Personally I avoid ANY places that charge strange amounts for things. They're playing bad games with math and that kind of place isn't the kind of place you want to shop.

For example, anyone that has a flat rate of like 10 euros and base the amount of what they sell you to that 10. So you could drop the 10 and get like 2.5 g of total crap, 2 g of slightly less than total crap, 1.8 g of something else, 1.5g of something that sucks moderately, etc.

That kind of place has one thing in mind - forcing you to do something you don't want to maximize their profits. They are in it because they can sell it and never expect to see you back.

I much prefer places that aren't only in it for the fast tourist cash. I like the places where the people are friendly and they are proud of their goods and want you to tell your friends.

I avoid Grasshopper and Bulldog. I have heard La Canna has this attitude as well.

Furthermore, you can tell who likes you and who doesn't like you by the seats. It's a dead giveaway. If the seats are comfortable, they want you to hang about. If they're not, they want your money and get the hell out of my store. Also if they have a volcano (or other vapouriser), they want you to stay and use it.

Amnesia has the best seats. Leather. And they have board games and reading materials. And a Volcano. Great place to hang. Rokerij started cushioning their concrete slab benches recently. Dolphin has comfy stuff downstairs and three vapes upstairs. Betty Too has nice stuff upstairs.

Umma Gumma may be the coolest place to hang.

Greenhouse has hardwood seats - but I can understand this one - they have such good goods that they need to make it uncomfortable so you'll get out before you pass out. Barney's is hard wood.

Opinions?

What say The Bluebird though, with its mix of comfy seating (ie the setee) and polar opposite (those hard chairs)? Think you may be generalising it a bit but I do remember from my first few visits telling peeps back home that you just pay 20 guilders or whatever it was and get X amount of weed depending on it's strength/quality. That was because Free Adam was my c/shop of choice though! You just learn by (bad) experience I guess or are lucky to have a local/veteran to to take you under their wing.

My summer trip will see me take in Haarlem for the first time where I intend to buy most of my gear for the trip and beyond - a sure way to avoid what you write of.

I think music determines how long you stay in a c/s anyway. That techo music just gets me going toute suite. Problem is they all seem to be playing it these days. I remember punters on here moaning due to the ubiquitous Bob Marley & The Wailers' tunes, but I'd go to a shop that slowed it down a bit in a shot.

Peace
G~

Yeah I'll take old school tunes like Marley or Floyd or the Dead over this techno crap any day.

It really gets my sheep when you go to a shop and they have a minimum at the counter. They have their profit already preset. They don't give a damn about you - and they try to make you buy way more than you need. And what if what you just bought three times more than you wanted turns out to suck? Not cool. Man this really gets me going.

In many way's I must say that the Grasshopper works for me and I have scored some great buds there. True that it may be very commercial and a tourist hub, but they did have excellent smoke when I have visited.

Bulldog has taken a turn in a bad way,,, my opinion. After they renovated the place a few years ago it took away the old charm. It was interesting seeing the paper currency on the walls and talking with the casual crowd. Last time I visited Bulldog I looked at the pre-packaged bags, turned right around and left.

Much of this hinges on personal preference and taste. Here at home I have over thirty different types of buds to select from at any given time. When I often see what others purchase I can't believe my eyes. Some buy pot just because they heard the awesome name it was given, AK47, Bubblegum etc. It's an easy way to dump poor quality smoke quickly and I must say it works.

As many here have read my past postings, it's no mystery that my favorite places are Barney's, Greenhouse and Rokery, De Dampkring and a few more that have ironically scored awards in the past for producing top quality buds. Amsterdam is a wonderful place and I really love it there. Although I reside far away, I am mentally there amongst you all.

Lang Leve Nederlands!

Joecaddy.....