Where to go? Amsterdam

[NewSchoolExplorer]

I will be going to Amsterdam for three days and would like FCer’s input on what places to see and what coffee shops to visit. I will be staying near Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal & Raadhuisstraat.

Current Places of Interest:

Van Gogh museum
Barney's Coffee Shop (Haarlemmerstraat, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
The Green House Centrum Coffeeshop (super sliver haze; Oudezijds Voorburgwal 191, 1012 EW Amsterdam, Netherlands)

What are some must see Amsterdam places that I can cover in two days (the other day is a half day in which I have to leave)?

 

[tepictoton]

barney's in my opnion sucks

green house, don't get me started

if you are staying at oudezijdsvoorburgwal then check out green place, most of the time they have at least one good Kush strain, and they always had the nichest cheese (L.A. Cheese or silver cheese).

then be sure to visit voyagers, also pretty nice strains mostly

and then there is grey area, always worth a visit too

can always look on coffeshopdirectory forum under the section shops(no need to register or anything). This will give you an overview of what they have in the shops.

 

[J.R.R.Tokin']

Coffee shops I like:
Siberie
Amnesia
Grey Area
De Dapkring
Barneys - If you really want to check it out go for breakfast. A bit pricey but nice to have some bacon with a burn/vape

Sights of interst:
Ann Franks House Museum
Reichs(?) Museum - Right by the VG museum.
Definitely do a canal boat tour

Places to eat:
Humphreys - Great place for a damn good 3 course dinner at decent prices.
Pancake House - Head there for breakfast/ lunch for a massive selection of sweet and savoury pancakes.
China Town has streets full of very good Chinese

HAve fun

 

[JeeSee]

Man oh man... After living a year of my life in the 'Dam I can't compress everywhere you want to go in one post about two days. But shoot me a PM and I'd be eager to answer any queries - I know the city inside out.

 

[djonkoman]

when are you going?
on june 17th there is an event in the westerpark, cannabisbevrijdingsdag(cannabis liberationday), with speakers, music and there will also be a stand with vaporizers.
never went there before but planning on going this year

@J.R.R. tokin: it's rijksmuseum, wouldn't use that spelling here in the netherlands, reich is german and especially the word reich calls up memories of WW2(when we were occupied by germany)

 

[max]

Better be careful. The authorities are really cracking down on foreigners seeking out 'coffee shops'.

 

[quentin123]

Styx coffeeshop on utrechstraat (I think thats it) always has nice bud, is comfier then most other places I've been. Their made in house "gunpowder" hash is a personal favourite.

I also recommend the Kashmir Lounge, its a bit out of central but it has very friendly prices and so so LOVELY black creamy hash's mmmmm.

Oh and if theres one thing to do in Amsterdam that is a MUST its rent a bicycle. At first the city can be a bit intimidating with the madness and rushing and constant flow of traffic but once your on a bike it all makes sense. Very rapid for getting around as well.

 

[JeeSee]

Better be careful. The authorities are really cracking down on foreigners seeking out 'coffee shops'.

From what I've heard, that's only in specific cities like Maastricht. With Amsterdam being the hub of their tourist trade and the latter being a nice chunk of their economy, they wouldn't exactly shut it down. Besides, all it'll do is give rise to a new class of petty criminal that buys pot at coffeeshops and sells it for an overhead only because he's Dutch.

 

[Greenscreen]

Better be careful. The authorities are really cracking down on foreigners seeking out 'coffee shops'.

be careful of what exactly?
the wietpass (banning of tourist buying weed) is set to come into law in 2013 but as the dutch coalition government has recently collapsed there is set to be an election so this law is not definite to come in yet (fingers crossed it doesn't!)..
until then its business as usual in Amsterdam, meaning anyone over the age of 18 is allowed to carry up to 5grams of weed legally and not get any hassle whatsoever (tourist or not)..

If i was to go to the Dam tomorrow the 3 coffeeshop's I'd be looking to spend my time would be

1. Paradox
2. Best friends 2 (previously coffeeshop extreme)
3. Coffeeshop Anyday

Both 1+2 have a volcano each, and coffeeshop anyday has Verdamper's on most tables upstairs.. All 3 have wonderfully polite nice staff and great clean well flushed buds.
My one piece of advice would be if your not liking the way your being treated in a coffeeshop by staff (some hate tourists and some just dislike being at work ) then leave and go somewhere else, there are plenty of other nice places to be chilling if you get hassle from anyone out there..
Hope you have a really great time!
Oh and as said above, avoid the commercial overpriced tourist trap coffee shops!

 

[JeeSee]

If you get the time, go down to Trinity just off Weesperstraat. Mmm, their Bubblegum strain is to die for. Also, you could get a bit of pool playing done there if you're interested. Piece of warning though - the somber-looking aged employees love playing their Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears.

 

[djonkoman]

what griff9 said, and to add on that the weedcard is already implemented in the south.
as you can see on this map:
http://www.kaartenenatlassen.nl/files/Kaart Nederland school_nieuwekleuren.jpg

maastricht is our most southern city.
while amsterdam is in the middle/north
(and I myself are close to leeuwarden, in the north)
the weedcard is now(since may) implemented in the 3 most southern provinces, zeeland, noord-brabant and limburg.
the rest will follow in january 2013, unless our next goverenment has some brains for a change

 

[tepictoton]

on the weedpass...tuesday the judge will say what he thinks about it during the trial set up by easy going(former shop in Maastricht)...good to know, Maastricht has become the 3th most violent city of Holland in one month time(used to be around 10th)...

 

[djonkoman]

ah didn't know that, curious what the judge will say.
btw, an example of the political way of thinking.. the mayor of maastricht is still saying the new measures are a success, because the police is getting 4 times more complaints about dealing. according to him this is a sign that the citizens are more involved with the prosecuting, and so report to the police more often.

 

[tepictoton]

well, would be good idea to ask these freaks what they have for a definition of 'overlast' so they cannot keep on turning round and round like this...

 

[NewSchoolExplorer]

Thank you guys for your input I have not been able to have access to the web here in Germany. Also Amsterdam's tourst ban will not go into affect til 2013 and even than most coffee shop owners will not follow it, taking it to the court and fighting it but either way its legal now and I am just trying to plan a ideal vacation. Hopefully I can get a decent connection later on to comment on exactly what shops I will be going to.

 

[VaporEyeSore]

Better be careful. The authorities are really cracking down on foreigners seeking out 'coffee shops'.

Dont worry there are NO problems in Amsterdam for tourists buying weed.

 

[JeeSee]

Although my favourite coffeeshop is probably either Gray Area or the Dampkring, these aren't the once I always frequented. My weekly hang and buy was usually done at the Bluebird, a wonderful place right off Waterlooplein (I lived close by on Weesperstraat). They have some great Volcanos and amazing strains. I can't stress enough that you'd do well to visit it. Another wonderful place to buy is De Rokerij. I never really stopped there for a smoke (now I wonder why) but they usually had some flavourful hash you could buy offhand with your eyes closed - their quality does not flag. I personally avoided two chains - the Bulldog (as any self-respecting Hollander will tell you to do) and Green House (although a couple of my friends who've grown up in the 'Dam swear by it). All Green Houses have, in my opinion, sub-par service and extremely high priced strains that usually aren't worth the money. Another advantage of all the coffeeshops I recommended (excluding Gray Area and Dampkring - which is why, like I said, I didn't frequent them) is that I managed to experiment with all their strains on mainly a student budget, so they aren't (unlike Barney's) on the steeper side. But to be fair, I've only been to Barney's once to sit down... and I was tripping on some hardcore acid. I remember telling the guy behind the counter that he made some amazing music and took Pink Floyd where it was, so he shouldn't be sad he was dead ( I thought he was Syd Barrett ).
Anyway, I'm rambling. I honestly think you should avoid most coffeeshops in the Red Light District, Rembrandtplein, Leidseplien, Centraal Station area or places jam packed with tourists, they tend to be substandard.
Explore and enjoy, don't buy drugs off the road from anyone!

 

[Greenscreen]

I can't stress enough that you'd do well to visit it. Another wonderful place to buy is De Rokerij.

just to let you know all of De Rokerij coffeeshops have been shut down. I believe the coffeeshop owner was sourcing his product by importing it in himself and is in quite a bit of trouble for doing so..
Grey area and Dampkring are nice coffeeshops but still a little on the tourist side of things in my opinion.. If it was me I'd definitely stop in both but I think there are nicer more out the way coffee-shops to spend your time in.

 

[tepictoton]

hmm that's kind of sad to hear, then again...I have seen them go from my prefered shop for bud to just average...I still remember the days when they had this northern light5XHaze...only good buy I made there in the past few years was some of their chocolope...still pitty, especially since the rokerij at jordaanplein really was one of the most beautiful shops...

nobody mentioned 'de 2de kamer'yet, it is one of the dampkring shops, located in a little ally at the end of the spuistraat(far end from station). They had some really nice cheese there for a while...haven't been there for over a year now to be honest.

Will be going to amsterdam myself on saturday

 

[Greenscreen]

hmm that's kind of sad to hear, then again...I have seen them go from my prefered shop for bud to just average...I still remember the days when they had this northern light5XHaze...only good buy I made there in the past few years was some of their chocolope...still pitty, especially since the rokerij at jordaanplein really was one of the most beautiful shops...

nobody mentioned 'de 2de kamer'yet, it is one of the dampkring shops, located in a little ally at the end of the spuistraat(far end from station). They had some really nice cheese there for a while...haven't been there for over a year now to be honest.

Will be going to amsterdam myself on saturday

Twede Kamer is a beautiful shop, definitely a must visit for me.. prefer that to the original dampkring
have a great time and vape some for me!!

 

[bleak]

I live in Amsterdam, and my fave coffeeshop is Anyday. Extensive menu, reasonable prices, and they have Verdampers both downstairs and upstairs! You just ask for the bowl when you order your weed, and the Verdampers are ready to use.

Another vote for Voyagers. They have a Volcano.

For up-to-date info about the best weed, coffeeshops etc check the Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory forums - http://coffeeshopdirect.info/index.php

Right now I'm vaping some Hindu Kush from Anyday, very tasty weed, 100% indica!!

I wouldn't go to Barneys, its overpriced!

 

[tepictoton]

went there yesterday...found anydays way to expansive and couldn't find anything very interesting

went acros the street to coffeeshop mediteranee and they had some lovely blue cheese

Also went into Utopia for the first time (acros the street from homegrownfantasy) and was pleasantly surprised by their kandy kush, and also their kush berry

also picked up soem chocolope and some blueberry cheese from green place and some white og, al very nice and good.

I guess it also depends on what yu are looking for, I'm a die hard kush fan with a little side dish of cheese :-)

 

[NewSchoolExplorer]

I live in Amsterdam, and my fave coffeeshop is Anyday. Extensive menu, reasonable prices, and they have Verdampers both downstairs and upstairs! You just ask for the bowl when you order your weed, and the Verdampers are ready to use.

Another vote for Voyagers. They have a Volcano.

For up-to-date info about the best weed, coffeeshops etc check the Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory forums - http://coffeeshopdirect.info/index.php

Right now I'm vaping some Hindu Kush from Anyday, very tasty weed, 100% indica!!

I wouldn't go to Barneys, its overpriced!

Thank you so much. If you happen to have some free time perhaps we can meet up as I do not know anyone lol. Either way thanks for the information. Peace and Pot


(btw I have not vaped in over a month now that I am abroad in germany and my tolerance will be SOOOO low)

 

[bleak]

Thank you so much. If you happen to have some free time perhaps we can meet up as I do not know anyone lol. Either way thanks for the information. Peace and Pot


(btw I have not vaped in over a month now that I am abroad in germany and my tolerance will be SOOOO low)

For sure, lets meet up and vape up! PM me the dates you're in Amsterdam, hopefully I'm in town.

 

[NewSchoolExplorer]

@bleak I am not sure if you read my PM but I sent you my dates. I really like your photography.

So after doing some research I narrowed my coffeeshops of interest into these place:

De Dapkring
Voyagers
Green Place
Grey Area (small shop)
Basjoe

Utopia / Coffeeshop 137
Paradox
420/de Kuil
Katsu
Siberie
Amnesia