NotSoIncognito in Utrecht

[NotSoIncognito]

I've had my eye on a Utrechtian excursion for some time, and today is the day!

The train is 16.20 return from Central. Takes around 20 mins. We are heading out South east, back past the hotel.

See you in Utrecht!

NSI

[Papi]

I've had my eye on a Utrechtian excursion for some time, and today is the day!

The train is 16.20 return from Central. Takes around 20 mins. We are heading out South east, back past the hotel.

See you in Utrecht!

NSI

Go to T'Grasje Coffeeshop

[NotSoIncognito]

Boring train journey to Utrecht later, I emerge into Utrecht Central station. It is attached to a huge shopping mall, but wander through that and you end up in quite a pretty town. It's pretty much shut on mondays - the museum's are closed today, many of the shops are shut this Monday morning. Wired.

But Coffeeshop Andersom is open. At street level is the dealers booth. A handful of weeds up to about 12 or 13, and 4 hashes. I get some superpolm to see what they are made of!

Downstairs is a great little rabbit warren of rooms decorated in a shabby bohemian manner. Old tables, not wobbly ( one of my bugbears), and a dozen or so people. A good mix of nationalities and some women smoking on their own. I like it!

I'll try the superpolm and let you know!

Laters

NSI

[NotSoIncognito]

I've had my eye on a Utrechtian excursion for some time, and today is the day!

The train is 16.20 return from Central. Takes around 20 mins. We are heading out South east, back past the hotel.

See you in Utrecht!

NSI

Go to T'Grasje Coffeeshop

That's the kind of clear advice I will have to follow!

Next stop T'Grasje!

[NotSoIncognito]

So the superpolm was ok, reasonable old school flavour but not very strong. Would do as long term stash, but not a proper treat!

Nice Coffeeshop. Try something else, menu-wise.

[Papi]

I've had my eye on a Utrechtian excursion for some time, and today is the day!

The train is 16.20 return from Central. Takes around 20 mins. We are heading out South east, back past the hotel.

See you in Utrecht!

NSI

Go to T'Grasje Coffeeshop

That's the kind of clear advice I will have to follow!

Next stop T'Grasje!

I can't vouch whether they'd open at that kind of hour, cause from what i remember they open after 2 pm i think. Check it online first, cause it's not in the dead center

[NotSoIncognito]

Walked to T'Grasje which is quite tricky to find. There is a shop called Odin. Turn past this and it is just on the right. No big sign. But it is shut on Sundays and Mondays.

I went past Wietstock on the way, which is part of Andersom (or vice versa), and had exactly the same menu. At the front it looked buy and fly, not sure if it had a cavernous smoking room behind the modest facade. Anything is possible.

So, I'll have a look at Lemming's map and select an alternative!

[Nuggz]

Can second t' Grasje rec from Papi.

Arguably my favorite coffeeshop beyond the confines of my Mokum bubble.

Opening hour is 13:00 IIRC.

Culture Boat is a nice enough ambience for the novelty and is a CS located close to pass some time until Grasje opens if you've already hoofed it out that way...

[NotSoIncognito]

Go to T'Grasje Coffeeshop

That's the kind of clear advice I will have to follow!

Next stop T'Grasje!

I can't vouch whether they'd open at that kind of hour, cause from what i remember they open after 2 pm i think. Check it online first, cause it's not in the dead center

Aah thanks Papi! It opens at 1 as Nugs has already pointed out, but that is also trumped by the quaint two days off at the weekend! It looks great fun from the outside - I'll have to come back on some future jolly.

I'll look at the culture boat as I do like a good boat!

Nice place Utrecht. Pleasant to look at. Interesting to explore, and the walk out to the extremities of the world according to ACD took about 15 minutes!

Laters

NSI

[NotSoIncognito]

Nice boat, but its also shut - opens at 1 like T'Grasje.

Not in the mood for hanging around, I plough on to the intriguingly named Pleasure and Freak.

[NotSoIncognito]

Pleasure filled with what I can only describe as local ruffians as I arrived, so I thought I would leave them to their pleasures and head on to Freak. Which was b&f only, although there might have been a closed room behind. I didn't trouble either do have no idea what was on the menu.

Disappointed with Utrecht I am back on the mokum train.

Overall view of Utrecht - sleepy and disinterested. I have no doubt T'Grasje is a cracker, as our friends have said, and Andersom was a good place to hang. The Culture boat looked like a fine spot to while away an afternoon. But a Monday lunchtime is not the slot to visit Utrecht if you want a smoke.

And there are not many shops in a quite boring place. I would rate Haarlem above Utrecht any day. Unless T'Grasje is open - 1pm onwards Tuesday to Saturday.

Onwards and upwards

NSI

[NotSoIncognito]

A brief tour round some of the RLD smoking bars. The weather has taken a turn for the worse, and it is pissing down. Completely unnecessary. The sort thats like a cold wet shower.

Hill Street Blues I start in. Looks like a bit of a dive, with something plastered all over the black walls - band posters and tickets and stuff. I get a high table in the back room. It is quite full of a mix of unsuspecting drinkers and hardcore smokers in their many guises. I felt pretty comfortable in there and even broke out the bukket. Boy am I getting blurry though! I have just about reached my limit.

I move on, a spring in my step. Wandering around the RLD, I have a massive grin across my face. Now in serious decline I return to Batavia where I am sitting as I type, drying out and sipping a natte.

[NotSoIncognito]

I'm outta here.

It's been a blast!

NSI

[CopenhagenCouple]

Thanks for the double feature TR Mr. In... I mean NSI! You do some very nice live reporting, not the random and often drunken babblings some of us post...

Sorry that Utrecht was a bit of a buzzkill, maybe another time...

CC

[NotSoIncognito]

Ta CC! Coherence is no doubt helped by travelling alone, although my new bukket thing proved a strong addition. 18 hours after my last smoke, and I am still floating around in a happy state.

Yes Utrecht didn't work out that well yesterday. Andersom was a cool place to hang though, and if T'Grasje is as it looks (1970/80s hippy throwback), I would love to drop by some time. The smokeboat would also have been fun, no doubt. Its a big old barge with a bar in the middle and two long smoking rooms with lots of potted plants and sunlight. Looked very relaxed.

Very accessible from mokum - just 20 mins or so on the train.

I have now been to Leiden, Haarlem, s'Hertogenbosch, and Utrecht. Leiden is evening only as the coffeeshops don't open until 5. It is a good place for a visit if you want culture tourism as well as Drugs Tourism. Nice museums, interesting place, its own distinctive feel. Haarlem is great for drugs tourists - lots of coffeeshops, very welcoming to the stoned! Also some culture to do! But no need given range of shops to experience. Utrecht, I reckon is weaker than Haarlem for smoke, and has a few museums. Den Bosch is outside the drugs tourist's world - wietpass only. Nice place though and top culture!

Remaining on my bucket list are Rotterdam, den Haag, Gronigen. All look worthy of a day trip from the Dam.

And in the holy city itself, using the very fine public transport system to explore the grubby underbelly of cannabis culture remains my favourite hobby! Jump on that no 3 tram, heading towards Baba. Any stop you choose will have 2 or 3 shops within easy reach.

I can't wait to get back there!

Laters. NSI.