Hit The North Does It Again

[avfc-herbalist]

Brilliant read HTN! Loving the visits to old coffeeshops just to see what they're like nowadays. The Free City building looked a lot better with the big face in my opinion is it a residential building now mate?

Oh, and big thanks again for the coasters and stickers HTN The 50 years of The Bulldog coaster completed my set.

20260415_084523.jpg

Looking forward to the next instalment mate. Thanks for the write up.

[BongHug82]

Great read HTN thank you. Getting me excited for next trip.

[HitTheNorth]

Brilliant read HTN! Loving the visits to old coffeeshops just to see what they're like nowadays. The Free City building looked a lot better with the big face in my opinion is it a residential building now mate?

Oh, and big thanks again for the coasters and stickers HTN The 50 years of The Bulldog coaster completed my set.
20260415_084523.jpg

Looking forward to the next instalment mate. Thanks for the write up.

I definitely want to visit more ex coffeeshops in future. I should get a list together. Any requests?

No worries my friend, I so enjoyed swiping what I could, gave me a mission. That helps when I'm solo as without missions it gets even more haphazard.

[HitTheNorth]

Great read HTN thank you. Getting me excited for next trip.

Thanks @BongHug82. Have you got one booked?

[HitTheNorth]

DAY 4

“I think it’s over now, I think it’s ending” Coming Down - The United States Of America

Last day, let’s make the most of it.

I take breakfast as usual at the hostel and then head out for real breakfast. Relax isn’t too far away, I’ve not been here before and I want to ask them about the smashed window I saw last trip. I wander up the sleepy Brouwersgracht and hang a right onto Binnen Oranjestraat.I get a gram of Old Amsterdam by Dream Bros, it’s fine. I ask about the window and they tell me someone tried to break into their other shop in the south, the glazing company are on Marnixstraat and that’s why it was there. I take a seat in the window with a coffee, skin up and take photos of last nights purchases I still have left, enjoyed it in here, bud tenders were really friendly and it’s a great spot for people watching.

20250827_084404.jpg

From Relax I mooch over to Mr K, taking photos as I go.

20250827_094431.jpg

At 8:37AM I stopped canal side for a smoke and saw this guy in a full suit crashed out on an armchair that had been dumped on the road. Rough night mate?

passed-out.jpg

At Mr K I get a gram of OZK which wasn’t great to be honest, sat downstairs at the big table, I was the only customer. And now it’s no more. After a joint and a coffee it’s back to the hostel to check out and chuck my case in the luggage room.

I take a walk down to Vondelpark to smoke up some buds, the weather is hot and sunny again, lovely. I’ve got a bit to get through but a mans gotta do and all that. I sit in a little kind of circular garden with benches just next to where van Baerlestraat crosses the park. I always come here, not too far in and it’s usually pretty quiet. I take some photos of the cool street art on the wall behind me.

20250827_104911.jpg

20250827_104928.jpg

I notice there’s a door in the wall of the van Baerlestraat flyover thing and people are arriving and entering, they looked like park workers, gardeners, litter pickers etc and this was the place they keep all the tools and wheelbarrows and stuff. In a city often so overwhelmed by tourists I always find it interesting when I notice a little slice of the day to day that keeps the place ticking. Onwards

I head back up to the hostel to pick up my bag and make a little tour of Siberie for Acai Smoothie and 7th Heaven for some Dark Matter. I also have a photo of Laffy Taffy something-or-other Pineapple is it? I have no recollection of buying this, don’t even recognise the baggie, but possibly also from Siberie, maybe Family First - they have black baggies. I also get another cake from Drew’s, may as well, they’re the same kinda price as non medicated cake so why not eh?

20250827_124418.jpg

It’s time to haul my skinny ass back to Blighty.

Summary

I’ve had a great time, lots of walking as per, new routes to old places, old routes to new places. Visiting shops I’ve never been to before is always a big motivation for me, so I’ve crossed a few more off the list. Relax , Black Star and Sinsemilla I’ll definitely come back to. Even 96 if I was in the area.

The rosin experiment was interesting. Got them donuts nailed - win. Wasn’t keen on the flavour of that Honey Banana, but that’s my own fault, as I've already mentioned, I don't like banana. And I don't like honey either! Dickhead . My favourite was the Gushi from Grey Area.

Hostel was fine again, breakfast being included for so cheap is a real plus, it’s my go to place to stay when I’m solo now. It’s the Budget Tourist Hotel Inn on Spuistraat, great location too.

I love me a bit of art but when I’m in town I never hit the galleries these days, I’m here for the weed and the vibes. And there’s no need to really, there’s so much public art to find. Art Zuid on its own meant a fair amount of art has been absorbed even without the random sculptures dotted around the parks and streets of the city.

Obviously the obligatory Mokum weirdness has been observed, it’s not as weird as it used to be, but it’s still fucking weird!. The guy with the trumpet on the boat outside Suzie’s was top! I got a video but I don’t know how to post it.

It was great to hook up with @welshmansbeard and @talkrum, I very much enjoyed hanging out and chatting to you both. It’s made me even more determined to do 420 one day. Also collecting gubbins for @avfc_herbalist was fun, one night I was close to swiping an ashtray from outside Abraxas but thought better of it, I'm not that cheeky really. He wanted a 50 years of the Bulldog coaster for his collection which I managed to get. Tried to get stickers, coasters, flyers etc from everywhere I went that had any. It got me to a few places I'd either never been or not been to in a while. Completely unprovoked, Mr Herbalist then sent me a copy of the Smokers Guide 2014 in return. How lovely! Thank you sir! I've never owned a Smokers Guide so was absolutely thrilled, what a kind gesture. This forum, this community is so fucking cool - bringing people together in a shared passion like this is a beautiful thing. Long Live ACD!

I do need to sort out my evenings in future though, I just end up wandering around aimlessly instead of having a proper plan and the night just ebbs away. In my defence, I’m usually pretty stoned by evening and well, we all know how that goes…

Best Weed:

Yellow Zushi - Green Place
Skillati - Drew’s
Limelight - Green Place
Tangie - Chapiteau
Acai Smoothie - Siberie

Every trip different, every trip the same. Until next time, thanks for reading. Peace x

20250824_181314.jpg

20250825_145407.jpg

20250827_085814.jpg

20250825_145407.jpg

[free_phil_spector]

Sounds like a decent last day!

I do need to sort out my evenings in future though, I just end up wandering around aimlessly instead of having a proper plan and the night just ebbs away. In my defence, I’m usually pretty stoned by evening and well, we all know how that goes…

I dunno if you're a drinker too, but on my solo trips I would generally go coffeeshopping in the day, then head back to the hotel late afternoon for a couple of hours kip. Then I'd go out for a night's drinking and blazing in the numerous smoke friendly bars around Centrum. It gave the trips a good vibe. Chilled stoning in the day and a bit of partying in the evenings. But I've not been back to Amsterdam since Covid and judging by what I read on here, that plan doesn't sound like much of an option these days.

[HitTheNorth]

Sounds like a decent last day!

I do need to sort out my evenings in future though, I just end up wandering around aimlessly instead of having a proper plan and the night just ebbs away. In my defence, I’m usually pretty stoned by evening and well, we all know how that goes…

I dunno if you're a drinker too, but on my solo trips I would generally go coffeeshopping in the day, then head back to the hotel late afternoon for a couple of hours kip. Then I'd go out for a night's drinking and blazing in the numerous smoke friendly bars around Centrum. It gave the trips a good vibe. Chilled stoning in the day and a bit of partying in the evenings. But I've not been back to Amsterdam since Covid and judging by what I read on here, that plan doesn't sound like much of an option these days.

Hey Phil. I used to be a really heavy drinker. It wasn't great. I never got aggressive or anything, I was a happy drunk but it was too much.
I gave up alcohol completely for 2 or 3 years. Now I can drink occasionally and then not touch it for weeks.
Amsterdam visits are one of these times. And my days sound similar to yours. Intense ciffeeshopping during the day, barhopping and occasional purchases at night.
Smoker bars haven't changed from my experience despite reports stating it wasn't allowed anymore. All the warmoestraat bars I went in allowed weed.
I don't bother with a kip though Although I do nip back for a shower sometimes. I guess it's just a different method to a similar end

[BongHug82]

Great read HTN thank you. Getting me excited for next trip.

Thanks @BongHug82. Have you got one booked?

I do mate, going out beginning of May for my mates birthday. I’m aiming to get out for 420 next year.

Thanks again for the write up. Hopefully our paths can cross there one day for some donuts and pen hits

[avfc-herbalist]

What a great finish to your travelogue HTN

Really enjoyed reading through it, as I do with all your reports! Brilliant photos, loved the black and white shots.

Thank you for taking the time mate.

Long Live ACD, indeed!