Life’s been stressful, I needed a break. I’d hoped for my wife to join me but she couldn’t get time off. This was a very spur of the moment trip. The thought entered my head late the week before and all of a sudden, I was booked up for the early Monday morning Easyjet flight out of Edinburgh.
The night before arrives and I couldn’t sleep. We’ve all been there. After a very broken sleep I get ready at 5am and park the car around 6am then take the shuttle to departures. Flight is delayed around 30 minutes but otherwise uneventful. Schiphol security is busier than I like but maybe 30 minutes later I’m walking down to platforms 1 and 2 to catch the train. Ticket bought through the app when I got on and before I know it I’m walking out of the same door I walk out of Centraal every time!
It’s a rather cold, windy and every now and then a little drizzly but who really cares? I’m back in the Dam. I set off towards Batavia and end up at Omelegg for breakfast and a coffee. Feeling satisfactorily refreshed I make my way to my favourite coffeeshop Siberie. I’m greeted by a smiling face I recognise and ask her “what’s good?” She shows me a few examples and I decide on a half gram of Tropicana Cherry and a latte, take a seat and roll a joint.
Tropicana Cherry – E12/g
Very interesting strain. Smells like cherry coke and transfers well to taste. Effects were of a nice balanced hybrid. Perfect day-time smoke for me.
I decide it’s time to head to the hotel to check in. It’s a cheap and cheerful place called Hotel Blossoms City. It’s not the cleanest place but it’s in a great location right next to the Heineken Brewery and if you’re lucky you can score really cheap deals. I got the single room with private bathroom for one night for £27. I don’t even think you can get a hostel for cheaper nowadays. It’s been a long day so I have a little 30 minute nap before heading out.
Refreshed, I make my way 10 minutes south to another old favourite – Club Media
I’m greeted by another friendly budtender who was happy to show me his recommendations. I settle on a nice half gram of Cream Pie and a latte. Get buzzed through, take my seat round the corner next to the window and roll a joint. It’s very serine and calm place.
Cream Pie - E12.50/g
This was the strain of the trip for me. Beautiful savoury and sweet notes in the smell but the taste is on another level. Effects are very cerebral and energetic. I’ll definitely be trying more of these newer savoury strains in the future.
I fancied a drink and a smoke so headed to Leidseplein. Popped in to Rookies which is having a full refurb. Stripped back to barebones. Budtender is friendly, I ask what’s good on the menu a few recommendations were shown but decided on Professor Chaos.
Professor Chaos - E13 – E15/g ??
Looked good in tub and smelled great when ground up. Sadly, this didn’t transfer to taste at all. A harsh, flavourless smoke that was left in the ashtray. Probably worst of trip.
In search of a drink, I head down the street to The Waterhole. It’s happy hour so it’s only E6 for a Jack and Coke. I’ll have a couple of those thank you. Good tunes and decent atmosphere. No smoking room any more though. Looking to combine the two I cross the plein and into Bulldog. It’s a good looking bar, staff are nice but the price of a drink is taking the piss. E10.80 for a Jack and Coke. Music’s shit but I’ll let it all slide being able to do both.
I was in need of some food and De Klos was calling but it’s busy. I decide to head north and in to the centre and grab some chips from Mannekin Pis on Damrak. I have a walk whilst eating and take in the sites and note how beautiful Amsterdam is in winter with Christmas lights. Feeling in need of another smoke and a rest I make my way to Bagheera for some Lemon Bubble.
Lemon Bubble – E10/g
A cross of my favourite strain Silver Bubble. Proper citrus smells and tastes just as good. Like its parent, a consistently quality strain any time I get it and probably the best value for money anywhere in town.
Bagheera is a little gem of a coffeeshop. Staff are great, weed is consistently good and its reasonably priced. I grab a drink and grab a seat and skin up a joint. I get speaking to a couple of lads from England who are working their way through a terp adventure with some dabs on a Puffco Peak dab rig. I spend the next hour having a great conversation and plan to meet up again tomorrow at Family First.
I make my exit and head towards the metro at Nieuwmarkt to Waterlooplein and find myself at Hunters Rembrandtsquare. A first time in here for me. It’s quiet but the staff are really nice and the music is decent. I ask to take a menu pic and he was like my photographers assistant trying to get the right angles, blocking out glares. I ask him to recommend a hybrid for now and an indica for the walk home. Guava for now and Sophies Breath for later. I get a chocomel and mango looza and get settled in at the front window.
Guava – E13.50/g
Very Fruity. Smells and tastes like a fruit salad sweetie. Energetic, sociable weed. Will try again if I see it on a menu.
Sophies Breath – E14/g
This is a hard hitter. Had me staggering around a little with slits for eyes on my way home. Can’t really remember how it tasted but it was pretty smooth.
It’s 1am Hunter’s coffeeshop is closed, their bar next door is still open maybe I’ll go in for a last drink… Nah. On my way home I smoke the Sophies Breath. It’s definitely a heavy hitter. Very sedative and had me staggering and struggling to see on the walk back to the hotel. SLEPT. LIKE. A. BABY
A good representation of my vision smoking Sophie's Breath.
Day 2
I’m up nice and early. Showered, checked out and out the door to Club Media for a nice early morning wake and bake. I notice Champagne Haze was back on the menu so I grab a half gram and the same of the budtenders recommendation Zkittlez x Sherbet. Get buzzed through, sit in my usual seat. Roll a joint and enjoy my Latte. Blissful morning.
Champagne Haze – E12.95/g
A classic Amsterdam strain maybe not as good as the one I had years ago but still a nice example. Very sweet and citrusy.
Zkittlez x Sherbet – E17.95/g
A very interesting strain. Z terp shines through but also gassy and has a kind of savoury thing going on.
Next on the cards is another two favourites that are worth the trek south. DNA for a buy and fly of Oreo Pie
Oreo Pie – E10.50/g
Disappointing. Was hoping for that savoury sweetness like the Cream Pie but it just wasn’t there. Harsh smoke as well.
And De Kade. It’s a great coffeeshop. Staff are friendly, décor is great and it’s always been pretty quiet any time I’ve been. Weed and prices are always great. Well priced Zoap on the menu that smelled as good as I’ve ever smelled so had to grab a gram.
Zoap – E15/g
This is a great example of Zoap. I’d been getting a regular supply of Zoap back home and this was better and as good as the E30 ‘cali’ I bought on my stag do. Would buy all the time if I could.
Feeling hungry I decide to head up to the Centrum for a gluten free chicken burger at Croque Madame. If you’ve got a gluten intolerance this place is amazing. It’s exclusively gluten free and their burgers are out of this world. Appetite satiated I hit the road again. Off to Family first to meet up with the lads I met last night but they’re nowhere to be seed. Pop my head in Bagheera to see if they’re there but no luck.
Nieuwmarkt bound I pop in to Bluebird but was confronted by a rude and arrogant member of staff. I’ve had a run in with him before. It’s a shame as their menu is decent. Probably the best value shop in the centre. I decide to go next door to Reefer. This place has been renovated. It’s unrecognisable. Looks good, atmosphere is nice and the weed is quality but prices are a bit high. Budtender recommended a few strains and I settle on Strawberry Banana.
Strawberry Banana – E16
Very nice and fruity strain. Banana is more noticeable in the smell but the flavour is there a little as well. Enjoyable smoke.
I decide I want to try some biscotti so have a little nosy on www.coffeeshopmenus.org and see that Coffeeshop Oost have been selling it. So off I go on an adventure to a shop I’ve never visited. I’ve been in the area before when I went to De Kas for dinner. I think I ended up in Crash Light to get a gram of something and they only had generic strain names like haze or kush.
Anyway, so I’m walking to Oost and I get this massive pain in my foot all of a sudden almost to the point of tears. It was sore when I went to bed last night and it got progressively worse as the day went on.
Aptly named street...
I awkwardly make my way in to Oost and it’s a buy ‘n’ fly place only. The budtenders are very nice and recommend a few strains but it’s the Biscotti I’m after.
Biscotti – E11.50
I buy a half gram as it smells amazing. It was an enjoyable smoke and one I’d be happy to try again.
In pain I hobble my way to the metro and head back to Nieuwmarkt. I’ve been hearing all this hype about Doja and decided to try and pick up something for the final smoke of the trip. Greenplace is the place to be if you’re looking for Doja or so I’ve been told. Budtenders are nice and the atmosphere is good. I grab a gram of Chocolate Biscotti and settle in with a latte.
Chocolate Biscotti (Doja) E35/g
It smoked smooth and smell and taste were nice but for the price it’s just not worth it. Biscotti from Oost at E11.50/g pisses all over this.
It’s getting late in the day so I go back to Croque Madame to grab another couple of burgers for the flight home and make my way to where I began this journey – Siberie. I’ve got a few grams to get through before I make my way to the airport so grab a latte and settle in at the table at the back. This is where I meet a really cool, funny guy who talks about how he is an engineer and had meetings to speak to the council about the new Red Light District on the outskirts of town. Hilarity ensues, some of the staff get involved and a good time is had by all. I roll the Chocolate Biscotti for the walk to Centraal and give my new friend the last 2 half grams I have and wish everyone a good night.
Walking to Centraal I spark the joint and enjoy my last minutes walking through the busy streets, taking in the sights and sounds and promise myself I will be back again soon. Hopefully that time is this 420!
2 days and 30ish miles walked. My foot is done!
One last thing from the trip was when we were waiting to board a woman was on her phone and opened a message with the old classic shagging sounds. Everyone pishes themselves laughing and she's left with a bright red face. The End.
Thanks for reading along. I really enjoyed reminiscing about this trip and getting back in to some form of writing. I've got some videos that I may edit into a little travel vlog. Maybe...
quality write up buddy with some great pics, thanks for taking the time to post it up 
