Whether you never though to visit Amsterdam
because of its smokesandsex reputation, or
you've crammed your Amsterdam itinerary full with
a comprehensive tour of last year's High Times Cup
winners, you may miss out on one of the most
charming and accessible cities in the world.
The Scenic
Very easy to get to from almost anywhere in
Europe, The Netherlands is just a 3 hour ferry
ride from England (Harwick to The Hook of Holland
via the Stena ferry line), or a 6 hour Eurostar
ride direct from London through the notoriously
nicknamed Chunnel. Amsterdam is also served by
Schiphol Airport, travelers from the U.S. will
generally be routed through London.
Once there, you may be surprised to discover that
Amsterdam is latticed with a series of historic
stone canals that are still in use. After my
friend and I emerged from Centraal Train Station
we stood agog at the canals gleaming under
streetlights. Canals? Where were we, Venice?
Kind of like a great band popular for only one
song, Amsterdam's laxness on soft drugs and
prostitution often overshadows the full panoply of
its offerings. From legacies of Southeast Asian
colonialism, like the wide availability of good
Indonesian restaurants (I strongly recommend the
tasty rice table 'rijsttafel' to anyone with a bit
of cash to spare.) to the Anne Frank House,
Amsterdam is a city full of history and modernday
appeal.
A picturesque city about the size of San
Francisco, Amsterdam's compact, cobblestoned core
made exploring on foot very easy. The Jordaan
district, in particular, is a great area to
wander, with its winding narrow streets and used
clothing shops. One warning: Spring Break
coincides with spring showers in Amsterdam. Also,
try to stay out of bike lanes unless you want to
be branded as a clueless tourist. The ubiquitous
bike is a preferred method of transport for locals.
For the artminded, the standard trio of museums
is the Van Gogh, the contemporary Stedelijk Museum
and the Rijksmuseum. Go to Gogh. The museum is the
best collection of Van Gogh paintings in the
world. You won't have to wait for another crowded
blockbuster touring exhibit of Van Gogh's work to
come meandering through major U.S. cities. Perhaps
even more interesting to anyone trying to
understand the oneeared man is the collection of
what Van Gogh had collected himself during my
visit, unusual Japanese prints were on display.
Another museum that should be included on your
"cultural" (ahem!) schedule is the Sex Museum.
Filled with giggling middleaged German women
tourists when we went, the museum is a bit of a
rinkydink affair, complete with an eightfoot tall
penis and balls you can sit on. But the examples
of ancient, 18th and 19th century erotic
memorabilia are a ticklish reminder that the human
race has always been obsessed with sex. Those who
would like to remember our friend Flicka
platonically would do well to stay away from the
fetish room.
The Other
"But what about the weed," you cry. "I can see art
at home!" Okay, okay. First off, it's true.
Marijuana, bud, weed, pot, whatever you call it,
however you smoke it, is better and stronger in
Amsterdam. I'm notorious for my paranoia under the
influence of weed. But, whether it was the quality
of the bud, or just the authorities' lack of
interest, I was 'noid free my entire visit.
If you are intent on smoking up as much as
possible, online resources like Jons Amsterdam
Coffeeshop Guide will point you in many, many
directions. I was a fan of the Greenhouse but that
might be due to the excellent mood I was already
in when I got there it was the last shop we visited.
Once there, just step up to the counter in any of
the innocuously named "coffeeshops" and ask for
the menu. You'll be able to select from a baffling
array of varieties. Bongs are usually available,
and you are welcome to bring your own pipe. If you
forgot to pack your favorite drug paraphenalia, or
just left it at home for your parents to find, the
locals will be happy to help you roll. We quickly
learned that Americans don't know how to roll
joints. For gosh sakes, I had never even seen a
filter tip until Amsterdam.
Because of the availability of potent marijuana,
the Dutch are also likely to roll their joints cut
with tobacco not because they are trying to
stretch out the last few buds in the dimebag, but
to make for a smoother smoke. At any rate, don't
try to smuggle drugs home. That sort of doggie bag
will get you in serious trouble.
For those interested in less mellow trips,
mushrooms are also available fresh, though, not
dried. After you've sufficiently toked up or
gulped down, venture out and enjoy your
paranoiafree high. Our one unhappy runin came
when a newfound friend sold us two dud tabs of
Ecstasy. We trusted him, even changed our plans to
meet up with him at a disco later, but chances
were he was deliberately bilking the gullible
American tourists with aspirin tablets. Cold and
wet at this point, we headed back to bed and a cup
of tea. For those with happy feet as well as happy
weed, the night life is mostly to be found in
Leidseplein "discos" tend to serve up Euro house.
We picked the hostel straight out of the
guidebook. Durty Nelly's, located on the edge of
the red light district, offers proximity to a
glass of good Guinness. The hostel is attached to
an Irish pub, but otherwise is comparable to any
other hostel: shared rooms full of bunk beds,
shared bathroom and free breakfast at the bar.
With no common lounge, except the bar, expatriate
camaraderie tends to happen around the bunk beds.
While lolling around on our bunks in tired and
shroomlaced haze, we met one woman who had been
traveling for 10 consecutive years since her
college graduation. Amsterdam was her favorite city.
Head down to your local student travel agent, get
yourself to Amsterdam and make it one of your
favorite cities. You won't forget it. Except maybe
if you're high the entire time.
Joyce Kwon weighs the consequences of her
actions.
