I was a walking in the Autumnal sunshine last Sunday afternoon and came across these engraved padlocks on the bridge to Aspen Island (or ‘Carillon Island’). Some of them are quite recent (as in yesterday) and the oldest dates back to late 2012. I can only assume they’re paying homage to the global phenomena ‘Love Locks’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_padlocks).
I counted a total of eight(!) … things tend to move slowly in Canberra so we’ve a fair ways to go until we approach the Pont des Arts in Paris or the Ponte Milvio in Rome.
Most of them bear the names of the lovers and a date … however there’s at least one cryptic inscription which reads;
C+D=B
Rm 701
28/11/2012
Love to hear reader’s guesses as to the meaning of that one!
Are Love Locks appearing in your part of the world? Do they encrust bridges and walkways?
For those with a geographical bent … here’s the location of the bridge to Aspen Island which incidentally is the location of the National Carillon … a gift by the British Government to celebrate Canberra’s 50th birthday. This year the city celebrates it’s centenary.
The mystery lock? Blissful memories of a rendevous at a hotel? I hope so. Obviously something at least one of them wants to remember.
That was the most popular suggestion when I posted this series to RiotACT early last week. It remains a mystery 🙂
When we were on our recent river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest, Geoff, we saw several cities with these love padlocks, but the one that took the prize was in Cologne where I'm sure there are more than a million of them: http://www.ginniehart.blogspot.nl/2013/04/viking-river-cruise-day-3-cologne.html (scroll down). It's actually fun, don't you think? 🙂
That’s a lot of padlocks Ginnie! I guess our lovers aren’t quite as prolific as European ones! I quite like the encrusted padlock look on a bridge.
Like Ginnie said before (and showed in her pictures), there must be thousands and thousands of them on the Hohenzolllern bridge in Cologne near the cathedral and main station. There is a wire mesh fence between the rail tracks and the walkways on both sides of the bridge and in some places all you can see are padlocks. I always wonder why there are much more on one side than on the other. Here are a few pictures from me back from winter 2011, trying to single out a few of them I found special: http://olaswelt.com/2011/12/13/tell-me-something-about-love/
They are usually place on bridges, over running water, but I saw some here in Duesseldorf on fences near the river and also found three of them on the top of the mountain Jebel Hafeet which sits at the border of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Oman. In my hometown, they also put a thick chain on one of the bridges as a place just for these padlocks and one of them belongs to friends of mine.
As for the mysterious padlock inscription, I would gess C and D made baby B in room no. 701 but it could mean something else entirely and only those two will know 🙂
Cool pictures, thank you 🙂
They seem to be popping up all over … they’d make a fascinating archaelogical site for future generations. As to the mystery inscription … who knows(!) though B=Baby seems the most popular choice so far 🙂
Where have I been? I had no idea! Thanks Geoff.
Plainly been in the studio creating great art! Likely there’d be a bridge nearby with a couple of padlocks attached … let us know if you find some 🙂
I had no idea either – hahaha – I don't think I am so keen on the idea of love being 'locked' (maybe a few stalkers out there 😉 ) Your photos are very beautiful – the contrast of the coloured locks with the background – excellent.
Thanks Gabe … nice to see you again 🙂
I’m not sure I like the idea of a ‘locked love’ either … actually scratch that … I don’t. I’d never seen such pretty locks before … those red ones are quite the picture!
Mmmm, quite the perspective!!!
Thanks again Marialla.
It's a worldwide phenomenon. Curious and sometimes puzzling–nevertheless it's another form of communication.
Once noticed they’re everywhere Sally 😉
funny, these things really are everywhere these days…
I hadn’t noticed them here in Canberra before .. but then as you know I don’t get out much 😉
I’ll be interested to see if they multiply 🙂
Wait till the rust sets in . . . .
Geoff, your photos do add a certain poignancy and glow to the proceedings which I have yet to see for myself.
Yeah … these are all so shiny and new … rust is cool!
i like those pics a lot, they have a wonderful tone, a perfect focus and each of them seems to tell a story!
They all have a story for sure … I’d love to know what the cryptic inscription means but then I’m just nosey 🙂