Homeless people and ex-junkies have become tourist guides showing visitors to Utrecht the "dark past" of the city. The tourists are taken on a walk called Utrecht Underground.
Up to ten years ago the central Dutch cathedral city was struggling with a homeless problem, but all addicts and homeless were offered shelter in hostels. Former drugs takers are now city hosts.
Hardly anybody sleeps outdoors in Utrecht, according to spokeswoman Annemieke Dijk of the homeless help group, The City Bridge (De Stadsbrug). "Everybody is given a place to sleep and something to eat. You don't have to be clean yet; we'll take them into detox once they have got their lives in order. Otherwise, there is little point." City guide Mark explained why it can even be advantageous no to be totally clean: "People want the real gritty story from the street, don't they?"
The tourist walk scheme is part of a whole programme aimed at giving drugs addicts some future perspective. Guide Mark said that for him the set-up works well: "I didn't have much to do to get me through the day. This job gives quite a bit of significance to my life."
The Utrecht project has been copied by Amsterdam. In the Dutch capital too, tourists will be able to go on a guided tour with an ex-junkie, for an in-depth look at Amsterdam Underground.
(rk)
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