What is the first thought that comes to mind when you think about Amsterdam? People smoking pot in dimly lit coffeeshops? The tantalizing atmosphere of the Red Light District? People on bicycles outnumbering cars? If any of these images pop into your mind, trust me you are not alone. Most stereotypes do stem from the truth and you can find all this and more in the cosmopolitan city of Amsterdam.
I first visited this amazing city as a fresh-faced 20-year-old baby in July of 2011. I knew nothing about the Netherlands back then, and didn’t even know they spoke Dutch. You can imagine my surprise when I hopped on a train with 20+ beautiful blonde haired, blue eyed school children who were all speaking this incredibly harsh language I was unfamiliar with. I now realize how sheltered I used to be. I was studying abroad just outside of London with my boyfriend at the time and I was adamant that we had to take at least one trip to mainland Europe. That one trip was to Amsterdam. Out of all the amazing European cities that I could have visited on my first trip to the continent, why did I choose Amsterdam? Why did I forgo Venice, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Brussels which were all on my list of must-see European cities?
If I am being completely honest, we both really wanted to smoke pot at a coffeeshop. I know how touristy that sounds, and how ignorant we were to the amazing cultural experiences that exist in Amsterdam and the Netherlands as a whole. But like I said, I’m being honest about my initial motivations. This was before they legalized pot in Washington after all.
I spent four days in Amsterdam on my first visit, which I do believe is long enough to see most of the attractions in the city. However, it was not nearly long enough for me. As soon as I boarded the train to London, I knew that I would be returning to Amsterdam sooner rather than later.
In February of this year, I made my return to the first European city I ever visited for another four days. Are you sensing a theme here? I wanted to prove to everyone (and to myself) that I loved the city for more than the liberal political views and the easy access to high quality marijuana.
If you, like me, want to experience Amsterdam and EVERYTHING it has to offer, you have to keep your wits about you. This is a very safe city, and I never once felt unsafe, even when I was traveling solo this year. However, you do have to make good decisions, make sure you are aware of your surrounds and that you are coherent enough to get yourself from the club back to your hostel bed.
How to Enjoy Amsterdam Without Making a Fool of Yourself
1. If you have never smoked pot, don’t start with edibles.
Mistake number 1. When I first arrived in Amsterdam back in 2011, I wanted to try edibles more than anything. Sure, being the top-notch stoner that I am, I had tried to make “special” brownies at home once or twice. They were complete shit compared to the space cake I bought on my first day in Amsterdam.
Let’s recap the situation. 100lb, 20-year-old B had been smoking for a couple of years and thought her tolerance was pretty high… haha. After stopping into a highly rated coffeeshop and purchasing my first edible, I figured it would be okay to eat it while wandering around the city. My boyfriend and I split the cake, and walked to the Vondelpark. About 30 minutes after licking the crumbs from the cake bag (the Euro was strong back then so we didn’t want to be wasteful), I started to freak out. For some reason, I got the idea in my head that my right knee was giving out (it wasn’t). I started replaying the image of me collapsing in the street over and over in my mind; the paranoia was taking complete control of my senses. The next thing I knew, I was having a full-blown panic attack. I collapsed in the street and my boyfriend had to scoop me up, rush me to the nearest food stall and feed my water until I was calm again. For context, I have never had another panic attack before or since.
I am not trying to scare anyone away from trying marijuana for the first, second or thousandth time while in Amsterdam, but make sure you know what you are signing yourself up for. If nothing else, remember that the pot here is stronger than the ditch weed you are buying from the sketchy drug dealer back home. Unless, of course, you are from Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Washington DC or Vancouver BC. Then, you will probably be fine.
2. If you are going to smoke at a coffeeshop, make sure it is NOT a part of the Bulldog franchise.
If you are interested in coffeeshop culture in Amsterdam, you have probably read about the Bulldog Cafe. It was the first legal coffeeshop that served marijuana in the 70’s. I am sure that is was the bees knees back then too. However, with the rise of consumerism and marijuana tourism, the Bulldog is no longer the cream of the crop. First off, they have franchised or expanded to close to 10 locations. Second, they have higher prices than nearly any other shop in town. Capitalizing on tourists has become their business model, so unless you want to pay twice the price for lower quality product, I suggest going elsewhere. Coffeeshop Ibiza has been my favorite so far. Make sure you order a cappuccino (meh, but necessary) and a stroopwafel.
3. If you don’t know how to roll a joint, buy something pre-rolled.
I don’t really know what I was expecting when we bought our first gram of marijuana in Amsterdam. Maybe I thought there would be glass at every coffeeshop available for use, or maybe I didn’t think about it at all. Either way, we quickly realized that neither my boyfriend or I knew how to roll a joint. Sure, we tried and failed a couple of times before eventually asking a kind looking stranger sitting next to us. Not only was it embarrassing to ask since we actually did smoke weed regularly, but it also made us feel like a burden to those relaxing around us. When I returned this year, I made a point of sitting next to newbies and offering to roll for them. I feel like my karma bank is healthier for it.
4. Please don’t smoke pot while wandering around outside.
In a town where nearly everything seems to be legal, smoking pot outside is not. Please don’t be an ignorant asshole and bother the locals. They have to deal with rowdy tourists 365 days a year, and you smoking pot in front of their kids is just not cool. This is why coffeeshops exist in the first place.
5. Mushrooms are not something you should experiment with in an overwhelming situation.
I personally have no experience with mushrooms, but I have heard from a very reliable source that your first mushroom trip is best done in nature, surrounded by a small group of close friends whom you are comfortable with. This does not mean in the Vondelpark surrounded by thousands of strangers in the middle of a sunny August afternoon. I repeat, do not do mushrooms in public.
6. Clubs are open a lot later than you are likely used to. Pace yourself.
The 2AM liquor law in the States makes it easier to pace yourself. You start drinking around 10PM, hit up a club, have a few more drinks and stumble blacked out into an Uber by last call. However, in Amsterdam as well as much of Europe, clubs are open late, sometimes until dawn and serve liquor the entire time. This means that if you start drinking at 10PM still, you could consume twice as much alcohol before you have to pour yourself into a cab or worse, walk home. As always, when you are in an unfamiliar place, it is always best to stay coherent. You can go out and have fun, but make sure that you can still take care of yourself. Safety over Socialization always.
7. You don’t have to drink or do drugs to enjoy yourself, but it helps.
I am not saying that being sober means you are boring and won’t have any fun in Amsterdam. On the contrary, I was sober for three of the four days I spent in Amsterdam this year and enjoyed the hell out of that trip. However, Amsterdam is known for its party culture, relaxed views on drugs and prostitution, and you would be remiss if you missed that side of the city entirely.
I hope this helps you make intelligent, informed decisions about the recreational activities that you take part in while in Amsterdam. This city has so much to offer and I truly believe that the world would be a better place if all young people had to experience the culture and political mindset this city embodies. I for one, will continue to frequent this little city at every chance I get so that I can open my mind and my heart to the possibilities that only seem to exist here.