BAR TRAVELER - Amsterdam

Pack your bags - we’re going to Amsterdam for a little drink,
a little smoke, and a whole lotta fun.



Amsterdam is known for many things–beautiful museums, an endless network of intersecting canals, the Red Light District. But invariably, one of the first things people think of when you say Amsterdam, is “coffee” shop. The coffeeshops in Amsterdam are primarily a place to buy legalized marijuana over the counter, but they can actually be much more than that. In many ways, these coffee shops aren’t so different from your favorite martini bar right here in Kansas City. Okay, so you can’t go out on a Saturday night with your friends and spark up a joint at the bar, much less order one right off the menu. Still, there are quite a few striking similarities.
One of the first things to keep in mind about bar hopping in Amsterdam is that if an establishment serves alcohol, they can’t serve marijuana. You can smoke pot anywhere, in any bar, but you can’t walk into a bar and buy a joint and also have the bartender pour you a nice single malt scotch. Most coffee shops specialize in exotic coffees, teas, and soy-ginseng energy drinks to enjoy with your favorite cannabis-based cigarette.

The most fascinating coffee shop I found while floating around Amsterdam was The Bulldog Lounge in the Leidesplein District. Upon entering, I was immediately impressed with the luxurious, elegant surroundings and classy atmosphere. The décor featured leather chairs with a deep mahogany trim and a long, mahogany bar with brass railings and copper lamps. The tables were equipped with brass ashtrays and coasters. To the right of the bar is a humidor that reaches to the ceiling filled with cigars and “specialty” cigars. Behind the bar were a few shelves proudly displaying a variety of smoking accessories like rare whiskies and cognacs.
The bartender was nicely dressed and immediately approached me handing me a menu.

Barely glancing at it, I said to him, “What do you recommend?”

He replied, “It depends on if you want hash or weed.”

He said this in a slightly smug tone, much in the same way I would respond to someone at my bar that simply asks for a “martini.” Martini? Well, would you like vodka or gin, dry or extra dry, up or on the rocks?

As much as I tried not to look like a tourist, it was now obvious that I was not experienced in coffee shop etiquette. Since I’m not quite the cannabis connoisseur and I wanted to keep my senses about me, I replied, “Weed.”

The bartender/smokeologist then said, “Do you want to get high or stoned?”
Now I was really confused. I’ve been high before, and I’ve been stoned before, but I’ve never taken the time to differentiate between the two. As he politely and patiently described the different nuances of marijuana intoxication, I couldn’t help but notice how much pride he took in knowing everything about his product. He was teaching me in the same way I would teach my customers about what makes bourbon, or the difference between cognac and brandy.

After getting comfortable and placing my order, I noticed a few seats down from me an older gentleman with a thick white beard and a denim jacket. He asked the bartender for something, who then quickly responded by weighing out a gram or two of fluffy green buds and presented him with a hand-blown water pipe that he sterilized and filled with water before packing the bowl for his customer. There was a great attention to detail in everything that the bartender did.

I also couldn’t help but notice the menu. It was broken into two categories: Weed and Hash. Everything was listed by name, White Widow, Northern Lights, Skunk No. 1, etc. Each item had a brief description of its flavors and type of high, like whether it was a “heady high” or a “body high” as well as the THC level printed out to the side much like an alcohol content or “proof.”

The prices were reasonable, about 7 or 8 euros per gram, which at the time was around $10. The tourist trap is a pre-rolled pot and tobacco blended cigarette that every place sells for about 5 euros. They are pre-packaged in plastic or cellophane containers and manage to give you a brief high with a long, lingering headache. Or maybe that was just my own inexperience, considering that I don’t typically smoke tobacco or pot.

After an indeterminate but very enjoyable amount of time spent at The Bulldog Lounge, I left with a doggie bag in my pocket and headed down the road to Café Alto, a smoky nightclub with great live jazz and an impressive selection of Dutch beer and single-malt scotch. I stumbled out of Café Alto around sunrise and spent the following day lounging in the back of a canal boat, writing down my memories of the previous night, in between visits to Amsterdam’s most beautiful museums.

This issue’s Bar Traveler is Ryan Maybee - he visited Amsterdam in the summer of 2003. If you’ve been to a really cool bar (not in Kansas City), and would like to share your experience, please e-mail it to freshfishcreative@yahoo.com. Must be 1,000 words or less.

THE BULLDOG LOUNGE
Squistraat 7
1012 Sp Amsterdam

JAZZCAFE ALTO
Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 115
Amsterdam
+31 (0)20 626 3249
www.jazz-cafe-alto.nl

BOB'S YOUTH HOSTEL
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 92
1012 SG Amsterdam
+31 (0)20 623 0063

RIJKSMUSEUM
Stadhouderskade 42
Amsterdam
+31 (0)20 674 7047
www.rijksmuseum.nl

STEDELIJK MUSEUM
Oosterdokskade 5,
1011 AD Amsterdam
+31 (0)20 573 2911
www.stedelijk.nl