Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
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SYNAGOGUE
020 62 453 51 www.esnoga.com
This beautiful synagogue has remained largely unchanged since the local community of Sephardic Jews constructed it in 1671. Most of them had fled persecution in the Iberian peninsula—hence the common practice of calling the synagogue an Esnoga, the Portuguese word for synagogue. The building’s large vaulted interior is dominated by massive stone pillars and hung with brass candelabra. Sand is scattered on the floor in the Dutch tradition to absorb dirt and muffle the noise of footsteps. Information and artifacts from the Dutch Jewish community’s past 300 years are on display, but this is still very much a space of worship—services are held on Sabbaths and holidays.
Trams #9 or 14 or Waterlooplein. €6.50; students, seniors, and with Museumjaarkaart €5; ages 13-17 €4. Open M-F 10am-4pm, Su 10am-4pm. Closed on Jewish holidays.
COFFEESHOPS AND SMARTSHOPS
The first experience of walking into a store, reading a menu, and ordering a few grams of weed as casually as you would a sandwich may feel surprising to those used to buying their magic dragon from a shady guy with an unregistered cell phone number and a 1970s car. Sure, there are plenty of ways to enjoy yourself in Amsterdam without lighting up, and lots of people won’t set foot in a coffeeshop over the course of their entire visit. Nevertheless, it’s undeniable that liberal drug laws do draw people to the city from far and wide.
However, just because you can do things here that you’d get arrested for elsewhere doesn’t mean that anything goes. Certified coffeeshops will have a green-and-white BCD sticker that denotes their credibility. Shops aren’t allowed to advertise the fact that they sell marijuana or hash, and in theory, you’re supposed to have to ask for the menu, though in most places they’ll have it on the bar as long as it’s towards the back of the store. You are only allowed to buy 5g of drugs from an establishment per day. It’s recently become illegal to smoke tobacco indoors in most places, though some coffeeshops have special smoking areas where you can indulge in a mixed joint. Don’t walk down the street smoking a blunt—just because the Dutch are OK with THC doesn’t mean that they smoke all that much of it, and doing so will mark you as an obvious tourist. (And a stoned one, at that—hi, pickpockets!) If you do want a smoke in the open air, find a store with an outdoor patio or hit up one of the city’s parks.
The variety at many shops can be overwhelming for those who aren’t used to choosing what strain they’re smoking. Ask coffeeshop staff for advice if you have any questions, as they are usually used to explaining their wares. In general, the more expensive a brand is, the stronger or better you can expect it to be. If you want to smoke some really good stuff, look for prestigious Cannabis Cup winners. When it comes to hash, most places stock blonde (Moroccan), which is lighter than black (Indian). Neither of them is anywhere near as potent as the special varieties of Dutch ice-o-lator. It can cost €20-50 per gram, but that’s because it’s basically purified THC and will, to put it “blunt”-ly, fuck you up. Europeans generally stick to smoking joints, but quite a few stores provide bongs or even vaporizers for tourists. If you want to roll a doobie yourself, most stores will let you take a few papers for free. You can also buy pre-rolled joints with a limited selection of strains. If there’s something you really want to try that doesn’t come pre-rolled, many shops offer paper cones that allow the truly lazy (or uncoordinated) to simply pop the weed in and be set to light up. Coffeeshops also sell space cakes, muffins, and brownies. As cute as they sound, these should be eaten with caution, as it’s impossible to verify how strong they are and the effects often don’t kick in for 1hr. or more—and then can last for up to a day.
If you have any questions regarding the effects or legality of drugs options in Amsterdam, hit up Cannabis College or the Jellinek Clinic, both of which keep extensive, up-to-date information. It is imperative to keep in mind that hard drugs (ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, etc.) are not legal in the Netherlands, despite what dealers approaching you on the street at 3am might try to tell you. Seriously, there are stores with DRUG MENUS here. Isn’t that enough? Finally, though we may list a wide array of coffeeshops and smartshops in this guidebook, Let’s Go does not recommend drug use in any form.
Coffeeshops
There are well over 200 coffeeshops in Amsterdam, and honestly the quality doesn’t really vary that much. Most tourists visit for the experience, and this is hardly like a restaurant where the majority of patrons really know that much about what they’re consuming. Below are our 11 favorite coffeeshops in the city. As totally groovy as they are, Let’s Go definitely does not recommend trying to hit all of these in one day ...
DE TWEEDE KAMER
Heisteeg 6
NIEUWE ZIJD
020 42 222 36
Probably stocks the widest selection of weed in Amsterdam. This coffeeshop is run by the same people as the more famous Dampkring, but here you’ll find fewer tourists and a cozier atmosphere. Plus, there’s a certain pleasurable irony in smoking in a store named after one of the Dutch chambers of Parliament.
Tram #1, 2, or 5 to Spui/Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. Walk down to Spui, up Spuistraat, and left onto Heisteeg. Weed €4-13 per g; joints €3-9; hash €8-40 per g; space cakes and muffins €6. Open daily 10am-1am.
AMNESIA
Herengracht 133
CANAL RING WEST
020 63 83 03
One of Amsterdam’s best-decorated coffeeshops, in all senses of the word. The spacious interior has long couches and tables done up in black and purple; picturesque canalside seating is available outside. The menu, highlighted by nine Cannabis Cup winners, includes both standard fare and specialty brands. It also has a big coffee bar for those who prefer the stimulating effects of caffeine to those of the other drugs on offer. Those whose greatest vice is dessert should try Amnesia’s frothy shakes.
Tram #1, 2, 5, 13, 14, or 17 to Dam/Radhuisstraat. Continue along Radhuisstraat and make a right onto Herengracht. Weed €8.50-13 per g, specialty brands €13-17 per g; joints €4-6. Open daily 10am-1am.
RUSLAND
Rusland 17
OUDE ZIJD
020 62 794 68
According to some, this is the oldest coffeeshop in Amsterdam. We won’t take a stance on that issue, but we will say that this is definitely one of the city’s better shops. Two floors inside are decorated with stenciled images of the Kremlin and other Moscow buildings, and the low ceilings combined with comfy cushion-lined seating will make you feel as cozy as you might while sitting inside on a snowy Russian day. The drug menu isn’t terribly extensive, but it is complemented by an astonishing selection of teas, fresh juices, and milkshakes.
Tram #4, 9, 14, 16, 24, or 25 to Muntplein. Walk up Nieuwe Doelenstraat and make a left. Weed €4-12 per g; joints €2.50-4.50; hash €3-30 per g; space muffins €5. Open daily 10am-midnight.
HILL STREET BLUES
Warmoesstraat 52
RED LIGHT DISTRICT
020 63 879 22 www.hill-street-blues.nl
So named because of its location next to a police station, Hill Street Blues benefits from a great view over the water at the back of its smoking room, reached through a narrow entrance that hides the large two-level shop. Every inch of the walls, floor, and ceiling is covered with graffiti—you can add to it yourself (buy a marker at the counter if you happened to forget your own). The place, like everywhere on Warmoesstraat, is busy but manages to remain relaxed.
From Centraal Station, walk down Damrak; make a left onto Oudebrugsteeg and then a left onto Warmoesstraat. Weed €3-14 per g; joints €10, with tobacco €3-5; hash €4-20 per g. Open daily 9am-1am.
PARADOX
1e Bloemdwarsstraat 2
WEST OF TOWN
020 62 356 39 www.paradoxcoffeeshop.com
Paradox boasts a wonderfully laid-back atmosphere with the staff to match. A smattering of wooden tables and chairs fill the cafe-like space, and the chill feel is continued in a soundtrack that tends toward reggae and other types of worl
d music.
Tram #13, 14, or 17 to Westermarkt. Cross Prinsengracht and continue on Rozengracht, then make a left onto 1e Bloemdwarsstraat. Weed €5.50-11 per g; joints €3-4; hash €7-15 per g; space cakes €6. Open daily 10am-8pm.
KANDINSKY
Rosmarijnsteeg 9
NIEUWE ZIJD
020 62 470 23
Eschewing the Rasta-psychedelic-jungle themes of many neighboring coffeeshops, Kandinsky has a multilevel interior with sleek leather booths, mod tables, and tastefully colored lighting that make it feel like some sort of hip lounge club. No pretension in the attitude, though: the staff is chatty and cheerful.
Tram #1, 2, or 5 to Spui/Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. Walk up Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal and make a left onto Rosmarijnsteeg. Weed €8.25-13 per g; joints €4.50, with tobacco €3.70; hash €7.50-35 per g. Open daily 9:30am-1am.
YO YO
2e Jan van der Heijdenstraat 79
DE PIJP
020 66 471 73
The kind of store where they take their weed seriously, but you’d never tell from the supremely laid-back attitude. Only sells outdoor, organic marijuana and hash. Pastel green walls and large windows letting in lots of light continue the whole earth-happy theme. It’s a nice place to come for a slice of pie and a coffee, even if you don’t plan on smoking.
Tram #3, 4, or 25 to Ceinturbaan/Van Woutstraat. Walk north on Van Woutstraat, then make a right onto 2e Jan van der Heijdenstraat. €5 gets you 0.6-1g of weed or 0.8-1.1g of hash; joints €2.50. Open M-Sa noon-7pm.
STIX
Utrechtsestraat 21
CENTRAL CANAL RING
www.stix.nl
If you want to feel like a local, come to this uncrowded shop in the Central Canal Ring where the drugs are cheap and strong. Stix is a simple shop—no big smoking rooms with couches and Ganesh statues here, just picnic-table seating and a bright, airy atmosphere. Staff cheerfully welcomes both newcomers and loyal regulars. Tram #9 or 14 to Rembrandtplein. Walk down Utrechtsestraat; the store is near Herengracht. Weed €6-13 per g; joints €10, with tobacco €3.20-3.80; hash €9-25. Open daily 11am-1am.
THE BUSH DOCTOR
Thorbeckeplein 28
REMBRANDTPLEIN
020 33 074 75
Rembrandtplein tends to be more about drinking than smoking, but the crazy selection of potent strains here makes it a worthwhile stop. This is one of the best places to try specialty strains of weed and hash: not only do they have a variety of their own potent mixes, various fruity options, and organic wares, but they also carry over half a dozen kinds of the infamous ice-o-lator hash You might want to leave plenty of time between smoking and hitting the clubs, though, or the strobe lights could be a bit overwhelming.
Tram #9 or 14 to Rembrandtplein. Thorbeckeplein is across the square from the giant TV screen. Weed €7.50-12.50 per g; joints €4-6.50; hash €10-12 per g, ice-o-lator €22-55 per g; space cakes €7. Open daily 9am-1am.
GREY AREA
Oude Leliestraat 2
CANAL RING WEST
020 42 043 01 www.greyarea.nl
One of the only coffeeshops in Amsterdam run by Americans. These guys really know their stuff, as do many of the loyal patrons. Try one of their vaporizers. With many celebrities frequenting the store, there’s a chance you’ll be able to say that you’ve used the same one as Willie Nelson.
Tram #1, 2, 5, 13, 14, or 17 to Dam/Radhuisstraat. Continue on Radhuisstraat, make a right onto the far side of the Singel; it will be on your left. Marijuana €8.50-13 per g; joints €5. Open daily noon-8pm.
DAMPKRING
Handboogstraat 29
NIEUWE ZIJD
020 63 807 05 www.dampkring.nl
The same extensive menu as Tweede Kamer but a very different atmosphere. Scenes from Ocean’s Twelve were filmed in the warmly painted, psychedelic lounge. This newfound celebrity and the quality of options on the menu have catapulted Dampkring to a stardom that brings in the crowds. Has smoking-accessories shop on Prins Hendrikkade and an extensive online store.
Tram #1, 2, or 5 to Koningsplein. Cross the canal and continue onto Heiligeweg, then make a left onto Handboogstraat. Weed €4-13 per g; joints €3-9; hash €8-40 per g; space cakes and muffins €6. Open M-Sa 10am-1am, Su 11am-1am.
Smartshops
Smartshops do not sell weed and hash, though they usually stock marijuana seeds and smoking accessories. What they do offer in terms of instant psychedelic gratification are truffles (the only type since the banning of hallucinogenic psilocybin mushrooms that are still legal), salvia, and all sorts of herbs and extracts that can promise everything from ecstasy-like effects to heightened sexual arousal.
CONSCIOUS DREAMS KOKOPELLI
Warmoesstraat 12
RED LIGHT DISTRICT
020 42 170 00 www.consciousdirect.com/shops/kokopelli
A bright emporium for all kinds of consciousness-altering substances and souvenirs, this smartshop sells sex toys, lava lamps, and trinkets. On the drug-related side, they offer a huge array of herbal substances like Philosopher’s Stones, salvia, and herbal XTC. They also sell drug-testing kits that can evaluate the composition of the drugs you’re going to take or the state of your body after you’ve already taken them. Ask the well-informed staff any questions you may have regarding psychedelic substances.
From Centraal Station, turn left onto Prins Hendrikkade, bear right onto Nieuwebrugsteeg, and then keep right onto Warmoesstraat. Philosopher’s Stones €12.50-20; salvia, herbal XTC, and most other substances around €9-17. Open daily 11am-10pm.
AZARIUS
Kerkstraat 119
CENTRAL CANAL RING
020 48 979 14 www.azarius.net
The physical manifestation of the largest online smartshop, Azarius sits in the building once inhabited by the city’s oldest smartshop (Conscious Dreams—see above). Azarius is a small and friendly store, with a knowledgeable staff ready to answer any questions about their many products. They sell magic truffles, salvia, herbal XTC, and many other herbs and extracts in addition to cannabis seeds and smoking-related accessories. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in the store, you can always check online.
Tram #1, 2, or 5 to Prinsengracht. Walk 1 block up Leidsestraat and make a right onto Kerkstraat. Truffles €10-14 per dose. Open in summer daily noon-9pm; fall, winter, and spring M-Tu noon-9pm, Th-Sa noon-9pm.
dutch desserts
Whether it’s from roaming through museums or lazing in coffeeshops, sightseeing in Amsterdam is bound to make you a bit peckish. You can continue the cultural immersion and satiate your hunger with these traditional sweets.
• STROOPWAFELS. Literally “syrupwaffles,” these crunchy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside Dutch treats are made from two thin waffle-like cookies glued together by a brown sugar and butter syrup. You won’t be able to go a block in the Netherlands without finding a store that sells them in some form.
• HAGELSLAG. Breakfast in the Netherlands tends to be quite an affair, and one of the things that may stand out most is a box of these chocolate (or fruit-flavored) sprinkles. The common way to eat them is on buttered toast, so the sprinkles don’t roll off. The name hagelslag is derived from the Dutch word for “hail,” surely fueling dreams of chocolate falling from the sky in the minds of many a Dutch child.
• OLIEBOLLEN. A somewhat unappealing name—“oil balls”—comes with a fun story. Legend has it that the Germanic goddess Perchta would fly around during midwinter, slicing the belly off anyone she met. Germanic tribes ate oliebollen so that the oil in their stomachs would cause her sword to slide off. The science may be dubious, but these balls of dough studded with raisins, deep-fried, and then dusted with powdered sugar are certainly delicious.
MAGIC MUSHROOM GALLERY
Spuistraat 249
NIEUWE ZIJD
020 42 757 65 www.magicmushroom.com
Large smartshop with all kinds of herbal extracts, dried herbs, mushroom seeds, and grow kits, plus more knick-knacks than you c
an shake a stick at. Patient staff will walk you through the book of all their options, or you can peruse it yourself in the small seating area. Another, smaller location is on the Singel, by the Bloemenmarkt.
Tram #1, 2, or 5 to Spui/Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. Walk down to Spui and then right up Spuistraat. Salvia €12-30; mushroom seeds €22-30. Open daily 10am-10pm.
TATANKA
Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 151
LEIDSEPLEIN
020 42 121 39
This smartshop sells a variety of mushrooms, marijuana seeds, salvia, and all kinds of smoking accoutrements—pipes, grinders, and anything else you might need. Also sells T-shirts and other souvenirs. Very helpful staff will walk you through the mechanics of any prospective purchase.
Tram #1, 2, 5, 7, or 10 to Leidseplein. Mushrooms €12-20; seeds from around €30 to over €100. Open daily 11am-10pm.
MUNCHIES
For some reason, when we think “Northern Europe,” we don’t think “awesome food.” Now, that’s a little bit prejudiced, but it’s telling that in the vast world of Amsterdam restaurants, very few of them actually serve Dutch cuisine. (Here’s a quick run-down of what that looks like: pancakes, cheese, herring, and various meat-and-potato combinations.) Instead, most of the terrific food you’ll find comes from the cuisines of all the others who, just like you, have been drawn to Amsterdam by its reputation of awesome. Also, Amsterdam has this thing with sandwiches—they are everywhere, and they tend to be really, really good.