I wanted to post a very quick review of my week long visit to Maastricht.This is the 5 time I have visited this unique town and each time I enjoy myself more.Normally my wife travels with me however she passed on this trip and gave me her blessing to go solo.Traveling alone meant I needed to call on all my past experiance and keep myself somewhat out of trouble.I rented a guesthouse from some folks I know for 117euro for the entire week so I felt real good about that.

The guesthouse was located near Heaven 69 coffeeshop so I made a couple of buy and fly's there.Heaven 69 serves food and has a real nice outside deck.The dealers area is located downstairs from the bar.I am not sure what I purchased here and as I mentioned I made a couple visits.The prices are resonable and everything I bought here was very good.Their menu is limited but the quality is good across the board.

On Friday I ventured down to Francorchamps Belgium to watch practice for the Spa 1000km auto race.The race track is set in a very beautiful surroundings of the Ardennes Forrest.The weather was really nice on Friday and the crowds were very small so I took advantage of the situation and walked the entire scenic course,stopping for a smoke break and reflection at every famouse area of the track.Even if you are not a race fan this area is really a great place to hike and enjoy the great surrounding with plenty of good smoke.

The next evening I decided to hop the bus and travel to Aachen Germany and drink some beer.The bus from Maastricht to Aachen is oddly enough numbered 420.Aachen is about a 25 minute ride.I found myself a quiet pub and drink some great beer and had dinner.Returned back to Maastricht just before midnight and staggered across town to my room.

I also made a vist to Maxey's Coffeeshop.This shop has always been a favorite of mine.It is located on the east side of the river.I decided to purchase the XXX here.The dealer told me that this stuff was very strong.I also purchased some hash as well.I found myself a seat to sample the XXX and ordered an orange juice.As I was loading my pipe the very friendly young lady behind the bar approached me with great concern in her voice.She asked me if this was my first time to smoke? I replied that it was my first time since about 30 minutes ago.She laughed and said she was concerned about me because she saw me using a pipe and thought that possibly I was a rookie and she was concerned about me overdoing it.I assured her that at age 45 I had probably smoked more than everyone in the place combined.She got a good laugh and the dealer joked with her about it since he had remembered me from several prior visits.Anyway,I thanked her and told her I appreciated the concern.

I rented myself a bike at the train station and most of my time was spent riding in the areas around Maastricht and across into Belgium.The Abbey at Aubel is a very cool place to visit.It is about an 18-20 mile ride and very hilly but the beer they serve at the Abbey makes this ride well worthwhile.While at the Abbey I noticed that the average age of the folks there seemed to be about 70 and I also noticed that everyone was walking with a bit of a beer stagger.The beer is very potent.

Maastricht has some very good places to eat.I always make a point of having at least one meal at Cafe Servaas.The place is located right along the Maas river on the east side.In fact Maxeys is located 1 street before Cafe Servaas.Cafe Servaas usually has some nice jazz music playing and the food is very good.Try the "local rabbit".

Take One is a small "beer bar" located in the same area as Cafe Servaas and Maxey's.I made a stop in there and sampled one of the 135-150 different beers.They mostly seel beer that is brewed by small regional brewers and the owner himself even let me try his latest batch.For a serious beer drinker this is the place.I was definatley doing the beer shuffle when I stumbled out of here.

I had one encounter with the local Maastricht police.I was leaving my guesthouse one morning on the bike and decided to take a street that I had not been using.Sure enough two policemen were walking and saw me and waved me over.They started speaking to me in Dutch and although my command of Dutch language is very very small I knew I had done something wrong.I asked them if they spoke English and fortuaely they both did.Seems I had took a 1-way street going to wrong way.Both policemen were very nice and I wondered how all this was going to play out.Anyway,the one fellow explained that he had to write me a ticket.I pleaded my case that I was on holiday and simply did not see the sign.They asked me where I was from and I told the Texas and went on to explain that I was in town for the car races at Spa.Both fellows were suprised to see anyone from Texas wandering around Maastricht and in the end they asked me to turn around and backtrack on my bike.I thanked them and did just that.

All in all this was probably the most trouble free trip I have made to Europe.Normally I will misplace something or end up somehow locking myself out of my room or some other smoke induced goof up.This time though I knew I had nobody to cover for me so I paid extra close attention to everything I did.

a splendid report sir, thanks!

regards from steaming hot amsterdam :-)

withnail

Hi Block,

This fellow Texan would like to thank you for your well written report.

Take One sounds like my kind of place. Dutch Homebrew, Dutch Homegrown and Dutch Homegirls- sounds like Heaven.

When you called Take One a " beer- bar " I could not resist meditating on the fantasy of crossing your described Dutch Brew Pub with a Thai beer bar from Soi 8 in Pattaya. In my fantasy Take One not only has 150 beers to sample, it is also staffed with Dutch and Belgian bargirls who are available for nominal barfines.

Back to reality- melting in the summer heat and watching Hurricanes dance across the Gulf of Mexico. Time for a gin and tonic and a dip in the pool.

Great Review. I live in Rotterdam not (Californian native). And I went to school in Aachen before this. I'm glad to see someone else who appreciates the bus number for the Aachen-Mass line. :)