European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 8, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                �?�55� Tours the Reepe Bahnan a adults Only tour Hoy sat together in the Park As the evening sky grew Lark she looked at him he Felt .1 spark i Ingle to his Bones t  then he Felt alone and wished that he d gone straight and thought about a simple twist of Fate by Dave Walczak staff writer they walked along by the old canal a Little confused i remember Well. And stopped into a strange hotel with the Neon burning Bright i the Felt the heat of night hit him like a freight train moving with a simple twist of Fate he hears the ticking of the clocks and walks along with a Parrot that talks i hints her Down by the waterfront docks where the sailors All come in maybe hell pick her out again i Low Long must he wait f or .1 simple twist of Fate a Bob Dylan the brochure leaves no doubt what this bus Lour is about. Eye catching phrases like Quot sizzling specials Quot Quot hot spots of Europe Quot and Quot adults Only Quot stick out like shapely legs from miniskirts. Sex Appeal. Destination Hamburg West Germany. The promoter is top Tours a German bus company catering to americans. Its usual destinations include Paris London Rome and Amsterdam Urban meccas that need no frilly come on. But Wesl Germany s largest City is not in their league. Quot Hamburg is a hard City to sell Quot says Brigette Colantonio who owns top Tours. Quot a lot of people Don t even know where it is. People have heard of the Reeper Bahn. That a about  in Case they Haven t heard the news about the Hamburg Boulevard where sex for profit is the name of the game. Top Tours brochure rings loud and Clear Quot the sailors Quarter is wide awake under the Bright Neon lights. Hamburg never  Colantonio insists that the $139 weekend package was never meant Quot As an a rated  but those climbing aboard the tour bus Are wondering about the Reeper Bahn Long before they catch their first glimpse of adult bookstores Peep shows and streetwalker that comprise Reeper Bahn ambience. Quot i heard that it s the hottest nightspot in Germany Quot says Brian 27, a civilian contractor who works for the army in Frankfurt. Quot what am i looking Tor i la Tell you  tour guide Dean Yorgenson wonders what lies ahead. Quot i saw that adults Only brochure a he says had to question that too. I m usually assigned to Bavaria. I m kind of hesitant because i once Esco Rte it a tour to the oktoberfest in Munich where people came to drink. I Hope this in t like  the departure Point is Mannheim where More than 15 top Tours buses disgorge and collect passengers. After waiting for a half hour for a Baum older Man who never showed up the Hamburg bus Heads North at 11 50 . The Only noise from the 21 men and two women aboard comes from four men growing increasingly chummy with a fifth named Crown Royal. As their Friendship grows so does their use of four letter words which occasionally overpower the disco music pounding away through overhead speakers. The Lour finally put the bottle and themselves to sleep around 3 . As the bus Rolls along the Concrete and steel autobahn leading to Hamburg reaches the City s outskirts at about 6 45 . Am stops near the main train station a half hour later. Few of the City s 1.6 million people seem to be awake this cold windswept saturday morning As s stripes Magazine March 8, 1990 in is amps photos by Ken Tauson Altera pricey 13-Mark $7.75 Buffet breakfast at a. Three Star downtown hotel the group welcomes Helge Linds Kion aboard. The local tour guide directs the bus through Hamburg s ritzy areas pointing out the More famous of the City s 2,352 Bridges and 25 Heaters. The town Hall supreme court convention Center Stock Exchange and other attractions Are passed and the passengers leave the bus for an inside View of St. Michel s Cathedral. The next Stop is the Reeper Bahn the main thoroughfare in what is known to locals As the St. Pauli it. With its Neon lights turned off the old sailors Quarter resembles an explosion in a paint factory. Lalap dated Blue red yellow and Green structures stretch More than five City blocks and extend into ominous looking Back streets. The bus turns left toward the Harbor leaving the passengers with a parting glance at tonight s destination  fl<1st e docks where Landskron says Civ a r is a year unload their cargo making the to jnf11 Ermanus Lara est seaport. But the passengers hotel jk0u. A it its , the bus reaches the text i 1 he 6 Cly Siou skirts at about 3 . Jorgenson Din 8nup 1� ready of a depart by 7 pm for a or and the first of two nights on the Reeper Bahn. Dishes a Cly Clide res aural get featuring fish hitch i rom m Marks per entree goes off without a gaze out no j o f Oor Perch the passengers interested by or it but be diners seem far More the illumine awaits pm two bocks away Han in docks con a Ner ships choking the Hamburg duo nhe b los paid the group boards the by rows no Elf f separated from the restaurant will leave the Reone Emer tsp Rosenson says the bus americans the a at 11 3� ., giving the travel my trip Pur a/5  the area will live up to a Quot Amshl Tisl rat Europe -15 Pau a the raunchiest i Rob s night out boolw5 the a rican jurists off in front of an a a establish of three consecutive pornography Woight of thence i that. Eem to Teeter under the Quot sex Lial aids a s video tapes adult magazines and break into Man Down on the americans As they is going. Or Why s no one s where anyone else �?T1  Ulii 1 r 1. Shielding his eyes from the Neon lights that Pierce the rain Rob maps out a plan Quot let s just walk up and Clown this Street and see just what s  it does t take Long to find out. A teen Ager in tight stretch pants hurries along bound for one of the Reeper Bahn nightclubs or strip joints sandwiched Between Banks hamburger stands and sinister looking gaming Halls that smell of old shoes. Rob Rolls his eyes upward at first sight of the girl. Quot break my heart Quot he says. The 25-year old airman has been around enough to know that women who work in bars or discos sometimes sell More than drinks. He Learned that lesson while stationed in the Philippines he says. But Reeper Bahn prices hardly compare to those in the Philippines. Most of the nightclubs along the Boulevard charge 10 Marks about $6 for a Beer. Buy a working girl a shot of whiskey at those same establishments and the bartenders demand 95 Marks. Warned of the hefty prices Rob and his two friends Slop off at a cafe run by greeks but offering German Wurst and French Fries. The Beer there is 4 Marks per bottle a Reeper Bahn bargain. Next Stop is crazy sexy a House of prostitution wedged into an Alley. Inside about 25 Young women Clad in White bikinis stand in groups of twos and threes illuminated by overhead red lights. Asking Price is 50 Marks but whether that will take customers beyond closed doors upstairs to one knows. There Are no takers right now but one of the women says it s too Early. Peak hours begin after 11 . Closing hours Quot when there Are no More customers Quot says one in perfect English. Rob and his friends turn Down a Side Street illuminated by yellow lights advertising Gay movies from both sides of the Cobblestone Roadway. They walk past a half dozen Middle aged men slouching in doorways who glance at Only male passers by Many of whom Are headed for nearby Gay bars where customers must ring a Buzzer to gain entry. Rob discloses that he has always wanted Quot a latino of Garfield on my upper  about this big Quot making an Oval with his fingers about the size of a half Dollar. So the Trio turns Down another Side Street when they spot a Small sign that reads Quot tattoos by  even though it s after 10 ., Harry answers the Bell without rancor leading them into a Small room Wall papered with thousands of tattoos. Harry says the Garfield Tattoo will Cost 50 Marks and take about 45 minutes to apply. The Price and 6-Inch original enthusiasm fora Tattoo. 1 lie sound of English being spoken prompts Tony Harry s co worker to appear. Quot did i hear you say you n from Ohio Quot he asks. Quot i m from  dressed in Blue jeans and a to shirt Tony who looks about 35, says Quot we Don t get too Many americans Lien Lois of canadians lots of  Tony spent seven years in the army stationed in Wurzburg and Grafen Thrasa laser technician hardly an apprenticeship for the Tattoo apply action Trade. Quot it Slong Story Quot he says when asked what brought him to Hamburg to sew tattoos. Tie tries to sell Rob on the Garfield Tattoo hut agrees with Harry that the upper  is no place for the cat sporting a mischievous Grin. He opens a photo album filled with Polaroid snapshots of his customers tattoos displayed on c bests backs and arms. Quot this one belongs to the polic e c Hief Quot pointing to a Eagle whose wingspan extends from armpit to armpit. Quot this one belongs to one of his female polic e officers who came in at the same time Quot he says Pointin to Bare breasts coloured Over with some sort of Bird. Quot that Gart old Tattoo belongs lower on the body a he says turning More pages. Quot think about  Eli Points to the most private body parts of male and female Anatomy depicted in the photos. Rob winces. Quot i can t believe people would have tattoos put there Quot lie says. Quot that must  the threesome get directions to a nearby Street that they be been told is blocked to motor traffic to accommodate Quot local  they Cross the Reeper Bahn past a two Story police station heading toward a the Dock area. Young women some in their teens line the Street standing virtually Elbow to Elbow. All Are dressed in pastel coloured iridescent ski clothes providing Protection against the wind that whips through the crowded Street. The tour guide had said Hamburg has 1 2,000 licensed prostitutes but a Glanc e along this Street makes that figure seem conservative. Most of the women stand in front of ramshackle pensions which advertise Quot single or Quot double Quot rooms Lor 30 Marks. The women Are asking 50 Marks to accompany them inside but no one seems to be taking them up on the proposition. The threesome turns onto the Quot pedestrians Only Quot Alley. Iron Walls on either end bar motor vehicles from the Street. Quot no women allowed Quot a sign says. Rows of store windows line either Side of the Alley continued on Page 10 March 8, 1990 stripes Magazine