Amsterdam was my final destination before returning to Bangkok. With my 420 track record, it obviously was about marijuana—two missions: a new vaporiser and some experience of getting high in a coffeeshop.
There were two weeks of cannabis break when I left for Azerbaijan and back to Tbilisi. The last evening at the regular pub in Fabrika, the publican shared a joint as a preview to Amsterdam. That also mellowed my melancholy for the departure. After a layover in Istanbul (good to be back there even just at the airport), I got to the hostel next to Oosterpark in the afternoon. Hence, there was time to score some weeds on the very first day, less than 24 hours after that last joint in Tbilisi. Splendid!
Specifically, I was looking for a coffeeshop with vaporisers. The one I got from Barcelona didn’t function very well when I used it in Tbilisi. It completely died in Amsterdam—perfect timing for the replacement. But the shopping had to wait for a couple of days until billable work was cleared.
Luckily, there was one just three tram stops away—Blue Bird. Unlike cannabis social clubs in Barcelona, a membership wasn’t required. The male staff greeted me with a smile, no ID check like in Toronto. The barista pointed me to the budtender at the next counter. And the transaction was straightforward. After getting a gram of buds, I asked how to use a volcano vaporiser. The male staff instructed me on how it worked. There was 10€ a deposit for a vape plastic bag. But I had no cash. The barista made an exception for me. I got a cuppa and enjoyed the herb with the window view.
Since then, I was stuck with them and went there every day for the whole time in Amsterdam because of the convenience, the staff, no time to explore somewhere else, and invaluable observations of daily lives in the coffeeshop. It was nice to get stoned without alcohol. But that lasted just a couple of days. A new vaporiser liberated me from vaping only at the coffeeshop. I was back in the loop of double intoxication: drinking and vaping.
Above all, it felt legit to purchase it hassle-free through an authorised agent. Even though marijuana is not technically legal in the Netherlands, the tolerance policy lets the vendors sell while keeping them regulated. That comes with knowledge and responsibilities for the patrons. Budtenders can tell you stories behind some strains while floor staff keeps things smooth.
Now, I had a glimpse of weeds culture in Amsterdam. I personally believe they paved the path to the legalisations of recreational marijuana in other countries. The OG is done! Well, the next cannabis destination would be the latest one to do so, my hometown—Bangkok.
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