Up at 6:15a, showered chillin' by 7am. Something about too many early mornings and late nights cause a guy to sleep in, at least a bit eventually. Crazy how the BIG garage sale is taking place right outside our front window. Anything, everything and a ton of junk included. Queensday 2006 is here.
Journaling and rollin' up doobs for the days events. If you can find the pre-roll plastic containers for doobs, they're the best! Pre-roll your own and off ya go. No wasting time breakin' up weed and missing conversations and sites in the process. Especially while on a canal cruise.
Weather is not necessarily warm, but the sun is out and surely it'll warm up soon. This is gonna sound corney as hell, but our British Bud has this saying; I'm sure some of you fine English folk can relate. Something about "If you see the blue of Fanny's Knickers", meaning patches of blue amongst the clouds, the sun is due to come out at some point. Seems to me it rings fairly true. Another stoned rant no doubt, but hopefully a few of you follow.
AFter waking the wife, Hop on the bike and set out to see what is up and about for the early part of the day. Cue the tune "Ride On" from ACDC here. What a great ride. Contrary to popular belief, it is quite possible to bike around town on Queensday. There are obviously places that ou can't get through such as Dam Square, Museumplein and Leidseplein. That said, I was surprised at how easyily I was able to traverse the area between De Pijp and Centraal Station. Cool to watch all the stands goin' up and things steadily building throughout the course of the morning. Shot a bunch of video, stopped by Central CS for a restock of 5g of "XXX", waaay stonier than the first batch. Stopped by mopperm's houseboat to no avail. Bikes people. Bikes!
Unfortunately the freedom allowed by biking was short lived due to prior commitments. Next year though. Look out! Back at the apartment by Noon. Thankfully the trams were running on the routes outside of the Centrum. Tram #3 would serve to get us up to Nassaukade and a short walk to Brouwersgracht for our 2pm Canal Cruise destination. Nice walk and an area I'd not ventured into previously.
We stroll into the madness that is Queensday as soon as we make the sharp right onto Brouwersgracht. Orange! The tunes ain't where I'm at but the vibe is incredible. I swear the sun started beaming even harder as we came upon the whole thing. The crowds were thickening and we agreed we needed to get a bite before the cruise. Our friend was not down with street food so we managed a table at Cafe Harlem, off Harlemerstraat. Shite service to make a long story short. I don't know about you guys, but if you order a sandwhich at the bar and you're sitting at a table, I expect to get told when it's ready. I'll get up and get it but at least give a heads up? Half hour later, cold sandwiches. We are however "sitting down". Whatever, it's Queensday. Give me another brew. Quick!
Sufficiently fed we roll onto Pink Floyd (aka Umma Gumma CS) for our pre-cruise meet, which is in progress upon our arrival. Many old faces and a few new. What a party! The 3rd floor of Pink Floyd has been a tradition for me the last 3 years and progressively gets cooler as the years go by. Ain't that the way it is with each successive trip to Amsterdam though? Many fine folks representing Channelites, HIP Forums and if you include myself, quite proudly, ACD Forums. Whoooo-Hooo! Hopefully some of you fine cats will join us next year! *hint, hint*
Canal Cruise takes off a half hour late and gives everyone time to get it together anyhow. As with the Queens Night cruise the crowd is varied with many new faces, all of which are fine folks. Two brothers and a sister from Tejas showed up in Amsterdam for the first time, on Queensday of all days, for a half day stay on their way back from Rome. Talk about timing. What a riot! Good planning there Brad. That shot of Tequila hit the spot too.
The Queensday Cruise specifics are best left to the photos to show what phun was had, but needless to say, it was an absoulte blast. The video is being edited as I type and will be up asap, an even clear view of what went down. "Silver Pearl" from Central CS, "Grey Diesel" from Grey Area and "NL5 X Haze" from Rokerij amongst many, many other things were consumed. Including chocolate mexican mushroom bars by some. lol - Thanks to everyone; Wherever you are!
More fine photos from Queensday 2006 courtesy of mi amigo Mike O.
Queensday Canal Cruise 2006 Pics - Dig those Shirts!
We bailed an hour before the cruise was over down Leidseplein way, so as to be closer to hoof it home by the end of the festivities. Was supposed to hook up with the "Krue" later in the eve, but again "no-go". Hunger kicking in we head to Riminis Pizzeria and amazingly find a table tucked away in a corner back by the open ktichen. Decent service, but the pizza definitely left a lot to be desired. You can see the guys workin' the pre-formed crusts in the back. Lame. Oh well, live and learn. Filled the gut, got a table without a reservation. Our Brit friend warned us upon arrival but knowing it was Queensday and we are actually sittin' at a table. We're eatin' HERE. Would not go again though. Wok To Walk would've surely kicked the hell outta the whole experience imo.
Upon the recommend of the wife we head to Dolphins for a nightcap. A good one it is I might add. We chill at a table upstairs and enjoy our "wrong coffee's", more on this later. Our friend ends up buying some White Dolphin, even though she doesn't smoke, just to have had the experience. Too cool. She did take a few hits here and there mind you.
By this point, I'm literally shot and not down with much of anything as I am passing out here and there amongst the banter. F'n Sandman is payin' up with those early rises. Day was amazing though. Lessons learned on many levels.
Next year?
Houseboats and bikes in the Centrum. Awe yeah... Party at our place! Save yourselves for the late night bike rides too.
Amsterdam 2006 Gear & Menu Pics
Day 5 - Saturday - Queensday 2006
Queens Day is obviously the mad party that I imagined it would be. I had seen a video from Queens Day on the Rookies website a while back but I don't think it's there anymore.
Anyway, it certainly set the tone for your write up of the celebrations and the photographs which were basically a sea of orange (much like the video I saw before)
No doubt the streets would get a little crazy as the day dragged on and I am not at all surprised about the slow service in some establishments.
Street food. Don't know if I'd be down with that either as there's a good chance that what you got would be down the sewer via "door number 2" probably as quickly as it was down your throat.
Still, everybody's gotta make a living somehow.
Queens Day certainly looks like it's not for the faint hearted but you obviously don't fall into that category at all.
Super stuff.
Anyway, it certainly set the tone for your write up of the celebrations and the photographs which were basically a sea of orange (much like the video I saw before)
No doubt the streets would get a little crazy as the day dragged on and I am not at all surprised about the slow service in some establishments.
Street food. Don't know if I'd be down with that either as there's a good chance that what you got would be down the sewer via "door number 2" probably as quickly as it was down your throat.
Still, everybody's gotta make a living somehow.
Queens Day certainly looks like it's not for the faint hearted but you obviously don't fall into that category at all.
Super stuff.
Last edited by Doog on Sat 27th May 2006 09:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Day 5 - Saturday - Queensday 2006
Count me in!!lctricity wrote:Many fine folks representing Channelites, HIP Forums and if you include myself, quite proudly, ACD Forums. Whoooo-Hooo! Hopefully some of you fine cats will join us next year! *hint, hint*
I'm running out of compliments and still with some days to go....so i'll just say thanks for posting another fine day. Loving the QD pics from Mike also - captures the festive atmosphere very well, not to mention a Playboy-Pornstar boat on the canal - I would have been tempted to jump ship!!
Thumbs up for the shirts too - makes a great souvenir.
~ Is that a grinder in your pocket? ~