The best part about this current journey is definitely the length of my trip. After rushing through 4 days in 2002, and 6 days at this time last year, I've got all the way until November 29th to soak up this amazing city. When I planned my first trip in April, it was 12 days. Injury/Surgery. Then the next trip was planned for 15 days. Injury/Surgery. Each injury made forced me to sit there and just dream of the dam, consumed and sleeping with thoughts of cobblestone, coffeeshops, and canals. It made me hungrier to get here, expanding my trip plans every time I went down. I rehabbed my ass off, was humbled by all the down time, never complained about anything, and got on with it. Now I'm walking about 5 - 7 miles a day and in heaven.
In typical Americano buddy pass (standby) fashion, getting here wasn't easy. I flew into Atlanta first, spent the day there getting lunch and drinks with some friends, then boarded a plane evening to Brussels. I took a painkiller on the flight with the intention of trying to fall asleep, but all it did was just make me REALLY interested in the cheesy movies that were being played on my flight
I had barely slept in the prior days since I was so pumped and just anticipating the journey, so I was beat as it was. I got into Brussels around 7am and my worst fears came true, no bag. Still in Atlanta. The lady told me they will send it to Brussels and it will get here by later tonight.I thought about it for a moment, but couldn't bare sitting around Belgium all day knowing Amsterdam was just a 3 hour train ride away. I begged her to send it to Schiphol, she said she'd see what she could do but didn't promise anything. Instead of getting all worked up about the bag situation, I just said, two tears in a bucket, motherfuck it. Nothing was going to damper me getting to Amsterdam at the earliest possible moment.
I quickly got my train ticket, and on I was. I got into Centraal Station by about noon on Friday, making it a grand total of 27 travel hours. I was delirious, dizzy, and seeing shit that wasn't there. But I was also seeing things that were definitely there
. I had a booking that started the next day, but needed a place to crash for the night. I literally booked the first place I saw, Hotel Ibis, and threw my shit down, and jetted out the door. All I wanted to do was smoke and walk around Amsterdam. I didn't take a single step the entire months of May and June this past summer, and every night I'd dream of walking around Amsterdam. That's all I wanted to do. I didn't plan my first CS visit, my only rule was this it had to be somewhere I'd never been. So I hopped into Jolly Joker, and quickly picked up one of my personal favorites, Jack Herrer. I quickly twisted up a little something, and went to town. Damn, that first toke was just heaven sent.
This is what I've been looking for this entire time. This feeling...is what I thought.
From there, I strolled around, observing people eating lunch on sidewalk cafes, entire families riding by in a basket attached to a single bike, lovely houseboats with open windows to show their aura. I stumbled into Voyagers, introduced myself to Highly Blessed, and picked up some Kosher. My stomach was grumbling hardcore, so I didn't stick around to hang out, but I liked the vibe of the place and will definitely be back.
I'd heard so much about English breakfasts, and that's what I needed. I went into a cafe, Frontline I think?..ran by a really nice Jamaican lady. She fixed me up a great meal and I just killed it. I was out the door not long after I finished, and I headed over to Central to pick up some Amnesia Haze. I noticed they had a college football game being replayed, so I sat down and rolled up some of the Amnesia.
In terms of my review of the buds and shops from that first afternoon, I'd say I like the vibe of Jolly Joker, but the Jack wasn't all that great. Voyagers Kosher was top notch, and the Amnesia Haze from Central was one of the better Amnesias I've had around town, but not the best. Central doesn't allow you to buy just grams though, just whatever random amounts they have in the case, mostly 1.3g or something like that.
I went back to the hotel to handle some things online with my bag and other stuff, relax for a little, and went back out in the evening. I ended up hanging out at the Doors, trying to follow my rule of only going to places I'd never been. (side note: I'd been to maybe 20 CS's in the prior two visits, mostly in the southern part of the city). I spent several hours there talking to the budtender and his sister, who was hanging out at the bar. They were really good people, and we talked about the differences between the U.S. and AMS, them having lived here all their lives. I stopped by an Italian place on the way back, and just crushed a prosciutto pizza, starving from a really long day. I went back to crash I think around midnight, and was dead to the world for the next 11 hours. Sleep. Quiet. Sanctuary. The body needed rest that's for sure.
Well, that's my first day in a nutshell....I'll try to get some photos up as soon as I can, but the internet is out at the place I'm staying at, so I'm having to rely on going to cafes and CS's with internet. This entire post was actually written as I sit here in Little with some Amnesia Haze. First place that forced me to break my rule, but I couldn't help. I've always loved my happy little place....
