I have nagged and nagged, because I’m a curious soul. Coldfire, under duress, is taking me to my first coffeeshop. Like many Californians, this won’t be the first experience for me, but let’s say the experience was… lacking. Hopefully, this will be something to remember, not something that makes me sleepy. Or bored, wondering why in the hell someone would want to do it anyway. Aren’t there better things to spend your money on? Like… food! Clothes! Chocolate! Wine! Either/or, if it’s better than my measly experience in the States, it won’t make a bit of difference when I get back, because my prior experience (although extremely limited) was pathetically lacking.
Anyway. After cooking butter, shallot and garlic stuffed chicken with a creamy mushroom and wine sauce, we are off. Not too shabby a meal, great wine and, of course, fabulous company (my dear Coldfire), we are taking the tram downtown.
Just another pointless piece of information I wanted to share. I’ll tell you what it’s like when we get back. Or maybe later.
While you are in Amsterdam, see if you can get to a Middle Eastern restaurant called Nomad (I think). You sit on a large circular bed, the waitress will bring very good food and drinks, a lady comes around and gives you a foot massage and you can smoke (there is a coffee shop on the corner where you can buy). I had a great time when I last went and it certainly isn’t like any other restaurant I’ve been too.
Out here, in the eastern suburbs, coffee shop(pe)s are similar to luncheonettes: With a griddle behind the counter where Greasy Nick (or Smokey Joe if you prefer) spit on the grill at 4am to make sure it’s hot enough and from that moment on, until 10AM, slings eggs, french toast, pankcakes, hash browns and other assorted heart-attacks on a plate. You can talk to the drunks, commuters and flirt with the waitresses wearing the little pearl thing clipped on her sweter.
The place you describe, sans food, sounds more like a coffee house.
My A’dam coffeeshop experience was unrememorable. I was alone in town for a business trip and had the weekend to myself. Unfortunately I wasn’t prepared for how strong the stuff was. I rolled a fattie of Skunk and started to smoke away…About four hits in I realized that this was pretty strong stuff and I should probably quit. About 2 minutes later I was just capable of processing my thoughts to say “Gee, I think I should go back to my hotel.” I gathered my things and walked to the door. It was then that I realized I was so far gone I couldn’t remember how to get back to my hotel. So I said “Tomcat my friend, you better hope your auto-pilot is working today.” I took one step forward and that is the last thing I remember until I was looking up at my hotel ??? minutes/hours laters.
I would like to try it again, but with some friends and moderation.
My first time - I made sure to say “the weakest spliff on the menu” coz that 'dam weed is strong as hell. It was pre-rolled and accompanied by a large cold beer. A nice mellow buzz and not at all unpleasant (I am prone to stoned paranoia). It’s also the only place I’ve been where you can still get Afghan, which I consider the king of hash.
Friends of mine made the mistake of asking for the strongest doobie on the menu. They were meant to be going to the Van Gogh museum, but ended up standing in the street for three hours looking at a map and saying “you are here” over and over again. And another friend who ended up chasing his hotel down the bank of a canal. Neither of which is as bad as the guys I know who took 'shrooms just after they arrived, ended up trying to get a hotel room at a bureau de change, and when they finally found accommodation, staying in their room for three days and having to go straight back to England…
We started out at a nice Irish pub in downtown Amsterdam. I had a cider, while Coldfire had a Guinness. We had a couple of drinks before heading out. The first coffeeshop was sleazy looking. Yuck. The second one, which was nice, was also full. We ended up at the Bulldog, which I guess is a historical place. We get a couple of pre-fabs and after a while, I’m thinking we got screwed out of our money. Until I look at my boyfriend’s face and see that he is very pale (more than usual) and perspiring like crazy. I’m still waiting… Finally, he says, “Let’s go.” It’s obvious who got the buzz and it wasn’t me.
Bleh. So, off we go. He’s ready to fall asleep and I’m trying to figure out if I did it wrong, even though my throat is burning like wildfire. I’m unaffected and irritated as hell, because, hey, this is supposed to be my experience, right? My “experience” consisted of watching him sleep the sleep of the just while I went back to the computer to see what was happening online.
Oh well, if it’s any comfort, my sole coffeeshop experience was equally underwhelming. (Apart from the fact that it happened in the company of a pair of moderately deranged German lesbians and a very stoned-looking Golden Retriever; certainly the most improbable set of individuals I have ever partied with.)
Well, Heloise, I had similar early experiences with it. Of course, this is way back when I was in high school and wasting my youth, but I suffered no effects (other than that stupid sore throat) whatsoever until probably the fifth time I smoked.
Then, I laid on a floor and ate an entire bag of those Hershey’s Hugs.
Don’t go to the bulldog. It’s a tourist trap. I’m sure you’ve visited the red-light district [everyone does, when in A’dam]. The small streets nearby offer excellent coffeeshops.
You mentioned that this was only your third time smoking; many people need to smoke it on a number of occasions before it “hits” them. Not to encourage further smokage if its not your thing, but it might be worth giving it another couple of tries if you’d really like to experience it.
Hmmmmmm…I haven’t been in Amsterdam since 1980, when I visited the Melkveg. You and Coldy were probably still in short pants then. It’s long since closed, am I correct?
Lots of the strong resiny stuff, mixed with tobacco, smoked in a chillum.
Rock band on one floor, jazz combo on another. Hitchcock’s Saboteur screening on a third.
Well, we did take one pre-fab home with us, since we didn’t hang around long at Bulldog after the first one. I told Coldfire I wanted to try it some night when we hadn’t been drinking, that way I would know if there was an effect or not. I don’t know if the amount we had to drink had anything to do with interfering with the experience.
