The hole because of a muddy language

[Antares]

>That's reasonable.  Isn't a large portion of Holland below sea level?
>
>Danny Moore
>Houston Chapter

Most of the western part of Holland is far below sew level.
In olden times there were continual floods and people were miserable because of it.
The last major flooding of the "low lands" was in 1952 I recall.
There was a major hurricane and high water at the same time, the feeble dikes (then) gave in and we all started swimming.
Afterwards the government of Holland decided to do something serious about it, and they created the so called "Delta plan".
All major openings to the sea were sealed off, huge dikes and sluices were built, and the former "Zuiderzee", once of major importance for the Dutch shipping trade, also was closed off by the "Afsluitdijk", which changed the Zuiderzee into the "ijsselmeer", the lake into which the river IJssel pours itsself.
The biggest part of the IJsselmeer was then transformed into land and the soil later became excellent clay for agriculture. So now, when I go the northern provinces for my work, I drive on the bottom of the former Zuiderzee.
If I go south to the Provinces of Zuid-Holland and Zeeland, I drive on roads that are sometimes many meters below sea level.
And..while driving past Schiphol Airport I pass a couple of aquaducts with huge ships passing over my car .
And there was (once upon a time) also the "Lowland weed company" for certain connoisseurs of grass!

Friendly greetings from :
          
CONCERT PIANO SERVICE
André Oorebeek
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
       
‰  where MUSIC is no harm can be  ‰