Amsterdam Autumn 2015

[petesmythe]

Been meaning to write this for a while now. Always enjoy reading about other people's trips so here’s a travelogue from me about my recent trip to this great city with a couple of friends.

Arrived at Schipol at 9.30am on a damp and chilly Friday morning. Down to platform 3 for the express to Centraal. Somebody mentioned it on here a while back but there are few better feelings than arriving at Centraal and walking out to take in that first view of Amsterdam again! Having it all in front of you as you stand outside the station, the gothic architecture, the trams, the bikes, bikes and more bikes. Always puts a spring in my step.

First off to Dampkring 2 and that joyful walk down Haarlemmerstraat. They’d not long opened so it was nice and quiet. Coffees and a gram of Super Silver Haze soon had us laughing till we cried, a great intro smoke, tasty and fast acting without going too far. Really nice high for 11e pg. That first smoke is always the best, I remember years ago standing outside Central CS with a joint of NL and the hairs on the back of my neck rising as the stone came over me. Anyway, another round of drinks and a gram of Dahab, it was barely 11am and nicely toasted, we headed out into the canal belt.

Called our apartment contact and said we’d be a couple of hours, enough time for some sweet heineken at Bar T’Smalle, amazingly good with their liverwurst, bread and mustard. Finished off the rest of the SSH on their terrace with another beer in the sun and off we went south.

Walking the canals is my second favourite thing to do in Amsterdam and after a lovely 30 min sunlit stroll we checked into the apartment. Everything just as promised, balcony out the back, some stroopwaffles on the table and a canal view, if you lean out ! Couldn’t be happier.

After a quick chill, we headed back into the autumn sunshine and wandered round the Grachtengordel, called in at Barneys for some Vanilla Kush and some Nepal Temple Ball (both for later) and something else. Rolled one for the road then via some nice bars worked our way through the Red Light to Nieuwmarkt and Cafe Cuba for some cocktails. It was getting dark as we sat sippin on their terrace, wrapped up with a fat one, and watching the rain hammer down on the market.

We were starting to flag but loaded up again at The Green Place, securing prime window seats and staring down the tourists with some very nice Rollex OG. Back through the RL, attracting some interest down Bloedstraat, had a sniff of Warmoesstraat, reminding me of younger days, warm evenings in Hill St Blues and blowbacks from American girls. My senses suitably stimulated we headed for home checking out our local CS Dolphins along the way. It's a long time since I've been here and tonight it seems to attract the baseball cap/hoodie brigade and is way too busy, so we find an atmosphere more conducive to our years at Happy Feelings. Don’t remember what we smoked but it was probably an indica, because after the best damn Bounty Bar and can of Sprite I ever had we managed to peel ourselves out of our seats and staggered off back to the apartment to bed. Went to sleep thinking, ‘probably should eat something proper tomorrow’.

Saturday morning and instead of popping out for bread and the papers, popped over to Dolphins to get some Northern Lights, and took that back to enjoy with coffee and stroopwafels on the balcony, is there a finer way to start the day?! Ambled off to Leidseplein and found some superb oliebollen then on to the tram and Albert Cuyp. Took a detour on the way back to check out the organic strains at Club Media. Bought some Champagne Haze and a gram of Hindu Kush, and we were buzzed in. Really cool set up, lovely coffee with the best side biscuits in Amsterdam. The CH really hit the spot. After a while I caught myself smiling at the group of young dutch guys on our right, thankfully they smiled back, doffing spliffs in agreement no doubt, of the fine atmosphere and excellent weed at Club Media.

Expectations met, it's back on the trams, over to the east, and a short stop in De Overkant Hortus, again with nice window seats for some decent mellow hash. The guy behind the bar was trying to impress an american lady sat with him but we weren’t in the mood for the ‘Amschterdam is crazy man, you can do whatever you like’ crap so I rolled some of the CH and we left.

Made our way up the New Gentleman's Canal and on to the Maritime Museum. Fantastic atrium, could have stood there looking up at it all day long, and it has the best toilets in Amsterdam, really. Walked around a bit and looked at lots of ships, maps, cannons, pistols and people and ate a healthy late lunch in the cafe.

Top Tip - don’t use lifts in museums or other public places, especially when you have a 5g bag of weed in your pocket and you’ve spent most of the last 4 hours in a smoky coffee shop. remember, you stink of weed! To the family who got out on the first floor…..I'm sorry.

The weather was closing in so after paying our respects to Chet Baker we marched down to Nieuwmarkt and Cafe Cuba for a game of pool and another round of their fine cocktails. Proper meal at a great portuguese place, chicken was so tender. Another wander round the canals with some ready rolled before cutting inland and into an inviting looking New Times CS. Sat prime position getting very nicely stoned on something or other and watching people getting rained on walking down Spui.

Tweede Kamer, usually my favourite place for a late night smoke was absolutely heaving so bought a couple of their hash joints and some coffee and waffles from the unfortunately named ‘Lungoccino’ across the alley before wandering towards home in a blissful stupor.

The temptation of Dolphins was too great however and we soon found ourselves being directed to a table downstairs by the feisty young BT. Had some of their Northern Lights and some nice, soft, black hash whilst chatting to some Italian guys. Made a flower from the last of the black for the beautiful German woman across the way and left with lipstick on my cheek for my trouble. Home for hash on the balcony, snakes in the grass and a solid night’s sleep.

Pouring down with rain the following morning, but led my sceptical friends over to Broodje Berts for just about the best bacon sandwich in the city. Sat watching the few tourists braving the weather get sucked up into the wind tunnel of Raamsteeg, the gusts making mincemeat of their umbrellas. It was definitely a day for watching the rain not walking in it. I always enjoy sitting by the big picture window in Kadinsky, so we dashed round there and enjoyed a spicy trans himalayan for an hour or so, watching Amsterdam get wet.

Things didn’t get much drier and spent lunchtime nursing heineken and the Sunday papers at a bar on Spui, nipping out the front every now and then for a smoke and a look at the rain.

Left the apartment spic and span and made our way back towards Centraal, stopping in Siberie for an hour to finish as much as we could, we were finding bags of weed in every pocket. Smoked as much as we could manage and gave what was left to a guy whose preferred mode of travel was a stunt scooter, faster than walking, safer than bikes! Got swallowed up into the bag wielding throng as we joined Prins Hendrikkade and in the blink of an eye found ourselves on the shuttle to Schiphol.

Another great trip to Amsterdam, the Red Light has shrunk, again and is barely worth a look, the upside is less junkies selling you crap. The coffeeshops are getting swankier, as are the strains, but not necessarily getting better. The clientele seems to be getting younger or maybe I'm just……….anyway, looking forward to next time.

[macky]

Nice read

[OneHighMofo]

What a cracking report - thankyou man. Loads of Amsterdam flavour - made the hair on the back of my neck tingle a couple of times and want to get on a plane to Amsterd... Hang on. I'm in Batavia with a fattie of Sour Kosher. Winning!

Thanks again man - a really lovely read.
More please!

[petesmythe]

Aah mate, too kind. Enjoy your fat one!

[Willjay]

Thanks for sharing

[ZoZo420]

Loved it. Great report.