No Blackout Dates

In 2021, the city of Amsterdam announced it would move its sex workers out of the famed Red Light District in the heart of the city. Visitors have long ventured to the Red Light District, some to hire a sex worker and others out of sheer curiosity. This curiosity is part of why the city made the decision to relocate its sex workers – the women had become the subject of gawking and verbal abuse. Still, the decision has prompted confusion among travelers.

So we figured we’d go straight to the source. No Blackout Dates welcomes Mary, a veteran Amsterdam sex worker, to the show to discuss the move and how it will impact both the women being moved, and those who patronize them. Mary also sheds light on what life is like as a sex worker, and offers a firm rebuttal to any who cast doubt on the legitimacy of her line of work. Behind those red lights is a world shrouded in mystery, fantasy, and rumor, but the reality is that Mary and her colleagues are a beacon call for sexual satisfaction that for many, would go unanswered if it weren’t for their efforts.

Show Notes

In 2021, the city of Amsterdam announced it would move its sex workers out of the famed Red Light District in the heart of the city. Visitors have long ventured to the Red Light District, some to hire a sex worker and others out of sheer curiosity. This curiosity is part of why the city made the decision to relocate its sex workers – the women had become the subject of gawking and verbal abuse. Still, the decision has prompted confusion among travelers. 

So we figured we’d go straight to the source. No Blackout Dates welcomes Mary, a veteran Amsterdam sex worker, to the show to discuss the move and how it will impact both the women being moved, and those who patronize them. Mary also sheds light on what life is like as a sex worker, and offers a firm rebuttal to any who cast doubt on the legitimacy of her line of work. Behind those red lights is a world shrouded in mystery, fantasy, and rumor, but the reality is that Mary and her colleagues are a beacon call for sexual satisfaction that for many, would go unanswered if it weren’t for their efforts.

In Hot Takes, Tim and Eben discuss the different kinds of people you find in strip clubs, and whether driving through a state means you’ve actually “been” there.

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What is No Blackout Dates?

No Blackout Dates, hosted by Eben Diskin and Tim Wenger, is the official podcast of Matador Network and provides a truly unfiltered and honest look at the world of travel and adventure. Join these two travel writers each week for completely raw stories from the road that any responsible editor would (and has) cut from print. They talk about what it’s like to travel for a living, introduce you to the wild characters they’ve met along the way -- from astronauts and flight attendants to Amsterdam sex workers -- and expose a side of the travel lifestyle that Rick Steves doesn’t want you to know about. No Blackout Dates introduces you to the beautiful, bizarre, and batsh*t crazy world of travel!