Hit The North Does It Again

[HitTheNorth]

“If I could do it all over again, I’d do it all over you” - Caravan

It’s been three weeks since my last trip so it feels like I’ve never been away as I walk out of Centraal Station and into the hustle and bustle. It’s pretty much 3pm on the nose so I head over to my hostel to check in before anything else. I’m staying at the Hotel Tourist Inn again, £90 for three nights including breakfast - not bad at all. Only a stones throw from the station as well. I dump my stuff and head out for some shopping.

Just a few doors down from my digs is Mediteranne/Drew Is Sharing. I’m hoping the Gelonade is still on the menu but sadly not, in fact the only two sativa they have are hazes so I end up going for Chocolate Biscotti instead. No stopping, I cross Singel and pop in Grey Area for a 0.5g of Gushi rosin. It’s good to note that the jars are not only sealed but also in sealed baggies for extra protection. I grab a lighter and scoot.

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I double back across Spuistraat, pop my head in Terps and take a gram of Headstash, and the Plug (no purchase) before continuing across Dam Square. The city is pretty busy today, it’s the last day of Amsterdam Sail and the weather is good. There’s a “Free Palestine” demo going on in the square, tourists everywhere but I manage to pick out my old mate Death amongst the crowds, he’s taking a short break from reaping grimly to check his phone and have a cigarette.

Bagheera is my next port of call. They have a nice selection of rosin at really reasonable prices which I make a mental note of, however for today I go for a gram each of Space Cats and Jelly Rancher. Very friendly service. There’s some lads buying rosin at the counter and the shop has one of those Puffco Sherlock Holmes-style thingies which they borrow. The Proxy is it? Good to know. Onwards.

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While I’m nearby it’d be downright churlish not to pop in Green Place for a bit of posh. Again, friendly service. I think I wanted to see the Wizzy but it was out so I asked about their Zushi’s. He pulled out all three to show me and the one that really caught my nose was Yellow Zushi. Gonna need a grinder too please.

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With a few bits in my pockets now, it’s time to head for a drink and a smoke. I head to Suzies and take a table canal side. It’s happy hour so I stay for a couple. I smoke the Yellow Zushi here and it was delicious, yes it’s expensive stuff but it’s top quality gear.

I have a couple of missions in mind for this trip. First of which is to attempt to meet up with fellow forum members @talkrum and @welshmans_beard. I drop them a WhatsApp to touch base and start making tentative plans for later on.

With some time to kill I decide to have a little wander with my second mission in mind, this is to procure coasters, stickers, general coffeeshop related gubbins for avfc_herbalist as well as myself. So from Suzies I swing by Greenhouse on the opposite side of the canal, they have coasters but all the tables are busy so I don’t bother swiping any… this time. From here I walk down to Bluebird to check the coaster situation there, there are none on any tables I can see so I head on, I cross the road at Reefer and down the little steps, I head to the right and through the little apartment complex and back out in front of Bluebird/Reefer from here I head down the side of Reefer and along to the little bench that someone on here mentioned as their meet-up place recently. Along to Solo and left back to Niewemarkt.

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I’m in full on wandering mode now and soon find myself on Radhuisstraat and starving. I make the sensible decision to eat immediately, I’m right near a little Italian I’ve been to before, I sit outside and admire the view of Westerkerk while I eat.

Just next door is African Black Star, a shop I’d been meaning to visit for a while. The two lads that served me were really friendly. I asked for a recommendation for a dutch weed that burned clean, white ash and they both said in unison “SG Runtz”, so I took a gram of that and headed downstairs. It’s pretty cool down here, a couple of larger tables - one of them a tabletop games machine, and maybe four or five small tables, big screen TV.

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Two ladies are just leaving so I’m on my own down here. It seems a perfect time to try out my new toy. In the lead up to this trip I’ve been fancying trying more rosin. I’d still like to make a proper donut but I also bought a dab pen, only a cheap one - Yocan Nestor - I can’t score extracts at home so I didn’t want to spend loads. Anyway I drop a glob of the Gushi rosin into the chamber and start to get to grips with the pen. It takes a little working out how to get the best but to be fair I sussed it pretty quick. I got some mad tasty vapour off it, some big old clouds at higher temps and I was fucking stoned. For less than £40 this pens not bad.

When leaving the shop the lads behind the counter are keen to know if I liked the weed, however I’d just had that dab and only rolled the bud up for the wander. I tell them this and let them know if I like it I’ll be back, “See you tomorrow then” one replies haha I like that confidence in their product.

I mooch around for a while, Bloemengracht, Niewe Leilestraat etc taking photos and just enjoying the evening.

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As usual I want to visit shops in the suburbs that I’ve never been to. Next one on the list is Cheech & Chong 2 a little further up Rozengracht. It wasn’t what I expected inside, pretty bare, just an open space and the counter. I was expecting some sort of seating. I get some Blue Dream, an old fave. Onwards.

Next, I’m trying to get to Sinsemilla. I know it’s near Hugo de Grootplein but Google keeps sending me to the Osdorp location. If only there was some easily available online map of coffeeshops eh? Duurp. I’m just near the Plug West when @welshmans_beard gets in touch so I start heading back down Rozengracht. I pass this shop which I must remember should I ever go bald…

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On the way I smoke the SG Runtz from Black Star. It did indeed burn super clean and tasted great too. When I walked back past the shop again I wanted to go in and tell them I liked it but it was a different guy behind the counter, must’ve changed shifts. I’d definitely go back there, cool place to chill too.

Welshmans_beard tells me he’s on Hartenstraat, he’s pretty easy to spot as he keeps looking at his phone and then looking around - classic “I’m meeting a stranger” body language. I introduce myself and we discuss where we’re going to settle. We end up at Stones and take seats outside opposite the Church. Welshmans_beard is a good chap, easy to talk to, genial. We have a couple of smokes and drinks before we are joined by Talkrum. Again the time flies by, chatting, smoking. Talkrum tells us of his experiences with legal weed in Zandaam and generously donates a sizeable chunk of Cheese for us to try. Wow, that really did take me back, I’ve tried the occasional Cheese recently but this was the most authentic, even down to the muggy stone.

Talkrum eventually bids us farewell and leaves us with a “Care Package” of leftovers, skins, lighter etc and a map of Zandaam should we venture out. Welshman and I also hit the street and go on a whistle-stop coffeeshop dash, including Bluebird where I categorically confirmed there were no coasters at all anywhere, but did buy a gram each of Tropicana and Grape. Welshman wants to go to the Hit - on the way I forget where we’re going - I wasn’t going to make a purchase here but ended up grabbing some Tangerine Dream.

After a shockingly bad nights sleep the previous night and a few more sherbets than I’m used to, I’m feeling pretty smashed. Welshman and I say our goodbyes and I head off to find Shoarma. After five minutes of bimbling I abandon the search for shoarma and get a nasty, homogenous McDonalds on Damrak instead. I need sleep so it’s back to the hostel and hopefully some much needed shut-eye.

[avfc-herbalist]

What a fantastic start! Beautiful photos mate 2 trips, 3 weeks apart is outstanding

Black Star looks very nice. Another shop added to the list. They also have a little terrace too don't they mate?

Thanks for the write up

[Smokeybee21]

Great read and photos, top reporting as always HTN!

[HitTheNorth]

What a fantastic start! Beautiful photos mate 2 trips, 3 weeks apart is outstanding

Black Star looks very nice. Another shop added to the list. They also have a little terrace too don't they mate?

Thanks for the write up

They do have a terrace. I sat inside as there was a very loud and talkative man on the outdoor seating I just couldnt be arsed with . I believe they have an upstairs too but it wasn't open when i was there, not sure if it's still open at all? Anyone confirm?

[AzLaker]

Great reading HTN!! From your Honeymoon to your latest adventure, you do a nice write-up...with pictures!!

AzLaker

[Ghost]

Quality @HTN thanks for taking the time to share

[talkrum]

Great reporting and photos - as usual - thanks for sharing. It was nice to meet up and hopefully see you @ 420.

[kalima]

quality write us as always .. really enjoy your trip reports and photos

[Jolly]

Great read. Thank you.

[HitTheNorth]

Day 2 - Part 1

The much needed shut-eye remained elusive. The guy in the bunk above me snored so much it registered on the Richter scale and some bright sparks alarm kept going off every 15 minutes. Oh the joys of hostel dorms.

I get up around 7am, bog eyed, and head down for coffee and pancakes. Back up to the room and it’s deserted, I guess the others must’ve left in the dead of night. I skin up the Tangerine Dream and smoke it on the step next to the hostel. It’s not the greatest, in fact it’s bang average. The Tropicana from Bluebird fares no better. Both lacked flavour.

Time for some mooching. I head down towards Spui and hang a right at New Times. I take seat on a bench while walking up Ellandsgracht and skin up before carrying on up Kinkerstraat. I take a very small detour to have a smoke on Bilderdijkkade which is a pretty chill spot before rejoining Kinky Street up to JP Heijestraat and Coffeeshop 96. I’ve never been here before, it always came across as a very low-rent kind of place but it looks like they’ve had a little facelift. I wanted to come here as part of my “get to as many outskirts shops as possible before they disappear” policy, also there’s not been an updated menu on the menu site for quite a while. Mainly set up for takeaway as far as I could tell, some seating on the right hand wall, counter to the back left. I scan the menu, it looks more, shall we say contemporary than I was expecting. I ask the female bud tender if she can recommend anything. She tells me she cannot as she doesn’t smoke!!! I’m quite taken aback by this - I mean, what the fuck? Any confidence I had in a decent purchase here dissipates instantly, I do however nose a couple and take a gram of Cake Crashers just for the sake of it. I can’t remember when I smoked it but I know I had zero expectations. I was pleasantly surprised though, it burned clean and had a very strong Runtz-y, Cakey taste and I actually enjoyed it.

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Kashmir is just a few doors up but was closed when I walked past. I ask the tender if she knows what time it opens. She doesn’t. Onwards.

I cross the Barsejesweg and up Witte de Withestraat hoping to visit the Dream. This was quite high on my to-do list, I love a ropey old school locals shop and Dream really looks the part with its motorbike in the window and all. It’s after 10am but the place is closed so I just carry on up to El Marsa. I’ve popped in and took a menu pic before but this marks my first purchase. Lovely, gentle chap behind the counter recommends the Tidghine so I avail myself of a gram. The man was so lovely, pressing his hand to his heart as I bade him goodbye. I take a slightly longer route up to de Clercstraat to look at the Mosque at Piri Reisplein, a beautiful building indeed.

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Up to Hugo de Grootplein and left to Sinsemilla. It’s literally just a few yards. Turns out I was only just round the corner last night when I turned back. Sensimilla is a modern takeaway type affair, they have a pretty uninspiring basic weed selection but their “Cali” strains all look pretty nice. The guy recommends their Biscotti but I think I still have one I got from Drew’s. I go for €15 worth of Zashimi which looked and smelt lovely. Service was really friendly. There’s a Dirk just opposite so I pop in and grab a drink, it’s pretty warm again today.

From here I continue up Frederik Hendrikstraat to the gardens there. It’s a cool little spot with concrete table tennis er tables and even some sculpture. I sit and have a smoke before moving on.

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Chapiteau is next on the list. It’s a must stop every trip now. I get a gram each of Tangie, Chocolate Diesel and Blue Sherbert and change from €40, free skins and tips. The Tangie and the Blue Sherbert were both delicious, the quality this shop punts out for such cheap prices defies belief. Insane.

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I walk back to town via Marnixstraat and Haarlemerstraat and Brouwersgracht and somehow wind up at Suzie’s Saloon, I’m not really sure how, but I sit outside and smoke on the Choco Diesel and Bluebird’s Grape (which was better than the Tropicana) and have a cheeky pint.

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I’m feeling pretty gloopy and nice and I’ve got a plan. I want to have a fat smoke in the park so I’m gonna go to Bagheera, score some rosin and roll a Donut

Will I succeed this time? Find out in the next chilling instalment…

[Smokeybee21]

Some of those buds look fantastic, you obviously have a keen eye/nose. Looking forward to your review of El Marssa's hash and Chapiteau's weed, hoping to head that way on my next trip as I missed my chance last year.

[AzLaker]

Another great start HTN as usual!! You definitely burn some rubber while you're in town.

AzLaker

[avfc-herbalist]

Another cracking instalment HTN really loving your get to the coffeeshop before it's gone policy. Wicked photos too

[DaveExodus]

Enjoying the read, good photos too, looks like you packed a lot in over your past couple of trips.
And congratulations on your wedding, sorry it's late but I been offline for a bit.
It's giving me inspiration

I feel inspired to jump on the next flight out there, maybe Thursday

[HitTheNorth]

Enjoying the read, good photos too, looks like you packed a lot in over your past couple of trips.
And congratulations on your wedding, sorry it's late but I been offline for a bit.
It's giving me inspiration

I feel inspired to jump on the next flight out there, maybe Thursday

Cheers @DaveExodus

Do it. You know it makes sense