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Great report. One thing that caught me by surprise was how cool it got at night down by the water. Wasn't prepared for that. Next year I'll bring a heavier coat for the evenings.

Day 2 - Friday 17th April 2015

After our late night Volcano session we sleep well.
Breakfast at Het Molenpad and then a short walk around the Prinsengracht as far as Spiegelgracht, passing Easy Times and Super Skunk / Tops along the way.


Coffeeshop Tops or Super Skunk, Prinsengracht 480

So, what is this shop called?
Most of the signage still says 'Tops' except for the one big one saying 'Super Skunk'.

In a window near our apartment I spot this display of ancient computers.
A nostalgia trip for me because I actually did a bit of programming on an Apple IIe back in the day.


Antique Apples

Anyway, today's mission is to get to Utrecht.
This is Papi_3city's idea but J and I reckon we'll probably go there anyway, even if he doesn't turn up.

Walking through town we pass Best Friends II, 420 Coffeeshop (the new one that used to be Dutch Flowers), Tweede Kamer, Kadinsky (Cum Laude) and lots of places on Oudezijds Achterburgwal.


New 420 Coffeeshop

Eventually we reach Voyagers where we're supposed to be meeting Papi_3city.
No sign of Highlyblessed so buy some weed and drinks and find a seat by the door in the 'pure' area to skin up.

As I'm smoking my first joint a young guy comes up and says hello.
It's Papi.
I hand him the joint.

We chat and smoke for a while and then decide to set off for Utrecht.
It's quite chilly so Papi decides to grab a coat.
We take a short diversion to his hotel and then head for the station.


Utrecht

I've been to Utrecht a couple of times before so I have a rough idea of its geography.
As we're heading through the shopping centre above the station, Papi takes a right turn and leaves via an exit that's unfamiliar to me.
He says it's a more direct route to Andersom so I let him take the lead.
Sure enough the impressive Dom Tower soon comes into view.


Domtoren

Andersom is on a section of the sunken Oudegracht (old canal) called Vismarkt (fish market).
Today there are banners along the canal protesting about something.

Papi is excited to be at Andersom because it's the first coffeeshop he ever visited.
He poses for a photo outside and then we enter.
I buy some weed (Silver Haze I think) and we venture downstairs.


Andersom


Andersom menu


Papi's Travel Bong

From Andersom we walk in front of the Domkerk.
There is a huge poster depicting the inside on the outside.


Domkerk

We continue on through to Voorstraat.
There we pass what used to be known as Bordeaux Rood, now called Pleasure.


Pleasure menu

A little further along we pass Wietstok.

Next we get to a coffeeshop I've never been to before, the Culture Boat.




Culture Boat

J is very impressed with the decor inside but Papi is on a mission to get to 't Grasje.




't Grasje

I always appreciate the opportunity to check out a new coffeeshop and this seems like a nice one.
In the window is an array of tubes with bubbles streaming up them.

We consider stopping at the Culture Boat on our way back to the station but it's getting late.
Strolling back down Voorstraat I mention that I think there's a coffeeshop called Freak on a parallel street somewhere.
Papi promptly leads us straight to it.

Our final quest is finding Coffeeshop 208.
Then, carrying loads of pictures of Utrecht coffeeshops, it's back to Amsterdam.

After dinner on Zeedijk, J and I join Smirks, Gapie, OccasionalBowl, Papi and Fraidofspiders in Batavia.
Beer and bongs ensue.
We're off and crawling!

As the evening ends we walk home with OB, taking a scenic route.
We pass a few coffeeshops along the way.

sad sight
Rastababy


Siberie


't Keteltje

great report

I have enjoyed my trips to Utrecht and the Andersom, has anyone climbed the Dom Tower, if not try it great view and crazy spiral stairs, again thanks for taking the time to report

Lemming wrote:Sony RX100 (the original mark 1 version)

I've been using the Sony HX5. I used to be happy with it until I saw your pictures. Time for an upgrade!! Thinking about the HX50!

Thanks for the photos and great reporting, as usual, Lemming. Utrecht was were I landed on my first trip to Nederlands in '96. I don't remember the name of the coffeeshop, but it wasn't too far from Vredenburg, likely were de Break was located. Smoke free for 2 months before, and being unleashed in Wonderland, I soon found out that Utrecht is a beautiful city to get really lost in I didn't think it was a bad way to lose my 'Neder-cherry'

More photos and remembrances soon, if you please, and thanks for running this ACD thingie.

We're making up for quantity with quality.
From my point of view I didn't meet as many people as some previous years but everyone turned up for every crawl and already Fraidofspiders, Ftcarer, Madmaxxx, Papi_3city and Smirks are posting excellent travelogues so it's all good.
ACD's Special Forces did it in style.

Day 3 - Saturday 18th April 2015

Breakfast at 't Gasthuys near Kadinsky (Cum Laude).
A nice spot but not the greatest food in Amsterdam.
It's a lovely sunny day and very pleasant sitting by the canal.

Suitably fed we continue to Voyagers where we find a good turnout.


Voyagers

J leaves us in Voyagers so she can visit some museums and galleries.
The rest of us head off for Haarlem.
Ftcarer and 1st Born, Occasional Bowl, Papi_3city, Smirks, Treetop and me arrive intact at Willie Wortels Sativa, our traditional first stop in Haarlem.
We all pile in and then some pile out again.


Willie Wortels Sativa


Willie Wortels Sativa menu

The wanderers return and the reunited party sets off again.
On down Haarlem's main drag, Kruisweg, into Smedestraat and a quick stop at Theehuis Join Us.


Theehuis Join Us

Somehow we find ourselves on Bakenessergracht and follow it up to the river.
We pass Willie Wortel's Indica and continue down the river past the windmill and under the railway.
We are now rather far east so have a long walk to the back of the station and the bridge leading to Birdy.
Everyone makes it nearly to Birdy's door but at the last minute we lose a few of our party.
Deep into a major session we wonder how much time has passed since we lost people.
It seems like ages and they should have arrived by now.
Eventually they turn up having got lost apparently.
Soon after them Madmaxxx joins us and Smirks falls asleep in a comfy chair.
There are now eight hardcore stoners in this party and the consumption rate is heroic.


Birdy inside and out

From Birdy we float back to the station and somehow get everyone safely back to Amsterdam.
Into Utopia where we meet Gapie who is waiting to finish off any brain cells we may still have hanging on.
Another epic session ensues involving, amongst many others, some nice Tangelo Kush that I made a note of.
After an hour or so I leave to catch up with J who has been on her own mission for the day.
Dinner and then down to Batavia.
Treetop and Mack 10 are at a full table.
J and I grab an empty table and invite them to join us.
[It doesn't dawn on me at the time but I think they were probably hanging out with some of the ICMag crew.]
Eventually they join us and the session continues until we're all ready to call it a night.

.

Very enjoyable day that was

notsofasteddie wrote:I've been using the Sony HX5. I used to be happy with it until I saw your pictures. Time for an upgrade!! Thinking about the HX50!

I think the HX gets a long zoom into a small box, which is obviously really useful. The RX has a crap zoom but it does have a large sensor and fast lens, which is good for low light and blurring backgrounds. As far as I know, nobody has yet made a large sensor, long zoom camera as small as either the HX or RX. I can tell you that I've enjoyed my RX100 over the past few years.

ftcarer wrote:Very enjoyable day that was

It certainly was! Thanks for making it happen.

Day 4 soon ...

Day 4 - Sunday 19th April 2015

Another late start.
We miss everyone at La Grotte and 137.


Brouwersgracht

[I think the smoking chimney in the middle of the Brouwersgracht pic is the Hemweg power station.
If it is then it's really much further away than the apartment block it appears to be next to.]

We stop for breakfast on the Haarlemmerstraat strip anyway.
I figure the crew are out west somewhere and so the best bet is to catch them at Spirit later.
In the meantime we stroll around taking lots of pictures of coffeeshops for my collection.


Barney's Coffeeshop

Barney's is looking very plain these days.
I'm glad that first floor window isn't on my house.
The ID check guy looks like he's doing a Sebastian Vettel.
[I think he was actually pointing at Barney's Uptown].

We continue along Nieuwendijk and decide to pop into Lost in Amsterdam for a drink and a joint.


Lost in Amsterdam

After a little more wandering and photographing coffeeshops it's time to get to Spirit.


Spirit

Inside we find loads of people assembled for the Treetop Classic pinball.
There's Treetop, of course, the rest of the gang from yesterday: Ftcarer and 1st Born, Occasional Bowl, Papi_3city, Smirks, Madmaxxx and Gapie plus new arrivals Macky and Spidergawd.
There are also a bunch of ICMag people.
Pool, pinball, bongs, vaporizers, joints - it's all going off!




Spirit

I love seeing the ACD on someone's phone.
It fills me with pride.


Spirit

Departure from Spirit is delayed as I'm led, Tommy like, to a machine.
Ping. Ping. Game over.
For my efforts I'm awarded a nice wooden spoon.
Madmaxxx was the Pinball Wizard, apparently.
Not sure what he won.


Eerste Hulp

Occasional Bowl, Gapie and me have rolled into Eerste Hulp sometime around when we're supposed to be there to meet liquidSwords.

We're ushered downstairs, through the building work into an alcove that's finished.
The new plaster is dry and there are wall lights.
I have a quick look in the main room.
We could easily have missed him while seated in the hidden alcove.

After dinner we regroup at Utopia.






Utopia

Apparently some of the crew are still in De Graal but there's quite a few of us here.
Another mega session ensues into the night.
I love Utopia.
Will really miss it when it's gone.
Its ACD cups are proudly on display, including the 2013 one on the counter (see pic above).
Will it get a new one this year?

Eventually we leave Utopia and head for Sound Garden.
I grab a few more coffeeshop pictures along the way.


Grey Area

A quick nightcap at Sound Garden with Occasional Bowl and then it's back to the apartment.

Lemming wrote:Day 4 - Sunday 19th April 2015


Brouwersgracht

[I think the smoking chimney in the middle of the Brouwersgracht pic is the Hemweg power station.
If it is then it's really much further away than the apartment block it appears to be next to.]

actually , if you look really carefully you can just about see smirks & papi with a bong

another great day , some really good pics there

I am loving your Travelogue! So many great shots; so much fun; so many more days to share!!! We (you) haven't even made it to 4:20 so I know there is more to come!

Here's hoping you travel more to Amsterdam, Spain, and even the US.!

My only suggestion is that you get up earlier so you can shoot more pictures!

Super report and pics, thank you!

@ftcarer - I should have followed the smoke signals. I might have found you out west.

@notsofasteddie and @vinyl - thanks for the encouragement.

Day 5, 4-20 day, along very soon ...