Amsterdam...
Just coming down (quite literally in fact) from the weekend in Amsterdam with Kirk.
Flew over on Friday, which was tiring but worth it to have late night drinks in the Spijker bar which was right near the Golden Bear where we were staying - several times that weekend we hardly moved from the street since it had a hotel, restaurant, gay bar and coffee shop all within yards of each other - why should you move? If you're able to that is (more later)
Sat met up with Bicyclemark and Richard aka Madge Weinstein - perched in Mark's small boat (Red August) I recorded a podcast and Madge did a video blog, and Mark did a canal tour of Amsterdam for us. Great to meet Richard and Mark again, we left them at the Prostitute Information Centre in the Red Light district where Madge was doing an interview.
Later on is a bit fo a blur, mostly because of the silly decision we made to try the local mushrooms (way too strong, luckily we only took a small portion, we were in the Web when they kicked in and had to try and get back to the hotel to be somewhere safe and secure) and more nastily later on a space cake each from the coffee shop next door after a nice meal at the Portugese restaurant next to the hotel.
I dunno what was in it, past experiences have had little or no effect, but this was super-strong and meant we lost Sat night and Sunday trying to keep our heads together...very nasty and not fun, with time jumps, odd thoughts and flashes/hallucinations. Thankfully eventually got to sleep, but only faded properly nearly 24 hours later, when I felt less groggy, but by then was back in the UK, and I think we both felt we'd missed loads by being so spaced out. Navigating an airport worse for wear is 'fun' also...
Next time I'm only drinking (as I have nearly all trips to Amsterdam before).
Got some cool pics - to follow. And podcast to follow also!
Flew over on Friday, which was tiring but worth it to have late night drinks in the Spijker bar which was right near the Golden Bear where we were staying - several times that weekend we hardly moved from the street since it had a hotel, restaurant, gay bar and coffee shop all within yards of each other - why should you move? If you're able to that is (more later)
Sat met up with Bicyclemark and Richard aka Madge Weinstein - perched in Mark's small boat (Red August) I recorded a podcast and Madge did a video blog, and Mark did a canal tour of Amsterdam for us. Great to meet Richard and Mark again, we left them at the Prostitute Information Centre in the Red Light district where Madge was doing an interview.
Later on is a bit fo a blur, mostly because of the silly decision we made to try the local mushrooms (way too strong, luckily we only took a small portion, we were in the Web when they kicked in and had to try and get back to the hotel to be somewhere safe and secure) and more nastily later on a space cake each from the coffee shop next door after a nice meal at the Portugese restaurant next to the hotel.
I dunno what was in it, past experiences have had little or no effect, but this was super-strong and meant we lost Sat night and Sunday trying to keep our heads together...very nasty and not fun, with time jumps, odd thoughts and flashes/hallucinations. Thankfully eventually got to sleep, but only faded properly nearly 24 hours later, when I felt less groggy, but by then was back in the UK, and I think we both felt we'd missed loads by being so spaced out. Navigating an airport worse for wear is 'fun' also...
Next time I'm only drinking (as I have nearly all trips to Amsterdam before).
Got some cool pics - to follow. And podcast to follow also!