More than two weeks after the start of a second national lockdown – that incidentally has been extended another four weeks – we’ve been honored to sit down to a professionally-prepared meal by way of a much-awaited, very short staycation mini-break not that far from home base in Amsterdam.

An hour away in the small town of Wageningen, in the historic Hotel de Wereld’s famous Capitulatiekamer (Surrender Room) where the German forces officially gave in to the Allies at the end of WWII, lunch was served.

Due to our extended absence from dining out, merely sitting down to a meal was a privilege in itself, ordering from the tight menu feeling like a unique experience. Examining our options and taking in the storied atmosphere of the room we were in, I felt optimistic that an interesting lunch was ahead of us and luckily in the end I wasn’t proven wrong. The fact we were the only diners was an unusual and unexpected luxury.

One thing I can appreciate with dining in this age of Corona, and understandably so, is how much more accommodating establishments are with special requests. Not partial to anything on the menu, Teko asked if an order of uitsmijter was possible, which after a quick check with the kitchen was granted immediately. The rib eye I ordered was definitely on the pricey side for lunch but was satisfying and perhaps given the occasion tasted better than it was. And since staying at the hotel was a prerequisite to dining there, our experience gave me a bit more confidence that our choice for an overnight splurge was justified. With all these uncertainties of late there’s no telling what else might come along – an even longer lockdown, more business closures, heightened anxiety about the future, or something worse. So long as we’re aware, it’s important to constantly remind ourselves how lucky we are to indulge in this way — and to always keep working, preferably along with many others, on a way to move on.