Our flight is delayed by an hour but the pilot has his foot down in an attempt to make up some lost time.
We cross the coast at Zandvoort. The racetrack is hiding under the wing in this picture
For some reason we then overfly Schiphol, turn around and come back again.
Here we're crossing the Amstel, looking towards the Omval district with its Rembrandt Tower
Passport control holds us up some more so we reach Centraal Station over an hour later than hoped. At least the GVB ticket office is still open. Last year we got multi-day tram tickets on our phones, which were a pain to use. This year we are here to buy 6-day paper tickets.
Tickets in hand, we step out to look for a number 14 tram. Then I spot Gapie walking towards us from the station on his way to Batavia. Welcome to Amsterdam! We exchange greetings and agree to meet later before hoping onto a tram.
Amsterdam has a similar climate to the UK, where April is associated with showers. Despite that, most of our pilgrimages over the years have been blessed with improbably warm and sunny weather. Unfortunately our deal with the weather gods broke down a bit last year and the forecast for this year is no better.
It's cold and showery today. As we ride the tram, the sun breaks out and shines through the rain. Perfect conditions for rainbows and, sure enough, the gods have organised a beauty for us. Surely a good omen.
Damrak through tram window
Booking a hotel for this year, back in February, was tricky. Even the grottiest bug pits in the centre were ridiculously expensive. For a while we were considering places miles out at the end of a metro line or tram line. Eventually a place popped up in the Plantage area. Nicer than many and cheaper than most. It's also right next to a tram stop.
So, we step off the tram and straight into the hotel door.
It's soon time to meet the rest of the ACDers so we're out again and onto a tram to Rembrandtplein. Then it's up Utrechtsestraat to the little pair of Hunters, the bar and the coffeeshop, conveniently next door to each other.
Inside the bar it seems that we're the first to arrive. We get beers and set up at a table. Then I leave Igraine for a moment while I pop next door for supplies.
Hunter's Rembrandtsquare
The budtender recommends Tang Breath for our first smoke of the trip. I return with a bag of that and give it to Igraine to fill the Mighty while I send out a message to the rest of the crew to let them know we're here.
Next to arrive is DocGonzo. As we're chatting and catching up, messages come in from around the world. AzLaker on his way from USA, some in UK, SteveSec in The Hague. Closer to us, Occasional Bowl says he's on his way and Gapie is in Batavia with ProfessorEf. SammySarah and Trad say they're in Hunters. Turns out they're next door and moments later they're with us.
A serious session is soon in progress.
Hunter's Bar
On the right in this picture is a flyer for the cult film 'Pater Noster and The Mission of Light' that DocGonzo is involved with. I think the Dripwood pre-rolled is Trad's and it proves to be a remarkably smooth smoke.
I notice that the beer mats say Hunter's Grand Café. I guess these are left over from the short-lived bar just around the corner on Reguliersdwarsstraat that they opened a few years ago and then closed again.
It's worth noting that not all smoker's bars are the same. Some have various restrictions. This one is properly permissive, allowing anything legal. Combined with the coffeeshop right next door and several more nearby makes this a very nice place to spend an evening.
More supplies are soon required so I pop next door again and grab some G13 Amnesia.
We're joined by Occasional Bowl and Gapie. ProfessorEf doesn't make it today but says she'll catch up with us over the coming days.
As mentioned, we're surrounded by interesting coffeeshops so a raiding party is assembled for an expedition to Hashtag.
Hashtag
This is what used to be Barney's Lounge. We don't stay long but it looks like a smart little shop. Leaving with some Liberty Haze we stroll back via Rembrandtplein.
Back in Hunter's Bar, the rate of consumption is increasing. There are joints flying around all over the place. Gapie is rolling up various weeds with some sticky black hash and he and Trad are already competing to see who can devour the most. It's started!
Hunter's Bar
As usual, having mixed countless different strains, I can't tell you what was good and what wasn't. I noted that the Tang Breath was effective, if not the tastiest. After that, all I can say is that the combination of everything completely obliterated me.
When we finally stagger out, most of the crew are heading into the centre. Igraine and I are looking for chips and mayo. Seeing nothing obvious on Rembrandtplein, we join the others on a tram to Dam.
After walking SammySarah and Trad to their place on Warmoesstraat, we find some friets and head for our favourite bridge, Sint Jansbrug on Oudezijds Voorburgwal, to eat them. As we walk up the canal, I'm a bit confused. The Friet Point where we've previously stopped for chips but that was closed last year, is open again. This is good and noted for future evenings but we seem to have passed where the bridge should have been. Someone's nicked it!
Back at Dam we manage to catch the last tram back to our hotel. I think we can call our first night a success. We'll sleep well tonight. Zandvoort planned for tomorrow.
