Rebuilding Amsterdam
Amsterdam seems to be in a state of constant renovation and re-building. Ever since I arrived in the city something, somewhere has been under going reconstruction (BlondeButBright has commented on this too). The big projects at the moment are the addition of a new metro line and the re-building of Amsterdam Central Train Station (or Amsterdam Central Building Site as I like to call it), an undertaking that will not be complete until 2011.
Mini building sites can pop up any where in the city with out warning like black holes. At the start of this week one such construction zone appeared right outside the office where I worked. The street is currently being pulled up in preparation for a re-construction of the canal side.
The water supply to our office has already been cut off due to a miss calculation with a pickaxe and the strength of a water pipe. As a result our H2O was spilling out over the street and into the near by canal for most of the day. By the end of the week we might have a full defensive moat or we’ll all be floating out into the harbour on our desks when the building falls into the canal. Dutch safety laws do not seem to be the strictest in the world (if they exist at all).
The mishap with the water has also created one of the many daring obstacles I now have to navigate in order to get to work. There are JCB diggers to dodge, raging rapids (that was once the office water supply) to avoid, mounds of sand to navigate, holes to side step and various other building site perils to brave. All that is missing is a tense but adventurous movie soundtrack, a giant rolling bolder and a few treasure hunting Nazis. However, Indiana Jones might shy away from this one and even Bob the Builder would give up.
Just in case you take a tumble like your Scottish friend did, leave your cell phone safely at home….and wear your water wings.
As soon as I saw your picture, I thought, “Boy, does Stu look like Bob the Builder or what?”
Better get out the hip waders.
Ellen – I brought my surfboard just in case.
Roxanne – It’s funny that you say that. I went to the studio where they make Bob the Builder once for an interview as a prop maker.
So will Stu fix it? :)
Be sure that you have a life jacket on.:)
I thought has a moat around it anyway?
I’ve noticed that, too, about Amsterdam. There are more cranes keeping a watchful eye out on this city than any other city I’ve ever seen, except maybe Berlin…It’s better than being in a state of decay like it is in other places–namely Detroit where I lived for one year thanks to my previous employer…
I too come ffrom a flat place – lincolnshire. And we are planning cto build some hills and mountains on the coast before the icebergs arrive.
Pop over to my blog you should meet a couple of friends of mine, Connie Lingers and Phil Atio. Then of course there’s Katy Wellad and Shaftem-Slyly.
We were told yesterday that there will be no water between 10am and 3pm on Monday which means we won’t even be able to flush the toliets… great.
ChickyBabe – Yes but I’ll charege a lot :p
Rose – Always do
Matt – Not far off it
:) A moat lol
Hmm..still going to work without having any water supply?.. isnt this against H&S rules?…just a thought ;)
Hope you got a gondola.
Unbelievable. Nothing of the sort has happened in my building – yet. But I won’t be surprised, given that we’re all residing below sea level. Thank goodness for first (and second and third) floor offices.
James – I actually hope I’m still here in 2011 to see what it all looks like when it is finished. I bet it will look great.
Latina – I sent an email to the office HR department saying the something. They said they would sort something out but I don’t know if they ever did.
BlondebutBright – If that ever happens I could ‘borrow’ one of the boats around the corner
How about downloading a suitable sound track on your I-Pod and playing it when you go to and from work.