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There was a moment that happened every time, regardless of how the journey had gone. The last formality finally fulfilled, and suddenly there was nothing left to manage. Just the city and the knowledge that I could walk into any coffeeshop, make a purchase, sit down among other happy people and enjoy it. That moment was the ritual. Everything before it was just transportation.

Three visits to Amsterdam, each in spring, each with its own texture. The I AMsterdam letters at Museumplein. The coffeeshops. And forty bronze iguanas arranged across a small lawn near Leidseplein as if they had simply settled there of their own accord. The most unique work of art I have ever seen, and the reason I came back a second time.

The full essay is here: https://medium.com/@dra999.2020/three-s ... 596d425c4b

Wow. That was awesome. Really beautifully written and lots of bits that resonated with me. Thanks so much x

Such a great read, thank you. Through the ups and downs of life, Mother Dam is always waiting to catch you.

Fantastic read mate.

Brought back some nice memories.

Thanks

HitTheNorth wrote: Thu 2nd Apr 2026 07:25 pm Wow. That was awesome. Really beautifully written and lots of bits that resonated with me. Thanks so much x

Hey man!

Really glad it landed that way with you. Thanks for reading.

Make the Most of It!

DRA

FitZerOy wrote: Thu 2nd Apr 2026 09:11 pm Such a great read, thank you. Through the ups and downs of life, Mother Dam is always waiting to catch you.

Mother Dam is always waiting. That's it exactly. Thanks for reading.

Make the Most of It!

DRA

Jolly wrote: Thu 2nd Apr 2026 10:41 pm Fantastic read mate.

Brought back some nice memories.

Thanks

My Friend! The man himself!

I'm really glad it brought back good memories. I saw your message on your name in the essay and I've thought about it. jollylittlehun is who you were in that moment and that's the name that belongs in the story. Changing it would feel like editing history. Hope you can see it that way too. Thanks for being part of it and thanks for reading.

Make the Most of It!

DRA

Thank you DRA - what a great read. Your essay and the many travelogues on this forum uniquely capture Amsterdam and the Coffeeshop scene from the stoner view - See you @ 420?

talkrum wrote: Sun 5th Apr 2026 12:05 am Thank you DRA - what a great read. Your essay and the many travelogues on this forum uniquely capture Amsterdam and the Coffeeshop scene from the stoner view - See you @ 420?

Thank you talkrum, that means a lot. This forum and its travelogues were part of what kept Amsterdam alive for me between visits. Now, it's an honor to add something to that tradition.

Sadly 4/20 in Amsterdam is not in the cards for me this year. But I'll be toking one in the spirit of it wherever I am.

Make The Most of It.

DRA

I’d been visiting Amsterdam since 1998, first with my friend Danny Blunt. Spring trips, New Year’s Eve trips, enough visits that I knew my way around without being able to blend in completely. Danny Blunt died in Amsterdam in November 2001. I kept going back alone.

The full essay is here: https://medium.com/@dra999.2020/three-s ... 596d425c4b

Your 3 springs article really reminded me of the time when there was this 'golden triangle' in dam of voyagers, utopia and batavia, the forums, the indefatiguable stan (shout out stan hope you are doing well and smoking up a storm), cool budtenders like andy and ingi and others in those places. It seemed there was a glue that held everything together, made it feel like home for a lot of people. I never made it for 420 but I know I've met a few of you. Lots of change since then. Utopia long gone, voyagers now soulless, forums quiet. I just read that they;ve demolished the pancake carousel restaurant on weteringschans (a fave!) But, I still make the trip occasionally. I'm going in June in fact.
Thanks for the writeup

puffpuffgive wrote: Thu 9th Apr 2026 09:26 pm Your 3 springs article really reminded me of the time when there was this 'golden triangle' in dam of voyagers, utopia and batavia, the forums, the indefatiguable stan (shout out stan hope you are doing well and smoking up a storm), cool budtenders like andy and ingi and others in those places. It seemed there was a glue that held everything together, made it feel like home for a lot of people. I never made it for 420 but I know I've met a few of you. Lots of change since then. Utopia long gone, voyagers now soulless, forums quiet. I just read that they;ve demolished the pancake carousel restaurant on weteringschans (a fave!) But, I still make the trip occasionally. I'm going in June in fact.
Thanks for the writeup

The golden triangle. That's exactly the right way to describe it. There was something about that particular configuration of places, and the people in them, that made it feel less like tourism and more like returning to somewhere that knew you. Ingi appears in the essay for exactly that reason.

Not everything has gone. The forty bronze iguanas at Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen were removed for a few years during construction, but they were reinstalled in April 2021. Still there.

Enjoy June. Some things are still worth the trip.

Make the Most of It

DRA

Great, well-written read. Thank you. My family is really missing AMS.

LLMReb wrote: Tue 21st Apr 2026 05:43 pm Great, well-written read. Thank you. My family is really missing AMS.

Thank you for reading. There is something about Amsterdam that gets into people and stays there. It sounds like your family knows exactly what that feels like. Some places are worth missing.

Make the Most of It