Locks of Love

Stephanie left on Wednesday for London. Since then I have been taking the time to get to know my new city --- until my classes start on Monday.

I was about to cross the Arno River via the Ponte Vecchio when I came upon a line of padlocks known as the "Locks Of Love." Couples come to this point, put their names and date on the lock and add it to the others on the string. Then they then throw the key into the Arno to "seal their love."

Back in the 1960's this spot was reportedly where soldiers from the nearby military barracks came after they finished serving. Here, they left the padlocks to their military wardrobe -- a gesture to say that they were DONE.

How the padlocks then took on a romantic connotation remains a mystery.

Picture by Jaya Bird: Locks of Love near Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy.