Its been a while since I last posted any type of trip report but after 17 years of visits it got tedious to come up with anything new to report on. I use to report on the girls, the weed, restaurants, hotels, massage, etc.

Many of my old "Mice" friends from Axxxtw have gone dormant,,for a multitude of reasons. As we all get older we have lost the overwhelming buzz we had back in the early 2000's when the only "Legal" Weed in the World was in Amsterdam PLUS the fantastic old days of the Wallen.

I have met people from all over the world on this forum and regularly keep in touch with many of them still. Unfortunately some of the old stalwarts have disappeared without a trace.

Over the years I have always wondered what motivated many of us to travel so far, mainly in the Winter/Fall to smoke weed and engage the girls. Each of us had uniquely different backgrounds and experiences but found commonality in our brotherhood of Ignatzmice. Divorce and end of relationships were the main reason I found many of us coming over but for many,,this was their opportunity to have a short relationship with a beautiful young women,,void of all the relationship issues we all dealt with back home. I usually listen to Lenny Kravitz sing "American Women" during my takeoff to Amsterdam.

Many guys simply have not been able to have a physical relationship with stunning women and this was an opportunity to have that experience with a broad selection,,24/7. Where else in the World can you get this on display,,in the open?

Many things have changed over the last 17 years since my first experience over the Cannabis Cup on a Thanksgiving weekend. The RLD has seen a huge transformation with all the new small businesses and pop-ups in the Wallen. Add in the changes in Weed and Amsterdam is now more of a "normal" visit,,with a few extras.

I counted over 40 stamps from Schipol over the last 17 years,,hard to believe that I have been anywhere 40 times in Europe but for some reason I still transit in and out of Amsterdam,,for a day at the front and back end of each trip. The ease of getting in and out of the Centrum makes Amsterdam a great stop off point to smoke a joint, enjoy the vibe, ride a bike, take a walk in Vondelpark,,,all without partaking in the RLD.

Amsterdam will always have a unique vibe for me,,even without the Mongering and Smoking. Things change,,people change,,the history will continue.

Doei

When you say changes in weed, are you referring to it being more readily available in other countries, or is the offering in Amsterdam different to what it was 17 years ago?

Comparing to how revered Amsterdam was in the weed department vs how it is now.

A month ago you said 'After 20 years visiting Amsterdam'. Now it is 17 years. What is the correct estimate?

This post would be a nice addition to the AMS is no longer the benchmark thread. Sentimentality is one reason I keep going back. Although, I'm not sure I could visit without any RLD usage.

I went so often that one year was like three:)

Yep, same reason today as my first trips all those years ago. Still love the City and visit often despite the 'decline' and am amazed you no longer partake when visiting, in spite of your preference for other Countries 'scenes'.