This was my 3rd time to Amsterdam and I had already done the “tourist” thing, been to all the museums, zoo, did the canal boat tours and even Haarlem. With the exception of a trip to Muiderslot (that didn’t happen either), I intended on making this trip a total chill fest to just smoke, eat, walk, drink, smoke, walk, eat, sleep. No museums, no canal boats, no must see locations, and No Red Light District!! Sorry if this sounds more like a beer report than a smoke report, but that is just the way it played out this time. You never know how your Amsterdam experience will unfold.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8od0Y78YxiQ
Friday I arrived on KLM in partly cloudy conditions a little after 11am. Efficiently through customs, fast baggage output and quick access to train. I love Schipol!!! Arrived at Centraal Station maybe ten past noon. Went right over to Ibis within a minute. Seemed a bit empty in lobby and they checked me in early no problem. After the “100%No Smoking” lecture, I got a room in the new tower which is nice as far as the rooms are concerned, but I had no view except the back of the building in front. I asked for something across the hall so I would at least view the harbor, and they did switch me. Eighth floor with a harbor view. Very cool!! You can easily just smoke out front across the road under the pillars next to the bike parking, or on the bridge next to it. I liked going around the back side and standing along the harbors edge. Then you get a nice airing out walking back, so you don’t stink up the lobby and elevator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAKbVgLZ_Gw
After settling in, I was hungry and slipped right over to Nieuwendijk for some Shoarma. I love that stuff!!! From the Ibis you have easy access to the walkway under Prins Hendrikkade to the Stromarkt and then on to Singel. Or go the other way and you are at Centraal, if you use trams. I always just walk. Actually never been on a tram. Just film them. After this I needed to buy my first smoke. I picked up a pipe in some shop on Nieuwendijk and after realizing I also felt like having a drink, I broke my red light ban and wound up at Greenhouse Effect to buy some Super Silver Haze and then have a drink next door with it. I forgot how much I liked this place from previous trips. I stayed with them my first time to the dam in 2007. Cool spot and one of the few pot smoke friendly bars. Realized there was a “Toke n Talk” scheduled for Siberie at 1800 and headed out of GHE and over there. Arrived around 1755 to find a basically empty shop except for the tobacco cabin that was jammed packed with a group of friends. There was only a couple at a table and a single guy, who was getting ready to leave. I bought some Afghan bio, which tasted a little funky. I chilled there for about 40min and unless she was one of the budmaids, I don’t think there was Islandgurl or any other ACD’ers there. Oh well, I had never been to this shop before anyway, so it was a cool new experience. I left Siberie and headed towards my favorite bar Cafe Gollem. After a nice walk along the Singel I found Gollem to be very busy, as usual, and circled the Spui ultimately ending up coming down Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. I wandered into a cool little english pub called London Bridge that was empty except for a regular named Tom and the way cool bartender Hannah. They introduced me to Amsterdam’s’ very own Texsel beer. Very good stuff, and at 7%alch hits hard if you let it get away from you. I made some new friends and spent the next two nights drinking here.
Saturday was the usual wandering town, but today I stopped in to the small Abraxas on Spuistraat. I like this one better than the bigger shop. I like the upstairs smoke area where you can watch the Spuistraat below, and with Oude Nieuwstraat across the way it is always busy with people walking about late into the night. I bought some NY Diesel here. It must be from New York because it reminded me of something I would get here in the US and at a New York price. The Super Silver Haze from GHE or Abraxas is better. More wandering and another night at London Bridge.
Sunday started late due to Texsel after effects. So, after having a nice Chinese lunch at a spot near Dam Square I wandered over to Kadinsky on Rosmanjnsteeg. I chose this shop because it is just across the way from Cafe Gollem where I intended to do some serious Belgium beers. I did not buy any smoke here, as I still had some from prior purchases. I have smoked here before and like the layout. The cool little basement area is chill, but I like to get the spot on top facing the window and watch it all from there. Nicely prepared, I walked over to Gollem and was disappointed to find out that St Bernardus Abt 12 was only in bottle until Tuesday. I pay $5-11 for a bottle in Los Angeles and that is when I can find it. I love coming to Amsterdam and being able to drink a pint from the tap for 3.90e. So, I had some Westmalle from tap and some Rochefort 8 in a bottle. Back to Abraxas on Spuistraat and bought some of their Super Silver Haze. As always, good heavy lasting smoke. Then it was back to London Bridge for some more Texsel.
Monday was another late start due to Texsel overload. After some very good shoarma at a place on Vijzelstraat called Nile Sphinx, I broke my Redlight rule again and headed back to GHE for a smoke with a drink. I can’t believe they enacted the separation law. I am lucky I got to make a trip before it took effect when you had many choices of fulfilling this awesome experience. Thankfully there still exist a place like GHE so one of the “only in Amsterdam” experiences can still be enjoyed. I did some more wandering and then it was time for Gollem to open. Tried some Barbar from tap and the popular De Konig. I also tried the famous Kwaak that has a funny glass with the wooden handle. The De Konig and Kwaak seem to be the most popular in this bar. Although, I prefer the more dark and heavy beers myself and could not wait for the St Bernardus keg to be tapped tomorrow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scLNEQvl6us
While wandering back to ibis from Gollem I stumbled into Coffeshop Anyday on Spuistraat. Never been in this shop, although, I have probably passed it a hundred times over my three trips to the dam. I only stopped in this time because it was pretty empty and I really needed to smoke something before going back to the sterile Ibis. This place was a hidden gem. I love the view as you can see a beautiful old building across the way, a red light girl to the right and lots of people walking about late at night due to the window girls. Very calm lighting and reggae tunes. It is like all the best elements of the Redlight District, without the overcrowding, dealers and high energy techno and lights. Budtender was very cool and let me take a pic of the buds. The goods were also a find. They had something called Honeydew haze which was sold out. Must have been good, because I got the third strain down the list that was called Stella Blue, Whoa!!! This smoke was great. Sweet taste and an instant lasting head high. Very smooth smoke and dense buds. Needless to say, I slept well this night.
Tuesday morning is when I realized I missed the “Toke n Talk” on Monday at Amnesia. Sorry about that everyone. The Stella Blue trip caused me to do some long distance wandering. I found myself due a loop from Ibis to Museumplein over to Waterlooplein and back to Dam Square. All this after I had left the hotel intending to get breakfast. Finally stop and have some Italian lunch and off to wander around Westerkerk then back to Kadinsky to smoke my Stella Blue and await the opening of Gollem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PACat_tRXgs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLRr8ZCzL_4
Finally, I get what is one of the things I traveled 5,000 miles across the world for. A pint of St Bernardus Abt 12 from the keg!! Since I am the first customer of the day, I am informed that my glass is the first poured from the fresh keg tapped just that morning. Heaven in a glass!! I do my Gollem session and head back through CS Anyday on my way to Ibis. Of course after all this, I knew I was not gonna be awake early enough to make the ‘Toke n Talk” at Hunters at 0930 the next morning. So I went to bed a little guilty for missing out. Sorry FlybyNight!!
Wednesday was my last day in town so I did my souvenir shopping for the family and friends. Then after lunch it was over to The Doors where I bought some Morrison Haze. Better than the Afghan and NY Diesel, but not the Super Silver or the Stella Blue. Of course at 1600 it was back to Gollem for the St. Bernardus. However, this night a guy next to me bought a 12e bottle of Westvleteren and allowed me to taste it. Very cool considering the price and scarcity of this drink. I still prefer St Bernardus or Rochefort. This night ended much like the one before with a closing smoke at CS Anyday and some more Stella Blue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEOq20sYwNM
Thursday was the depressing exodus from town. Made gloomier by the rainy weather this morning. Left Ibis at about 0730 to find it still dark outside, which is odd for me being from the southern California where the sun is up by no later than 0630, even in winter. I assume it has something to do with Amsterdam’s latitude. Caught the train to Schipol and passed through this wonderfully efficient airport with ease. Had to toss away a nice glass pipe and some leftover Stella Blue. After eating two blueberry pot muffins from Abraxas, it was 1005 and I was flying high. If all goes well, I shall return within a years’ time, and the St. Bernardus better be on keg all 6 days.
Buds purchased/Quality rank:
1. Stella Blue – Anyday
2. Super Silver Haze – GHE or Abraxas
3. Morrison Haze – The Doors
4. NY Diesel – Abraxas
5. Afghan (Bio) - Siberie
, enjoyed the videos as well. Almost like being there. 
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