The Locks at Ponte Vecchio

When we first passed this garland of padlocks near the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, I had no idea that these were part of a legend on love.

I just knew that the bridge, which has stretched across the Arno River since 1345, was as beautiful as people had said. It lasted through world wars and massive flooding. The cobblestones that led up to it felt as if the footsteps of merchants and travelers from centuries past still echoed in them. 

The sun set slowly over the bridge, golden yellow and pink turning to a dusky blue-lavender and grey. Couples lingered there and leaned in close to one another. A guitarist played and sang.

Yet it was this strand of locks that struck me most. Legend has it that if a couple placed a padlock on or near the bridge and tossed the key into the river, their bond would never be broken. 

The problem was these locks started marring the bridge and its surroundings. The keys were filling up the bottom of the river. Now, couples can be fined for placing a lock there. Yet, each time the locks are cut away, locals told us, more locks turn up, from around the world. Hundreds and hundreds of them. I think about all this says about love.