Feb 07 Trip

[Dave J]

I've decided to re-post this here after originally posting it over on Channels over 2 months ago. Rather a long 1 this but thought of myself as not to propper a member untill I've posted something of the previous 5 trips I've been on. And as the feb 07 trip in the only trip I have made any half decent notes for that I still have I've decided to post the results for that rather than mention other trips for which I have no real acurate recolection for.

DAY 1:

HOTEL, WHAT HOTEL:

You know it's like every time I goto my faverate city something always has to go wrong and this time is the biggest yet.

It's amazing to think and I wander if others also forget to check the plans and details with others going on the trip. Especally the vital plans like the er hotel right?. Well last night checking with my mate going with me I've discovered that we have not in fact booked anywere to stay for the next 3 nights!!!!!. An amazing blunder yes but true all the same!!!. No need to worry that as I'm posting this pre-trip report that we have no were to stay. As I'm confident by the time we get to the airport in a few hours time it will all be sorted. I mean the worst case is that we goto the same hotel as last time, Hotel Brian.

Seems I thought Mike had booked and he thought I had booked. No point in both of us worrying. So upon realising the problem I decided to keep things to myself in case mike over worry's. Phoned the hotel we were to book (Bulldog Hotel) last night only to be told that if there are no rooms available online then they aint any available. Funny that when the chap never even asked if we wanted a shared dorm (always available to my knowledge or a private room etc). I'm hoping that when I phone just now when I get back from the library (no internet where I'm staying) I can book ok. I mean they only allocate 30% or is it 40% of there availability for online booking. So that means that there will hopefully be a room available. Afterall it is only Feb and nothing on in the city that I know of. So fingers crossed that things will work out ok as I'm noting a couple of other hotel numbers just in case.

26th feb 07 Day 1 of 4:

Well by the time I get back home the girlfriend is now rather worried that in a few hours I'll be in a foreign country and wont have a roof over my head for the next 3 nights!. Whilst slightly worried I was never in any doubt that I'd find somewere to stay. Using my mobile phone I dreaded the thought of the cost of phoning round the few hotel numbers I had got off the internet. More so in that I was unsure if there was going to be a language issue as I dont speak Dutch in the slightest.

So as confident as I was I get the Hotel Bulldog's number in first and make the call that last night told me there were no room available at all. When I asked the nice sounding lady about room availability for the next 3 nights, she said yes we have sharded dorms or private rooms, which would you prefer?. With a smile on my face knowing we was going to my first choice I tell her a private for 2 please and gave my card details to secure the booking. She seemed a little annoyed when I told her of the call I had made last night only to be told there was nothing available. I mean it was a potential loss of about €240 for the hotel plus drinks we would buy while there!.

On my way to meet Mike in Liverpool city centre I get a text off him to say he's in the coppers!. I thought bloody hell what's the soft bugger done now?. Getting off the bus I look round and head to Lime Street train station to have a look round to see if there is any sign of him, nothing, no sign of him or the coppers. (some will know where I'm heading with this lol). So I'm looking round wandering what the hell he means by saying he's with the coppers?.

Looking at the text again for clues I notice he's either spelt coppers wrong or I've miss-read it!. For it seems to say coopers!. What is coopers I think to myself. Standing at the top of the stairs to Lime Street station I turn round and notice a part sign inside the station. In I walk and notice that the sign is for a pub at what do you think it says?, yup thats right COOPERS!!!. You can tell I'm not to used to texting on phones to read them properly lol.

Anyways we have a drink and decide on the bus to the airport. A non eventfull trip from there except we noticed how the drinks in the bar at the airport have gone up by a good 40 pence in the last year or so. 90 odd mins later we walk out of the front of Centraal Station. Seems rather strange doing this at night even though it was the second time in a row we had arrived in the evening. Mike comments of how he hopes we dont get hassled by the same guy who threatened us with a knife for not allowing us to let him guide us to our hotel like last time. Relax I tell him, we are not heading in that direction this time, it will be fairly busy and a quick route to the Bulldog Hotel. Trust me I tell him I've been that way countless times at night.

Just before we get to the top end of Oudezijds Voorburgwal I notice a little shop and nip in for some tobacco and a clipper lighter to be sure of being ready to roll.

5 mins later we were booked into our hotel, in the room getting freshed up and ready for the first night of fun!.

Please note that this report is not 100% acurate!. Due to the time since the trip took place and a number of missing notes. I'd rate this report at best as only about 80% acurate due to time issues. And there will likely be a number of details missing and slightly wrong!. In fact for some parts of this report I have had to refer to some online coffeeshop menu's to either jog my mind or make an educated guess. In any case if I've been in doubt to my buys I have stated so. But to finish this paragraph this report is as close to as I'd have posted it 13 months ago if I'd have had the chance back then!.:

Going down to the bar in the Bulldog Hotel we get a nice cold pint of beer while we plan out the evening. I comment to mike how even though the Bulldog is more expensive to stay at you have to admit it's worth the extra compared to Hotel Brian last year. He said that it sure seems a far better place to stay at compared to the previous year. When pointing out to him that there were several places within 2 mins walk to get a snack from late at night and a good dozon coffeeshops within a 5 min walk it brought a smile to his face. Mike comments on thats what you want a hotel with everything within a few minutes walk away. We chat on why we never came here to this hotel last year. I said another m8 Chris said it was you who did'nt want to goto this hotel. Mike says no he did'nt mind where we went he just was'nt keen of a shared dorm with people we did'nt know!. As it turned out Chris (someone from last year) said what he said about the hotel just for the sake of saving less than €10 a night. It's just as well he never came with us this year I feel. I can still to this day hear chris moaning late at night that he wanted to goto Burger King while me and Mike went to McDonalds because it was nearer lol.

Anyways 2 cold beers later we decide to go off to Durty Nelly's for 1 of there burgers and chips. Well the time was getting on by now and neither of us had had anything propper to eat that day. I was a little unsure of what time they finished serving as it was about 19.45 by the time we got there. Burgers ordered we had another cold beer each. The place was rather busy for a monday night, which was good as I hate to be in a near empty pub at the best of times!.

The burger and another beer later we were off deciding on our first coffeeshop of the day. Passing a few regular coffeeshops from other trips we went to Hunters Bar as that place always gave me a good buzz with the music they have in there!. I think I settled for 1 gram of the Orange Bud to build myself up with for the first smoke. As I was rolling up with the looza juice the thought going through my head was have we really been in Amsterdam for about 2 hours and only just having our first smoke?. From my toes to the top of my head inside 1/4 of a joint, cant be to bad. It's almost like I always have orange bud as the first smoke seeing as it was my first ever smoke in Amsterdam a number of years earlyer. It's amazing how those fish really seem to stare and watch you get stoned when you choose 1 of those fish tank tables!.

We then head off back down Warmoesstraat in the direction of Hill Street Blues, only for them to have closed the doors early due to what I guess was a full house in there that night. So we look around us and settle for what seems to have been Baba. I know I bought something in there, just cant recall what as I never written it down. But almost certainly 1 of the cheaper weeds with my first coffee of the evening. Mike as always got another pre-rolled. Then commented on how nice the milkshakes were last time and could I remember where we got them from as he recalled
having hash in his last time. I knew this to be Abraxas of cause. So after another beer in the other near irish bar slaines (if I have spelt it correctly), we head off in search of Abraxas. Found it easy enough, just had to check the map at Dam Square first. Seems they dont do the hash shakes any more sadly, I quite like them myself to. So mike got the shake anyways and I settle for another looza. I buy 1 gram of Juicy Fruit here (chewing gum it's certainly not lol). Dont recall what it was like as such but I did manage to scribble "good shit" in my notes lol.

We now decide on 1 last coffeeshop for the night, Dread Rock as I rate it well for the music and buzz of the other people in there and it being close to the hotel. Again I bought something but never noted what it was. Well I assume it was Dread Rock I'd bought at as I did have 4 seperate bags the next morning!. I decide to get some ciggs out of the vending machine. Only when I'd put my money in and made my choice I could'nt for the sake of me work out where the hell they had come out near the
bottom!!! (well it was somewhat dark by there lol). After the barmaid and mike pointed this out to me a few times I go get another looza. The woman behind the bar says something like "it's so easy to spot the tourists". I just smile at her and have a try of what I'd just bought. Possably not to good as I'd not written anything down. I wanted a game of pool but there was no way I was gonna walk up those stairs tonight.
Past experience in Dread Rock had told me better. By now Mike has the munchies so off to find him some food.

Going past our hotel we head down the courner into what I think is Damstraat. Well it's the street on your right when you go past the Bulldog Hotel and come to the first bridge on your leftt. Well about 2 thirds of the way up there heading to Dam Square on the left there is a nice kind of cake\snack\pizza place thats open rather late into the evening. Prob for the sake for the munchies gang lol. The cakes and chocolate waffles looked nice but I settled for a kind of french bread pizza. While mike as last time opted for 1 of the cheese topped flat bread things. I guess some will know the name of the place I just dont know myself. For the first time that evening on the way back to the hotel we had the "pisstt coke, charlie, hashish good shit" gang pass us. Yup we were truely back in Amsterdam lol. We get them a few times this trip lol. Mike a little worse for smoking and drinking starts to take the piss by saying "McDonalds, Burger King, Aerial (thats washing powder by the way) good shit man. Was I glad we were near the hotel just in case 1 of them started to get agressive!. A joint and a glass of coke later the first day was over.

Day 2: Tue 27th Feb 07:

I awake with someone standing over me punching me in the head!. Well no I never but it felt very much that way. I cant see how, what 5 joints the previous night, had made me feel this way?. Prehaps seeing as I'd not smoked cannabis in about a year before that made a difference? lol. Anyways I give mike a nudge and tell him we only have about 15 mins to get down and have our breakfast. Saying he will follow I go and stuff myself with cheese and ham & salami rolls with loads of juice to wash it down with. Well it should keep me going untill late afternoon. Mike comes down just in time to get some juice and says how he must have overdone things the night before. And that he's going to get his head down for another hour as he feels sick. So after having a cigarette and rolling a joint I head out for a quick walk round to Baba for a coffee and to smoke my joint. It was quite quiet this time of the day (about 11am). I dont know if Baba provide free newspapers to read in there, but there were a few around the place so smoking my joint of Juicy Fruit I read all the crap thats going on back home as my smoke starts to creep up on me!.

Heading back to the hotel with a can of Red Bull I find mike on the leather sofa in the bar area. Saying how he's hungry we head off to Barney's for breakfast. Going the coffeeshop I recall being told they dont do breakfasts in there any more and we had to go there other place a couple of doors down!. I was'nt hungry but mike must have gotton over his sickness as he ordered a fried breakfast. I noticed how the food in there, well the breakfast at least is starting to get rather expensive. I noted down that he paid the equivilent of about £8 for it.

Off to coffeeshop Central next as I know we get decent deals from there and love there case menu. Mike as always settled for the 5 pack of pre-rolled. While the Black Bombay seems to have got my attention looking at it. Staying there for a coffee we get a seat by the window and have a smoke. I did'nt really need to flame this to break it up. As after folding it in my fingers for less than a minute it had gone from rather hard
to soft and sticky. Was very good, kind of like a stoney high feeling for me. I'd now have to rate this as 1 of my all time faverate hash smokes!.

Right beer time so off we go to Hill Street Blues seeing as it was closed last night. Whilst having a drink we decided not to go on the trip to Haarlem that day as it was already about 3pm by now. As this ment no Haarlem at all as we were going the footy stadium tomorrow. It's almost like I'm destined never to make that much wanted trip to Haarlem at all. Another beer and a joint later we go looking round the shops

Notes missing here but I recall us heading down where I think is called Nes?. It's where you go downstairs of C & A to that store called Dump. I always love going in there after a smoke and looking at all the strange gear they have. Some of those knives are just so strange, in a beautifull way with the detail in them. We also went into that "Free Music Shop" or whatever it's called. Always some great deals on dvd's and cd's in there as I recall.

My remaining notes next mention the evening in the bar after we both had a shower. We had a few goes on that touch screen Mahjhong game, well mike was already on it when I came back down from our room. We have a beer and a joint in the hotel before heading out. I noted that my supplies were nearing an end so had to get some more tonight. First stop was Durty Nelly's, where I had some potato wedges, worth the wait as it was a bloody big plate of them. I'm sure they keep you waiting for the food in there to get you to drink more?. Dont mind to much as a good drink even if on the higher end of the price scale.

To start the night off we head off to Hill Street Blues for a looza juice and a look at there menu. Mike was sorted as he still had some pre-rolled left from Certral earlyer. Dont recall what I settled for, but it must have been a sativa as I tend to prefer that over the indica. Then we went looking for Dampkring, but never found it for some reason. We then must have headed up Damrak as we ended up in Prix D'ami after noting a neon
light in the side street. I dont fully recall what I bought from here as such. But I'm pretty sure this was the place I got weed from that was well kind of finely shreaded weed but pressed like hash. Anyone know if they sell that there or what it would have been called?. Anyways that was, well strange to smoke. It kind of brought me out of the fairly stoned state to cancelling that all together and then to a light to mediun high!.
Probably the strangest stuff I had ever smoked in Amsterdam!.

We then went round some of the streets for a walk. Dont quite know where we ended up but in a near empty irish bar in a fairly quiet street. I recall this place well (if not the location) as when I walked in though this place seems small compared to behind the bar. Then I notice mike stood behind the bar and I'm thinking wtf. I looked round and then noticed I was the 1 behind the bar!. Quickly exiting that part I walk round and join mike before I'm noticed.

The only other things I noted for the rest of the night was that we visited Paradise coffeeshop before mike decided to get the munchies again. Pizza for me and 2 of those cheese topped flat bread things for mike!. Outside our hotel there were a few people hanging around talking and eating. We assumed they were hotel guests and thought it looks like we cant take the food in to eat in the bar area. So we stand there eating and the others then walk off. Next thing we know the coloured guy who does the night shift in the hotel (assumingly) comes out shouting up the street and then 2 others (hotel workers) come out shouting with him. They kick a load of wrappers from the from the front of the hotel and another grabs some from on top of the bin outside. Pointing there attention to us they then suddenly acuse us of dropping the litter. Pointing out to them that we both still have our food and still in the wrapping stood there eating it they all go back into the hotel in a kind of mood. Kind of worried going back in the hotel in a few mins!. We got in easy enough even a smile and hello off the same guys behind reception as we showed our pass. But seeing us bring our rubbish with us and put it in the bin inside seemed to reassure them even if we did get a funny look off them. Nothing like ready for bed yet as it was only about 00.40 am. So we spend about 90 mins in the bar having a few more drinks and 2 more joints. Only mike had ran out so along with my mixed 2 I done a mixed joint for him to. He comments on how much better the smokes are doing them yourself rather than getting the pre-rolled ones. Of cause 95% of us know this as a fact. Talking some bollocks to the fairly packed bar for a while we go off to bed as we are both very mashed by now after many drinks and to
my mind a good (due to the papers and hash\weed used) 12 joints for the day.

Day 3: Wed 28 Feb 07: Note no real notes at all left from now

Settled in by now as we both awoke with little problems except that Dutch MTV (or whatever it was) was still playing on the tv as when we must have put it on when we went to our room lol. This was our last full day so I for 1 decided to make the most of it. Breakfast stuffed us and even mike had no cravings for a fry-up today!. Off to the Bulldog Energy next door to the hotel. As I knew mike would love the design of the place.
From here we headed off to try looking for Dampkring again. Never found it but found ourselfs in Abraxas again instead as mike commented on how nice the shake was last time. I bought what was likely Jack Herrer as, as good as ever from there. The Coffee went down a treat with a smoke of that stuff!.

Notes missing again but I recall that we went to Slaines (irish bar) for something to eat before we headed out to Centrall Station to go the footy stadium tour. But I did recall we stopped off at probably The Coin. Where I got what was possable Temple Ball?. Had that with another fine coffee. But when noting Hill Street Blues again we had to nip in for a beer and a joint. Another mixed for me and a pre-rolled for mike.

The Ajax football stadium tour was as good if not better than the last time. This guide seemed to be that little more informed about the club than the 1 we had the previous time. Mike even got the current away shirt for the club to.

Upon coming back we headed back to Central Coffeeshop. Mike got the pre-rolled again while I settled for something I have no notes for. Kind of freaked out seeing an Arriva bus pass the window in the same way I would back home. Deffo good shit untill mike pointed the Arriva bus out to (neither knew Arriva had a persence in Holland)!. Strange how you dont expect to see these things in another country lol.

It was qute reasonable weather today as I recall compared to quite a bit of rain for the first part of the trip. We decided to go back to the hotel to get cleaned up early for a longer evening. about 6pm we were in the hotel bar having the first smoke of the evening mixed joint for me. Kind of loving the idea of mixing my buys up to get a more unique feeling from the result. Me and mike both comment as we go on the net for 15 mins
how we have not really bothered with using it on this trip. I'm like yeah, but you cant smoke at home like you can in Amsterdam. So it's better the make the most of what you can do in Amsterdam than you cant or dont do back home. A little early for tea for us so we decide to try some of the more local bars than the toruist based ones. Found 2 as I recall and I still remember thinking how much more of a better feeling of
Amsterdam you get from drinking in the local bars than the more themed bars in town. Not that the beer was any cheaper sadly lol.

By about 19.30 we are back in Durty Nellys (certainly a faverate eating hole for us by now) where I probably had a burger again. I'd had several drinks by now so decide to stay on the cola for a while as I had quite some smoking to do.

Deciding on wanting to try at least 2 new coffeeshops we go off for a walk and head to the Red Light Bar. I knew it to be on the more expensive side from other visits but do I care as it was the last night as it is a well rated place for me!. Bought something from there, but again I have no notes for. Mike seemed very happy with the pre-rolled from what I think was the vending machine as I recall. We stay for 2 smokes and drinks here as the place had a great buzz about it with some great music and a decent number of people in.

I recall getting talking to some people from Scotland about football. We got into a debate about if there 2 top teams Celtic and Rangers should be going into the English Premiership to play football. Dont recall on what we decided for some reason?.

From here we have a little look round the RLD and headed into the Old Sailor for a beer. Recall that we then ended up in Popeye after originally intending in going to Barneys. I think I bought either the White Widdow or Super Silver Haze, prob something different altogether lol. We then ended up in Prix D'ami. I recall this as it was'nt untill tonight I realised we had been in here previousy. Feeling pushed into buying something from the dealer I settled for a pre-rolled which I gave to mike for him as a spare as I dont like them. Think he paid for the coffee instead.

From there we settle on our old faverate of Hill Street Blues for the last stop of the night. I prob made 1 last buy of the trip here but not to sure. We stayed here untill about closing time. Well we only had time for 1 smoke and 2 drinks anyway. Mike again decides it's food time so we head to his faverate round from the hotel. I think we somehow ended in the hotel bar eating somehow?. I prob had a drink and 2 final smokes for the day as I recall playing checkers with mike and we both kept forgetting whose go it was lol. Then watching some film on the leather sofa not being able to understand a thing as there was no volume on the tv and nobody could be arsed getting up to look for the remore or asking the staff to sort it!.

Little recolection of anything untill we were in Slaines about 10.30 the next morning having a nice big fried breakfast. But certainly had a joint in the hotel before we headed out. I know we went to Hill Street Blues for 1 last time. Where we had 2 final beers and 2 joints to try using up the last of my gear. Not quite so, as after a last walk round the place we go back to the hotel and have a final smoke to use up what we both had left. Think I prob rolled both of us a mixed joint just to get rid of it. Easy trip to the airport but I did get searched for looking like I was still stoned for some reason lol. Of cause bought the tobbaco for back home and that was it.

Trip thoughts:

As we fly back over Amsterdam to Liverpool and looking over such a fine city, I have the sinking feeling that due to a recent change in my lifestyle that it would possably be the last time I may visit this fine city for a very long time or if ever at all.

Probably smoked more and drank more than I mentioned in my report.

Forgot places I went to or coffeeshops I visited for the first time or those I dont recall visiting that were or are faverates.

Dissapointed I never took far more photos than I did. More dissapointed that we, for the third trip running never got to Haarlem!.

Happy that I did go in the first place in the only chance I would have had to go.

Hoping I'll 1 day return to my personel mecca and enjoy all once again. 1 day I'll return, yes I'll return 1 day. Untill then I must recall the great times, the good times and every other time I've ever spent in Amsterdam in 5 visits there. That way I can recall my current thoughts if ever I do return to my faverate city at that time.