Thursday, August 19, 2010

No bagels, but some locks.....

Locks on a Ponte Milvio street lamp

My husband posted a photo on his photoblog today of some locks. A comment was left by someone in France named Maylss that described how it's become a trend around the world for lovers to put locks on public places to signify their everlasting love.

Super sleuth that I am (trained at Google U) I discovered this....

Locks of love are the padlocks fixed by loving couples, on to a fence or a pole or metallic chain/string alongside some wall etc at a public place, to symbolize their eternal love. A couple would hang a padlock after inscribing their name or initials on it and throw the key away so that their love is locked forever. Some couple use two inter-twined locks, each lock bearing their name/initials. Besides lovers, often family members and close friends also put such locks at these places, to lock their relationship forever.

The tradition probably originated from China where the love locks can be seen at several locations alongside the Great Wall of China and also in many temples and on the steps/paths leading to sacred peaks.

The tradition has spread around the World and is now quite prevalent in South Korea, Japan, Guam, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Russia, USA etc.






I gotta find a spare lock somewhere.....

11 comments:

Birdman said...

I'm a simple man. Make mine just the cinnamon-raisin bagel!

Unknown said...

Now I have to go to Mr. Bagel for a cinnamon raisen bagel with walnut raisen cream cheese!

Debbie said...

I like the idea that there are that many people in love and that they would want to "lock in" their love and share that with the world, BUT...it looks a little out of control and littered somehow. It is reminiscent of metal clutter. The occasional pretty lock or unusual lock might catch your eye but this is a bit much! I'm with Birdman...the simple things in life that make me happy....take out the trash, thank me for a good meal, keep me laughing...stuff like that! Thanks for keeping us up to date though on these new trends Elenka! At least I will have something to talk about that maybe someone else might not know yet!!..Seriously...I don't get out much!

Malyss said...

:)
I and hubby hang one in Roma, on the fence around the fountain of Trevi!
Thank you for the link!and, please,
Tell to Birdman that I found your blog (and liked it very much!)
Have a nice day!

Malyss said...

PS: i made a tour on your blog; I love your paintings!! the ones with snow really make me dream!
And I'm jealous because you met the Brattcat team :), i love Mrs Brattcat's blog very much!

Clueless in Boston said...

I think the lock thing really started in Junior High a long time ago. On the last day of classes kids would lock their locks on fences or where ever; along with throwing their old gym sneakers over telephone wires, all on the last day of school.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Holy Cow... I've never heard of that... Maybe that is what happened to my first marriage... ha ha (Nah---locks wouldn't have helped that marriage)

Neat post.... See what I learn from blogging!!!!

Hugs,
Betsy

Deb Shucka said...

What a lovely tradition - one I've never heard of, but am totally smitten by now. So cool.

Lili said...

Wow that kind of makes the nuisance of grafitti seem not so hard to deal with for the keepers of these public places! Can you imagine the poor person that would need to cut through all the locks? I, myself think it is a very romantic notion however! One that I had not ever heard of either. Pretty cool. ~Lili

Sharon Creech said...

Wow! Never heard of this. Thank you for the enlightenment--how intriguing!

Gillion said...

Have you tried dumplings and roast ducks? They are the famous and traditional Beijing dieshes. And also bird's nest soup? Its a delicacy in China.

Enjoy your days~~~

Gillion
www.geocities.jp/hongkong_bird_nest/index_e.htm