Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Summary: A birthday trip that shrank from six people to two people, a canal‑side dinner derailed by a badly timed joint, two nights of late‑running bar‑hopping, and a fortieth celebration Martin mostly spent in the hotel bathroom.
In 2004, my friend Martin turned forty and decided he wanted to celebrate with a long weekend in Amsterdam. The plan involved initially six of us, but the number quickly dropped to three as wives and girlfriends applied pressure. Another one bailed on the morning of the trip without telling us, so Martin’s big birthday weekend ended up being just the two of us.
Amsterdam
After arriving in Amsterdam and checking into the hotel, we wandered out to get a feel for the place. We drifted through the cafés, bars and restaurants, and took a canal boat around the city. I hadn’t realised quite how many canals there were until I was floating along them.
Martins Joint
On the way back to the hotel that afternoon, Martin bought himself a large joint to smoke in his room. Having never been someone who has partaken of the horrible, sweet-smelling weed, I declined. I retired to my room and slept before getting ready for dinner. A few hours later, I knocked on Martins door to go for dinner.
Dinner
We walked to a small restaurant beside one of the bigger canals and ordered. While I was eating, I noticed Martin had barely touched his food and had gone white as a sheet. Without warning, he shot up, ran to the front of the restaurant, and was sick all over the inside of the glass door. He carried on outside and emptied what little he’d eaten.
I was amazed we weren’t both thrown out. The staff cleaned up, and after I’d finished my meal, Martin came back in, apologised, and paid for everything before we both left.
Teasers Bar
We moved next door to a bar called Teasers, where Martin managed one beer before heading back to the hotel to continue being sick for the rest of the night. I stayed on, got talking to a group of people from London, and eventually made my way back to the hotel bar.
City Bar
At the hotel bar, I met some people, and one woman asked me to join her and her friend in the bar below the hotel, The City Bar. I ended up partying with them until around five in the morning.
Exploring Amsterdam
The next day, we wandered through Amsterdam, visiting the Red-Light District along Canal Street, Anne Frank’s House, and several of the plazas. By evening, Martin still wasn’t right and stayed in the hotel again. I returned to Teasers, ran into the same people from the night before, and carried on partying into the early hours.
Leaving Amsterdam
On our final morning, we had to leave mid‑morning for the airport, but not before stopping at Teasers for breakfast. I don’t think Martin had much of a fortieth birthday weekend. I on the other hand, had a great time and made plenty of new friends.
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