Well hello all, this is a belated tale of my ramble to old Mokum back in June. I couldn't get time from work in April for the 420 fest, but it had been a long time since last I trod those magic streets and so first chance I had, no question but go for it.
Actually what I had in mind was a relaxed few days with some of Amsterdams fine herb, a touch of culture and of course a lot of stoned moochin' (it's what COOT's do) and it worked a treat
. I don’t have any notes, I have a bit of a problem with my camera phone (bit rubbish) functioning with my PC, but I’ve just discovered a piece of paper with familiar hieroglyphics which I've translated as a list of cannabis and coffeeshops and as 4 of the shops were 1st time visits for me then this is the key.
So first off travel, I thought the train via the channel tunnel would be a nice hassle free way to go, I live 20 minutes from the London terminal at St. Pancras, just a quick change in Brussels a couple of chapters of my book some window gazing and we are in the outer suburbs of Amsterdam, always a nice feeling. I travel with my magic flight and iolite vaps as I've stopped burning the stuff now, 40 odd years have exacted a little repayment, and I had a little vape right under the channel
ha ha! Schoolboy stuff but I couldn't resist it. I've had a few tokes going over the top when I was at sea I'm sure of that, no drug tests in those days 
.So I arrived early afternoon nicely chilled with a gentle buzz going and didn't have to go far to my hotel the Chic and Basic on the Herengracht, just round the corner from Siberie. The room would be ready in an hour so I left my bag and wandered round to Siberie, my first time in there and I thought it was very pleasant, cant remember the music but I reckon it was nice sunny afternoon background. My first buy, a gram of Amnesia Haze with a lovely taste in the vape. HIGH? yes. so I had another toke and a second tea and found I was flying, and sitting around was boring
, so a nice walk round a few canals over some bridges and back at the hotel and check in time. Great little hotel, I had a nice sized inner room (quiet in the mornings) with it's own little terrace so very happy there.It was about 4 pm by this time, so it was a quick shower and change another vape and from here my memory goes hazy lol. I did a few things and a load of mooching but I cant quite remember the sequence of events so I will write them down and something might take shape, I hope.
I’d planned to visit the OBA public library as StonedSince’67 had mentioned it to me, and it was well worth the intensely stoned effort I made to locate it. I knew it was to the right of the station but not what it looked like, there is so much development happening up that end that it blows my mind whenever I see it. Well the upshot was, me phoning a friend (SS’67), and he talking me through the route so I made it. I didn’t expect to sit down and do any reading particularly I just wanted a look at the place and it is very impressive in a very modern way. It’s about 5 floors with a very open feel about the interior very much about reading with natural light, I do recall there being lots of study areas, tables, comfortable seats and a lot of computer terminals on all floors. They have an enchanting child and young people area, always an important part of any library.
And so when you have refreshed your mind and soul among the books you can go to the top floor and find a wonderful La Place restaurant and refresh the body. Which I did as I’d been running on Mars bars since breakfast. I like the easy choice of the La Place cafeterias; always a good selection of soups, breads, salads, hot meals and Desserts yum yum, stoned heaven. So I loaded up a few plates and sat at the window counter, gazing out on Amsterdam and looking nostalgically down to the old East Dock immediately below the library. Nostalgic because as I’ve mentioned before I was at sea in my younger days and I remember the old Amsterdam, a bit pre tourist, when the ships used to tie up right there along the front and the red light district was at the end of the gangway. Wicked days heh heh!
More mooching for the evening, I think. I reckon I walked round the canals to Dutch Flowers which is a favourite of mine, it’s only a small place and I’ve always found the staff very friendly and laid back, and the shop is a little bit quirky, I can’t really explain why, you will have to go in and see for yourself. I have Silver Pearl on my list which I expect I bought for its name if nothing else, and a couple of grams of Vintage Maroc to take home for my better half. Oh yes their wares come in little paper envelopes, nice touch. After that who knows but I’m usually turned in by 11 especially in the ‘Dam as I do so much walking my poor old knees have given up the ghost by then.
So the Hotel is called the Chic and Basic and the basic was the breakfast, Tea and Toast. Actually that suits me I can’t do the big fry first thing in the day.
One focus of my visit was the Artzuid sculpture exhibition in the south of Amsterdam http://www.artzuid.nl/index_en.php and I also wanted to go to a lunchtime concert at the concertgebauw. I got myself a 24 hr transport pass and trammed it down to the Museumplein, walked across the park to check out the concert situation, as it was close I went to see some of the sculpture before the start of the concert at 1pm, leaving the rest to do after. The concert was really good, about an hour and a half and it was pieces of music by several young composers and arrangers from the Amsterdam Conservatoire and beautifully performed by an 11 piece ensemble from the Royal Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, so quality music from class musicians, for FREE. The Wednesday lunchtime concerts are not in the big main auditorium, but in a nice circular hall on the first floor of the hall, quite intimate and with great acoustics.
After that I was feeling good, and went back to the Appollolaan and Minervalaan area to spend the rest of the afternoon walking round the sculpture exhibition. I was a bit disappointed to be honest, I really like to see sculpture in the outdoors, and I’ve seen some great work in some wonderful locations in different places, but I think more than anything it was the setting that spoiled some of the bigger pieces. The Appollo and Minervalaan are a couple of very fancy residential avenues with a grassed area down the centre of them where the work is exhibited. Unfortunately the trees on either side were in full leaf and completely overshadowed the exhibits consequently the pieces that would have benefited from the openness just didn’t happen for me. Also it was well padded out with some mediocre early work from some crowd puller artists with big names, I must say the first one they did in 2009 was better. I don’t think it was me; I was well up for it.
So that was the main part of my trip, I was only there for 48 hours but I felt I’d done enough high culture to keep me going for a while so it was time to sleaze back up town and kick around Centrum for the evening which is what I guess I must have done. I went to Paradox on my way back to the hotel for a shower and change, I think I just got some Superpolm to take home as I had a bit of the Silver Pearl left and toked that in there, a smashing place though good music and friendly staff, and with my vape I didn’t need to go in the smoking chamber, cough cough!
Went for another long mooch in the evening and found myself outside Rick’s, so another first, in I went and decided that after a day of flying high on Haze I needed to chill a bit so I bagged a couple of grams Afghan Widow. I can remember absolutely nothing about Ricks, as I wanted to go and have a beer with my herb round the corner in the Nes which is what I did. I think it was a bit early for DC to be around the bar but I was very nicely looked after no less. Very friendly, thankyou. So I had a couple of Leff’s and a touch of my A.W. and a very nice chill for a bit and I guess more mooching only slower, and the end of another fun packed day in the ‘Dam
Thursday dawns, got a leisurely morning ahead with my train leaving at 2.30. So as the hotel is close enough to the station I check out and leave my bag at the hotel and off up to the waterside and stroll along east for a bit deciding to visit Voyagers as I was in the neighbourhood. Used to have ladies in the windows back in the days I’m sure and all down that street. Isn’t it terrible when your long term memory is 10 times better than recalling yesterday
. Anyway I’d pretty much toked up most of what I’d scored so I got a gram of King Kong. Why? The name probably 
. Who cares? At my age it all gets you high.Didn’t stay long as I was off to the library again for a bit of internet and some lunch, and then collect my bag and off to the station and up, up and away. As going, a nice journey back with no hassles and home in time for tea.
I hope this doesn’t make me sound too much like some hi fi arty person because I’m not really at all, but I do like to explore life and of course like all stoners I enjoy a nice tune with the Herb.
Thanks for reading
Stay High
Spider.
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