Sidebar: I asked this writer if hookers really sat in windows
Bart,
In the "Red Light" district, the hookers do indeed
station themselves
in windows right on the street and hustle customers
as they walk by.
Because it's summer the windows are open, so you
*could* just
reach out and touch them, they're that close.
We walked through
the district during the day, so some of the windows
were vacant,
but the hookers we did see were pretty skanky
looking - not classy
or stylish at all. One had a lot of creepy red
pimples on her butt (Yuck-o-rama!)
and they all held cell phones to their ears.
Who were they talking to, I wondered.
Now, the only place you can buy pot and hash is
at one of
the many neighborhood bars designated "coffee
shop". So
you look for the Coffee Shop signs. They
have coffee and beer
and a big menu of grass and hash items either
for *here* or *to go*.
You can buy pre-rolled joints (with cool little
cardboard tips) or buy
by the gram. They have several grades of
pot and 2 of hash -
Moroccan or (shit, I can't remember what the
other was).
ha ha
Why go to Amsterdam and order the bad stuff?
Popular joints are combos - pot w/ hash
or hash w/ tobacco.
They have big bowls full of rolling papers -
free for the taking.
All the papers, and joints are HUGE.
ha ha
I don't think Southwest flies to Europe
The bartender will discuss how strong each pot
is, whether it's
more *mind* or *body* and stuff like that.
It's all very strong!
And prices are very reasonable.
One good hash/pot joint is good for 3 people
all day and night.
About $7.
I never needed more than one good toke at a time.
My brother did alot more, but then he almost
passed out once.
Pokerfest Amsterdam!
So, you can buy and smoke there, or take the stuff
home.
But you cannot smoke on the street. People do,
but it's
forbidden. On the other hand, you can stop
in at any
Coffee Shop and smoke your own at any time -
no need
to buy anything - it's nice and friendly. Good
music in
every single one we visited.
If Tulsa did this - think of the tourism dollars!
Remember in 2002 when Vegas considered legalizing
harmless flowers?
The republicans and the chuirches went anti-freedom
crazy trying to defeat that youth-killing bill.
If Vegas legalized pot, they would need a whole
lot more hotel rooms!
The Coffee Shops are privately owned, but gov't
licensed and regulated. Each one is a little
different,
but they're all homey and friendly like the corner
bars here in Chi-town.
You can also buy Shrooms, psilocybin.
They sell those in other stores, like head shops.
Mushrooms we got were sold fresh and whole
out of refrigerators. Looked just like
mushrooms
you'd put in a salad. had just about as much
effect.
Not sure if they rooked us, or we didn't eat
enough.
At the flower market, along with all the tulip
bulbs,
you can buy pot seeds, plants, grow kits. and,
peyote cacti.
Everyone in Amsterdam speaks English, so it's
easy
to talk to people and it's a walking and bicycle
city.
There's a bike lane in every street, and you
gotta watch
out you don't get run over! We could walk
everywhere
we wanted to go from our hotel, which was great
- in a
residential district - on a canal, of course
- everything is.
Ambassade Hotel:
http://www.ambassade-hotel.nl/eng/
We were there for the Gay Parade, which was a
4 hour
procession of over 80 boats on a canal.
People just
lined the canal and bridges to watch all afternoon.
Hmmmm, I might've passed on the parade
and checked out a few more hash bars.
Great *floats*, music, costumes. No cops in evidence.
http://www.365gay.com/newscon04/08/080804prideWeekend.htm
I spent hours at the Museum of The Dutch Resistance.
Traces the history of Holland before, during,
and after the
German invasion and occupation.
http://www.verzetsmuseum.org/english/subpages/permex/permexbas.html
Lot's of scary parallels to what's happening here
NOW.
The thing is, nobody resisted until the nazis
came for them.
So, by the time everyone got busy resisting,
it was too late.
You hear that - you Democrats?
The time to fight back isn't the year 2024.
Time to fight back is right now!
Reminded me of the Dems, you know, being nice
and all
and trying to get along and make the best of
things -
right up to the point where they ship you off
to the camps.
Anyway, Bart - if the BFEE wins, steals, or cancels
the election,
it may already be too late to resist.
Amsterdam is one of the places I am considering
for my exile.
I think you'd like it too.
If I moved to Amsterdam, how much Chinaco could I get thru customs?
Thanks, that was an excellent trip report.
I like trip reports, especially fun ones like this or a Vegas
report.
If you feel like sending a Part II, I'd like to read it.
What airline did you take?
How are the airports in Europe and what cities did you fly thru?
How's security at the airports?
Where did you eat?
What did you eat?
Did you eat anything funny?
Did you see a McDonalds and a Burger King?
Did you see any Amsterdam TV?
Did you catch any soccer games?
ha ha
How are their hotels different, besides older?
Did you see any Americans with t-shirts that said, "Sorry
our dictator invaded Iraq?"
Was it clean?
They say Paris has sewage in the streets and the women don't shave
- yuck!.
Were they nice?
What are the people called - Amsterdamaniacs?
Do you spend good old American dollars?
Or did you exchange currency and if so - for what - Euros?
Were they collecting money to buy the country a better name?
Netherlands sounds like a Michael Jackson ranch.
Most important - did you place any bartcop stickers?
If anyone is going overseas - let me send you some stickers.
If you're NOT going anywhere - send me a self-addressed envelope at
bartcop.com PO Box 54466
Tulsa, OK 74155
No donation required!
In just a few days you'll get back some nifty stickers that you can
place in your town
with great strategery and take a digital picture of it for publication
right here!! Like Bernie did...
So - Amsterdam Lady - if you're up to it, send me Part II