Netherlands > On the Bank of the IJssel

It is COVID times. In twenty, thirty, or maybe even fifty years, this period will be remembered as the modern Spanish flu—a time when, out of fear of a viral outbreak, restaurants were closed, events were banned, and people were urged to avoid crowds. Fortunately, the hotels remain open. Together with Nicolette, I booked a weekend in the historic center of Zutphen. Just after 11:30 a.m., we drive into the ‘s Gravenhof parking lot, at the foot of the impressive Sint Walburgis Church. The ‘s Gravenhof Hotel adjoins the oldest square in the city. In the 11th century, a palace (Palts) was located here. Today, only its silhouette is visible through the differently patterned paving. The hotel is housed in a characteristic 17th-century building. The terrace and hotel are still quiet. Due to COVID measures, the terrace is open this weekend only to hotel guests. Inside, the necessary precautions have been taken. Behind a plexiglass screen, the receptionist welcomes us. Our room is almost ready. We order coffee on the terrace and enjoy the sunny weather. Half an hour later, we can go to our room. The hotel rooms are in the more modern section of the hotel, behind the historic front building. The room is not very large but perfectly fine. The hotel is located right in Zutphen’s historic center. Directly outside, the buildings recall the Hanseatic period. Everyone carefully keeps their distance on the sidewalks. Near the Wine Tower, the Grote Markt, and the Houtmarkt, this is more difficult. On the Houtmarkt, the market is in full swing. People shuffle past the stalls, and the one-and-a-half-meter distance is not always possible. At the bakery, a maximum of six people are allowed inside. We are lucky and just fit in. We order two sandwiches. It is amusing to see six staff members behind the counter. Don’t they have to keep their distance? With the sandwiches in hand, we continue walking through the market. Via the Zaadmarkt, we reach the Bolwerck.

Netherlands - The Gravenhof hotel in the center of Zutphen

Just behind it lies the Drogenaptoren, an old tower that was once one of the gates of the walled city. It serves as a reminder of Zutphen’s glory days as a Hanseatic city. We continue to wander through the old center—left down one street, right down another. Before we know it, we are near the hotel again. We decide to order a drink on the terrace—the only open hospitality and the only place to sit for a while. In the afternoon, we stroll through Zutphen again. Narrow alleys run alongside the shopping streets. Some alleys are accessible only through small gates. It is a pleasure to explore the streets. At the Berkelsingel, a section of the old city wall still stands. Three arches over the Singel also protected the city from attacks.

Netherlands - The market on the Hout Market

At the end of the afternoon, we return to the hotel terrace. Dinner is served in two shifts, allowing the staff to clean the tables in between. Tonight, we have the early shift at six o’clock. This leaves us enough time later in the evening to join the online pub quiz. The tables are spaced well apart, and where that is not possible, plexiglass screens are in place. The staff does their best to serve the meal as normally as possible. A pleasant breeze blows across the terrace, making it a delightful end to the day. Around 7:30 p.m., we are back in our hotel room. While the coffee machine runs, we log in for the pub quiz. Over the past weekends, we have participated to support local hospitality. Tonight is the final. We didn’t want to miss this last round. From our bed, we follow the quiz on the TV screen and discuss with our teammates via the iPad. It works—we finish third tonight.