Amsterdam's gay bars are closing faster than Amsterdam's trees lose their leaves in autumn... Today it was reported that Soho closed yesterday - this is after Exit, April, Arc and Cockring all closed in the last 6 months or so.It surely feels like a part of my "youth" has been taken away: these are all bars that I spent way too much time in from 1988, when I moved to Amsterdam, until recently. So many memories, so many people I have met in those places, so many happy moments.
I also still remember being proud of Amsterdam as the "gay capital of Europe" (and at one point, possibly the world) during the 1990's and early new century - now that is only a distant memory and many, many cities have overtaken my city in this respect. Sad.
