Building Completed

Quite a long time ago, perhaps as long as two years ago, I wrote a blog about a new building that was going up near where we lived. The foundation sat for a very long time - over a year. We would see some supports for what looked like they might be stairs. We would wonder at its unusual shape. We made guesses as to what it would be when it was finished. As time went by we made guesses as to whether it would be finished at all. Suddenly work began in earnest on the foundation and the new building began to take shape. A large picture was erected on the property and we could see that it was going to be a theater. Hmmmm, but what kind. In the Netherlands a cinema is called a "bioscoop" and that is not what the sign said. So we wondered. Then when the building was nearly finished they put posters in the windows and it looked like it was going to be a cinema. Closer inspection revealed that no one was going to watch movies in this theater, but that it would be for the performance of plays. It struck me as strange that our town, which is relatively small, would play host to an actual theater. Something more commonly associated with cities, and often cities of some size and especially in light of the fact that there is no movie theater within 10 or 15 miles of here. We wondered whether the government decided the theater should be here or whether it was done to help bring in business to the town. Seems to me more people would go see movies, than would watch plays, but perhaps here that isn't the case. Anyway, I thought those of you who read that original post all that time ago, might like to see what it finally became. For those of you who missed the original blog, I have copied it below. NEW BUILDING They are putting in a new building near our home. We heard about it before we saw it. No, we didn't hear about it via the grapevine. We woke one morning to hear the steady drum of a pile driver in the distance and from this we knew a new building was going up. We think it may be a school since the other buildings in this area are all schools, but we are only guessing. It does provide the opportunity to show you what a Dutch foundation looks like. Holland is basically an extensive delta for several major rivers of Europe. So the soil is very sandy. Most of the country is at or below sea level which has been reclaimed through dikes and other engineering projects. We live in the high country at the lofty altitude of 3 1/2 feet above sea level. A high water table and the sandy soil make traditional foundations impossible, so buildings from our little home to the Queen's palace are built on pilings. I once read how many pilings the Queen's house sits on, but cant remember. I think it was over 70,000. They've been driving pilings for a couple of weeks and they also have a pump working to get the water out, although from where and into what I don't have a clue. It would seem as futile as trying to empty the ocean.