The Mighty and I leave for Amsterdam in one month

[twinkles]

One month until departure.

My new Mighty and I are making our first trip to Amsterdam together. I am planning for this trip to be pure debauchery of vaping weed, drinking beer, and eating delicious food.

I am leaving on Monday, August 15, and flying into Dusseldorf. I am going to Dusseldorf because I could not get a buisness class flight to Amsterdam for the minimum freguent flier miles, but I could fly into Dusseldorf and out of Amsterdam on August 24, for 125,000 miles.

I have made my room reservations, and, in fact, prepaid for my room in Amsterdam for 20% less than the flexible rate (and prices have gone up since I booked).

Here is my plan:

I leave at 6:00 pm on Monday, August 15 and arrive in Dusseldorf on Tuesday, August 16 at 8:45 am.

I am spending the first night in the little boarder town of Venlo. Here are the trains that I will take on Tuesday morning:

dep 09:32 Düsseldorf Flughafen - Platform 4 (RE 10116)
arr 09:37 Düsseldorf Hbf - Platform 16
dep 09:48 Düsseldorf Hbf - Platform 4 (ERB20070)
arr 10:56 Venlo - Platform 1a

I will visit Coffeeshop Nobody’s Place, and spend the night at the Hotel Wilhelmina. (If you want to know the attraction of Venlo, PM me.)

Wednesday morning I will head to Amsterdam. Here are the trains for that journey:

dep 08:49 Venlo - platform 1 (IC 1930)
arr 09:28 Eindhoven - platform 6
dep 09:31 Eindhoven - platform 5 (IC 830)
arr 10:52 Amsterdam Centraal - platform 8

I am staying at Barbizon Palace while in Amsterdam. I really like the Barbizon. It is just accross the street from Centraal Station where I can catch all of the trams that I will need. But it is also steps away from Warmoesstraat and most of the restaurants, and bars that I enjoy. On my February trip, I stayed at the Luxer, and I really enjoyed that, but I admit, I do enjoy a little more luxury.

I have made a list of Coffeeshops, Restaurants, Specialty Beer Bars, and smoking bars that I might want to visit. I have printed out Google maps for everyone of them. (Paperwork will add 15 ounces to my pack.) The maps either run from Barbizon or from the nearest tram stop if it is further away than I want to walk.



(I wanted to post a picture to see if I could do it successfully.)

And just to prove how incredibly anal my planning can be, here is my list of places to visit on this trip. Keep in mind that I have a map for everyone of these. (I promise not to visit all of them.)

Bars in Amsterdam to see

Het Elfde Gebod Amsterdam - bar
Opens at 5:00 pm Mon thru Wed, 3:00 pm Thurs thru Sunday
Zeedijk 5, 1012 AN 
1 minute away, Around the corner
A small, cosy and very friendly bar right at the beginning of Zeedijk just round the corner

Café Old Sailor - bar
Opens at 11:00 am
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 39-A, 1012 DA 
5 minutes away effectively in the RLD

In De Wildeman - bar
Opens at noon
Kolksteeg 3, 1012 PT 
6 minutes away but on the other side of Damrak

De Bekeerde Suster - bar
Opens at noon
Kloveniersburgwal 6, 1012 CT 
7 minutes away. Close to RLD

Cafe de Dam, Louis Bar
Opens at 11:00 am
Damstraat 4, 1012 JM 
8 minutes near Krasnopolski

De Engelbewaarder - bar
Opens at 10:00 am
Kloveniersburgwal 59HS, 1011 JZ 
10 minutes away, past the RLD


Coffee Shops to visit

Voyagers - coffee
Open at 10:00 am
Geldersekade 2, 1012 BH 
2 minutes away around the corner
Weak menu

Feels Good Coffeeshop
opens at noon
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 36-HS,
2 minutes

green house coffee
opens at 9:00 am
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 191, 1012 EW 
9 minutes away south of RLD
Ice Hash
interesting menu

Siberië - coffee
Opens at 11:00 am
Brouwersgracht 11, 1015 GA 
9 minutes away past Singel
nice menu
Excellent menu but no ice

Barney's - coffee
opens at 7:00 am
Haarlemmerstraat 102, 1013 EW 
11 minutes away four streets past Singel
Ice hash
pretty good menu--seems pricy

Amnesia - coffee
opens at 9:30
Herengracht 133, 1015 BG 
Tram 1, 2, 5, 13, 17 to Raadhuisstraat
Ice Hash
not my favorite menu

Grey Area - coffee
Opens at noon
Oude Leliestraat 2, 1015 AW 
Tram 1, 2, 5, 13, 17 to Raadhuisstraat
not my favorite menu
dog is a winner

Utopia
Opens at 6:00 pm Monday through Friday
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 132, 1012 SH 
Tram 1, 2, 5, 13, 17 to Raadhuisstraat

boerejongens centre
Opens at 7:00 am
Utrechtsestraat 21
tram 4, 9 to Rembrandtplein
This one is highly recommended

The Bushdoctor
Open 9:00 am
Thorbeckeplein 28, 1017 CS 
tram 4 or 9 to Rembrandtplein
Lots of extracts on the menu
Can't tell about their menu

1eHulp
Opens 7:00 am
Marnixstraat 194, 1016 
take tram 13 or 17 to Marnixstraat
Lots of extracts on the menu
Go here first

De Graal
Opens at 6:00 pm
Albert Cuypstraat 25, 1072 CK Amsterdam, Netherlands
take tram 16 to Ruysdaelstraat

Katssu
Opens at 10:00 am
Eerste van der Helststraat 70, 1072 NZ Amsterdam, 
"take tram 16 to Albert Cuypstraat
"

Paradox
Opens at 10:00 am
Eerste Bloemdwarsstraat 2R, 1016 KS Amsterdam, 
take tram 13, or 17 to Westermarkt


Smoking Bars

Cafe Batavia 1920
Prins Hendrikkade 85
1 minute away

Hunters
Warmoesstraat 24,
2 minutes away

Wonder Bar Two
Lange Niezel 5, 1012 GS 
2 minutes away

Café The Tribe 
Warmoesstraat 79
2 minutes away

Route 66
Warmoesstraat 80
2 minutes away

Smoking Bull 
Lange Niezel 13
2 minutes away

The Bottle 
Oude Brugsteeg 25
4 minutes away


Restaurants

Dinner

China Si Chuan Kitchen
Warmoesstraat 17, 1012 HT 
chinese
1 minute

New Season
Warmoesstraat 39, 1012 HV 
chinese
2 minutes

FEBO
Damrak 6, 1012 LG 
crapeola
3 minutes

Da Portare - 90 among restaurants
1012 gt, Lange Niezel 16, 1012 GT 
pizza
3 minutes

Nam Kee
Zeedijk 111-113, 1012 AV 
chinese
4 minutes

de Silveren Spiegel - 13 among amsterdam restaurants
Kattengat 4-6, 1012 SZ 
European 40+ Euros but not extremely fancy
7 minutes

Bistrot Neuf
Haarlemmerstraat 9, 1013 EH 
This is the restaurant you always enjoy
8 minutes

Van Kerkwijk - 29 among restaurants
Nes 41, 1012 KC Amsterdam,
dutch--no reservations necessary very nice choice
9 minutes

The Lobby Restaurant and Bar - 57 among restaurants
Nes 49, 1012 KD Amsterdam,
dutch this is a reasonable place that has beer
10 minutes

Restaurant Mandarijn - 18 among restaurants
Rokin 26, 1012 KS 
Tram 4, 9, 16 to Amsterdam Dam.
Chinese
10 minutes

Breakfast

Dwaze Zaken
Opens at 9:00 am
Prins Hendrikkade 50, 1012 AC 
Opens at 9:00 am
1 minute

Teddy's Corner
Opens at 9:00 am
Warmoesstraat 45, 1012 HV 
variety and english breakfast
2 minutes

Sugar & Spice Bakery
closed on Monday
Tuesday through Friday 9:00 am Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am
Zeedijk 75, 1012 AS 
number 47 restaurants
3 minutes

De Bakkerswinkel 
Monday thru Friday 8:00 am Saturday and Sunday 9:00 am
Warmoesstraat 69, 1012 HX 
You had french toast and bacon and really liked it.
3 minutes

Slainte Irish Pub
Opens at 9:00 am
Oudekerksplein 34, 1012 HZ 
opens at 9:00 english breakfast
4 minutes

Latei
Monday thru Friday 8:00 am Saturday 9:00 am Sunday 10:00 am
Zeedijk 143, 1012 AW 
Opens at 8:00
5 minutes

Rene's croissanterie
opens at 6:00 am
Damstraat 20, 1012 JM 
8 minutes

The Lobby Restaurant and Bar - 57 among restaurants
Opens at 7:00 am
Nes 49, 1012 KD 
dutch/ also listed under dinner
10 minutes

Greenwoods on Singel
Opens at 9:30 am
Singel 103, 1012 VG 
English breakfast
10 minutes

Other

The Catboat
Singel 38.G  
Visiting hours:
daily from 13:00 till 15:00 o`clock
but closed at Wednesday and Sunday.

Rijksmuseum 
Museumstraat 1,
Tram 2 or 5 to Rijksmuseum

Van Gogh Museum 
Tram 2 or 5 to Rijksmuseum

Noordermarkt

Vondelpark 
Tram 2 or 5 to Rijksmuseum

[Willjay]

Have fun, be safe and careful and thanks for listing all the smoking bars, and your "anal" planning means you'll have a better trip

[FlyByNite]

Posted on Whos In Town.

You should try to shoehorn a day or half day trip to Haarlem into your tight schedule.

Enjoy
FlyByNite

[twinkles]

Fly, funny you should make that suggestion. I just printed out a map for Haarlem showing the shops that have come to my attention. I have visited Haarlem on past trips, but I was thinking that since I have so much time in Amsterdam on this trip, I ought to go again. Going to be interesting to me to see if I get "over baked."

[FlyByNite]

Be sure to visit Birdy. It alone is worth the trip.

Haarlem maps -

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mi ... LeOFeKW6Iw

http://thekaart.nl/en-netherlands-haarl ... 179_0.html

Haarlem menus =

http://www.coffeeshopmenus.org/0-Haarlem-/Haarlem.htm

Some fresh new ones would be nice.
Always ask first. Better told no than thrown out.

Most shops will let you take pix to your hearts content, a few don't
even care about videos.

ALWAYS ask first. It's always at the option of the bud tender, so if
one won't let you, go back on another shift and that one might let you.
Be persistent.

Generally, try to keep people out of the background. Some folks don't
want it known that they frequent Amsterdam coffeeshops, I do and I'm
proud but I'm not everybody. Menu pix are short range and don't have
much if any background.

Almost as an afterthought but of primary importance.

Remember, really stoned people don't like flashes of bright light
and most of the folks there are pretty stoned.

Don't use your flash if at all possible. Most digital cameras
will work in pretty low light and software can lighten it up later.

Often the bud tender will move a menu to better light or let you
take it to better light, say to a window with light streaming in.

And email them to CoffeeshopMenus@gmail.com . Be sure to mention
how you want it credited. I will post them and credit you or whomever
you designate.

Enjoy
FlyByNite

[Nuggz]

oooh that list looks solid, but in my local opinion could do with some revamping.

For staters the beer-bars if that's what you're after need more consideration. I recomend aarend's nest, a cozy cafe in the canal belt specializing in Dutch craft beers. Also "Gollem" is a beer specialty name with at least 2 or 3 locations in Amsterdam.

I'll add some more recomendations when I get a chance...

[CopenhagenCouple]

Good homework dude, hope you have a good trip!

We also tend to plan a little excessively, but it almost always pays of in terms of quality time when we go....

DeLeukeste: Are those bars you mention smokers friendly, we would really love to have a few good craft beers with some top level stuff from Boer, de Graal or one of the other nice New shops you've inspired us to visit?

[Nuggz]

@CC

- Aarend's Nest is situated in the heart of the historic grachtengordel or canal-belt, it has a seating, terrace area that is canal side with gorgeous views of the most quintessential Amsterdam, as for blazing I would use discretion but have seen patrons indulging in a cheeky toke there before. Also I don't think I inserted the obvious Brouwerij 't IJ aka "the windmill brewpub", in East Amsterdam situated in a converted traditional Dutch-style windmill. Offers great local craft beer at a reasonable price, you can definitely get away with toking there but again some discretion and a cautious eye may be necessary.

Also Sterk supermarket on nassaukade (essentially behind eerste hulp if that makes sense), offers a great selection of craft/import beers, some refrigerated that you could take to go and enjoy a in a park or sat on the edge of the canal taking in the picturesque scenery of Amsterdam.

Another good one is The Beer Tree 2 in the De Pijp situated directly across from Katsu, it's a beer specialty store and they have an impressive selection, almost all refrigerated, to be taken away and enjoyed in lush Sarphati park a stone's throw away up the block.

My fingers hurt but I'll continue to amend as I recall more and if you give me other ideas of what you're looking for...

[twinkles]

I will admit that my specialty beer bars are Belgium centric. I didn't have a bar specializing in Dutch craft beer. But they all have the atmosphere that I like (even though I am capturing my youth with my Amsterdam trips, I still don't want to go to a kiddy party bar), and they were all easy walking distance from the Barbizon. However, you have convinced me that I should make the effort for Aarend's nest. From the pictures on their web site it has the right "look" for my taste. At 12 minutes, the walk is just a tad more than I prefer. but a tram will not save that much. It is right there on that in-between cusp. I am thinking that my best strategy would be a visit to Grey Area, Amnesia or Utopia followed by a visit to the nest. Here is the spreadsheet entry:

Arendsnest
sunday-thursday: 12.00-24.00H
friday-saturday:12.00-02.00H
Herengracht 90,
tram 1, 2, 5, 13, 17 to Nieuwezijds Kolk
12 minutes away walking
Dutch craft beers in a atmospheric bar

Rather than trying to sneak in a toke, I will ask them if they mind vaping.

[CopenhagenCouple]

Hey Twinkles, have you thought about renting a bike, its for sure our fav way of getting around down there, its very gezellig for couples to cost around town and you can reach so many places in no time and with minimal effort?

@DLN: thnx again, will try the nest and beer tree by Katsu, sounds perfect!

[twinkles]

Copenhagen, good suggestion, but I have not considered a bike, because.... On one of my adventures in 2012 I was hit by a car crossing a street in Budapest. I spent four days in a Budapest trauma hospital because of two brain bleeds. After four days, they said that the bleeds had stopped and discharged me. A month later, I couldn't remember how to pick-up a fork. I had two crainiotomies, and spent three months in a rehab hospital learning how to talk and walk again. It took 2 1/2 years before my rehab doctor discharged me, and I still see a psychiatrist. I know that is a long story to say, that the advice I received is that the next head bump won't work out so well. I gave up sailing, riding bikes, climbing ladders and everything else that presents a risk of head injury.

[CopenhagenCouple]

Dang twinkles, that is some reason alright... :/

Good to hear that you are recovering, although the process continues, keep fighting!

[Nuggz]

@ Twinkles - I've responded to both you and the couple's threads recently so with them chiming in on here the OP was missed somewhere in the confusion.

I digress YES you have the mighty that should be able to be brought out to enjoy it on just about any terrace in Amsterdam. I think with the vape it's honestly better to be semi-discreet and ask for forgiveness later, because they won't smell or be directly bothered by it, but if you tell them what it is it may draw unnecessary observation your way afterwards should your request be declined...

Did you catch my bit about Brouwerij 't IJ? It's already fairly well-known by the tourist-circuit but as I said it's probably the number-one stop for any beer aficionado in Amsterdam, imho! You can definitely blaze joints on the "side terrace" there, and on the main terrace if you're low-key enough and absolutely a mighty - done it myself with OHMF's mighty during a beer 'n' pit-stop one sunny June afternoon...

As for Belgian-centric maybe I'm missing something but have not heard of any of those beer bars. From what I hear the "Gollem" ones are the best, although there's a new one offering all types of specialty imports/crafts (neither Dutch nor beglian centric) called "Craft & Draft", you can get growlers to go. Haven't properly been inside but looks promising, and is located on Overtoom.

Sorry to hear about your bike traumas in the past. That said if you do somehow channel the composure, getting back on that horse as we say in the States...

[Nuggz]

Best Breakfast places:

- Letting, very affordable and delicious continental-esque brekky, right in the heart of the canal-district.

- Bakers & Roasters: a favorite of the trendy local crowd, a Kiwi-run establishment with some fusion less than conventional albeit delicious if pricey menu items.

- G's - best egg's benny in town, great bloody marys as well. Somewhat pricey they do a boozin' brunch cruise every sunday.

- La Grotte - solid food and pricing (location considered), and 420 friendly.

- Ted's - I see you already have, a solid back up for G's because they also do a good eggs benny and bloody. And not as overly popular so the likelihood of securing a table is higher.

- Greenwoods

[twinkles]

Part of the appeal of Amsterdam for me, is being able to walk from my hotel to a Coffeeshop, and from there to a beer bar, and from there to a smoking bar, and from there to a broad variety of restaurants, all the while being able to pop back into my room for a respite when needed. I am willing to do a few short tram rides for key coffeeshops, but otherwise, I would rather stay about 10 minutes from "home." Keep in mind that I plan to smoke and drink to excess...well at least excess by 60 year old standards.