I will be making my tenth trip to Amsterdam this November. I understand much has changed since I've been there last. Do the changes include SmartShops, or are they still open and operating?

Are there any shops you would recommend? Can someone still find philosopher stones in any of these shops?

Thank you for your time. I look forward to reading the responses.

Many smartshops are still open and operating. They sell many different kinds of truffles of varying strengths. I'm sure there are more details in other threads, but I found the stronger variety of truffles can actually be quite intense.

When I have friends visiting, we usually only buy two boxes of a stronger type between five of us. It's more than enough for our group. Anything more tends to make it difficult to communicate and socialise in the group, so I reserve higher doses for solo trips (which obviously are not for everyone).

The last kind I had were called "Dragon's Dynamite", and before that in 2011 "White Diamonds". Both were very good; the White Diamonds were slightly stronger and were too much for one member of our group (I guess it didn't help that he mixed it with beer - no-one else knew until afterwards).

I think most of the shops sell pretty much the same products, but I usually go to either Full Moon, or one of the shops on the street that runs behind the kamers with the big black women in near the old church (I think there are two smartshops on the street - the staff in these always seem very helpful).

Ya, White Diamonds were very good :)
Took them 2-3 years ago, 2 boxes in 3 guys if I remember well, it took a long time to digest and be in the heart of the trip compared to the other truffles that I used...! very good and long trip, very similar to the original mushrooms :)

I always made smartshop shopping at the one in the ex sexyland area, at the corner

Hi,

Here's the link for infos about smartshops and where to find some of them (and yes indeed, passing trough Sint Annenstraat 19, right in front of Sint Annenstraat 21-1 leads you to Smartzone)

http://www.amsterdam-advisor.com/amster ... shops.html

Try smartzone or elements of nature.