Last week’s Photo Challenge was out of this world.
Well, out of Westport, anyway.
Trace Burroughs’ shot of a “Westpoort” sign was taken in Amsterdam. (Click here to see.)
Dan Vener, Peggy O’Halloran, Arthur Hayes, Jack Marshall, Andrew Colabella, Doug Fierro, Robert Fox, Barry Cass, Lawrence Joel Zlatkin, Amelie Babkie and Tracy MacMath all knew the Dutch connection.
Peggy added this helpful link, from Wikipedia:
Westpoort (Western Gateway or Western Port) is a borough (stadsdeel) of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The borough covers the Port of Amsterdam, the main harbour and industrial area of the city, and is located in the north-western part of Amsterdam. It is divided in the industrial areas of Teleport, Sloterdijk areas I, II and II, De Heining and the harbour area (Havengebied).
While the borough has very few permanent residents, it serves as corporate headquarters of over 1,500 Dutch and foreign companies that operate in the Netherlands. Therefore, approximately 45,000 people commute to the area for work on workdays, making it the largest commuter destination within city limits.[1]
As a primarily business district, Westpoort does not have its own district committee like the other boroughs do. Instead, it is governed directly by the central municipal council, as a port and industrial park rather than a neighborhood.
The northern border of the area is formed by the North Sea Canal. The district borders the boroughs of West and Nieuw-West and the municipality of Haarlemmerliede en Spaarnwoude (including the town of Halfweg).
As for the spelling: the double “o” in Dutch is pronounced “oh,” not “ooh.” So my last name — which is Dutch — rhymes with “vogue,” rather than “voooog.” Think “Roosevelt” or “Moog” (the synthesizer guy).
Don’t worry, though. I’m used to people mispronouncing my name. I even do it myself!
Today’s Photo Challenge is both interesting and artistic. If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/David Squires)