Locks of love again

In my travels, I've seen these "locks of love" on bridges in international locations (Paris, St. Petersburg). So it is fitting that we should have some locks of love at this year's International Food & Music Festival.

Of course, there's no river in which to throw away the key. And I'm not sure that couples came prepared with locks that carried their names. But it's a fun idea anyway.

Throw away the key!

In her last post, Pam talked about the Seine and how it somehow motivates people to action—in Pam's post, the action was jogging. Here, you see the motivation is the demonstration of their love.

One of the things we have written about before was the "love locks" that get attached to fences, gates, bridges, and parts of bridges.In this case, the locks you see pictured here are attached to a metal ring that is in the wall that borders the Seine alongside Notre Dame. The story is that people show their commitment to their loved one by attaching a lock with their names on it and throwing the key into the river; as a sign of their enduring love.

Love locks...again

I was on an evening walk in Waikiki, heading back to my hotel when I noticed this lock on a fence. It made me smile. Shades of past visits to Paris and this tradition of placing a lock (typically on a bridge), although here on a fence. It seems the tradition continues.

"Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead."
 ~ Oscar Wilde

Ah, Paris...the city of love

It seems like everywhere we go in Paris, people are cuddling. Sometimes they are snuggling on the conveniently placed park benches, sometimes along the steps of the Seine. It's easy to do in a city as picturesque and romantic as Paris. No rules here on PDA's.





Pam wrote yesterday about the "locks of love". This couple was so cute, taking their picture with the lock they added to this bridge.

"It is difficult to know at what moment love begins; it is less difficult to know that it has begun." ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Conditional love?

Two years ago, we showed you the "locks of love" in Paris and St. Petersburg. A couple attaches a padlock to a bridge and then throws the key into the river to symbolize the permanence of their love. So what does it say about their love when they use a combination lock?

In the two years since, the custom has grown in popularity. You can now buy your lock from street vendors right there on the most popular bridges. There are so many locks that it is hard to find a bare spot to attach your lock, and many locks are now attached to other locks instead of the bridge itself.

And now two of those locks belong to Downey residents.

Paris, city of love

Paris is such a beautiful, romantic city. Who could be surprised to see couples everywhere walking hand in hand, snuggling next to the Seine or cuddling on a bench.

Even so, I was surprised to find the same custom here that we discovered this summer in Russia and Ukraine. We called them "locks of love." It is the custom of locking a padlock on a favorite or special bridge with lovers' names written or inscribed on the lock. (Click here to see the Moscow "locks of love" post.)

According to Wikipedia:  Love padlocks have existed for quite some time, though there are no certain sources for their origin. In Europe, love padlocks started appearing in the early 2000s. The reasons love padlocks started to appear vary between locations, and in many instances are unsourced. An attribution for the bridge Most Ljubavi (lit. the Bridge of Love—now named after the love padlocks) in Serbia exists, where they can be traced to even before World War I.

Whether the locks affirm or protect the hearts of lovers, it seemed fitting to find them here in a city with so much beauty.

There is a something about Paris that forces you to slow down and take time to appreciate what is around you. The river is there to be walked, there are outdoor cafes everywhere that beckon you to sit and relax and enjoy the company of friends. The city somehow seems to be centered around relationships...maybe that's why it has come to be known as the "city of love."

Locks of love

St. Petersburg is an amazing city. We have been exploring, walking all over, and loving it. You are always close to water here—it's been called the Venice of the North. Peter the Great built the city out of what was then marshland and created a series of canals. It is very beautiful and adds to the charm of the city.

One of the things we discovered as we explored the waterways was the "marriage locks." We actually learned about these from our friends at Moscow Greeter, but didn't actually see any when we were in Moscow. The locks are mostly heart-shaped locks that newlyweds hang on the bridges in both Moscow and St. Petersburg.

It is a tradition to show that their love is sealed forever. Once the couple is married, they go with the wedding party to their favorite bridge and put the lock in place (they add their names and the date on the lock). Then the bride takes the key and throws it into the river below.

Such a romantic and beautiful custom.