“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”

Maya Angelou

Happy Valentine’s Day!  Love ❤️ Lock 🔒 Bridges are not something new. They’ve been around since before WWI, and represent a couple locking in their love for each other.Today’s photo’s are from the Love Lock Bridge in Bristol England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿….you all know how much I love England!  They really picked up in popularity since the 2000’s.  I know that you’ve seen them on your travels, they’re all over the world 🌎 now.   What was the last city you saw a Love Lock Bridge in?  

Many people believe that the most famous Love Lock Bridge in Paris is the original and is where it all began, but they’re incorrect, it’s only the most recognized.  This tradition actually began in Serbia of all places.  As the legend goes, a woman named Nada fell in love with a Serbian officer name Relja.  They soon became engaged 💍 and unfortunately Rejla was assigned duty in Greece 🇬🇷, and whilst he was there he fell in love.  After the break up, Nada never fully recovered.  Local women heard of Nada’s broken heart 💔 and began leaving locks, engraving their initials on them, and leaving them permanently behind on the bridge that Nada & Relja frequented.  They would then throw the key away in the river, which would lock in their love with their partner.

Unfortunately, the Love Lock Bridge 🌉 in Paris had so many locks 🔒 on it that eventually the fencing gave way and it collapsed.   The local government replaced it with materials that would prevent future locks from being attached; they never recovered all of the keys 🔑 in the river. 

Currently, some local governments have classified love ❤️ locking as vandalism, and in several countries have had the locks 🔒 removed in fear of the end result being collapse of their bridge…they were never built with this in mind, and the weight poses a liability and concern for visitors and locals alike.  😳

So before you buy your lock 🔐, and engrave your initials for a romantic memory on your next adventure…please keep this in mind – Is it worth it 🤷🏽‍♀️?

Regardless of which side of the fence you’re on, they are a little romantic, kind of cool 😎 , and make for some unique photography 📸.  However, for the record, I haven’t ever hung one and probably never will. 

Stay safe, and remember, if you leave your place, cover your face 😷.

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