Love can drive people to do crazy things. This seems to be the same the world over. The similarities among different peoples often takes me by surprise. Wandering the streets of a city, ready for discovery, is one of my favorite ways for unravelling a place. So, upon noticing locks bearing names and dates on bridges and chains around many towns; my interest was piqued, which translates to a click of the shutter.
Love locks on bridges, and just about anywhere a lock can be affixed, is a phenomenon spreading across the world. This expression of love involves affixing a lock, usually with the couple's name and a date on it, to a structure and throwing away the key. Therefore, locking one's love in place for eternity. A romantic sentiment, indeed!
Paris was the location of my first encounter, on the Pont des Arts bridge. Click!
Back in 2008, the pedestrian bridge was just beginning to see the effects of the love spreading. Click! In for a closer look ...
The practice became so prolific the bridge was becoming compromised by the excess weight and the locks were removed in 2015 and replaced with Plexiglass panels. In 2017, Parisians came up with a clever use for the removed locks. They auctioned off some of the lock clusters using the proceeds to benefit migrant charities, which you can read more about in this article.
Love locks can still be found in Paris, however. Click!
Couples have gotten creative in expressing and immortalizing their love throughout the city.
Finding all sorts of places to lock their love for all time. Click, click!
Even locks upon locks.
The phenomenon isn't unique to Paris. It is spreading around the world, to the dismay of some. Many cities have made an effort to discourage the practice due to the negative effect on the structures. I witnessed the spread while in London and Aguas Calientes, Peru.
Aguas Calientes, Peru
It has even spread to a bridge in my hometown. I think, crazy or not, this love thing isn't going away any time soon.
Love ya~
Susan