Assorted Memories Of A Different World

[HitTheNorth]

Assorted Memories Of A Different World

This forum has been such a huge help over the last couple of years I wanted to give something back. This is the first of 3 travelogues I've prepared and is an amalgam of my first 6 visits and what I can remember of them. Maybe it'll become organic and I'll add more when I remember, maybe not. Of course, details may be subject to memory issues so if I have made any glaring errors please feel free to advise, I won't be offended, if anything I'll be glad of the correction. I assure you I've done my best to be as accurate as I can. Also sorry in advance for any dodgy spelling.

I first visited Amsterdam in 1995. Well I'd been with my parents as a kid but that doesn't count does it? I was an art student at University, the yearly field trip was announced to Amsterdam and we couldn't believe our luck.

Uni Trip 1995

Horrible journey. We had a coach from Uni in the North East of England down to Dover. Not Hull. Fucking Dover. Over the Channel. Through France and Belgium to our destination. A hotel on the north side. It was pretty swanky really for a student trip. They had MTv on the telly and one evening having a toke in the room we saw the video to "Buddy Holly" by Weezer, if you've not seen it it's based on the old sitcom Happy Days and there's a segment where the Fonz does this mad dance, Russian maybe, all folded arms and kicking legs, Cossack Dance? Anyway, had us in absolute stitches. In retrospect I think the tutors knew full well what they were doing and wanted to keep a bunch of art students well away from the centre.

Obviously we did all the galleries over the three days we were there. But we had free time too. So about six of us smokers set off to try to find a smoke, guilders in pocket, skins and baccy and not a clue between us. We were greener than the weed!

We had no real idea where we were going and wandered around the Damrak aimlessly, not wanting to stray too far. No map. Due to the reluctance of some of our group, every time we saw a side street that looked "dodgy" they wanted to avoid it, when really that's probably exactly where we should have been going.

And then we see those green lights, like a sirens call to dash naive tourists on their jagged rocks. Our first coffeeshop.

Grasshopper 2

Ugh. We all bought weed. The budtender was in a booth I think and did the menu light up when you pressed a button, or have I confused that with somewhere else? Anyway, they weren't very friendly in there, I got told off for having my elbow on the bar. We sat in a booth and smoked. You'd think you'd remember your first bud, I'm 90% it was Superskunk. I've slept since then. My friend D got very stoned and went outside to white out. When we caught him up, he was puking into a canal with a policeman looking after him, "Try not to smoke so much tomorrow" he advised. Seems like a reasonable fella. Quite like this city.

Not long after this incident we wandered onto Warmoesstraat and started getting pssst at. One guy follows us for an age and we have no idea where we are going. There were six of us and one of him but it was so intimidating. I can't remember how we got rid of him but we did. I remember wasting most of the night looking for a McDonalds. Neiwendijk and Kalverstraat. Jeezus. Not my choice, I don't eat that shit.

Memories of this trip are somewhat hazy but we pretty much smoked in the Doors on Singel as they were very welcoming to us. One night the BT noticed I was wearing an Ozric Tentacles tshirt and immediately put one of their albums on the stereo. We also spent an evening in Haarlem, well to be precise in a coffeeshop in Haarlem. Again super welcoming and gave us all free drinks, there were about ten of us as well. I bought some hash, zero zero iirc.

Trips with HR 96, 97

These trips were better. My mate HR had been before and we had a map!

I remember going to places like Greenhouse, Dampkring, Tweede Kame, Lucky Mothers, Sensi Seeds, Bluebird, Pink Floyd. We went for NYE one trip, that was fun, firecrackers! We hadn't booked anywhere either so first couple hours we spent trying to find a bed. I think we ended up at Bobs, they only had one bed left but agreed to let me have a mattress on the floor for half price. I've slept in worse places. I remember Mothers Milk from Lucky Mothers, UmmaGumma Hash from Pink Floyd, Malana and Manali from Bluebird, Jack Herer and NL from Sensi Seeds. I used to really like the airiness of Sensi Seeds cs, on a later trip I was mortified to nip out for some NL only to find the place had stopped selling weed.

We went to Trance Buddha on NYE. I saw someone mention this place on here once but I can't remember where. It was a fun place. There was someone dressed as a bee, and a Native American chief. I drank Red Bull for the first time here, bet you're glad you know that haha.

The canals were frozen over and people were skating to work, it was utterly beautiful.

On our first trip together, HR and I would still drop by the Doors to smoke. Once sat in the window seat I saw Santa Claus driving a Volvo. I haven't been in here for years now, is it The Store now?

One year HR insisted on trying somewhere that had done well in the cup. Barneys Breakfast Bar. I have to say from visit one, I never liked this place much. I found it highly uncomfortable and everything seemed expensive. On subsequent visits the impression did not improve. I also didn't get the hype about the weed, I think I just didn't "get" hazes back then, to me they tasted kind of metallic and I wasn't a fan. They have grown on me over the years. On a later trip with R and C we went in and got some bud, Liberty Haze iirc, sat down. Then this real old guy, long white beard, bald, goes to the counter and they ID'd him! They hadn't with us and I just didn't get it. That was the last time I ever went in. Now, I've thought about that incident a lot over the years, maybe he was known to them as an "undesirable" so to speak, that's the only explanation I can come up with. Perhaps he just wasn't young and hip enough. I dunno. Anyway I can't says I've missed the place on subsequent visits, I believe Lounge is supposed to be alright to chill in so maybe one day, if I'm passing...

We breakfasted in Bagheera a fair bit. A German couple gave us some hash as they were leaving one morning, the guy had a spectacular mullet - ah, the nineties.

I remember there was still lots of import weed on the menus like Swazi, Mexican, Colombian, Jamaican. We tried some. Total swag haha. Wild eyed hippies ranting up Damstraat. Lots of beggars. Dealers on every corner "Ecstacy, Cocaine, Hashiisshhh"

One night, staggering home, we came across a series of structures that looked to me like newspaper kiosks all in a line, stretching quite a way. I had no idea what it was but it intrigued me. I often thought about it on later trips, but it wasn't until some twenty years later I worked it out, I must've been so stoned and when I realised what it was I couldn't believe I'd not worked it out before. I'd just always skirted that part of town. It was the Flower Market, shut down for the night. I saw it one night on a future trip and just shook my head. I'd always bypassed it on my way to places. Mystery solved.

One random memory I have is of a big, brown kind of tribal face above a shop. Sort of square, not ornate, almost Easter Island-esque. I don't know whether if it was a cs, smart shop, bar or something else entirely. If anyone can shed any light on this I'd really love to know. And the places, the memories of places. We went in a cs a couple mornings, I seem to remember it was near like docks and it kind of jutted out the end of a block. It was fairly low rent but not shabby. Long and thin, lots of windows. Love to know what that place was, I thought it was out down Prinz Hendrikade past Central cs more east but on a later trip with R and C I dragged them looking for it until they begged me to go back.

There were shops I went to on these early visits I still have no idea what they were. Long hours on the internet have proved fruitless. Long closed probably, lost in the herbal mists of time...

Trips with R and C Early 00s

Some fun was had on these. Rs first experience of a cs was Greenhouse Centrum. I remember we bought Super Kali Mist and NY Diesel. I'll never forget his face as he took it all in. For all their faults, the Greenhouses I've been in - centrum and namaste- they do have plush decor. Not been in either for years now. On these trips we'd often visit Mellow Yellow and Noon for Blueberry and the Honey Hash. I really liked these places at the time, we'd go Noon first and then MY on the way back, the barman at MY would let us choose the music from a folder, nice times. I also recall Parvatti Fingers and King Hassan but I can't remember where from. Kandinsky maybe?

We'd visit Grey Area and even sit inside. Were we just lucky or was it not as busy back then? Sometimes we'd play snooker on Rokin. We'd usually have an hour in the Stedlijk art gallery too, I'm an art geek and I like their collection. I seem to recall one year it was undergoing work so plans were scuppered somewhat. Top gallery if you like modern art, some excellent Abstract Expressionism in the collection. Worth a visit if you like that kind of thing and it's always quieter than the Van Gogh.

One year C had a room on Damrak, it was grim as fuck. Bloodstains on the sheets. We stayed out in Schipol. It was a bit of a sketch. C had an earlier flight back than us so we saw him to the airport and R had a glint in his eye, "Let's go back to town for a last smoke" he says. I don't need convincing so we jump the train, get busted €10 fine each, dive outta Centraal into Greenhouse Effect on Warmoesstraat. Gram of Mountain Ice, their most expensive offering at €20, smoked in two joints we just tranced. A while passed... Shit! The flight! Dive back to Centraal, jump the train, get busted, €10 fine each. Not doing that again. Get to Schipol and the girl behind the desk is just shaking her head. "The flight leaves in 20 minutes, you have no chance", "We'll run" , she laughs. They won't let us on. We have to get on a later flight, €30 each extra. Fucking expensive last smoke that R, nice one! Anyway, it's 2 hours til the flight, time for a... No! Not this time, we wait it out like good boys.

One year we stayed at Nova on N Voorborgwall, this was a good spot close to Homegrown Fantasy, Kandinsky and the Spui shops like TK and Dampkring. I remember Alegria from Tweede one year was very nice. It was on these trips we started hanging in Rokerij on Singel too, I liked the decor in there. Shocked to read about what happened to them, their own fault though. That last night at Nova was good, beer in the fridge, a selection of hash and weed to smoke up and my two mates passed out on the beds. Well, a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do. I had a great night!

Our first trip together was Rs stag do and he'd booked at the Dorint in Schipol, bless him he didn't know. First night, high as fuck, let's get a taxi. Never again, scary as fuck rallying it round tiny streets, and it cost us about €50.

We got hassled by the same beggar near HGF every night, trying to pull some scam with a wet cigarette or something. He was a pain but it became funny, "You've tried us twice already today mate" we'd laugh.

Trip with S Aug 06

We'd been travelling round Eastern Europe for around six weeks. We were sitting in a cafe in Budapest when she says "I want some drugs", we book the next flights we can get to Amsterdam.

It's been raining solidly for days in Budapest and everything we have is wet. S just wants a nice shower and dry clothes. She books a hostel. Lum and Abner. Fuck me. It's like a decommissioned trawler docked on the north side. It's really grim. The Captain, as he likes to call himself, is a borderline sociopath. He shows us down to the dorm. It's like a military field hospital down there. There's bodies shifting around in the gloom. The roof leaks. Lights blink. S just sits down on the bunk that looks like it's been liberated from an orphanage in a horror movie, and cries. This is going well. We've got three nights here. It rains relentlessly.

One night we got the bus back with two girls who were also staying on the boat. It was very late, raining and they'd just got off the plane. The Captain wouldn't let them on, they were stranded. Don't even know if there were any buses back at that time. Poor girls they didn't know what to do. We tried sneaking them in but the Captain busted us and went mental at them. I don't know what happened to them. That was a real bad place and I believe it was due to be shut down just a couple of weeks after we were there.

Shit! I forgot! We went to Noodwijk first. S booked the Flying Pig there, she was thinking about the beach. Of course it was like a nuclear winter when we arrived so the beach was out of the question. We had to get weed from Leiden, which provides its own challenges in terms of opening hours. Leiden is a beautiful place though. I remember Bebop and a quite large place with carvings on the wall, if anyone can shed light? Then onto Dam, as you were...

I don't remember a whole lot of this trip. We moved hostels as soon as we could though, to somewhere in de Pijp I think. The weather did brighten up some days which was a relief. We frequented Rokerij on Singel, Bluebird, and all the usual places I'd been before. I took S to Tweede Kamer telling her it was my favourite shop. Got some bud and coffees but as soon as we finished our drinks we start getting hassled to buy more or move on, I'd never had that treatment in here before, or since for that matter, maybe it was the time of year, peak tourist season etc, but I was disappointed.

We got similar treatment in noon and mellow yellow that year where they wouldn't let us smoke a joint even though I fully intended to buy, these were the first times I'd ever experienced this and it did take me aback a little. Not had this in ages now though so I do suspect time of year played a part.

One night we took some mushrooms we got from a smart shop, South American, can't remember which exactly but I know they weren't Philosophers Stones. Had a good time just wandering around Jordaan, we avoided the centre that night. At one point we were sat on a bench on a gracht in between two sets of steps, you know the type. Anyway, S all of a sudden says, "Do you want a biscuit?" at the exact moment this bloke comes into view along the gracht, he'd clearly not seen us because of the protruding steps and absolutely jumped out of his skin. It was the middle of the night and all had been completely quiet just moments before Ss utterance. All three of us burst out laughing, us more so as we were tripping, and he moved on. I can't remember if we ever had the biscuit. On the way home we came across a bike leant against some railings, all the nearby plants had grown through and around it. We found it most fascinating in our current state.

We spent a lot of time in Softland on Spuistraat this trip, mainly for its internet access. I don't recall buying much in here though, maybe a cursory gram to show willing here and there. That's where the horrible moment came when I checked my funds and realised we had to leave.

Six trips in around ten years and sometimes I'd jokingly claim I knew my way around Amsterdam centre better than I did Manchester. It felt like part of my life, something I did most years if I could. And then... Nothing. It would be over ten years until my next visit, but it would be one that I would never forget.

[OneHighMofo]

Well that was a great read - thanks for the memories!
Hope you add some more of your recollections as they arrive

[HitTheNorth]

So do I OHM! Thanks for reading xx

[RoMoney]

Really enjoyed that, thanks for sharing, welcome to the forums!

[HitTheNorth]

Really enjoyed that, thanks for sharing, welcome to the forums!

Thanks man, been lurking for some time, glad to be on board. Thanks for reading x

[HitTheNorth]

Well that was a great read - thanks for the memories!
Hope you add some more of your recollections as they arrive

Sorry, still getting the hang of this, and I have been smoking Thanks OHM.

[HitTheNorth]

Test

If this works it should be me smoking in the Bluebird '06

<a href="http://s86.photobucket.com/user/Cubicle ... i.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k103/ ... 86tfxi.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo bluebird 06_zpsob86tfxi.jpg"></a>

[HitTheNorth]

Meh. This one should be Rokerij on Singel

<a href="http://s86.photobucket.com/user/Cubicle ... d.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k103/ ... zqjf2d.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo rokerij 2006_zpsxyzqjf2d.jpg"></a>

Wish I had more photos. Got more for the next 2 travelogues.

[free_phil_spector]

Oh man. I've only read your first trip (I'll read the rest tomorrow, need to hit the hay soon) but man did that bring back some memories. My first trip was mid to late 90s too, and like you I was young and naive as hell. So Grasshopper was also my first coffeeshop and yeah they did have a light-up button on the menu (I asked for "15 guilders worth" that's how it worked in the UK back then, so what did I know?)

Also the shady "psst... cocaine" every five yards in the RLD was a step back in time for me too.

Nice read fella, and thanks for posting. The memories of your first trip are like a written version of Mike Skinner's Too Much Brandy

[free_phil_spector]

Also funny that we too ended up in the Doors a lot on our first trip. As well as the Blues Brothers on Nieuwendijk, that was great fun in there - back when shops could sell weed and booze, and then you'd go for a piss and see the mural from the toilets in the movie recreated in the bogs Trying to urinate while giggling your head off stoned and half pissed, great times

[Frankie_cheeseboy ;)]

Good stuff mate, used to love the Umma Gumma hash from 'Floyd, along with their chilli cheeseburgers n spacecakes. Man i miss that place!

[KrazeUK]

Great read!

We should certainly start a thread with old stories of previous trips. I’m sure it probably already exists but I just love reading what Amsterdam was like back in the 90s / Early 00’s!

[HitTheNorth]

Oh man. I've only read your first trip (I'll read the rest tomorrow, need to hit the hay soon) but man did that bring back some memories. My first trip was mid to late 90s too, and like you I was young and naive as hell. So Grasshopper was also my first coffeeshop and yeah they did have a light-up button on the menu (I asked for "15 guilders worth" that's how it worked in the UK back then, so what did I know?)

Also the shady "psst... cocaine" every five yards in the RLD was a step back in time for me too.

Nice read fella, and thanks for posting. The memories of your first trip are like a written version of Mike Skinner's Too Much Brandy

Thanks man. Yeah I wonder what the percentage is of Grasshopper being people first cs in the years it was open. It was just there, like a big green beacon, no map needed. Crap though haha I never went in again

Ps like your sig. I know it's over. Great song, one of my favourites by them.

[HitTheNorth]

Great read!

We should certainly start a thread with old stories of previous trips. I’m sure it probably already exists but I just love reading what Amsterdam was like back in the 90s / Early 00’s!

There is one somewhere I saw called Craziest, earliest memories of Dam or some such. I love reading all those tales too

[HitTheNorth]

Good stuff mate, used to love the Umma Gumma hash from 'Floyd, along with their chilli cheeseburgers n spacecakes. Man i miss that place!

I've never been in to any of its subsequent incarnations, just not had the heart. And I'm not even a Floyd fan