Day 3 – Tuesday
The alarm came at 05:30 – I awoke fuzzy headed from last night’s sieve hash. Hot shower is in order to get the groggies out. Followed by the free brekkie at the hotel and out the door for work. It was a misty, drizzly morning and before heading off to Centraal and the metro I spent a few pleasant quiet moments enjoying a previously rolled joint of T-Light (aka Strawberry Sour Diesel) from Grey Area:
I know some more recent reports have said the current batch of T-Light at GA isn’t that good, but I have to say what I got in late February was very nice. It was very pleasant to smoke in a pure joint and had a definite strawberry taste overlaid with that characteristic “fuel” taste of the diesel. I smoked the whole 1g cone and the result was a great high without any touch of raciness. A great wake and bake smoke that had me energized and ready for work!
I’d rate it 8/10
After work I meandered my way back to the hotel while enjoying some tokes of Voyager’s PSG from my little glass spoon pipe I had picked up shortly after arriving. The flavor of this bud was amazing and it has a great high to match. As I smoked it I said to myself: “I have to get more of this before Voyager’s runs out!”.
Dinner was simple, just a nice ham and kaas sandwich grabbed from AH on the way back to the hotel. I had planned to get out to 1e Hulp, and I wanted to get a nice long walk in, so I enjoyed my sandwich while I used Google maps to plan my walk over to 1e Hulp.
It was a nice walk, almost 2km, cutting across Herengracht, Kaizersgracht and Prinsengracht as I made my way down to Raadhuisstraat. The weather was continuing it’s misty/rainy ways but it didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for the walk…Amsterdam is beautiful in any weather…
Eventually I found my way to Marnixstraat 194 and my destination, 1e Hulp. Up to the counter in the front of the shop and said hi to the budtender. Here are some shots of the menu:
I had read good things previously about the Amnesia from 1e Hulp so I asked to see that first. He pulled out a tub of some great smelling buds. At 10 euros a gram I had to have some of that.
Amnesia Haze – 1e Hulp – 10 euros/gram:
Second choice was the Chocolope which caught my eye as I’m a big fan of this strain (I’ve never gotten it here in California). The tender showed me the tub, which was getting towards the end and was mainly smaller nugs at this point. I commented on this and the tender assured me that this was a very nice batch. It certainly smelled amazing so a gram of that too please, 12 euros/gram. Sorry no pic I smoked it all before I had the chance…
Purchases sorted I decided to go upstairs and see what it was like. Up the short flight of wooden steps into a decent size room with several very comfy couch and coffee table arrangements. Luckily for me there was a spot free and I settled down to skin up my purchases. This was a very gezellig spot indeed with soft lighting, pleasant tunes, and the requisite coffeeshop cat who went from lap to lap seeking pets and ear scratches.
I decided to start with the Chocolope and I pulled it out of the baggie. The nugs, though small, were dense, well cured, and fluffed up very nicely in my grinder. As I ground it up I was rewarded with that wonderful chocolope smell. I filled up a cone with about ¾ gram of the stuff and lit up. The taste was wonderful and the high, while not overpowering, was a very pleasant one. A classic hybrid stone and while I’ve never found chocolope to be super powerful, it’s just a nice smoke and a good way to start the evening.
I’d rate 1e Hulp’s example at a 8/10 and worth the 12 euros.
LOL I just re-read my notes while writing this, and I read the next line in my notebook which is the following “actually as I sit here in 1e Hulp, the stone from this chocolope is really creeping up on me….wheee!”
So I guess it wasn’t bad at all…
I sat in 1e Hulp for at least an hour enjoying the vibe of the place. Across of me sat 4 Morroccan guys, patiently rolling their hash spliffs on the table. In the corner alcove, an older gent was puffing away on a cone and doing something on his laptop. Perhaps an unknown ACDer, who knows?
After I while I decide it’s time to head out but as I do I remember that I was going to check out the BHO that had been raved about recently. I ask the tender about it and he pulls a container from the fridge behind him. I ask him about it….”very powerful, best to paint it on the outside of a joint…don’t smoke it in a bong”. At 55 euros a gram I debated it for half a second but then had to give it a try so I asked for 10 euros worth. “11 euros will get your .2g” he says. “Done” I said…
BHO – 1e Hulp – 55 euros/gram:
I thanked my tender and made my way out into the Amsterdam night. I really enjoyed my first visit to 1e Hulp, this is a quality shop with a cozy atmosphere and great prices on weed. I will return for sure.
I enjoyed by walk back to the centrum in the quiet foggy Amsterdam evening. By the time I the vicinity of the Dam I decided I wasn’t quiet ready to call it a night so it was over to De Kuil for a nightcap. No weed purchase this time just a coke and the usual window seat. For my nightcap, a wee jointje of Utopia’s Edelweiss slathered with the BHO from 1e Hulp. The resulting high was almost immediate and POWERFUL. This BHO is not to be messed with but is also a LOT of fun. 9/10 based on the high alone:
My notes for the night abruptly end after the smoking the above so I can only assume I stumbled back to my room and let sleep take me shortly after that.
Until the next installment, I wish you a pleasant night wherever you are, I will be dreaming of the sleepy Jordaan...
