DocGonzo42s 4/20/2026: The whole 8 days

[docgonzo42]

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Right after new year it starts. That weird anticipation of that in just 15 short weeks it will be that time again. Then February hits and one brave ACDer says uhh hey uhh 420s coming. We wait a little longer and it suddenly happens. There is nothing like the feeling when Lemming puts out the announcement that it’s time to start the arrangements for The Annual Four-Twenty Gathering. This year being the 20th anniversary, it was already known that it was going to be epic. I was bringing a traveling companion (Queen Charilotta) this year and already had many days full during that time frame. I wanted to give her a trip full of the best of the top part of the Netherlands. I started the ball rolling on my side by taking over the arrangements of the smokeboat and to try to make sure we got the table at the 420 Café.

Thursday April 16th- Soest
This was my 9th trip to Amsterdam, and I hope will be the template from now on. Landed in Amsterdam and got my OV Chipcards ready and got a train to Soest. This is the second time I’ve started my trip here and will be a big part of my future trips. The first time being 2011 when I came here to visit MC Eschers grave and now it’s my 3rd visit. The first time I saw that the only coffeeshop around was in nearby Soest. This is a beautiful small town built next to the Palais Soestdijk. Because royalty would be coming through every house is a little showplace of beauty and individuality. Coffeeshop Hacas is the only choice. Luckily for the locals it is always a solid choice.
In 2024 I found an Air B and B only a 3 minute walk away from Hacas and the owner and his wife welcomed me back for the return visit. They once again gave me the ok to sit in their very manicured little Buddhist garden and smoke everyday. So I dropped off my luggage and Queen Charilotta and I made the walk to sit down for her first Legal(tolerated)smoke of the trip. This was her first time in Europe and the perfect way to start a trip of this magnitude.

Coffeeshop Hacas
2 grams White Widow
2 grams Banana Punch
1 gram of La Mousse hash.

We were greeted warmly by the budtenders and given permission to take a picture of the latest menu. Both were solid choices. I got the more mellow White Widow for her and stronger Banana Punch for me with a covering of hash. And we were off!
After 21 total hours of travel it was a sweet moment. It was hard to believe we had finally made it to this moment.


Friday April 17th-Soest

Wake and bake at the cottage the next morning turned into a walk to Palais Soestdijk.

We had tickets for a photography exhibit at the palace that opened the day before by Flore Zoe. I had seen the palace for the first time in 2011 while walking from Eschers grave to Hacas and never thought Id be back there someday with my first girlfriend from high school but here we were. Had a nice breakfast at the building the Queen grew Orange Trees.

After we walked to the grave of MC Escher and J Spiker and saw a friendly graveyard cat that gave us a kitty to pet.

Went back to Hacas to hang out and we were the only people to sit inside for the two hours we were there. Noticed after awhile that the budtender had changed the music to music from the USA. Its mostly fly and buy but we enjoyed the time there.

Coffeeshop Hacas
2 grams Zkittlez
2 grams Boeren Meisjes
1 gram of Static hash

That night my Air B and B host took us to Hoogland to see a Dutch cover band Ben and the Jonnies. Fun night that as we drove home the host told us he had guitars and used to play but haven’t picked one up in quite sometime. So we made plans to have a jam session the next night.


Saturday April 18-Den Haag

Woke up and hit the ground running. Host drove us to the train station and I let him know we should be back around 5 for dinner and then we would call him to come get us for the evenings guitar session. Two trains later and we arrive in The Hague.
Went to Madorodam. It was like walking in a life sized miniature train layout.

I went to Den Haag back in 2001 to see the Escher Museum then just started walking into the city looking for a coffeeshop. Pre ACD it was harder to find one. I walked until I saw a busy street and took a right and found Cremers. I wanted a return visit so Chari and I went to Madurodam early then looked at Dizzy Duck Downtown, Demo, and Doctor Green. All buy and fly so headed out to Cremers. Wanted to start stocking up for 420 and buy my first donut joint.

Cremers
Donut Hole King (1.5Cherry Biscotti weed .5 Zkittles rosin)
Polo Donut (2 grams Candy Float .5 Agilio rosin)
Face Melterz 3.5 grams
.5g Hawaii Haze Static Rosin

The back room seems like an exclusive club that feels like you need reservations, but when you buy as much as we did you are gained entry. Two corndogs, two hot chocolates, two hours of smoking and then we were ready for the MC Escher Museum.

We made our way back to Soest. The Air B and B hosts wife met me as we got back and said “I don’t know what you awakened in my husband but hes been practicing and singing all day so thank you”. We proceeded to have a 3 hour guitar jam that lasted into the night. Knew we were leaving for Amsterdam the next day and they invited me to come back soon and I know I will.

Sunday April 19th-Amsterdam

So my mom died last year. She had a 20-year battle with cancer so Fuck Cancer. On her deathbed I told her “You know I’m going to spend a good chunk of the inheritance going back to Amsterdam”. She smiled and said, “I expect nothing less of you”.
First thing that was required was a place we could stay and smoke. Getting harder to find isn’t it ACDers. Went on a search and found a houseboat one block from the Anne Frank house with a back porch. Big plus was the owner allowed smoking inside too. He had a time frame open of April 19th to April 24th and with that knowledge I started building my trip last year.
Said our goodbyes in Soest and the landlord of the houseboat sent me a note saying he would be there cleaning at 10:30 if we needed to drop our bags off. I said that would rock because we have a couple big ones. He said call me on arrival and Ill come get you at the station. Got in and magical is the only word to describe what looked to be a singlewide trailer on the water. He had grapes on the porch to feed the variety of waterfowl that will be coming around he tells us. So dropped off our bags and walked to Jollygood to get more supplies for the smokeboat.

Jollygood
3.5 g Sherbanger

Smoked a couple pipes of Sherbanger and made our way to the PIanoala Museum.
Situated in an old police station it was filled with turn of the century player pianos and the music rolls . In total the building was 3 stories high with all that viewed and storage it was 34,000 rolls. As we got there a tour started and I knew we were not going to make Het Balonnetje.
Headed back back to the houseboat and made plans to meet the crew finally at the Sea Palace.
Sea Palace was a bunch stupid bullshit as all that went know. Wanted all people to order from an app and use only one/two people to order and pay. I dropped 10e on the table for waters I got and said Ill see all of you at the smokeboat.
Went to the 420 café and stopped first at the lil snack place across the alley. Bought some munchies so we could eat inside 420 and smoke some bowls.
All of a sudden the guy that was sitting next to me at Sea Palace appeared and I realized it was Talkrum. Met him back in 2024 and I had been looking forward to seeing him again. Totally didn’t recognize him from last year as he had gotten fitter in the last year.

420 Café
2 grams Pineapple Chunk

Had a great time catching up and as the time neared we headed to the smokeboat.

Smokeboat was a haze filled hour of finally seeing all the lovely faces of the ACD crew along with three I haven’t met. Luvtick and Deeana had become famous to us before we even met them from all the fun ACD Whattsapp talk. Also Chari had listened to Luvticks podcast before we came. Im caught up now.
At some point a person disappeared from the boat I thought but it was Batradia and he just chilled outside for the ride. I asked and everybody said I was stoned or something. Nice to put a face to the name.

I lit one donut joint and sent it left and the other to send to the right. The boat was hotboxed within minutes.
It took some arranging but the smokeboat is very worth it even through they tried to charge me for the drinks everyone had after. They a bit sketchy is all ill say.

Gift from ACD memberat Smokeboat that Im sorry I don’t remember who
Jollygood
Zutopia

Went back to the house boat after we got Wok To Walk because I had a new ACD guest coming to stay so fed the coots and ducks while listening to the bells from Westerkierk.

Reintroducing Jon Liedtki

Back in 2024 as I got to Amsterdam I dropped bags off and hit 420 Café for traditional first smoke. As I sat there with my Zappa hat I see a gentlemen walking up to where I’m sitting. Its like a magnet when two Zappa Fans come together. I had been in Amsterdam like 5 minutes but 420 Café is where you would meet another Zappa person.
Hes a multi instrumentalist in the country to play the theremin with a metal band at a festival. He also runs the longest running Zappa Tribute show in America. He has played with Zappa players so I knew I needed more than this slight conversation and told him to find us when he got back. He came to the Spirit Pinball Tounament that year and we kept in touch since and when I saw he was coming back to the same festival again I knew it was time to party with this guy. He became a pin carrying ACD member (JonLiedtki) and is now on the 420 Confirmed Pirate List. When I rented the houseboat and saw it slept 4 I offered some free nights so we could finally have a pot infused conversation. I think it lasted 60 Hours.

Monday April 20th-Amsterdam

So yeah we all know that Hitler’s birthday is April 20th. That’s not why I went to the Anne Frank house on the morning of the 20th it was more because it was 4/20 Setting this trip up I wanted early morning entry to Anne Frank house but 12:15 was the earliest. Jon had made it to houseboat by 12:30 and we had a first 420 smoke on the porch of the houseboat and I crashed after last nights events.
Woke up around 10:00 and went to Omelegg Jordon. Plenty of open tables and a had an omelet that is still haunting me. Peanut Butter Banana Honey Omelette. Next time in Amsterdam don’t think just try it.

So smokeboat goal was completed and now it was time to get the table at 420 Café for the crew.
I figured that the morning of 420 would be perfect for Anne Frank because I could get to 420 Café soon after. As Queen Charilotta and I walked in to the first room it was filled with multitudes of people with audio tour blue thingys in their ears so I came up with a plan. I told Chari look we know the story and its not going to be anything more than we know so we started going . Got upstairs to the attic, saw what we needed to see and was out the door in 14 minutes. Got back to Houseboat and smoked the roaches from the donut joints with Jon while feeding the ducks and coots. Got to 420 at 140. Bought some of their weed because I knew I was sitting there from that point.

420 Café
2 grams Blueberry


So Chari. Jon and I were able to get our seats and over the next hours as people left we grabbed more stools and seats and king of hid them by sitting in the middle of 2. At this point I went across the street to the old DeKroon/New Snoop Dogg place to get a donut joint.

The Dogg House 2
Tha Doggfather Doughnut

Got back and soon the ACD crew started coming in. Two very cool kids (Colin? and Meethis) had agreed to sit and hang out at the tables until others came in. By 3:30 we had control of the entire table. The edibles crew came in and started handing out freebees. I wrote a B for Bedge on top of the Donut joint.
Huge session on all sides of the table.The countdown started before we knew it and like a hazy New Years Eve the fun started. Tradition huge joint gets passed around from the great 420 Café staff.
At one point Jon and I got up to take a picture under the Zappa photo with Zappa Pandemic masks I had made back in 2020 but never wore.


This crew is the only one I know that on 4/20 they go to the 420 to Celebrate 4/20 and its just a pre session for the Real Party. We make our way to The Stud.
The crew slides in the backroom and we get a new batch of The Stud memories.
Dab Rigs, Volcano Bags, 2 huge edible cakes and wonderful gift bags. This was my 3rd time doing this and my house in the US is starting to look like a start up Stud store with the shirts, ashtrays, and license plates.
I wanted to show my extreme appreciation to Mjhowy and The Stud for the nights we have gotten to enjoy. The Smokeboat entry ticket of Stud Cali weed worked in my favor as the entire smokeboat crew dropped me multiple containers of a variety of green candy.

The Stud
Kush Mintz
Chello x 2
Tangie Grey x 2
Blanco
Chello x2
DuckSauce X2
Forbidden Tiramiso and Dry Sift hash I think.
As it started turning into night we left The Stud to go back to the houseboat to spend the evening listen to bells, feeding Aquatic Fowl and grinding and rolling the Studs Cali cache, and getting Burger Bar.
Best 420 ever until next 4/20 .

Tuesday April 21st-Amsterdam
WE ALLLLL SLEPT IN

Jon let us know he was heading out today to get to a hotel closer to the train station with his bags and musical equipment, so we spent the morning and early afternoon talking about life, Zappa and future plans to visit one day. We agreed to meet at The Spirit for the afternoon’s events.
Jon headed off and for the first time since we got to the Netherlands Queen Charilotta and I got a nap.
Got up, got outtta bed, smoked Stud Cali and headed to The Spirit. We overslept and oversmoked and arrived at 520.

The Spirit

Hand Crafted Cali Thunderstick
ACD crew was in full effect. Got some pool balls and played Pool with Chari as the Pinball Tourney started on the Metallica machine. I did awful. Chari did better. Trevor kicked all the asses. Luvtick was a major contender.
Jon kicked my ass in pool and Chari and I headed out for our steak dinner reservations. Got back to the houseboat and couldn’t find my Cordory jacket anywhere. Went back to spirit and it wasn’t there. Wasn’t feeling Steak dinner after so we walked and got Shawarma Came back and instantly found jacket where I folded it and put on a chair.
At this point unfortunately our time with ACD was over. Loved seeing everyone again. 3 days after we got back I told Chari that when we do this again it will be more of an ACD trip since I showed her almost everything I wanted to show her on this one. We will do the beach and the daily crawls next time.

Wednesday April 22nd


Got up early. 700 Uber to Keukenhof with 8:00 entry

Keukenhof

Got the bus to Haarlem

Empire
I went to Empire back in 2023 and thought what a nice quaint shop. Kind of dark and good menu with a nice hanging out area. Sweet Star Wars sign. Empire has gone with a modern neon look and top gear menu but I had seen that on ACD. Smoked 2 cones from The Stud
Shoreline Donut for the last night smoke

The St. Bavo Church in Haarlem

10 year old Mozart,Handel,and Mendolsinn Played this PipeOrgan that was mentioned in Moby Dick
“Seeing all these colonnades of bone so methodically ranged about, would you not think you were inside of the great Haarlem organ, and gazing upon its thousand pipes?”

Loetje Haarlem
Got some Bitterballen and the steak we didn’t get the night .They give you white bread to slop up the garlic gravy and as a southern man that’s a slice of heaven

Teylers Museum

I had never been there so it was time. Netherlands Oldest Museum (1784
Fossils, old technology, art, coins.
Train back to Amsterdam. Spend an evening on the porch with bats this time


ThursdayApril 24th


Van Gogh Museum


After I Took Chari a on a tour of stories I’ve told that happened in Leidseplien
Heres the lizards I thought was real one night.
This used to be The Noon.
Down Marnixstratt is where I’ve stayed in 3 different hotels in the first block.
This is the Paradiso where ive tripped a lot on shrooms
Cheech and Chong sat here while filming Still Smokin
This is where Boom Chicago used to be and the two actors that created Ted Lasso met in the Improv Group
Nickki Manij passed by me here one night as she finished at show at Melkwig


Took her to The Dolphins because I knew the fishtank look would make her smile.

The Dolphins
Oreo Cookie Pure Pre Roll

Scavenger Hunt back to u boat
Space Invader
Embassy Of the Free Mind

Wore my David Bowie Socks while listening to David Bowie with my David Bouy Hat on. Chari and I put our feet up for the last night


Epilogue
I truly am amazed that here I was on my 9th trip to Amsterdam and would never have thought Queen Charilotta would be by my side for this one. We dated from July 1983 to January 1987 and after a horrible break up we went on our other ways for 38 years. After we both lost our spouses we rediscovered each other and this was her first Europe trip and I wanted her to see the best of the Netherlands which I put ACD on the top of that list. Thank you for the kinship of all involved. I can’t think of another group of people Id rather get high with then this family of people coming together for the love of the medicine that keeps us weird.
P.S.Cali weed and donut joints not worth the cash.Roll your own donuts and buy cheap dutch. Only time I was truly high was two hits off of Ghosts Rosin vape.

[HitTheNorth]

Incredible! What a great read, really enjoyed that.

[FitZerOy]

Reads like Kerouac does the Dam! Great read, and I'll defo try that omelette next trip!

[RoMoney]

Great write up doc and nice chatting to you in The Stud!

[Ghost]

Excellent DocGonzo it was great catching up with you again and also meeting Queen Charlotta for the 1st time. I also was no good at the pinball the smoke boat was great some fantastic sessions and agreed the roll your own doughnuts

Hopefully we can do it all again next year mate, fingers crossed

[AzLaker]

I don't know how you did it @DocGonzo42s, but a brilliant week, all wrapped up in one long page...excellent!!

AzLaker

[docgonzo42]

Pics from trip imcluding peanut butter banana omelette

[avfc-herbalist]

Brilliant read! Thoroughly enjoyed that thanks for the write up

[Lemming]

Excellent stuff! Thanks Doc. Great to see you again and to meet Chari.
Thanks for your help with the boat and capturing the 420 table.

[Kermit]

Top reporting, excellent 420 reports coming in this year.

[docgonzo42]

Pics from trip including peanut butter banana omelette

[Igraine]

Great read Doc and best smoke boat so far, many thanks for that

[Jolly]

Great read @DocGonzo thanks.

Thank you for organising the smoke boat.

You're missing a Gizmo from the The Stud weed list. I hope it was good because it smelled amazing.