Travelogue 8 of 9
It's early 2012 and the politicians in the Promised Land are making noise again. The weitpass has been implemented in the South, and they say the North is next. I think I hear the Fat Lady tuning up, so we make plans for another quick dance. Since it might be the last, we try to re-create our first visit from 1990 and go in May. It's a month of beautiful flowers, with better chances of sunny weather.
A short trip this time, only 9 days to roam our favourite city, and business calls sharply for our return. It's been so long since we've been here in warm weather, and I have to research again for business opportunities, clubs, cruises, etc. Never could locate our original Tudor-style hotel from 1990.
Day 1
We arrive early at the hotel. No prizes for guessing it was the Hem, and our normal room. They know us by now and let us in early. The screwdriver was still there (read earlier thread), and the half g. of sticky black hash that I'd taped to the handle for my next arrival. (Oi, Billy, there's yer chance, mate!)
A quick twist-up and we're out on our private balcony. Next stop is drinks on the front patio, which they've renovated and made more spacious. Nice! The day is warm, sort of, and we head up to the flea market at City Hall on the Waterlooplein. Mostly junk here, but we're buzzed and it kills some time. We decide to stroll towards Voyagers and duck over the bridge and into Bluebird for some more hash, then sit next door in Reefer to smoke because they have tea for a good price, 1.80e. Also their shop is almost below ground, so the front window seats have a bizarre sidewalk-level view! Almost never buy from their menu, and I seriously don't suggest you try the toilet, but the shop has charm and the BT's have always been friendly.
From here it's a walk up the street to the Neiuwmarkt, where you can get buttered corn on a stick for 1.50e right in front of De Waag. There's an Albert Heijn and quite a few coffeeshops in that block, but we're going north to our green oasis; Voyagers. Done so much business here in the last 3 years that it all blurs together, but I think we bought Kosher Kush, Og, and Haze-something for the Mrs. We spent some time chatting with an American who came for a week, but had already been there a month, and wasn't leaving anytime soon
. Amsterdammed again! Headed back to the Leidsplein for some tourist-menu food, and back to the hotel for the evening.
Day 2
We get some good sleep and are up for the early breakfast downstairs. Properly stuffed, we head out into the morning's cool air and the front patio. This will be a day of re-touristing, visiting the sights of 20 years before, the Rijksmuseum, the obligatory canal cruise (by night this time), and dinner at the American.
Boom Chicago was on, but it was the same show my daughter and I had seen in Nov.2011. Stopped in several coffeeshops to smoke and drink, but didn't buy anything else yet. Discovered that the four locations of The Rokerij had closed, R.I.P.
Watched the buskers on the Leidseplein from the Bulldog's glass canopy. A relaxed day and evening in the Dam.
Day 3 to 6
Now it's time to get serious about business, and we haunt all my old connections. There is one place I've never been to, always the wrong time of year; the Sunday market at Neiuwmarkt on the open square. Easily the best find of the trip, made it worth my while in several ways and formed some new connections. Noorderkerk and Spui markets were good, too. One evening was spent at the truly fabulous Tuschinski Theater, near Rembrandtplein, watching a movie. If you've never been here, then go, even if it's only to view the interior, they are friendly about showing awe-struck tourists around the place!
Coffeeshopping was mainly Voyagers, Grey Area, Amnesia, Paradox, Spirit, Greenhouse and Barney's. The inner canal-ring and uptown was the area to be in, this trip. Didn't buy anything outside of it. Mostly Kush strains and Cheese varieties, as always some Amnesia Haze for mrs. juicebomber, and some hash from Grey Area this time. Individual strength reports I didn't write down, most of it was strong and all of it was tasty
. Some fancy meals and some cheap ones, lots of money for the business, and spent evenings packing.
Day7
Our time is free now, so we get up a little late and hang out in the Hem's breakfast room. Two full days left to shop, eat and drink, smoke and laugh, so we're going pub/coffeeshop crawling. A slow crawl through the Neiuwmarkt, up the Zeedijk to Molly Malone's for lunch and on to Voyagers. Bought something in Hill St. , Silver something Haze. Mrs, said it was better than the Amnesia.
We've been in Voyagers for awhile now. I'm standing at the counter, chatting with the BT about business, and I say “Last year I shipped a thousand keys home.”. I mean iron door-keys, but one of the regulars starts choking on his coffee and says “What! A thousand kees?! How the fuck did you get that past Customs?!?”. When we could all stop laughing
, we explained more fully. You always hear the phrase “eyes bugged right out”
and here I really got to see it! After the way I got treated at Customs last trip, I wouldn't ship a g., much less a kee!
And so on with the crawl, as we headed towards Leidseplein and some of the most highly garlicked food I've ever eaten. The restaurant was on the Top 10 list, can't recall the name, it was Italian and right by Rookies coffeeshop, either half a block east or west. If you like garlic then go there, the food was saturated. I had cannelloni and the mrs. had spaghetti, and I swear you could have lit our breath on fire! Probably a great way to get us to drink something, anything, just hurry! It was good cooking, but too spiced for me.
A few more drinks at the Hard Rock to kill the taste of garlic, a few more smokes at the Bulldog's canopy watching buskers, then we decided on the Holland Casino for the evening. Actually won enough to pay the cab fare home. However, the emails you then get, to attend every casino on earth, won't stop for many months, if ever.
Day 8
Last full day here and we're up early, breakfast downstairs and then off to the NoorderMarkt. Afterward a quick stop at Barney's, then on to the ferry behind Centraal for a roam around the north island. The buildings here are not as old as the main city, some nice tile roofs and pretty gardens, but not the eye-appeal. One side of the street had little early cottage-type homes, and the other was all modern apartments. Jarring to the eye. Especially the industrial area, close by.
Back to the mainland and on to NEMO Science museum for a tour around, very interesting, but child-filled and noisy. And look, Voyagers is just over there! Another hazy hour later and we're off for food again. Pizza this round and back to the crawl. Made the foolish mistake of going to Grasshopper 2, got treated rudely, forced to buy their overpriced crap weed just to use their premises. Then the bitch BT comes in and snarls at a guy for having his cigarettes out, then she sits down right beside me and smokes a cigarette
! I'm a non-smoker so maybe that's what ruined the taste of their weed, but I think it was just crap. Anyway, rudeness counts, so we left quickly.
A brown cafe and then we wandered back through the Vondelpark. A long walk, but it was our last night and we were relaxing. Stopped at the Blue Tea House and our favourite tree beside the lake
. Back to the hotel for final packing and give that Jacuzzi one more thumping.
Day 9
A relaxed morning, our flight leaves late today. Breakfast and the front patio, smoke the rest, stash the screwdriver again (Billy, are you listening?
). Cab it back to Schipol and a smooth flight home. Even the Customs guys didn't bother me at all. ChildPerson waiting with our dog to greet us at the airport!
That was my eighth trip to Amsterdam, business went well again, lots of brain-cells stayed behind, and we had a nice sunny time again in the City of Sin.
** Okay, this has been a lot of fun! Thank you all for the comments and help. It was a great way to feel involved while the time passed before trip number nine. When I return in early March I'll give you a detailed report with shops, prices, strains and qualities. If I can remember.... See you all then!
Cheers, Eurotripper
and we rip into their menu; Kosher Kush to begin, Kandy Kush to follow, Super Lemon Bio for the straight-away, and Amnesia Haze for the home-stretch. That took care of the first four minutes of our stay! Pulled up a seat in their newly renovated interior and gave the new ventilation system a thorough workout. 
;p