Can I offer you this for a possible reading list.
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/ ... -amsterdam
A favourite of mine is "The brief History of Amsterdam" by Geert Mak. Did you know that Rembrandt spent his later years sketching in the city and died almost penniless and buried in a paupers grave? This is a fascinating book and an easy read for a stoney afternoon.
As far as latter years are concerned, my first visit was as a very young sailor in 1964 but hadn't been introduced to the herb then. My memories from 52 years ago are I'm afraid somewhat hazey (pun intended). But I was aware that there was plenty about. As this was pre coffeeshop and pre hippy, although the colonial backpackers had discovered the place
, all the herbs and hash was in the Seamans bars some of which later became coffeeshops, De Kuil/420 and Black Star are two I remember from later on. And of course in those days it was the sailors bringing it in so it was all good gear imported from scource. I remember no domestic stuff then.
Back then Amsterdam was the docks and the docks were Amsterdam, I remember coming down the gangway in the Ooosterdock, crossing the Prinz heindrikkade and bang you where right in among it. I reckon the Redlight district was twice the size in those days. And of course it was a major trans shipment hub for the European Barge transport, I remember the Damrak before they filled three quarters of it in being packed with barges form all over north, east and southern Europe. A lot of change in my watch.
I was reading through old travelogues and came across things that shocked me a little bit 
. Since my first pilgrimage to Amsterdam in 2013 there's been a big change, the closing of the coffeeshops next to schools 
. But reading back through old travelogues from 2005 onwards I read that barney's used to open 24 hours a day during 420, Dampkring 2 used to have a big drape thing on the side of the building advertising the coffeeshop and you could buy mushrooms, weed and alcohol from the same shop 
. Thank you 
