High times at the Cannabis Cup
Amsterdam Daze #1: Pot heads from across Europe descend on the Dutch capital to sample and celebrate marijuana and all its manifestations.
A few years ago, I spent a semester as a full-time exchange student at the University of Amsterdam. This while studying for my Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing at the University of Technology, Sydney. I kept a journal, and what follows typifies the many entries captured, which will form part of a series, Amsterdam Daze.
To newcomers, welcome. I’m Grant and this is my log of days and years spent as a vagabond. To returning readers, good to have you back.
I knew something was not quite right, just that bit unusual, when on walking past Barney’s Uptown late last Monday night, I noticed a large crowd on the footpath, either eager to enter or some smoking reefers. This is extreme.
Barney’s Uptown, as the name suggests, is one of the rare upmarket venues catering to the more discerning pot smokers lingering between the various ‘coffee shops’ dotted along Haalemmerstraat. Barney’s designer decor, mood lighting and premium prices manage to deter most of the tourist riff raff on their cannabis crawl. And for this reason, Barney’s Uptown is hardly ever full; just relaxed and comfortable. It’s the place grown ups come for their post-ganja chill. Or so I’m told. But this week, things were amiss.
Ahh, the Cannabis Cup had begun. It coincided with Thanksgiving when I was a student there, but has since shifted to a summer schedule. This uniquely Dutch gig is the Tour de France for pot heads from around the world. Mind you, the Dutch have nothing officially to do with running the event; it’s completely managed out of the United States by High Times magazine.
For US$199, ‘stoners’ can buy a ‘judges’ pass, which effectively entitles them to sample the green stuff from nearly 30 participating ‘coffee shops’ all this week, and somehow pass judgement on what the best weed or resin is.
This is no small task for any diehard pot head. This takes stamina, perseverance, sustenance and a certain amount of technical knowledge, similar to that of a judge at a wine show. Consider these abbreviated instructions from the Official Cup Guide:
Before you consume, inspect it carefully. Is it well-cured and well-manicured? Does it have a coating of sugary crystals? Use your loupe [a magnifying glass] to inspect the trichomes that contain the THC. Are they amber and well-formed?
Then there’s the smell. Those in the know hand grind a small portion and note if the aroma is “spicy or fruity?” Haze strains have a distinctive piney smell, apparently. “Diesel smells like red grapefruit … If the smell is green, the strain hasn’t been cured.” Then there’s the taste. And the high. So you can see, this is no easy task for the judges.
A final note of warning suggests judges return any mouldy cannabis – it’s not safe – and to “drink water, but avoid alcohol, caffeine or other substances that may confuse your cannabis palate”.
The streets all this week have been awash with such folk, ambling and mumbling as they try and find their way from Dampkring to Grey Area, or any one of the other 30 ‘coffee shops’ listed on their official maps.
There are shuttle buses to assist visitors with this, but some invariably get waylaid. Like the 2 American men in their 20s who accosted me this morning, just after 11am, near Amnesia (a past winner) as I made my way home in between lectures.
They were looking for De Tweede Kamer (another past winner). They were near the right canal/street, but many, many blocks and bridges from their destination. I just directed them to Singel, told them to follow their nose (literally) and keep heading south; they were bound to find it.
There is an Expo as part of the week’s festivities. Seminars on growing seeds, hydroponic insights, and the like are featured. With no uni lectures tomorrow (Thursday), guess where I’ll be? All part of the life of a freelance writer, you see!
I’m particularly looking forward to Denny Danko’s session at 5pm; he’s the Senior Cultivation Editor of High Times. Another highlight will be the induction into the Counterculture Hall of Fame of Tom Forcade, creator of the industry’s bible, High Times. Previous inductees include Louis Armstrong, Jack Kerouac and Cheech & Chong.
Plus, the major prizes will be awarded at a gala event, topped off with a show featuring Jefferson Starship, formerly known as Jefferson Airplane. These guys pre-date the Rolling Stones. Seems they’re on a ‘roll’ from ‘head’lining at the 40th anniversary Woodstock reunion concert.
So rather than pack away the Zimmer frames, they’re live at the Melkweg (Milky Way) Night Club. Tickets are sold out; have been for weeks. Sure promises to be a high time at the culmination of the Cannabis Cup. At least I’ll be able to get a seat at Barney’s Uptown now.