Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory Forums

Day 1 - April 19th 2022

Intro: As we have been either lucky or cheeky enough, it hasn't been two or three years since I was in Amsterdam, as was the case with most ACDers due to that bitch 'Rona. We had a short trip during the summer of both 2020 and 2021, but we usually visit at the very least twice per year, sometimes much more, it has been close to 9 months since my last visit and the last three visits where all affected by the pandemic. Traveling in from CPH, there is next to no hazzle (in these regards) and as the city seemed to have all but recovered, I was more than looking forward to returning to my second home, seeing good friends and meeting new faces!

A hectic beginning and a hazy end to the first day

Of course, it wasn't gonna be all that easy, when it came to it, as KLM canceled my original evening flight out of Cph and rebooked me on an earlier flight in the afternoon.

Normally, this wouldn't be a big problem, but this time it meant that I had to get up at around 4.20 in the fucking morning, make my way across the country, get some shit done and then get to the airport for my mid afternoon flight.

Five different modes of transportation later (car, ferry, bus, metro and the old shoelace express) and I'm at the airport, making my way through security. Security was maybe slightly longer than usual, considering how few people were actually going through, but was still quite quick. This leaves me passing the time airside getting a bite and a little brewskie or two from the Mikkeller bar there Plane was delayed a little over 30 mins, but after an uneventful flight and what seemed like an hour but probably was around 20 minutes of taxiing to the gate, I was finally on Dutch soil.

I text the WA group, still on the plane that is now parked at the gate, at 18.31 and emerge from Centraal exactly at 19.00 (I snapped a Pic of the view and sent it to the two I left back home, so have the time stamp to go by ). Pretty happy with myself for getting a ticket for the train at the machines airside in the bagage hall just before customs, catching the intercity express just as it was about to take off from Schipol and making it into the city in record time, I hoof it max speed to Prix D'ami which is directly between Centraal and the piggy where I am shacked up for the trip.

There's a bit if a line to get to a budtender, but I finally get a gram of the king hassan hash (14 e) and a gram of the Jungle Cream Zkittlez (20 e).

I walk around the corner, buzz into the piggy and am greeted by a guy checking in already. Many, many swear words flash through my head in milliseconds, thus could take ages as there's clearly some problem communicating. The problem quickly turns out is the other guest's complete lack of ability to comprehend even the simplest of instructions, producing an even bigger and even more creative tirade of insults in my head, this time all directed at the klootzak in front of me, who clearly got way too fucking high before making his way here. I, on the other hand, am not high, but close to stone cold sober at this point, so I might have been slightly impatient with the young Dutch fella at the reception, when it finally became my turn and he walked me through the standard instructions, I have heard at least ten times before at this very desk. I later find out his name is Joey and that he is a really nice guy, but that's for later on...

Five minutes later, I've emptied my rucksack (only bagage I'm carrying) in the locker in the room, gotten a coke from the bar, found a spot in the smoker's room and skinned up a joint of the KH hash from Prix. *Huge sigh of relief just before I light up* I'm finally here!

The joint flames up as I light it, with black, nasty smelling smoke coming of it as I blow out the flame. Odd. First hit is bad, but chalk it up to me maybe goofing up lighting it and take another. Worse. It is almost hard to keep lit and the taste is foul. WTF is this. I brought my own ciggies to mix, my own paper and my own filters, and although the joint was quickly rolled, on inspection it isn't the rolling that's the problem. I take a look at the hash again. It is a bit hard pressed, dark brown on the outside and Luther in the inside. Somewhat creamy in the texture, with a bit of a woody smell to it, but theres something in the background I don't like when picking the hash apart and smelling it, something that came out more as I took a few more puffs. Here's what I wrote on the forum live thread about the experience (and what I did to make up for it):
"First smoke was King Hasan from Prix, which was fucking horrible, trashed half the joint and headed straight for dampkring by way of terps... Got Papaya hash at terps and 5 g's of hash at dk, now at Bagheera enjoying a Sensabile joint after a lemon tree og joint. Both and makes up for the henna horror from prix."

It is a bit over eight when I wrote the WA group from the outside seats at Bagheera, where I was parked a bit enjoying a couple of great smokes along with a pear looza, that I'll make my way to the BD lounge in a bit to meet everyone there. This is much more like it, great smoke, great weather and an Amsterdam canal right in front of me, bliss. The Sensabile (15 e) was different from the last time I had it in August 21, harder and more like one of the harder versions of the legendary Shoe hash and maybe more oily, but a great smoke that I was happy I got 2 grams of right away, as I would otherwise probably be back for more the same night.

At DK I also got a g of Qua Machmut (16), a g of the Haza (10) and a g of the Niqa (14).

The lemon tree og didn't smoke just as well as the best weeds I got on the trip, but it was very tasty and good value for money (nugzz gave it a very precise review, which inspired me to get it in the first place) and I got 15 e more if it before heading out from Bagheera.

With a huge smile on my face, I stroll towards the bulldog, floating along and dodging minor "crowds" in the RLD, which I for once am happy to see in my way, as the confirm to me that the city is getting back to normal and not the half way deserted ghost town it could appear during the pandemic. I'm back and it is awesome

TBC...

Mr. CC

Excellent write up so far, know what it is like when you just want to get going and every thing and body seems to hold you up Looking forward to the next instalment

Day 1 (continued)
I arrive at the BD just before nine, to find a small party already started there, with a group of ACDers seated at the booth in the back to the right seshing away. I grab a Affligem Triple at the bar and get seated in the comfy leather seats.

IIRC Ed, Stan, Nugzz and Worsall is already there, and I get started on a joint with one of the dk hashes as I say high to old friends and settle in for the sesh. The joint is soon followed by others, as we are joined by Ghost + friend and Lemming + Igraine, Choppermike and AZLaker in short (but maybe not exactly that) order.

Ghost hands me a t-shirt from Yanks, that he very carefully explains I might fit better into (it's 2xl and if you've seen ghost and myself, it is pretty obvious why it's nice if him to be so diplomatic about it ). Igraine has also baked us a big tub of very tasty edibles, that she kindly passes around, yummy! Dabs are also being shared by ghost and Nugzz, joints are being passed and beers are flowing. Thanks again to everyone for being so generous.

I have a bunch of interesting semi-conversations, interrupted by the loudspeaker just over our heads, every apparently spontaneously developing a mumble (myself including) and my hearing being seriously impaired by my ears that haven't popped after the flight. I must have said "excuse me" and "huh?" a million times that evening. We have a great time and despite not having slept more than 4 (interrupted) hours last night, I am feeling pretty fresh, although getting pretty smashed from the cannabis onslaught. With it's little beer helpers, it is getting me to a very happy and probably only semicoherent state Maybe my lack of exhaustion is helped by the new High Cuisine x Bulldog drink I had one of, it is Kombucha with kratom and besides being very tasty (no alcohol), at least to me it had a nice pick-me-up effect (that might have been placebo, but whateverdoesthetrick).

Time flies and too soon the company starts to thin out, as first CM, then IIRC Nuggz takes off, ghost + 1 heads for the last tram and Stan heads for home. I can't remember when AZLaker took off, but I think the late crew was Lemming, Igraine, Ed, Worsall (who may have left, not sure) and myself. Around midnight we figure out there's a problem posting on the forum for some of us, a problem that would severely limit our live reporting this year, but luckily the chat is still accessible and our WA group is working excellently

A little over 1 I throw in the towel, say goodnight to the remaining gang and float off towards the piggy for what I plan was gonna be one last beer and joint before a much needed sleep.

Having just bought my beer at the bar, I turn for the smoker's room and (for the spaghetti monster know's which time) I almost spill my beer as I bump into Mr. Ambrosia Extracts, who's coming out the door. This is getting very strange, as it has happen many times before almost exactly the same way. After laughing of the twilight zone deja-vu, we settle in to the smoker's room to sesh and share the latest news. It feels like it's been a long time since I've seen him last (probably around 3 years) and he is a very cool and friendly dude, so time flies as we sesh away with Joey and a young woman from the crew who's name I can't remember...

The debauchery from the sesh at the BD continues, but in new company, for a while and my plans for an "early" night before 420 are long gone, as I finally crawl to bed around 3, completely wrecked.

Thanks again to everyone for a most excellent night, what a start!

Day 2 - 420 2022 - The big day returns

A mellow start to a great day

It is barely past six in the morning when I wake. I would love to write that I slept well, but that would be a lie. A combination of fear of falling off the bed and 1,75 or so meters to the ground, missing the fam and wrecking my body the day before, meant that I was untested to put it mildly. Quick trip to the bathroom and struggling with the urge to go smoke a quick one, I manage to get a bit more rest, before I get up feeling OK-ish at a bit over seven.

I have a cup of the free coffee as I roll up my w&b, which is the Papaya from Terps that I sampled the other night but felt needed a testing without it being preceeded by a shit load of other smoke. The coffee was barely coffee, but my body was screaming for caffeine, so gobbled it up anyways as I enjoyed the very nice hash. As I wrote in the chat, it came to its right alot more as the first smoke, but despite it being a nice hash, it didn't quite stand up to the better ones from Solo or dampkring in terms a both potency and flavor.

I have a bath, get my stuff for the day in order and head back to the smoker's room for another w&b sesh, smoking a couple more joints and chatting to random guests and staff.

Looking at the clock, it is creeping up in nine, and I remind myself that I need to go get a bike, a bit if breakfast and do a bit of shopping at Green Place and Solo, before meeting a group of ACDers at the balloon at 10.30 for a sesh the proposed bike trip out west. I finish up the second cup of dreadful "barely-coffee", put out my joint half way to save for the bike trip and head out the door.

Black bikes has a location near Centraal, which is practically around the corner from the piggy, so although it is quite pricey, I quickly make my way there, get a bike and am off into the beautiful Amsterdam sunshine.

As I float along towards GP at a very easy pace, smoking the other half if the joint (Niqa from Dk IIRC very nice tradiah hash), any remaining aches and fatigue from the bad and short nights sleep melt away and I am all smiles as I park the bike on neiuw markt and head in to AH for some refreshments.

I get a cheese croissant and a smoothie with banana, strawberry and apple, along with a few other small items. Thinking of our now bcn based friend RoMo, I almost go for a feerse sap, but they look just a little too healthy for my taste this morning. Croissant and smoothie are gone in a jiffy, as I stand at the canal outside GP, before heading in to check the wares. Chatting a bit to the friendly and knowledgeable budtender (who seems very well connected with some of the bcn crews), he turns me from the kgourmet bubble hash and towards 0,5 g if bootyliscious bubble hash from 710 labs. It positively reeks with mad, sweet terps and I get that (50 e for 0,5) and a g if the peanut butter hash (15 e).

I spend a quarter of an hour or so chilling and smoking a joint of the pb hash along with a coke in the back , before heading towards Solo for a b&f, in an even easier pace

At solo I have a nice chat with the friendly tattooed male budtender l, get some Guava hash, Grape hello weed and some other hash I forget... I gently float towards the balloon, a very happy camper, to meet up with the gang.

TBC...
Mr. CC

Day 2 - 420 2022 - The big day returns (continued)

The fiets crew returns (and gets into it deep)

Arriving at the balloon, I see some of the gang already gathering upstairs, get a couple of g's of the tangie that CM and others recommended, a Cafe latte and head up the murder stairs to say high.

We end up being Az, CM, Nuggz, Ghost + friend and myself there and have a nice morning sesh together. Ghost and friend have put together some awesome custom goodiebags, with pictures of Coffeeshops from the ACD and a bunch of cool stuff in them, that they hand out. There's stickers, an ACD engraved pen, a pipe masquerading as a bracelet, a brownie edible from Nice Things for Nice People and other cool stuff. Again, thanks a lot for this very welcome and most generous surprise guys, that was awesome!

Ghost has also kindly picked up some edibles from Fudge This for some of us, I got two of the tiger cookies (a bit of mystery if these were 300 or 600 mg each) and a box of chocolate covered fudge (600 mg), the latter to share with my biker friend

Since I've sorta had breakfast from AH and it is 420, I think fuck it and munch down the brownie and one of the pieces of fudge, with a couple of joints at the balloon. They are really tasty and definitely I feel both if them later, so nice potency also

It turns out there's been a bit of a snafu getting bikes for ghost and friend, and as neither AZLaker nor CM are going on the ride, Nuggz and I make plans to meet Ghost and friend later at funky monkey and set outin a westerly direction. The fiets crew, or at least parts of it, are rolling again on 420 and I'm enjoying every bit of it

We make it to food hallen, where we get a solid meal. Nuggz had some Vietnamese bahmin sandwich or some such, and a side order of fried sweet taters from somewhere IIRC and I had a taic platter, consisting of 6 different tacos. They were very tasty and just hit the spot, so we move on and make for Sterk, where we pick up some top craft beers and set off for Hugo de groot plein to check the new plug west location (which is now in the location that Hugo de groot CS was in), which we take a couple of minutes to find, either from being stoned or not familiar with that particular place. It looks like it it's been recently renovated, but never visited it before so couldn't say for sure. Looks pretty much like a nice modern CS, with same styling as center location IIRC. I suspect that the menu dated April 14th on FBN's site is actually from the west location as it with a few exceptions was more or less identical to the one I remember and the center location had different things IIRC (but only visited center location very late at night in a very stoney state, so can't be sure and the reflection in the photo on FBN's looks more like center location so who knows). Anyways, friendly staff and an almost empty shop men at a quick b&f for me, picked up some hash that I must dig a bit further in various threads and / or memory to pinpoint, but it ws a darker sticky one IIRC.

We head off to find a place in the sun to enjoy some of our recent purchases and catch up a bit. We end up at the Marnix bowl salte park, seated canal side enjoying the weather and the brewskies we picked up. Ever since meeting the little rascal in the batcave some years back, we've spent quite a lot of time together in Amsterdam and bcn, and he's become a close friend of ours, so it is nice to spend a little time just the two of us catching up, the last two years we've only seen each other on a very few occasions and that isn't right so we try to make the best of the little time there.

I thought I was being reasonable and only bought three beers at Sterk, one for the boat and two for our little canal sesh. But, one of the two I bought (a very nice 440 DDH IPA from Verdant which IIRC was around 7 or 7,5 abv) goes down a little too smoothly and I'm surprised by the kick it has, much helped by a very strong spliff i have all to my self as it is all hash. Nuggz got a Orange Drizzle something, which is super tasty, and a badass Omnipollo fruited Gose (I think he liked it less than I did though ). I can tell that making to funky monkey before the meetup at 420 / the bottle at 15 is becoming very unlikely, so text Ghost to apologize and arrange to reconnect at the meetup.

My second beer, which is supposed to be responsible as it is only 330, is a super tasty thing called "Cryo me a river was bezet dus nu heet het beer zo" by ROTT (rolls right of the tongue doesn't it?). Problem is that it is a DDH Cryo (which makes it extremely tasty and nice) QIPA (which means that is has an abv as crazy as its name, holding an insane 12,5 %, while still being very drinkable). Nuggz has been mumbling something about it being a bit nippy and him wanting to get more layers for a bit, but as I am naturally much better insulated and am working hard on acquiring handy little beer jacket on top of that, I let him get out of there and take a little while longer canal side to work on the absolute beast of a beer as I skin up another to smoke here and on the way towards the meetup.

A combination of the beers, smoke and edibles has me more than buzzing as I collect my bike and I remind myself to take it easy on the ride in, there's but the fact that it is far from legal to ride a bike under the influence and the more serious topic of safety to consider, so I opt for a route  that'll take me on mostly lazy streets at the top of the Jordan and through the northern grachten towards 420. I do also make time to post a reminder to myself on the WA group not to have any more alcohol before the boat ride, twice.

The ride is dreamy and floaty and I get semi-lost several times, zigzagging my way through the sleepy and beautiful streets, over canals and then back down the other side of the canal. The distance may not be long and I am capable of covering it in a short amount of time, if I was so inclined, but I'm enjoying being a stoned and high fuzzy and indeterministic entity, on my own little "random walk" through this stellar landscape. Maybe Descartes was right or maybe it was Heisenberg after all and I was just lucky to end up in the right place with just the right speed, because I find myself at the bottle a bit later, where I am greeted by a few ACD'ers already getting the party started.

I hold true to my word and only get a soda, grap a Belgian Triple for Stan who looked thirsty and sat down outside to roll up. As others arrive and I'm rolling, the bartender says it's OK that I finish up quickly, but that it is otherwise not OK to roll up there at the bottle. Lemming offers me a place inside to finish up, but when aksed the bt clarifies that we can smoke prerolled joints, but not roll them there inside or out. A bit of a bummer for the future, but for now we're good as rolling is done and we're moving to 420 shortly.

As reported by Ed, he and I head in first and work a little German bath towel magic, to quickly move in on and secure the large table in the back. The gang quickly pile in and still others join. Bedge and Rob Og, who I haven't seen before on this trip also join us here, along with more or less everyone who was at the other big meetups IIRC.

We have great and pretty intense sesh there, with all the traditions of heavy indulging, nasty but fun giant joints being passed by the crew at 420 (didn't have any myself, as there was more than enough going around of far, far better quality) and plenty of edibles. I was feeling a bit more grounded now, and we can't have that at 420, so I dive into more of the Fudge This edibles, munching down a tiger cookie and more of the Fudge, as well as some chocolate from ghost and maybe another of Igraines cookies, but not exactly sure about the latter and what else may have gone down along with several nice joint s packed with dk, solo and plug hashes.


For 420 @420 I roll up the g of jungle cream Zkittlez from Prix, along with a generous helping of the bootyliscious bubble hash, in a nice big pure fatty. Although overpriced at 20 per g, the Zkittlez is a very nice smoke, strong Zkittlez terps that are complemented nicely by the bubble hash, it comes together in a super tasty and very potent joint that I share with a few acders near by.

I am feeling a pretty strong body high coming on from the edibles as we start discussing our next move, which is planned to be to Prix to check out the big sesh there. Stan thinks it is going to be so  packed there, that there's gonna be a huge line just to get in. I offer to do a quick reccie, and hop over to prix to find no line and few people downstairs at the budtenders' lines. I have a quick look up the stairs, but foolishly do not actually go up them to check how busy it is up there. From what I've seen, it looks OK and I text the group on WA with this, as I walk back to 420.

When we do get back to prix, I'm a bit ahead of the group along with ghost and a few others. We make it upstairs, only to find it wall to wall packed, with people standing around in available spaces waiting to grab a seat when one becomes available. There's a bit back and forth, as we look for any options and ghost chats to some of the crew behind the sesh to see what we can do. After a short while we arrive at the inevitable conclusion that it'll be impossible to get everyone seats here, let alone a space where we can sit in a group. Maybe 3 to 5 of us, waiting patiently and scooting onto any available space, may have been lucky and find somewhere to perch, but not the 10-12 people group we were at this point.

We turn around and head back out, I try to frantically signal Nuggz that we're out again but there's a bit of miscommunication and he apparently finds a seat to sit in the middle of the mayhem. Outside we ponder what to do, but relatively quickly settle on black dog. As many haven't been, I give a few directions to the group and send them over NZV as I get my bike. Now something happens that will repeat itself every time I go get my bike: as soon as I look up from unlocking it, everyone is out of sight.

I drive down NZV until I make it to dam, where I make a right (as I suggested the group on foot do), head to streets over and turn left for a short bit before parking my bike near the black dog. I see no sign of the group all the way there, but after spending time chatting to a friend of the forum for a bit there, everyone arrives and we chill outside for a bit, before the group brakes up to make their individual ways to the boat.

TBC...

Fantastic write up there, I got a nice spliff on the go and the read makes it all that better. Was a great day and I personally had a blast and enjoyed everyone's company when chatting to them. Was a shame on the Prix D'Ami session but hey never mind, I was nicely baked all day anyway and I think every one had a good time.

I have some good ideas for next year if we can all get in to town, which I will run past @Lemming at some point when a bit more research has been done by myself.

Thanks for sharing

"work a little German bath towel magic, to quickly move in on and secure the large table in the back."

Day 2 420 2022 III

Boats, Black Dogs and Big Shots

Forgot to mention in the previous installment, that I broke my promise to myself when I got to Black Dog before the boat. When I spotted the familiar face I mentioned, I sat down and on reflex ordered a Triple Karmeliet when Simon asked what I wanted to drink. Whoopsies, especially since it was followed by another beer that I had with an order of chicken quesadillas, while chatting to "the tipsy chef" sitting outside Black Dog. He apparently was the new head chef there, who was spending his day off having a few beers and hanging around. I am the only one on a bike in the group, so hang back a bit at the dog as the others head on foot towards the departure site enjoying the nice weather, the little snack and the slightly curious and very chatty company, before grabbing my bike and heading out.

As I park my bike at GH Centrum, I am greeted by Choppermike and we are quickly joined by Ed. Previous years on the smoke boat, we've had it all to our selves and it was a much smaller boat, but this time we are part of a much larger group on a larger boat.

We board the boat, I message the group on WA suggesting they arrive sooner rather than later and people start showing up. The ride is nice enough, AZLaker grabs a seat besides me just inside at some "hanging tables" along one side and the rest of the gang are spread out quite a bit, so it is hard to talk, share smokes or any of the other socializing we are used to on our more intimate trips previously. Windows are also open along the other side, where ghost, Lemming and others are seated, making rolling, dabbing and other since things that do require a little calm very challenging. It is a bit more sheltered where I am sitting and I manage to roll a giant fatty chuck full of Guava hash from Solo, which lasts me most of the trip and I spot several others who've had the clever idea of producing a prerolled or two before boarding, so we do manage to do the name of the boat justice and smoke it up a bit. Compared to earlier years, the boat trip is somewhat subdued, but given the uncertainties leading up to the trip for most ACDers, I think we had a good time nonetheless and enjoyed the different and more relaxed ride.

Back from the boat trip, we decide to go back to Black Dog for some food, I had Simon put aside one of the specials of the day for me, but alas time dragged out and when we got there, they had just given it away. I'm with Ghost + friend and  "the drunken chef" at a small table, with the rest of the remaining group around the sofa. Most have something to eat and / a drink there, I contemplated just getting a bunch of snack, their Gyozas and Buffalo wings are great, and I can always munch down some Padrons, but end up going for the spicy chicken burger, which hit the spot and was yet another nice meal at a great place.

We are now in the company of "the completely smashed chef", who's apparently been pounding them down as we were away on the boat trip and is now fucking hammered, stuck somewhere between trying to tell stories of his time in Amsterdam and ranting about the food that he ordered, that is neither on time nor up to his standards. He almost gets into a big discussion with Ali and at some point he just dissappears. He was actually a quite funny and entertaining dude earlier in the day, but probably should have called it quits a bit before we got back there...

There's a bit of back and forth on where to go from here, most favor the BD lounge, so we agree to head that direction. This time I try to get the specific route the group will be taking, and understand from Lemming that they'll head for sativa, maybe the plug and then towards BD lounge. Easy, my bike is near / in direction of travel and the way points aren't far. I go unlock my bike, look up and *pooof* everybody is gone again.

Ah well, they can't have made it very far, they're stoners on 420 afterall. I'm quickly at Sativa, with no sign of the group there or on the way there. Hmmm... Maybe they went by the plug instead..?  Quick hop over, and nope, no one there... Message on the WA, Ghost says BD lounge l, I say OK and cut across on my by on the new dick, damrak, warmoesstraat "expressway" and down OZV to park my bike a bit south of the BD hotel.

Just as I walk up to the door, I see a small group get rejected and get a message on the WA group that BD is a no go, and to head for BD Mack Café instead. So back down to collect bike, ride back up OZV, find place to park and lock bike and head for BD mack, only to get another message that it is also a bust and to head for Big Shots on NZV. Argh, anither unlocking and short bike ride across the "expressway", to Big Shots, where there's absolutely nowhere to park the bike. I end up going all the way up to the top of NZV before parking it where I would have parked it anyways later, close to the piggy.

I hoof it quickly back down NZVz to Big Shits and where I was just across the street looking for everyone 20+ mins ago and fiiiiinally find the gang, now reduced to Stan, Ghost and Mike.

We have a great time smoking, dabbing and having a few beers, also think there were some edibles going down.

Stan misspelled the name of the place as Big Shits and the WA group a couple of days prior and Nuggz found it to be a most hilarious and fitting typo, telling us a lot about his views on the place. It surely isn't the BD lounge, the batcave in its prime or comparable quality, but as an alternative when those aren't available, it wasn't all that bad. We were allowed to smoke, dab etc., and large left to our own devices, which is more than you can ask for in many places...

Time again flies as we're having fun, and too soon Stan takes off, followed 45 mins later by ghost and Mike, who had to run to catch the last tram in part due to my blabbering, leaving me by myself to finish up my drink and joint.

I hop across the street to the Plug, where I buy a couple of grams of hash (too late and too fucked to remember what it was, but think one of them had some Kosher in it), skin up a joint for the walk and smoke that as I zigzag my way back to the piggy.

Again, I meet Mr. Ambrosia, Joey and the young woman I can't remember the name of in the smoker's room and we spend a couple of hours drinking a few beers, chatting, smoking and so on.

Some time after 3 in the morning, I scramble into bed and sleep like a baby for a few hours.

Thanks again to everyone who joined this wonderful and fun day, it was absolutely awesome!

Ghost wrote: ↑Mon 2nd May 2022 09:50 pm
I have some good ideas for next year if we can all get in to town, which I will run past @Lemming at some point when a bit more research has been done by myself.

Intriguing

Sounds like a great time! Getting more and more sorry i missed It

Quality read there Mate really enjoyed that. Had me cracking up about the unlocking and locking of the bike and 'Puff' everybody was gone excellent.

Agree Big Shots/Shits is an ok alternative if other locations are a no go or unavailable. I liked Bedge's recommendation of Flying DutchMan and enjoyed it the times we were there, only down point was unable to dab - and that to me is a big + in a venue, so Big Shots works

The Bulldog Lounge was excellent for our group gathering, comfortable, good drinks and food and could dab in there

I would have liked to have got to the Old Church Lounge and checked that out and a visit to the Kashmir lounge would have been good to check out and maybe Stones, overall we did OK

Day 3 - April 21st 2022

Rising late, Rubber ducks and Rosinology

Aaaahhhh...! I wake up feeling much better than the previous morning. Having figured out a few things about the bed and the immediate area around it, when I had the chance to actually see it in daylight helped a lot and fears of falling during the night (or rather the sudden end to the fall), are happily subdued.

Quick morning routine and I'm in the smoker's room rolling and smoking, when I look at the time. When I got up I assumed it was past eight, maybe nine, but I realize that's it is now barely half past seven. Hm, ok. I WA chat with the fam a bit and roll another. After smoking my second joint, which I think was the last of the Haza hash from DK (no clue about the first) , I also realized that while the body feels surprisingly well, I am a bit stoned over and since there's no life on the forum chat, WA group or elsewhere, I decided to go for another hour snoozing

Someone slams a door somewhere at around 8.30, which pulls me out of my semisleep, feeling a bit more clear headed, so I decide that there's no reason to waste anymore of this beautiful day in Amsterdam laying in bed, time to get up for real

I have a quick shower, get a somewhat decent latte to go from a place down the street and find myself back in the smoker's room at the piggy a bit before nine, smoking a nice joint of Nicole Kush hash IIRC. I wanna say that it's from the plug, but not 100 % sure on that.

We've got nothing planned officially before 12, when we're meeting at the Old Church 2, for Ghost's squishy dabby sesh. This leaves me with plenty of time to enjoy a real w&b sesh, here in one of my favorite places We've mentioned this before, but we fucking love the flying pig! There's always something to entertain you, someone to chat to or just a place to chill and smoke your weed, hash etc. and it has a pretty good bar, that's also reasonably prices given it is Amsterdam. The big bonus is ofc the smoker's room, that besides a small hour in the very early morning, is always open to guests (and off duty / on break staff, including some former staff members who hang there from time to time).

This morning the company is the usual mix of veterans and newbies, which usually means a lot of friendly chats about where the newbies should or shouldn't go, veterans sharing stories and pro tips etc. I get offered many joints, bong Rips etc., but mostly stick to my own stash. It still has some variety to it, but is also dwindling so much that I make it my mission to pick up a few things before the meetup at noon.

Ghost was talking about getting to the Old Church a bit ahead of the agreed meetup time at noon, so at around half past ten I set out on a small expedition, aiming also to be there before noon. I want to get a rubber duck for Jr back home (he already has two we bought I Amsterdam that he loves), so a few moments on my trusty iron steed later, I pull up to the store on Oude Leliestraat a couple of doors from Grey Area, only to find out it isn't open for another 15 mins. No worries, there's a nice little place on the corner opposite, selling pastries, coffee etc., so I get an iced latte and a very tasty chocotwist thingy, to enjoy canalside.

As I munch on the pastry, I remember that I have only one edible left, a tfier cookie from Fudge This and that paradox is nearby. It takes me only a few minutes to swing by there to get four slices of their cake and be back at the rubber duck store as the nice ladies are just opening. A Dinoduck and a Matrixduck richer, I head along the canalbelt aiming for Free 1 CS for a b&f before the meetup.

Burrups posted a Pic on the forum about a week before we all hit town of a bunch of hashes he brought. One of them called "Sweetest" from Free 1 caught my eye and I wanted to go check that out. I've never been at this CS before, even though we've lived in the area more than once. It's a relatively small shop, but looks gezellig enough. When I asked to see the particular hash, the budtender smiled and said "da sweeeeeetests" as he pulled out the tub.

Immediately I could tell it was a either a different hash to the one in the picture or that the one in the picture had darkened unbelievably much after being bought. The hash in the tub was much lighter in color and almost blond, looking alot like the type of hash we see alot in Christiania over the last years. I think it makes up about half of the hashes I usually see available on any given day, going from the low end where you'll get 2 g for 13,5 e to the top tier blonde hashes where 13,5 will get you 1 g. The "sweetest" from Free 1 is 12 e, so even though I can tell that it'll very likely be of lesser quality than what the same would get me back home given my "return customer rate", I am curious to compare and ask the dealer for a g. I smoke it a bit later, before getting too fucked up, and it was actually a very nice traditional Moroccan hash, medium hard press and quite creamy in texture for a blonde hash. Taste was old school tradish, with earthy, woody and hashy flavors (those sun-dried local plants have a unique and distinctive terpene profile) and a bit of sweetness in the background, with a fair potency that mostly hit as a nice relaxing body stone. I would normally pay around 8 or 9 for the same quality back home, but would also need to inspect a few places with familiar faces to find it at that price and it smoked very clean, so maybe I'll stop by free 1 again and see if they have something else interesting hiding behind what is apparently just their name for whatever the top hash they can get is.

I'm the first to arrive at the Old Church, where I chat a bit to the friendly female bt, get a g of the Afghan Kush hash and a Caffè latte, before picking a seat close to the rosin press I spot at a small high table at the end of the dealer's counter / bar. Right behind me was a gentleman a bit older than myself and dressed quite a bit more fancy also. He's clearly interested in some rosin, so gets help from the bt squeezing something out from a large nug of purple punch he just bought on her recommendation. She's has tried it before and manages to produce some rosin for him, but she does not look all that sure of herself and neither does he as he inspects and samples the result.

Luckily, everyone who's interested is about to get a masterclass in Rosinology, because more ACD'ers soon arrive and among them is The Professor of Rosinology a.k.a. Ghost.

When asked, she informs ghost that usually the owner doesn't allowed customers to use the press and that he is a bit fuzzy about it. I don't know if it was Ghost's easygoing and friendly nature or some of the knowledge he dropped about the finer points of Rosinology, but she is quickly convinced that here's someone who really knows what he is talking about and the fact that Ghost has the exact same press (IIRC) back home seems to seal the deal. Soon she is seeking advice pressing rosin for other customers and happy to let Ghost work the press as he pleases.

The results are some high yields of smashing flavors and great hits from clear and pretty rosin. He was a champ and pressed out a combo of my remaining tangie from het b and lemon tree og from Bagheera for me, which came beautifully together, with both jammy orange and zesty lemon flavors bursting through when dabbed and smoked.

We spend a good couple of hours there, dabbing, smoking and talking to the other guests, among them a group of younger Israeli guys who were very friendly and very interested in the rosin and other cannabis oriented topics, being themselves on a group tour and on the hunt for special gems.

It is a nice place there, nice view and some place to hang (not the biggest, but not too busy during daytime, so seats go a way). They also do proper coffee and have a fair enough menu from what I've seen so far, so will return more often I think.

TBC...

Day 3 April 21st 2022 (continued)

The best little Balloon, Beers and Biscuits

I am high as a kite and feeling fresh but relaxed as I cruise along the Amstel and cross over on the Magere Brug, where my reflexes are tested a bit. Just before the bit where the bridge is the narrowest, the tourist in front of me also riding a bike, does something that makes me think he is either in complete disregard for his own safety (or the safety of others for that matter) or is completely oblivious to simple physics. He slams the breaks, turns his bike sideways and stands with his feet on both sides of it as he snaps out his camera and starts shooting pictures for the family back home. Granted, I'm not going very fast, but the combined mass of myself (which as some of you know isn't in the lighter end of the scale) and the sturdy Amsterdam bike I'm riding, being quickly decelerated by his squishy body now blocking my way, is going to produce what people with degrees in natural science call a major auchie!

Lucky for both of us, I have been riding bikes all of my life and for many years in Mokum, so acting purely on reflex and muscle memory I swerve around him, just brushing against the front wheel, and then swerve back into my "own lane" to avoid a frontal collision with oncoming people on bikes.

I can't remember what I said or even it what language, but I did make a loud and explicit exclamation in his direction while performing my little bicycle acrobatics. This and me missing him by mere millimeters, I think, gave him a big shock and he let out some hilarious surprised / panicky yelp, followed by a funny warbling sound as he tries to scoot away (far too late as I am already passed him). This had me laughing so hard that I almost missed the sharp turn to the right at the end if the bridge. I was in such a happy place from the sesh at Old Church and cruising along in Amsterdam, that I wasn't even annoyed at him, just baffled by his behavior and very entertained by his reaction and the prospect of him most likely having to go by his hotel for new underwear 

Arriving at Het Ballonnetje, I find Nuggz having also just arrived. We head invand say high to the crew behind the counter as I browse the menu. The manager recognizes us and exclaims "finally!" I can't remember what I got, but think it was one of their hashes but not the one just called Dry Sift (as we had that later).

Nuggz and I take seats at the big table and are instantly asked we're hungry, as a few of the sandwiches they got for us are warm. We both say yes and out comes a familiar looking bag (maybe Nuggz can remember the place they get it from, it is apparently quite well known?) with some delicious sandwiches with some slightly spicy sausage or meatballs.

It isn't long before we're joined by the group from old church and a little later also bedge. Everyone are served drinks and out comes the goodies in the shape of a bunch of bags with nice fat nugs of Pint Sized (Gello Gelato x Creamsicle) and Cream Cookies (Gelato x Ice Cream Cake). Both are outstanding looking and smoking weeds, beautifully grown and finished. I prefer the Cream Cookies, which has dark green and purple dense buds with a smooth pleasant smoke, flavors that transfer very nice and a nice potency as well.

These samples, along with a lot of other great stuff on the menu, again shows why many on the forum (us included) as well as many locals we know, rate Het Ballonnetje at the very top of the best Coffeeshops in the city. This is quality that would easily pass for Cali and be sold at 30 e per g at most center shops, even the more hyped ones. Did I mention that besides the Pink Vanilla tie, which is 16,5, the menu tops out at 16, and there's a lot on there below that like a very nice tangie at 11?! Even if you take away the absolutely amazing service, great atmosphere and great coffee (which is still something a lot of shops miss out on, even though things are improving), this would be the best b&f place out there. Luckily they also have all those things and when the ACD crew visits, they really go the extra mile and treat us with amazing hospitality and great company.

As everyone is rolling, chatting and having fun, big trays of sandwiches come out, that are again very nice and very much needed to fight the onslaught of cannabinoids we've been putting our bodies through. I just love those chicken and bacon ones and there are a bunch of other nice ones also, including veggie options for the herbivores in the group . After a bit of munching and smoking, one of the regular female bt's bring in a big box of Four Twenty / The Farm clothing, which she hands out, giving me a nice sweatshirt and a t-shirt.

We have a great long sesh there, sampling even more of the menu. The manager also got us a nice big chunk of the Dry Sift hash, other baggies are opened (think some were private stashes) and we chatted long to several of them, sharing smokes and talking about our favorite topics of cannabis and Coffeeshops. A big huge massive thanks to Roger, Freddy, Florian and everyone else at the best little Balloon for yet again treating us like bloody royalty and being so incredibly friendly

A few take off, Nuggz goes to get a bit more work done and we end up Ghost, Mike, Bedge, myself and possibly a few others, hanging out and smoking with the crew, for almost three hours before we finally set off in different directions. I grab a couple of the Nice Things for Nice People brownies as I head out the door...

A little indecisive, I get in my bike and zigzag in the direction of Solo, where Ed was rumored to have been. No Ed there, but having no immediate plans, I get a chocomel along with the g of lemon Larry Og hash the friendly tattooed male bt served me while asking if we had a good 420 (chatted to him the day before). I texted my whereabouts to Nuggz, who just finished up work a bit before, as I got here and I am just getting started on my joint as he arrives. We have been talking a lot about going out to biscuit baby and we quickly decide that the mission is beers from Sterk enjoyed canalside, before getting our Biscuits on

We have a couple right on the canal around the corner from Biscuit Baby (rather fast, as Nuggz is eager to get some tucker) and head in. As we're looking at the menu and Nuggz is introducing me to their nice cocktail selection, I hear a familiar voice right behind me and turn around to see AZLaker, Rob OG and his wife Sally. A very welcome surprise We all get out orders in, find seats in the corner and have a very nice time chatting and enjoying the lovely food.

Nuggz has been ranting quite a bit about this place, and as is usually the case when he gets excited about something, there's really something to it! The food is absolutely delicious, the atmosphere is great, the staff very friendly and welcoming and the cocktails are very tasty, what else could you want? I highly recommend a visit, not just if you're in the area, it's worth the trip on its own.

I had freid chicken and biscuits, accompanied by a dirty horchata cocktail (with just a pinch of cinnamon), which was just what my palate desired and my body needed.

The beers and cocktail isn't helping my already wavy state, so I'm taking it very slowly as we ride back towards the center. I seem to remember that Nuggz wasn't as far ahead on this stretch as he usually is when I'm at a steady pace, maybe it's the food, the beer, the cocktail or the nice weather slowing him down. Whatever it is, it is nice floating along and too soon, Nuggz has to break off, to head for his own place. As we're not sure to see each other anymore on this trip, we say our goodbyes for now and are off in our separate directions. It's been great seen my friend again, and even though time was short, it was sweet and filled with great smoke, beer and merry times


TBC

Awesome report there @CoupenhagenCouple was a great day the Old Church and followed by Het Ballonnetje to just make it a magical day for us all . Thank you for the kind words, really appreciated Buddy It was a Fantastic day for me with some great company, it couldn't have got any better for me that whole day