An Image of Odessa

It is strange to wander into a cultural tradition, when you least expect it. I was mundanely crossing a bridge the other day in Odessa.

It did not pop into my mind, in flashing neon "Tradition Ahead." Of course not.

The thought was, "Oh, someone left their bike lock here." And there is another.

And there is another....

And I look up, across the length of the bridge and realize the entire bridge is lined with locks.



(The dark line 3/4ths the way up the fence is entirely locks.)

At this point, it is clear, people did not just leave these locks here accidentally. This is a statement.



So I began to study the locks. Some of them had no markings. Some of them had markings long worn bare. Some were ornately engraved with care and time.



The writing was mostly Cyrillic, which obscured the message initially.



But the presence of a date marking seemed consistent.

Then the prevelance of two words, unique on each lock.... not words, it dawned on me, names.

And then of course, the symbols, common with my culture, gave away much of the meaning.



These were symbols of love etched on steel symbolizing union, strength and unbreakable bond.

By the time I left the bridge, entriged by a tradition I had never known before, it was clear to me that the locks were engraved the names of those married and the date of their union.

The web later told me it is a common Russian wedding tradition followed by tossing the key into a river, so the bond is forever.

Cool: I stumbled on to a bridge, lined by railing, hung heavy with locks...How Romantic!