Padlocks of Love
potofclay has added a photo to the pool:
In the Cinque Terre, there's a well-paved, mile-long, and easy hiking trail along the coast that connects Riomaggiore to Manarola called "Via Dell'Amore," or "Love Walk." Along the way, one will encounter, besides the gorgeous views, an area that's filled with padlocks. Legend has it that it was a meeting place for lovers from the two towns. Now, it's a site for tourists to place their locks and throw the keys into the sea. Apparently, these "love padlocks" are not unique to this site. A symbolism that I think can have two very different meaning...
Coincidentally, my friend Mike just posted a similar shot of love padlocks that he took in China!
Yes it's a very sweet and old tradition !
ReplyDeleteThe History of Love Padlocks
The tradition of "Love Padlocks" has been very popular in various countries where this custom is practised. From Tokyo to New York, in Milan, London or Brussels, [young] couples have been swearing their undying love by them for many years. They first appeared in China approximately 5 000 years ago and the tradition has continued in many other places around the world. Wherever there are bridges, gates or fences, lovers have attached their padlocks as a symbol of their undying love for one another. In Cologne, for example, thousands of padlocks can be found on the Hohenzollern Bridge, in Talin they can be found around the churches, and in China they have been spotted on some of the gates of the Great Wall!
Today you can also do that on the Net : www.thelovegrid.com
With Love,
Bernard