Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory Forums

Fat_old_dwarf wrote: ↑Wed 25th Jan 2017 08:16 pm

aVeryOldLady wrote:I usually call my hotel to check if I can drop my bags of, which I do if it is possible as that is a huge relief.

What hotels don't allow this? I've never phoned ahead, and it's never been a problem. Likewise leaving your stuff after you check out, and picking it up later. Well, except at Voyagers, but that's to be expected, because it hasn't got the storage space, and being a coffeeshop might get held responsible if you had something naughty in your bags that put them over the limit.

Check-in time is 3pm if I remember correctly and I arrive around 9 or 10 am. Sometimes the rooms are ready and I can head there first.

I know, but I've never stayed in one that doesn't have a place where you can drop your bags even if your room isn't ready, to save carting things round until the afternoon.

Then you might want to consider storing your luggage at central station. It costs 10€ though and I think it only works with a crdit card. But my train usually doesn't leave until 9pm and always 2 or 3 of us put our luggage into one of those.
Of course, being able to leave your luggage at the hotel is the best solution.

On one visit a few of us got to smoking and decided it would be a great idea to head over to Brussels to see the little boy peeing statue off the Plaza. We also thought Belgium beers would be fun. The hotel told us it was no problem to check out early, and the decision was clear to head out. Oh, but we had more luggage than we wanted to carry. The solution - we stored it at Centraal Station. Then hopped on a train to Brussels and stayed there overnight. That luggage area at Centraal was super helpful. It was so big that all 3 of us could fit our luggage into it.

Yip used the lockers at central station a few times they are defo card only tho.

I enjoy reading the arrival rituals. For me, the arrival ritual begins at Schipol. When you get into the retail part of the airport and hang a left to the train ticket station, I know my face has a wonderment look upon it like a little kid looking at a candy store. The mixture of people at that ticket window is always amazing to me. You have 3 groups:

1. The Seasoned Veteran. This is the group I tell myself that I belong. You walk up, you assess how many people from the groups below are in each line to purchase tickets, then you select a line that you think will move the fastest. I don't have a European chip-kaart, so I cannot use those little kiosks, which means I'm in the line, too. Plus, I like the different personalities you first encounter in that line. I know what I want, which platform I need to get on, the price I need to pay, etc. I walk up, inform the teller in clear words what I need, and make the purchase.

2. The Been Here Before Crowd. This is the group that is visibly trying to recall what they did last time they were in line for the train. They know they need to go to AMS, but they have a few confidence questions to ask. They generally know what they are doing, though. They are excited in the line, then get a little bit confused in front of the teller, then they are excited again.

3. The I Have No Clue Crowd. This crowd is usually the first I encounter, and I guess everyone is part of this crowd at some point. They typically mill about near where the line begins, but they cannot commit to the line b/c they just are not sure what to do. They also ask a LOT of questions to the teller. I prefer for this crowd to travel with a Seasoned Veteran because the Seasoned Veteran will tell them to stand and wait while he gets the tickets.

Getting the train tickets lets me know I arrived.

Then we disembark from Centraal. It is like horses out of the chute at the Kentucky Derby as the visitors race to exit the station. At least that's how I feel. Most are very excited and looking forward to their first steps. I will exit and pause a bit to be thankful that I've returned. I like to take a picture of the skyline from the exit of the station (after crossing the tram lines, of course, so as not to block the entrance to the station). I also typically take a piss at the outdoor toilet near the multi-story bike garage. It feels like home.

If I am staying in the Jordaan, I'll walk by the bike garage and under the bridge so as to avoid what I dub the busiest intersection in the entire world. I can cross lanes of traffic at the Arc de Triomphe easier than I can cross Droogbak, Prins Hendrikkade, Singel, and Nieuwe Westerblahblahsomethingstraat. Gracious, that intersection is crazy to cross, and I cross it and think that the game, Frogger, was probably created by someone who tried to cross that intersection and got hit by a bus, truck, bike, debris, or car.

If I am staying anywhere else other than the Jordaan, I'll still go pee at the outdoor toilet, but then I'll get into town as quickly as possible so I can drop my bags.

I'll walk in a particular route to where ever we are staying so I can stop at the first head shop and purchase a pipe. If we are staying in the Jordaan, I'll pick up a pipe at one of the dozen shops on Nieuwendik. If down around Rembrandtsplein area, I'll hit up the Waterlooplein outdoor market and pick up a pipe there.

Then I'm set. The wife and I usually hit up the AMS Historical Museum on the first day just to get reacquainted with the city. It's a great little museum with lots of good facts about the city. Plus you can hit up the Begijnhoff and Spui area for drinks at numerous brown cafes in the area.

I will have already picked up weed by now, too, but where and what depends on where I'm staying. If in the Jordaan, Paradox is my first stop. If anywhere else, no telling. My wife likes Barney's Lounge if we are in the Rembrandtsplein area (although not as much now that the changed from the faux bamboo tables). If I'm staying in the de Pijp area, CS Yo-Yo is a favorite.

I'm eager to read other rituals, so I hope more of you post. Thanks for reading.

Nice read. Last couple trips I buy train ticket online for central and return to airport. Just walk down stairs strait to train easy peesee don,t have to swipe, nothing just have printed ticket ready if asked.

macky wrote: ↑Sat 4th Feb 2017 09:22 pm Nice read. Last couple trips I buy train ticket online for central and return to airport. Just walk down stairs strait to train easy peesee don,t have to swipe, nothing just have printed ticket ready if asked.

I tried that but it always wants holland bank account , and I'm in the U.K. Any ways round it ?

Used my Visa card ,,,Here you go eticket@ns.nl. (NS Reizigers)

Great advice! Thanks!

LLMReb wrote: ↑Sun 5th Feb 2017 01:08 am Great advice! Thanks! You ain't so bad for a NYC Canadian!

OK I guess? Considering I live in a town without a single stop light

Oh man, I'm sorry. I thought you regularly refer to NYC and Canada. My apologies.

macky wrote: ↑Sat 4th Feb 2017 11:44 pm Used my Visa card ,,,Here you go eticket@ns.nl. (NS Reizigers)

Thanks dude got it to work used the Ns international site instead of the normal one and worked then , thanks