Despite the long session in The Tribe last night, we manage to emerge a bit earlier this morning than we did yesterday. That gives us a couple of hours to take a long shower and visit Panorama for a really good breakfast. A quick mission to the local AH restocks our munchies stash at the hotel for later.
I've got some pictures of FBN that I hope to photograph the crew with in Birdy later. These go into my 2022 Ghost bag, which has strings that can act as shoulder straps. Fully charged vapes, phones and camera. We're set for the day. Next stop Siberië to meet the rest of the crew.
Siberië
Inside we find Mike, Ghost and Occasional Bowl have been joined by Gapie and a new person to add to my list of 420 veterans, Docgonzo42. All the kit is out and there's a nice little session going on.
There are a few more people expected to join us sometime today. We got a message from Trad and Sammysarahh early this morning saying they'd arrived in town. Heard nothing since though so we guess they might be asleep after their overnight flight.
Gapie sends out a message that we'll wait here until 2pm in case anyone else wants to join our excursion to Haarlem. In the meantime we settle in for a nice chat and smoke - indeed, a Toke &Talk! FBN would be proud.
Docgonzo42 goes his own way, vowing to join us in Birdy later. The rest of us head for the station and Ghost decorates some street furniture along the way.
The ticket machine at the station presents a challenge to some of us but fortunately Igraine is on hand to help us out. Robot defeated, we're soon in Haarlem.
Willie Wortel's Sativa
We pass Willie Wortel's Sativa but don't need to stop now so carry on to Willie Wortel's Indica, by the windmill.
Indica always seemed to be Nol's home shop. Now it's a shrine to him. There are pictures of him scattered around, including our table.
Willie Wortel's Indica
It's interesting to see this rare picture of the long-gone Global Hemp Museum.
Incidentally, the ACD has some historic pictures of Indica, including of Nol.
Igraine notes that we get some Biscotti here, which she says has a strange creamy smell but is diesel in flavour.
Our original, rather ambitious, plan for this afternoon included a grand tour of Haarlem coffeeshops ending up at Birdy by 5pm. After an hour and a half in here it's already 4.30 so we have to abandon that idea and head straight to Birdy.
Rather than going back past Sativa, we go under the bridge to the east of the station, across the road and alongside the water.
Inside Birdy we grab some Vanilla Haze and settle at the table in the back corner by the big windows. Docgonzo42 is back with us and, naturally, there's a proper Toke and Talk in progress.
I know FlyByNite had family connections and friends in Haarlem. He spent a lot of time here and especially liked Birdy. I imagined him sat at the bar for hours, chatting to the staff, recounting stories of his life and telling how many people had viewed Birdy's menu on his site.
A Birdy crew person spots us in the corner and comes over to say hello. She tells us how she's worked here for many years but, sadly, has no memory of our hero. She passes on good vibes and welcome, which is nice.
Now I'm imagining the quiet, humble, dignified FBN saying little and not mentioning menus or internets when he was here.
I arrange the pictures of FBN around Docgonzo42's skinning up kit. My plan is that they should form a backdrop for the crew to blow smoke in front of.
When I try to round everyone up for this performance they all get shy and refuse to play. All except Gapie, that is, so I try to do one of those new-fangled selfie thingies.
After about an hour we're ready to head back to Amsterdam. From Centraal Station a few of us stop at Batavia while others shoot off for a while with plans to reassemble at Balou later.
Batavia is the second building from the left in this picture. It's quite grand but completely upstaged by Saint Nicholas Basilica.
Batavia
Gapie
From Batavia it's back to the tram stop for a ride to Rembrandtplein, ready for our special invite to Balou.
I'm a bit concerned that there are only four of us. I'd told Balou to expect up to twelve! We've received messages from various people saying they're on their way. Ghost and Mike are around Rembrandtplein somewhere, feeding. Tokeing Tom and Gman are in the area too. Bedge says he's nearly here.
We're about 20 minutes early so I'm happy to hang around Rembrandtplein taking pictures and waiting to see if any more ACDers turn up. The others are impatient to get to Balou so we stroll in that direction. Youri of Balou and Gapie are mates and I see they're already shaking hands in the shop doorway so we'd better go and join them.
Youri and I have been emailing each other for a while but haven't met before so introductions and greetings are followed by a look around the shop and its enticing looking stock.
Our host is super welcoming and ushers us upstairs to a nice space specially reserved for us. Next we're all presented with these gift packs from Mascotte containing beautifully packaged papers, card roaches and special filter tips designed specifically for weed rather than tobacco, amongst other stuff.
Before we've finished looking through this lot, a shower of baggies lands on our table. Many of the interesting strains we saw downstairs are represented along with some serious looking prerolleds with names like The Beast.
In fact, everything we need for an excellent party except for the people. I send out a message to the gang telling them to hurry up and get here to help us smoke this lot.
To my relief, the rest of the crew soon join us and get stuck in.
The final crew in the house is Bedge, Docgonzo42, Gapie, Ghost, Gman, Igraine, Lemming, Mike, Occasional Bowl, Phoenix and Tokeing Tom. Now we're cooking!
These include a few ACDers that I've not met in person before. It'll be cool to add Gman, Phoenix and Tokeing Tom to my list of 420 Veterans.
One thing I miss in amongst the festivities is a message from Worsall saying that he's on the first floor at Balou. I should have noticed that we're on the first floor at Balou and he's clearly not here. We later discover that he was in Balboa next door. Sorry mate. Should've spotted that and come and dragged you into the right shop.
Amongst the strains we're sampling are: Burt Reynolds, G-13 Haze, Gary Payton, Gusher Cookies, Jungle Juice, Kosher Kush, RS-11 and Shurbet Quake.
With this proper hardcore panel of ACD experts on the case, the contents of the baggies are soon being converted into smoke and vapour. As usual, I'm consuming everything and loving it. Igraine notes that the Kosher Kush is warm and giggly. All I can say is that it's all good and I'm getting very very stoned. Hopefully some of the ACD connoisseurs will post more detailed descriptions of the individual strains later.
After a couple of hours of enjoying the extraordinary hospitality of Youri and the Balou staff, it's time to move on. We thank everyone and say our goodbyes. Outside it's dark now.
Igraine, Tokeing Tom and Gman in particular are keen that the next stop should be a bar. I suggest Hunter's on Utrechtsestraat where there's a bar and coffeeshop next door to each other.
Hunter's Rembrandtsquare and Hunter's Bar
This seems to meet with approval and the party is soon back in progress.
Then we're joined by Trad and Sammysarahh and the party steps up a gear.
Trad is an honourable veteran of many 420s. I haven't met Sammysarahh before though so that's another person to add to the list. That's still growing nicely.
We're gonna need more weed. It's fortunate that there's a coffeeshop right next door then.
Inside Hunter's Rembrandtsquare coffeeshop
By the time we stagger out of Hunter's the trams have stopped running. It's not far to walk back into the centre but, as we're crossing Rembrandtplein, we spot a night bus. Igraine and me persuade Trad and Sammysarahh to jump on the bus with us.
When we arrive at the Dam we discover that Sam and Trad's hotel is actually closer to where we left. Slightly embarrassed we slink off to our hotel leaving them to catch a bus back the way we came.
Wow! That was a fully loaded day!
Ballonnetje tomorrow.
and great pics of FBN at Birdy's.
to Ghost for tagging that spot with a ACD sticker, brilliant. 
Thanks for the update. 
them we met up with you guys in kashmir lounge and ended up getting Mr kashmir himself fucked up on mushies (also betty earlier in evening) we stayed there playing guitar with him and his son until 5.30 next morning...Good night