Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory Forums

SweetLeaf wrote:LOL! yea man, Dr. G is pure sativa! That shit crushed my jet lag and me racing around the city for the next 6 hours!

Well, you can also see I'm a bit crap w/ the cannabis varietals. I don't label what I purchase so at the end of the day I've got a few odd bits in various bags. Suppose I'm not much on characterizing the effects of the high, taste, etc.

I'll lay off the Dr. G for tonite.

Anyhow, must've been the long day and the 20 km on the fiets because I crashed and slept like a rock last nite even after some Dr. G.

Since the weather was calling for a bit of sun, I decided to try a couple of outdoor events: a fiets ride outside of town along the Amstel and an authentic canal boat ride w/ the folks from the St. Nicholas Boat Club.

The stodgy Frommers and Fodors travel guides may not be 100% for many of us here and I myself was dismissive of Frommers at first, however the chap who edited it was a former travel magazine editor for KLM and lived in Amsterdam for a period of time. Anywho, he outlined a bike trip down the Amstel outside of town for about 8 km or so to a little village of Oudekerk aan de Amstel.

Day began at Barney's Uptown w/ a ciabatta bread zata and tomaten and of course a big doob.

Here's a You Tube video of my ride down the Prinsengracht this morning. Keep in mind I'm doing this one handed on the fiets whilst I shoot the video. I even pass another person!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzaDEV101PI


Then it's out of town along the Amstel. Here's the locks at the end of the Prinsengracht.




A few kilometers later and the apartments and buildings disappear to be replaced by larger houseboats.




I'm really high still from breakfast which was only about 90 minutes prior so when I start happening upon the real super-pastoral typical Dutch countryside scenes it really blows my mind.






I mean, check this shit out.





Everywhere I turn it looks like a bloody Monet canvas. I'm in absolute bloody pig-shit heaven.



All of the above scenes are just a 30 minutes fiets ride from Dam Square.



I'm cruising along and think to myself "It'd be great to have little spot to twist up a number."

Boom.



This is too perfect. A nice roadside stop WITH a table in a sheltered area perfect for spinning up a doob.





I roast a joint listening to some Steely Dan while I gaze out on yet ANOTHER impressionist-era scene. I mean, it just never ends.



Hop on the fiets and zoom into Ouder Kerk and find a great cafe for lunch.








Lovely Zeta, tomaten and Italian brood sandwich.




Hop back on the fiets and head back into town on the opposite (east) side of the Amstel.



This afternoon I had signed up for a slot on a St. Nick Boat Club boat, so I headed to Boom Chicago! to wait. Beforehand, I hit Rookies for three pre-rolled G-13 Hazes since this is a cool canal boat tour; drink and smoke what you like.

Really, cheers to these guys at the St. Nick Boat Club. They work damned hard to preserve the canal boat tradition so a canal boat ride isn't surrendered to the bloody big boats.

About 7 of us plus the skipper. Boat is a 1920s era cargo craft the boat club found sunk at the bottom on a canal. They restored it and use it for club rides.

http://www.amsterdamboatclub.com/boats.html

Lovely 11 HP diesel that purrs like a kitten, and the Athena (our boat) is just about 8 meters in length. Perfect for the canals, unlike those bloody huge things.

Boat is moored on the Prinsengracht at the Leidseplein so we hopped aboard and headed south on the Prinsengracht towards the Amstel.

Here's the skipper, looking aft.




Here's looking forward.






Just after we depart:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoitgCjeb9w


Was passed under many bridges.





This is what our boat would have looked like when it was in use hauling cargo around Amsterdam n the early 20th century.




The Prinsengracht and the Amstel.




We sail down the Amstell towards Central Station; I think we got out that way through the Oudeschans.


Under this bridge.




Past this.



Pass The Nemo.




Centraal Station.




Just past St. Nicholas Church we duck up Ouidezuds Voorbrugwal.







Up Ouidezuds Voorbrugwal, right through the RLD past the Oude Kerk. The entrance to this canal was pretty tight.




This skipper recommended the Super Lemon Haze from a Greenhouse Effect shop on this gracht. I will return.


Right through the RLD and we hook back up w/ the Singel and head north to the Brouwersgracht and back over the Prinsingracht.




We pass the Westerkerk on our way back to the mooring.




I can NOT say enough good things about the St. Nicholas Boat Club. Work to preserve classic canal boats, serving the public with authentic canal tours in a REAL canal boat, us smokers can puff 'till we drop, and the suggested donation of Euro 10/ person is a bargain.

(Really, you should give at LEAST 10, plus a tip for the skipper. I laid a nice big pre-rolled of G-13 Haze on my man after a great canal boat trip.)


So much fresh air today; tonite I travel to India for dinner. I like to order the menu in places. Don't have to think, they bring lots of kick-ass food, and it's a great offering of the places good stuff.

Started with some type of crunchy bread/cracker and sauces.





Then these lovely dumplings in a light pastry shell.




Lamb curry and some type of fish w/ onions and green peppers. Spiced just right.



Dessert was a noodle pudding and Indian tea. Served already steeped w/ a bit of cream added.


Now I need a proper indica to wind down, so Barney's recommends the Vanilla Kush.


Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...................................


Can you say "Body Buzz?"

Geodenacht

Awesome, thanks for sharing that. I def want to do some rides outside of town when I am there. I am looking at Google Maps, it looks like Ouder Kerk is about 40 miles away from Amsterdam. Were you in Ouder Amstel?

tron, the short answer would be: yes, both But you're correct: it's Ouder Amstel. And Ouderkerk. And yes, there's another Ouderkerk next to Gouda.

Looky here (Google Maps) to get a glimpse of the confusion: Ouderkerk aan de Amstel appears to be a part of Ouder Amstel. Right in the middle of the screen ...

great to have some feedback about this boat ride, I tought of doing the same ride last trip, but I was to lazy. Will def have a try next season.

also great to have some views of amsterdam's surroundings.

Do they have the Biefstuck at cafe loetje amstel, like at cafe loetje in amsterdam? I know they are the same owner, but do they do the same wonderful
biefstuck (steak)?
If yes, you should have gone for that! Just wonderful!!!

disco man. proper.

Colina wrote:great to have some feedback about this boat ride, I tought of doing the same ride last trip, but I was to lazy. Will def have a try next season.

also great to have some views of amsterdam's surroundings.

Do they have the Biefstuck at cafe loetje amstel, like at cafe loetje in amsterdam? I know they are the same owner, but do they do the same wonderful
biefstuck (steak)?
If yes, you should have gone for that! Just wonderful!!!

They well may have that steak, however I was there for lunch and don't believe it was on the lunch menu.

Best part about the canal boat; the skipper let me pilot the boat for several hundred meters on quiet spots on the grachts. Great guy.

MichMan wrote:Since the weather was calling for a bit of sun, I decided to try a couple of outdoor events:
a fiets ride outside of town along the Amstel and an authentic canal boat ride w/ the folks from the St. Nicholas Boat Club.

that was a lovely little travelogue ... thanks for all the pics, really got the flavour of your day out ... nice

dude65 wrote:tron, the short answer would be: yes, both But you're correct: it's Ouder Amstel. And Ouderkerk. And yes, there's another Ouderkerk next to Gouda.

Looky here (Google Maps) to get a glimpse of the confusion: Ouderkerk aan de Amstel appears to be a part of Ouder Amstel. Right in the middle of the screen ...

Heh thanks for the info. I didn't mean to pick a nit, more so I want to make the same bike ride when I am there in a few days!

Great day out and pics i need to start doing more cultural things

Dear MichMan,

Please keep up the great work. I really enjoy reading about your adventures. You have inspired me to keep my own journal when I go to Amsterdam this December. It's just so fun to read. Have a good one.

-LJ

mate this is quality report.

i absolutly love your enthusiasm for the countryside, and for the beauty of the city too.

the pictures flow so well through the words, really really enjoyed it

i fucking love how you called the poppadom a crunchy bread/cracekr thing too ha ha ha.

Thanks much for all the great responses to my travelogue.

These posts are a thanks for A L L the great information I've received through ACD.

Through ACD I've found:

1. A great flat in a class area of the Jordaan.

2. THE definitive coffeeshop directory.

3. All about fiets: renting, riding, using, hiding, etc.

4. All things Amsterdam.

Really, cheers to this site. My trip likely would've been crap w/o ACD.

m8 no trip to the dam is crap

but thanx for sharing what was a gr8 trip with all of us

and i hope you have many more m8

Great report. Were you solo for all of this?