Amsterdam Part One
The first thing that they did after arriving at the Centraal station in Amsterdam was find a café in which they could get some breakfast. There was one within a few seconds walk of the station, and they quickly settled in for the continental breakfast that had become the norm for them. They had a view over the square outside, busy with people, bicycles and trams, the latter so strange to an American eye, rattling off along their tracks in the direction of the city centre and the suburbs. Sebastian was now back in charge of the itinerary and he had already identified the correct tram to take them to their hotel. After eating and drinking some of the strongest coffee that they had ever had, they made their way over to one of the tram stops. The tram arrived and they boarded, sitting back to stare out of the windows as it rattled through streets filled with bicycles rather than cars, catching glimpses of canals, until finally the driver cheerfully announced that they had reach the nearest stop to the Pulitzer Hotel. 'As in prize,' thought Trent, as they followed the directions that the driver had given them. The hotel, when they found it, was not what most of them had expected. From the outside it looked like a row of individual houses. In fact Sebastian walked them right past it, and had it not been for an observant Rory at the rear, they would not have seen the sign at the entrance, set back slightly from the street.
It was different once again to the other hotels they had stayed in. They had arrived far earlier than normal for checking in to a hotel as a result of travelling on the overnight train, but their rooms were ready. They were next door to each other, all with a view out over the canal, but all unique. Jeff fell in love with the view of the city from the window at once, and whilst Nick unpacked, he sat and sketched it. He carried on doing so as Nick took a shower. He reluctantly placed his drawing to one side when Nick returned and told him to go and wash - but when he returned, he asked Nick to sit on the broad window ledge so that he could draw him into the sketch. Nick would never refuse such a request from Jeff, and when the others came to their room, ready to head out, they discovered Jeff, still clad only in the towel he had emerged from the shower in, just putting the final touches to the picture. As Jeff hurried to dress, they all admired his artwork. Then they headed out, their first destination the city's largest museum - the Rijksmuseum. Sebastian had planned their visit so that they would be able to see the best of the exhibits in an orderly fashion - the paintings by Rembrandt, particularly The Night Watch, and the Vermeers. At the same time, he had ensured that they didn't miss out on the other lesser exhibits.
The museum was busy, but they stuck together in a tight group and managed to make their way around, with Jeff to the front. They all knew that for him, being close to some of the most famous paintings in the world was a dream come true. He could only hope to be as skilled and as talented as them one day. He doubted that he ever would be as great as them, unlike Nick, who talked about the possibility of one day attending the opening of the Jeff Sterling collection in one of New York's most prestigious art galleries. He always corrected him - it would be the Sterling-Duval collection. On more than one occasion that day, Nick had to gently pull Jeff away from a painting - he was used to standing for hours in front of a picture as Jeff studied the brush strokes and the techniques - the others were not, and it was unfair on them. He made a vow to check the opening hours and bring his fiancé back for another look, just the two of them. He realised a long time ago that when Jeff was surrounded by art, he was at his happiest, and could forget the events of the past that still gave him the odd nightmare. Eventually, they left the paintings behind to move on to admire the collections of silver and porcelain in their own galleries. By the time they finally emerged, it was late in the afternoon, having stopped at the museum café for a spot of lunch.
They made their way back to the hotel, splitting into two groups as they did so. Nick and Jeff ended up walking slowly behind the other, as the cityscape was fascinating to Jeff, who was inspired to sketch the way that the buildings and streets were intersected with canals, the latter filled with small boats. He also suggested that they should consider hiring bicycles so that they would appear more like locals and less like tourists. He would never dream of riding a bike through the streets of New York, but here it did seem that two wheels were king. Nick agreed, but on the condition that they did not get a tandem this time. Once they got back to the hotel, Nick sat quietly by as Jeff sketched the exterior, identifying the window of their room after seeing Rory briefly in the window of the one he shared with Trent. People would slow down and stop to watch as Jeff's pencil created yet another brilliant piece. Nick quickly realised that as in Berlin, this was another city where tolerance of others was to the fore and prejudice was not seen. He did wonder if the past had shaped that. He also realised that for the first time in his life, he was in a monarchy - it did seem an alien concept to a mind brought up in a republic, but it seemed to work here, particularly as said monarch lived in an ordinary house and not a grand palace. He ended up so deep in thought that for once Jeff had to tap him on the shoulder and remind him that they should be getting ready for dinner. They returned to their room, hand in hand, not caring if people saw.
About an hour later they headed back out again, following Sebastian to a restaurant that he had chosen, that served only Dutch specialities. It would have been so easy to stick to their usual traditional fare, but they had vowed to try and eat local dishes when they could. The restaurant had several very large tables, and they found themselves seated at one that they shared with a group of local students. Like most of the young people that they had encountered in Europe so far, they all spoke good English, and they quickly took over, recommending the dishes that they should choose from the menu. Trent decided to ask them if they could teach him some very basic Dutch, and they agreed. He mastered some words and phrases quickly, and sitting alongside him, Rory picked up some too. The food when it arrived was delicious and substantial - the portions big enough that none of them could manage to clear their plates - but strangely enough, they all found that they had space for dessert. Whilst they were eating their slices of apple pie, the students left, having finished their meal. Trent wished them all tot ziens and thanked them as they went. They had given them a good insight into life in the city.
Jeff had been engaged in quiet conversation with one young man in particular. He was also sitting their with his boyfriend, and when Jeff had shown him his engagement ring, he had quickly shown off his own. It was whilst they were discussing their respective fiancés that Jeff had mentioned that Nick loved cake. His new friend had told him that the best cake in Amsterdam was made at a café in the old town - he gave Jeff the address, and told him to ask for Maarten, and say that Pieter Van Daan had sent them for cake. It did seem strange to Jeff that he had been so specific, but he dismissed it as just something that happened in this city. He decided he would take Nick there, just the two of them. His fiancé was very fond of cake after all.
After their meal, which had been shockingly cheap, they took a stroll through the city, heading back in the general direction of the hotel. Sebastian lead the way with a look of such innocence on his face that they all should have been suspicious from the very start. It was only when Dave noticed the first scantily glad woman sitting in a shop window that they all twigged - he had walked them into the heart of the red light district. It seemed almost tragic to them as they walked past window after window filled with women, and indeed men, in a state of undress. There were boys that looked no older than any of them, wearing little more than their underwear…
"It's so sad Nicky. They all look so unhappy - those smiles are forced and there is nothing behind their eyes," said Jeff.
"Trust Sebastian to bring us here - I guess it is on the tourist trail but…it just feels wrong to be here. I feel like a need a shower just after walking through here. And you're right about the smiles - they look like the ones we all had under Hunter at Dalton…" replied Nick.
Rory was being held onto tightly by Trent, as if he thought that any moment now, somebody was going to appear and drag him off, forcing him to sit in a window. Even Dave looked uncomfortable, and not a little displeased with Sebastian. As soon as they could they made their way out of the area, back into the more pleasant parts of the city, but did so only after passing more poor souls. All Nick could think was that if Kurt had been here, he would have run a mile rather than walk through those streets. He would have been waiting somewhere to give Sebastian a good slap for even taking them near such a place afterwards. This was the second time he had done something that had made them all feel uncomfortable. Maybe when they got to Paris they could do something to play him at his own game. After all, none of them were totally innocent - who was in the age of the internet?
That night, Nick felt that he and Jeff deserved a treat. Their hotel room was provided with most of the things that were necessary - it was also easy to obtain candles from the concierge. Once the bath was run, and an unnecessarily large quantity of bubble bath had been used, they got in. For once they reversed their positions with Jeff cradling Nick in his arms for a change. Nick quickly came to realise why Jeff liked lying in his arms as his fiancé began to run his fingers gently through his damp hair, as he leaned back on his chest. "Don't think we are going to do this all the time. I'll still be the one that lies in your arms 90% of the time," Jeff whispered, as he observed the look of bliss on his face. He proceeded to bend down and kiss Nick on the forehead. After they had dried off, they sat in the soft bath robes that the hotel provided and ordered two hot chocolates from room service. They arrived, with whipped cream on the top, tasting every bit as good as those Sebastian was famed for. Not long after that, the two of them snuggled up together in bed. They had missed the warmth of each other's body last night in their bunk beds on the train. They fell asleep face to face, their limbs tangled up together, a smile on their faces.
Their second day in Amsterdam saw them pay a visit to two of the city's most significant buildings. Their first destination was the Van Gogh Museum. The whole story of the artist and the madness that had lead him to cut his ear off had intrigued both Trent and Sebastian since the day that it had been mentioned in their Art class in freshman year at Dalton. They were looking forward to seeing his work as much as Jeff. Once more they found their footsteps around the gallery guided by the plan that Sebastian had printed off on-line and had brought from New York. They spent time walking around the three floors of exhibits, lingering longer at each picture as there were far fewer visitors her than had been at the Rijksmuseum the day before. The fact that the gallery gave insights into the life of the man gave them all a greater understanding, more than they could ever hope to have been given from what they were taught at school - or not taught, in the case of Dave and Rory.
Their second destination was to a far smaller venue, again a museum dedicated to the life of one person that had resided in the city - Anne Frank's house. They wandered around the tiny rooms of the house, in which the Frank family had tried to hide from the Nazis - they had been successful for a long time, but in the end, as they all knew, they had failed. None of them could say that they were unmoved or even dry eyed by the time that they left. Worst affected was Sebastian, who was sobbing in the arms of Dave the moment that they stepped outside. This left them all concerned for him, and so they made their way to a café, bought coffee and tried to comfort him. In the end, once he had managed to stop the tears, he took a deep breath and began to explain why he felt so upset.
"It's Hunter and his dad. Every time I hear the Nazis mentioned, hear about the atrocities they committed towards so many people just because they were different and didn't fit their ideal, it reminds me of them. What they did, what they thought - I just think that if they had been around back in the 1930s…"
"I'd have been sent off, not to an orphanage, but to a camp of some kind. I guess you are right - if we had lived then, I would have ended up wearing a pink triangle and been sent off to a concentration camp - so would you Seb - probably along with Trent and Rory. Dave and Nick might have escaped as they were both able to 'play it straight' for so long…" said Jeff quietly.
"I'd have made them take me with you, Jeffie, no arguments. And you know that. I would never let anyone take you away from me," said Nick. "Thankfully, we live in a better world. It isn't perfect, not by any means - there are still too many places in which people are discriminated against because they are different, or do not conform to what society sees as normal. That is one of the reasons that I want to be a human rights lawyer, not a corporate one like my dad. I want to make a difference to the world that other people live in, to ensure that everyone can live the same kind of life that we do. To make sure that all the Hunters of this world do not win. So that our children can feel free to be themselves, all the time." He stopped, and realised that all of his friends were staring at him, apart from Jeff, who was just leaning on his shoulder, smiling broadly.
"And that, my darling Nicky," he said, "Is what I love about you the most. The fact that you care. Don't ever change." With that, he kissed him, as the others watched with smiles on their faces.
After they finished their coffee, and the sandwiches they had decided to order as it was lunchtime, they headed out again, Sebastian once again in the lead. It was appropriate that there next stop was at the Homomonument, where they again bowed their heads and thought about those who had not been as fortunate as they were. After that, they decided to split up - Nick wanted to take Jeff back to the Rijksmuseum, and so he opted out of Sebastian's plans for a trip to the diamond district, and a couple of historic churches. Trent and Rory decided to stick with him and Dave, knowing that Jeff and Nick would be spending all their time going from one painting to the next, standing there for some time whilst he studied each brush stroke. They agreed to meet up again before dinner in Trent and Rory's room. For both parties the afternoon was interesting - the diamond district was far more fascinating than they had anticipated, and the churches were beautiful. They ended up splitting up again after that, with Dave and Sebastian deciding to take a stroll through the area to the north of Centraal station, whilst both Trent and Rory just wanted to rest before heading out for dinner.
As for Nick and Jeff, their afternoon began much as had been predicted. Nick found a bench to sit on in the gallery as Jeff stood and viewed all of his favourite paintings again, but this time standing still and really looking at them, as he had been taught by the Art mistress at Dalton. This would be good preparation for college, as he knew that he would be judged not just on his own artistic abilities, but on his competence at studying the work of others. In the end though, he did not linger as long as Nick had anticipated. He had snatched a quick look at Sebastian's guidebook at lunch, and had found the coffeeshop that Pieter had recommended on the map, and had worked out which tram he and Nick needed to catch to go there. The latter was not expecting Jeff to say he was finished quite so soon, nor was he expecting to be told to follow him as he had a surprise for him. The tram took them to Centraal station - they caught sight of the others as they split up outside the station, but Jeff quickly hurried Nick away. It took no time at all to find the coffeeshop - and leaving Nick at a table, he headed up to the counter to order drinks. His luck was in as the waiter that served him wore a name tag that said Maarten. He ordered two hot chocolates, and then repeated the line that he was a friend of Pieter, and he was looking for some cake. The waiter smiled, and asked him how many people it was for. Jeff suddenly felt guilty that he had ignored their friends earlier, and so he asked if he could possibly have enough for two just now, and some to take back to their four friends. Maarten just smiled, and said he could arrange that, with a wink. Jeff returned to the table with the two hot chocolates and two pieces of cake. There would be a box with 6 more slices ready for him when they left. As Jeff had anticipated, Nick's face lit up when he saw the cake, and they both tucked in. Pieter had been right - it was some of the best cake they had ever tasted.
Just over an hour and a half later, Trent and Rory were sitting in their room, watching BBC television, when there was a knock on the door, followed by frantic giggling. It was Nick and Jeff, both looking flushed, and happy.
"Trent, Rory, we brought you cake. We went to have a hot chocolate, and Jeff ordered some cake, and it is really, really scrummy and so we got you some to have as well because it is like the best cake ever, so we got you some. And some for Sebastian and Dave but as they aren't here they will have to get their cake later. But you have to taste it now because it is so delicious. And I think there is more for me and Jeff and we might have it now because we can always go back and get some more and for you too because it is really lovely." Nick stopped and looked at Jeff, who was giggling at the television. He took the box from Jeff's hand and opened it, and took out two pieces of carefully wrapped cake, handing them to Trent. "I know that we are going for dinner soon, and you probably shouldn't eat cake because it will ruin your appetite but I say that's silly and if you eat it now and like it then we can get more. I'm going to eat mine now, so you should join me and eat yours too. Jeff, we are going to eat more cake right now." Jeff's face lit up and he hurried over to perch on the end of the bed next to Nick.
Trent and Rory were confused to say the least. Rory was well aware that Nick and cake had as much of a loving relationship as he had with Jeff, but neither of them had ever seen him so enthused. "I don't suppose it will completely ruin our appetite if we eat it now," said Rory.
"It might be for the best if we do anyway," said Trent, looking across at Nick, who was now feeding Jeff cake, the latter then returning the favour. "I have this horrible feeling that if we say no, they'll come over and try to feed us it."
They unwrapped their slices and bit into them. Almost at once, both could see exactly why Nick was so enthusiastic. It was very good cake - sweet, full of buttercream and chocolate - and a little something else that neither could quite identify. Their slices were soon demolished, leaving them to watch as Jeff licked traces of buttercream off Nick's fingers.
Sebastian and Dave were later than they had planned in getting back to the hotel and went straight to Trent and Rory's room. The first thing they heard when they got to the door was the sound of giggling, followed by laughter from two other voices. They knocked on the door, and Rory answered, looking slightly red about the face. On entering, they looked around to see that all four boys were flushed, and that Nick and Jeff seemed to be in the middle of a fit of the giggles - until they noticed them.
"Sebby! Sebby and Dave are here now Nicky! They can have their cake! Where is the cake? I took Nicky to a coffeeshop and we got cake, and it is really nice, so we got you some. Where is the cake, Nicky?"
"Do you know that you have really lovely fingers Jeffie? They are so talented, and they look so beautiful. And they taste lovely too." With that, Jeff started to blush and giggle.
"Coffeeshop," said Sebastian, turning to look at Trent. "He said he got this cake that he and Nick have eaten at a coffeeshop?"
"Yeah. And it is nice - Rory and I have eaten ours and I have to say, it is the best cake that I have ever tasted. Better even than the ones that Kurt used to make. Your slices are in that box on the table by the window. I know it's almost time for dinner, but it is very nice…"
Dave went towards the box to get it. The cake did indeed look very tasty. And one little bit couldn't do too much damage to his appetite for dinner. He brought the box over to Sebastian, and held it out to him.
"I'll pass, and I think you should too. Not because it will ruin your appetite, but because of what I think is in it. This is Amsterdam. He bought it at a coffeeshop…"
"I did. I had to ask specially for it, from a certain waiter, and had to tell him I was a friend of Pieter, one of the students we had dinner with last night," said Jeff. "It is so good that only a few people are allowed to have it."
"Ok, Dave," said Sebastian, "that confirms that you can't eat that cake. And if I show you this passage from the guidebook, you will see why…" He held out the guidebook to a confused Dave; after he had read the paragraph headed Coffeeshops, he put the box down, and turned to look at the other boys. Trent and Rory looked worried - Nick and Jeff were just giggling at a pencil.
"Ok, so let me spell it out to you," said Sebastian, in a tone which Trent realised was similar to the one that Wes had used when he was unhappy about something. "This is one of the few places in Europe where you can go into a coffeeshop and order a little extra. Technically, the cake that you have eaten isn't permitted. Jeff, when you've quite finished laughing at the curtains, did you get a name for the kind of cake? And was it Spacecake?"
Jeff smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that was what he called it. Said that it was special and he kept it for select people. It was so nice of him to give us so much. And if you and Dave don't want yours, then we can share it with Trent and Rory."
"Actually I don't think so. Because you two are high enough already - and they soon will be. It is a cake made with cannabis…."
Trent and Rory immediately looked horrified - and then Rory looked at Trent's face and giggled involuntarily. That set Trent off - then he stopped as he realised why he was laughing. Nick and Jeff had found the whole thing hilarious, and were giggling more than ever. In this situation, Sebastian realised he needed help…
