Thursday, February 21, 2013

AMSTERDAM COFFEE SHOPS

Here is a little bit of information about Amsterdam Coffee Shops

There are several coffee shops that have been hand-picked for their wonderful customer service, and great feel. They have also been picked for the taste of the coffee, choices on the menu, and the wonderful aroma coming from them. These opinions have been paired with the customer reviews. All of these coffee shops come with a big warning though. 

Well, let's just start by saying that an Amsterdam coffee shop is not like a coffee shop in the United States. I say this because weed is typically illegal in the United States, but in Amsterdam people are allowed to smoke weed in the coffee shops. They not only are allowed to smoke it, they can buy it there. Tobacco, though, is now illegal to smoke in a coffee shop. Unlike the coffee shops that you may see in the United States with their brown leather couches, nice seating areas, pretty pictures of bread or coffee on the wall, and extravagant menu of coffees. They have black or really bright colored couches and chairs, comfy seating areas, bright pictures of weed, and an extravagant menu of weed. It is nothing for somebody to buy 5 different kinds of weed, roll it up in a joint, and for them to sit there and smoke all of them throughout the process of the day. No matter where you go, there are friendly stoners everywhere.

Let’s talk a little about the examples of décor that you might find. There is a “coffee shop” called Dampkring. Dampkring is the coffee shop that you may have seen in “Ocean’s 12.” It has an interior that is open and orange painted walls. The orange is painted with all shade of the color orange. They are painted into different shapes of the color orange as well. Just looking at the wall can cause somebody to go psychedelic. The tables in this place have patterns that are carved into them.

There’s a place called De Rokerij. De Rokerij has dark lights and even darker walls. The walls have tribal designs on them. Some people spend the majority of their day just by staring at the different tribal designs on the wall.

Dolphins is a different themed coffee shop because the décor represent the name well. It has painted blue walls that lots of different sea life images on it. Yes, it even has dolphins painted right on the wall. Upstairs you will find a funky looking bar with a few of their tables. Downstairs is where you will find people smoking though in the big comfy chairs.

Most of the “coffee shops” have a wide variety of selections of weed. According to Amsterdam travel, “Selections are typically divided into weed, hash, pre-rolled joints and sometimes "spacecakes" (sweet cakes baked with marijuana in them). Prices vary by quantity (grams, bags, individual joints) and quality. 

But don't just point to a funny-sounding name like "White Widow" or "Bubblegum" and hope for the best. Ask the staff what they recommend and what effects each type has. They often ask something like "Well do you want to be high, or do you want to be stoned? (http://goamsterdam.about.com/od/barsmusicnightlife/tp/coffeeshopdosanddonts.htm)

With all of this information, it is easy to see that Amsterdam Coffee Shops are unlike the coffee shops that are found in the United States. So, the information above is what is called “coffee shops,” but if one were to go koffiehuis (coffee house) they would find something that is much similar to a coffee shop in the United States because the koffiehuis sells only coffee and light meals. If one were to go to a café, they would find that a café is a casual restaurant or bar that you usually just buy food at. If you are confused it is okay. Just look for the green and white sticker. The green and white sticker symbolizes a coffee shop that one would normally buy weed or cannabis products at. If you are wondering, these are the shops that I would not go to, but that’s me.

Keep on: Enjoy your coffee for all it's worth!

1 comment:

  1. Photos from my coffeshop trip in Amsterdam:
    http://michkhoo.blogspot.com/2013/07/amsterdam-turist-attractions-coffeshops_10.html

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