We start gently with a relaxed breakfast at Puccini. Meanwhile, heroes Docgonzo42 and Queen Charilotta have captured the big table at 420 Café and put the call out for reinforcements. We rush over there to join them.
By 3pm there's a full-scale ACD takeover in progress.
B for Bedge
By 4.20 there are 16 of us: AzLaker, BatRadia, Bhavaani_Deanna, Docgonzo42, Ghost, Igraine, Jolly, Jon Liedtke, Lemming, Luvtick, Queen Charilotta, Rob_OG, Stevesec, Talkrum, Trad and Worsall.
Just after 4.20, the traditional big joint appears.
Trad is having a bit of trouble with his shoes. He's got some glue but others are expressing doubts so Azlaker and he head off to Nieuwendijk looking for a shoe shop. After a while I go after them and find them in a sports shop. Together we return to 420, complete with Trad's new shoes, and begin to gather everyone together for a move.
A bit of cat herding has the whole gang assembled at the tram stop on the Damrak. We bundle everyone onto a number 14 tram and about 20 minutes later we're disgorged at Molukkenstraat. We forego the bus and walk the last bit to The Stud.
On arrival we get a lovely greeting from Mjhowy.
Inside, MJ ushers us into the traditional back room, where we find a couple of other customers already settled in. Our cat herding was quite efficient so everyone has made it here. The resulting crowd means we're overflowing into the next room.
This it turning into the year of the edibles. We've already had several of Luvtick's amazing Cannamels. Now RoMoney produces these beauties:
I mentioned a couple of people already here, well one of the turns out to be @andy_der_kuchenmann, a star baker.
MJ presents us with a gorgeous-looking cake that he's commissioned Andy to bake for us. I don't have a picture of this cake so here is Ghost's.
The Volcano in this room doesn't get used because it's too crowded so we use one by the entrance in the next room.
Another joint for Bedge is sparked up.
The next couple of hours pass in haze. So many edibles! I have no more photos. We fill a few Volcano bags in the next room and pass them around. Other than that, I have no idea! I'm moving around, but basically unconscious.
As the time is approaching nine, everyone is ready to move on. With lots of thanks to MJ and The Stud crew, we make our way back to the tram stop. The walk begins to bring me round a bit and we discuss where we're going next.
I think I'm just about in a fit state to handle a simple tram ride. But ...
For the past year or so, tram 14 has been running in a one-way circuit from Onderwereldpark, following the usual route to Javaplein and then turning back through Muiderpoort railway station, along Linnaeusstraat and back to Onderwereldpark, where it rejoins the outbound route. The most recent map I've seen, a few days ago, said it's still following this pattern. I should check my phone but instead I'm confident that the next tram will take us towards Centraal Station.
As we're waiting, someone mentions wanting to go to the Leidseplein. I say this tram doesn't go that way, without engaging sufficient braincells to think of where we might change trams to achieve that. Someone checks their phone, which suggests taking the tram to Rokin and walking from there.
At that moment a tram turns up and we all pile on. It sets off to Muiderpoort, as expected, but then the conductor says something like "end of the line, everybody off!"
That throws me into complete confusion. As everyone else is getting off, I ask the conductor what's going on. Hurry up, she says, we're running late and we need to close the doors. So where are you going next? I ask. Centraal Station she says. What?! I exclaim. But that's where we thought you were going!
The exasperated conductor has now closed the doors and the tram is pulling away. I'm too stoned to be particularly concerned. I figure that the rest of the crew will stay together and probably catch the next tram. We have good communications so we'll catch up somewhere.
Moments later the tram stops again. I don't notice where we are but assume it's the next stop down the line. The doors open and close again and, as we move off, someone is banging on the glass. It's AzLaker! Did he chase the tram to the next stop? I wonder. That would be quite a run!
The tram trundles on as I'm trying to work out how Az managed that superhuman sprint. Then I notice that Worsall is also on the tram with me. I walk down to where he's standing and explain how I thought everyone else had been chucked out. I just got on, he says.
[Only much later do I figure out what was actually going on here. Back home I download a new tram map and find that things changed. Tram 14 no longer does the one-way circuit. It now uses a short loop behind Muiderpoort station and returns along the same route. That means it stops twice at Muiderpoort, explaining how AzLaker caught up with it. It then returns to the Molukkenstraat stop, where we first got on and, presumably, where Worsall boarded on the return journey.
Incidentally, the route since changed again and tram 14 is back to running to Flevopark again now.]
As the tram continues towards Centraal Station, where Worsall is heading, the thought of alighting at Rembrandtplein comes to mind. So I get off there and head to Hunter's Bar where I can grab a drink, get my phone out and check WhatsApp.
As it turns out, while I've been joyriding, the rest of the crew have discovered that Muiderpoort is exactly the right place to change trams to get to the Leidseplein. They are now safely on their way to Hard Rock Café.
So, it's all worked out perfectly in the end. They've got to where they wanted to go and, after I've finished this beer, I'll set off on a nice little walk to catch up with them. The sun is setting and the lights on the bridges are coming on.
Prinsengracht, looking down Reguliersgracht
At Hard Rock, I find the gang and grab some food. Next, we decide to head back to the centre, catching a tram outside The Bulldog
Back in the centre, we make our way to Hill Street 2, yet again.
There are some good memories for me in this picture. Many years ago, a late friend and I stayed in a room on the top floor above the Happy Inn Laundromat, overlooking what was then Hunter's Bar. That was my first visit to Amsterdam. It's good to see Happy Inn still there and at least a smoker's bar where Hunter's was.
Another joint for Bedge.
And so another wonderful day ends in the usual place in the usual way. Stoned again!
Pinball tomorrow ...
