A Weekend in Amsterdam (2/2) By Dave F

(1/2), (2/2).

Route 66 is built around a huge Harley Davidson-Pot-Head or something and is about as chilled out as it gets. Laid back seating, laid back tunes and some wicked purple-haze were on the menu here and I found it very difficult to leave once I'd got settled. Like a lot of coffee-shops now, Route 66 has several computers set up for surfing the net in case you urgently need to check your emails while you're here.

Happily stoned and the munchies sorted, it was time to chill some more and one good way is to go on a canal cruise. For a couple of quid you can fall asleep on a floating greenhouse whilst being toured round the ancient canal system and harbour. I was riveted, and when the tour ended we accidentally tripped and fell into another coffee-shop.

I think there's about 5 or 6 Bulldog Cafes in Amsterdam but they are not all good. The Bulldog Energy Bar kicks arse on every level. Great music, great munchies and drinks and an awesome pot menu, they also make some damn fine space-cakes which are well worth trying. We tried most of the other Bulldog Cafes, which all had the same hash menu but none had the atmosphere of the energy bar.

There is such a huge variety of restaurants here that it's hard to know where to start but it would be safe to say that every taste can be catered for. From Thai to Tacos, Moroccan to McDonalds and plenty of vegetarian the best thing to do is take a lucky dip. Being a big fan of Indian cuisine I've had some fine curries here and some damn good steaks.

Dildo shop, dildo shop, hairdressers, sex show, bakery, dildo shop, café, dildo shop... This is not your average high street and with all these distractions, watch you don't fall into a canal. Crossing the road here is an adventure and after a few bifters it's like playing a video game.

Everything drives on the wrong side of the road; there are more bikes than cars and big fucking trams to worry about making it a pedestrian's nightmare. All you can do is watch what everyone else is doing and follow suit but even this isn't foolproof. Walking around this city it's hard to miss the in-your-face SEX element and because our hotel was slap-bang in the middle of the red-light district it was difficult to ignore the women of various shapes and sizes beckoning me in, "50 Euros for a suck and fuck love."

Sex is completely business with these girls so don't expect any romance here, but if that's your thing then pay your money and take your choice. Once you've made your mind up which girl you want she'll lead you off to a small room where you pay your money and get down to business.

Not all of Amsterdam is about sex and pot. We took a stroll around the city centre which, to be honest looked like any other city centre I've visited, just more expensive. Spotting the Hard Rock Café I had to check it out so I left my mate to grab a table and a waiter while I went in for a look around. I have to say that this was the sorriest heap of rock and roll memorabilia (crap) I've seen.

Unimpressed by Madonna's bra or Gloria Estefan's vest I paid the £2.50 for my half of lager, bought a t-shirt for £25 (fucking disgusting) and off we went to find another coffee shop. The way things are looking the powers that be think that as civilised people, if we are exposed to the kind of depravity that is Amsterdam, we will devolve into rutting animals with no morals and that just won't do. Europe is clamping down and wants to rid the world of this haven for dope-heads and sex-fiends.

Prostitution is legal here but cannabis is not although the law is very vague and there are lots of loop-holes. Government ministers are trying every way they can to get Amsterdam to "clean up it's act" and the chances are it could succeed in the not too distant future. So, if Amsterdam sounds like the place for you then my advice is to go sooner rather than later because pretty soon it could become a completely different place.

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