enjoyed having a chat with the women on a normal human level.
But it was the thing that left a sour taste of the country - I otherwise enjoyed my time there but witnessing the sometimes brutality and life those girls had and how easy it was to fall into it was depressing and saddening.
I lived/worked in Morocco for a few years on a big engineering job with another guy.
The beginning of a beautiful friendship?
Many moons ago rented a basement room in Richmond Virginia whilst working in states for summer as a student. Was the lady’s son’s room who was away travelling post university. Had a massive built in waterbed, with a sort of four poster type wooden frame arrangement. To which were attached handcuffs on chains. In a stand in the corner where various feather duster type utensils and the book shelves were groaning under the weight of a phalanx of what can only be described as tickle grumble. Various ladies, in varying states of undress, being tickled by various suspicious looking geezers.
It did cross my mind that I could end up being fed to the pigs or somesuch. But it was cheap, the waterbed was amazingly comfortable and the mom did a good line in home cooking. I’m here to tell the tale so I guess it was legit. Weird thing was she MUST have known but never mentioned it once..
Do you think the son ever existed? Wtf would u rent that room out?
Went to Amsterdam a few weeks ago. With MrsF, and I'm wandering down the street looking for our pre-booked restraurant, but looking at the 'bikes', as you do (**** cyclist). Walked right past a window, and the lady was 'apparently' trying to entice me - me completely oblivious.
TBH, we did the usual walk round the district, and they all looked bored, and ocasionally, they were trying to get attention from the odd lad's group. Most were in what I'd describe as swim wear. Probably alot different in the early hours.
Do you think the son ever existed? Wtf would u rent that room out?
Do you know what, I’ve never given that due consideration. Perhaps it should go down as opportunity missed / lucky escape (delete as appropriate)..
I did a diatance learning MSc in Manchester half a lifetime ago. There was a bloke from Malta on the same course. Lovely bloke, clever and softly spoken. At one of the occasional contact sessions he was booked into a hotel next to Canal Street. He was thrilled.
Beautiful decorative flags, ever such friendly blokes in all the bars. 🤣
I mean, he's not wrong. I've had the odd good night out there but he was somewhat surprised when we told him the score. Never crossed his mind.
Oh yeah, also managed to find the only pub in London showing Wimbledon tennis during a World Cup season as my missis was keen to watch a particular match. Again, very friendly blokes. Daughter would have been about 4, loved the place.
He sent me a link telling me he’d booked it. I click the link and there, top of the page, dead centre in large friendly writing “We’re hetero-friendly”.
We nearly ended up booking a place like that in Prague, more out of necessity than naivety since they had helpfully called it 'Gay Hotel Villa Mansland'. Looked really nice to be fair and although it had good facilities they were enough to convince us it was likely no more than a sauna with beds. Not judging at all but we were halfway through a Euro tour and like our sleep (in retrospect it may well have been worth the potential headboard banging over the creepy hostel above a restaurant we ended up in).
Ended up in gay bars a few times over the years and never been bothered. It is amusing when you do the whole 'slow look left along the bar, slow look right' and the gears slowly start turning despite it being very obvious.
I've accidentally fetched up in some questionable places over the years, notably a pub in Dudley called The Angel (IIRC) where I genuinely feared for my life (but that's another story). But I've never had anything but positive experiences in gay bars / districts, everyone's always been lovely.
I’ve accidentally fetched up in some questionable places over the years, notably a pub in Dudley called The Angel (IIRC) where I genuinely feared for my life (but that’s another story).
Angels of the Blue variety?
We're off to France next week and fancied a stop over.
So I went to booking.Com found somewhere half way, £60 b&b and takes the dog, perfect. Booked.
Sent a link to my wife. https://www.booking.com/Share-qgNpXZ
She says 'Does naturiste mean what I think it means?'
Fortunately there was free cancellation.
I dread to think what we would have done if we had rocked up there.
I dread to think what we would have done if we had rocked up there
When in Rome..
We stayed at a very rough and ready ‘hotel’ in New York. Room only no restaurant/ breakfast facilities. But perfectly placed for what we wanted to do and where we wanted to be and cheap by New York standards.
it was an old brown stone and our room had a bed with just a sheet on it, a big old TV balanced on a fridge and a radiator plumbed directly into hell - hot as hell, occasionally venting steam and conveying the wails of tortured souls.
anyway had a great time despite its weirdness the hotel worked absolutely fine for us. When we’re checking out the guy at the desk sees our room key and tells us excitedly ‘you got the best room!’
years pass and we get the notion to go back to NY. Discouraged by accom costs we try to track down the same hotel but struggle to find it - search and search and it doesn’t come up on any listings but what we finally find is a news article about a NY halfway house and bail hostel fiddling the city council by letting out the accommodation they were funding to tourists.
Did the same on a walk the Ridgeway camping trip with my mate when we were at school. We found a beautiful flat patch of grassy land to pitch on but then were woken up in the morning by an irate bloke in a landrover telling us to shift quick because there were a load of horses on their way. We were slap bang in the middle of the gallops.
Just above Avebury by any chance?
from memory, pretty close.
I dread to think what we would have done if we had rocked up there.
Protest too much?
BAck here after reading FGF and ToTW
I dread to think what we would have done if we had rocked up there.
Taught the dog to say "sossigiz" ?
You can see my Motel 6 in the background here. San Diego. On my way back with a bike box
Looks like you had...
The ride of your life!
I'll get my coat.
Booked a French b&b this summer for a break in the driving.
It was only when the host said that the dog would have to sleep outside because of her old cats that I realised it was a nudist b&b
Who new there was such a thing!
Fortunately I used the dog as an excuse to cancel. Really don't know what we would have done if we'd turned up
a nudist b&b
Who new there was such a thing
I give you the west Highland nudist retreat
https://maps.app.goo.gl/fsA5GLf2sGtq9ALe6
Let’s hope OP doesn’t turn into one of their regular punters.
fify
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I was at a scout jamboree in the Netherlands many moons ago and went into the town with a couple of other leaders. I thought we were going to a bar or such but the destination was a sauna.
It came as quite a surprise to find things like shorts weren't allowed. A pleasant surprise but as it was mixed company, I had to stay in the Jacuzzi 😳
When we bought our place in Spain back in 1999 my wife and I decided to check out a local 'night club' fortunately the taxi driver who was taking us there spoke reasonable English realised what we thought we were doing and took us to the local Discotheque instead.
Apparently the distinction still exists.
Ardgaty for midges.
jacobff
Full Member
My parents once booked us into a hotel with no windows above a sex shop in Spain. Nothing bad happened apart from it having no air con.
So a dungeon basically?