We have just arrived, jet-lagged, in Cologne, Germany. The Cologne Cathedral is on beautiful display outside our hotel window. It is stunning at sunset.
The Hohenzollern Bridge over The Rhine River leads into the old city. Every inch of the bridge fencing on one side is covered with hundreds of thousands of “love locks!”
Lovers place these locks on the bridge swearing ever-lasting love and toss the keys into the Rhine.
We are traveling and I will be blogging as we go. Please understand that I will not be able to follow and comment on your posts as much as I would like. I will check in though, whenever I can.
Until then, cheers to you from beautiful Cologne Germany~
Liebe Cindy kaum bist du in Köln angekommen und schon hast du die Sonne mitgebracht ja Köln ist eine Reise wert,hast du schon das Kölsch probiert und ein Halver Hahn ist ein Röggelchen mit dicken Käse und Butter ?? schöne Zeit wünscht dir Klaus
Ich werde es versuchen! Es klingt lecker! Ich habe den Verzehr von viel Schnitzel, spaetzel, Rotkohl und Gewürzgurken. Ich verehre Deutschland und deutsche Küche! ❤ ❤
What an Incredible scene to open your holiday – thank you for sharing!
Thank you for appreciating & cheers to you~
The photo of the bridge is truly stunning. And I love the locks–never knew about that. Happy and safe travels.
Thank you my friend and cheers to you! ❤
I just heard a story on this about the love locks and how it is bearing down too much pressure on the bridge. I don’t know if it is true or not, but it is really nice to actually visualize it. Beautiful photos.
WOW!!! See above! Clever Yellow Cable voiced this concern. The cumulative weight must be formidable. I did see an article awhile ago that I paid no attention to about finding another way to mark your love. Interesting & thanks for pointing it out~
May your travels be safe, joyful and renewing! Köln is a gorgeous city and its cathedral one of my favorites. Please enjoy it for me to the fullest! Happy wandering.
Kathryn
How thoughtful of you and how appreciated! The cathedral and all of Koln is just lovely! Cheers to you~
Beautiful photos! I do miss Germany!
Yes, so do I, whenever I am not here. There is something truly remarkable about the place, the food, the friendly people, the charming villages, the constant green, and the Bavarian country life and furniture. I am hooked on Germay!
welcome to Europa, you are just next door to where I am; I wish you a wonderful time and can’t wait for photos and thoughts from your trip. Lilowa Wanda from Poland
Oh I want to go to Poland so badly! My grandmother was Polish named Piontek! Someday soon……..
Fantastic images, Cindy. I have seen this phenomenon in several cities, but not so many locks in one place. 🙂 Have a great trip. xx
Yes, the same here. Last time I saw them was in Prague!
Hey Cindy: Can’t tell you how much we’ve missed visiting your blog!!! We’ve been locked away the past two months trying to finish Book #2 in our P-7 series. But we’re almost done & can’t wait to get back to our blogosphere & favorite haunts!! All this post did was make us hungry for your beautiful pictures!! These are breathtaking Cindy!!! Once again you leave us in awe!! Sharing this now. 😉 xo ❤
I know about your book and can’t wait to read it!! I’m thinking you two should come to Brugge where I am no. It would be a wonderful place to write and then there is the chocolate…….. 🙂
❤ ❤
Interesting Cindy and I know you will have many more just as interesting scenes to show us. Enjoy your journey.
So glad you and Jack are coming along, the church bells are playing Mozart again…….
Wow….
lovely post…
Danke schoen!
These are great and made me smile.
Your comment made me smile! 🙂
Been there seen that. More locks I think than the one in Paris that collapsed recently: http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trb-love-locks-paris-20140610-story.html
This is where I read this!! Thanks for the memory prompt for my severely senior challenged cerebellum!!! 😉
My naughty Reader has been leaving out your Posts. I am all caught up now, I think.
The reader is my nemesis to beat all nemeniis (sp???? ;). It routinely erases posts from my reader and erases likes from posts I liked!!! 😦
And I find I myself unfollowed from posts I have been following for months and months……:( WordPress just likes to keep us on our toes.
Yes the same has occurred with me. Impossible to do anything about it whilst traveling which is most annoying!!
What a warm tradition… I like this. I wonder is there any room left for another lock?
Or do folks just attach locks to lock?
There is no more room at The Inn! They attach locks to chains and locks to locks!
Cindy!!!…
I loved the meaning behind those locks…
A sort of german version of the italian Trevi Fountain and the coins !…
Thanks for sharing. All my best wishes to you,
Aquileana 😀
A very appropriate analogy! Thanks for thinking of it and cheers to you my friend~
Gorgeous pictures. Love the locks!
Quite a lot of romance on the Rhine!!! ❤
Kholn…I simply loved it when I visited it some years ago, during Christmas holidays…so beautiful!
Anyway, do you know the trendsetter of lovers’ padlocks in a bridge was an italian writer? He starts this trend by his novel for young people, titled “three meters above the sky”, nice story…his name is Federico Moccia 😉
I remember seeing these locks in Italy but I do not know this story and will research it. It sounds lovely and very Italian! Vive Italia. I can’t believe we are not visiting this trip, we nearly always do!!! ❤ ❤
Cindy, that view is stunning indeed! I love the idea of ‘love locks’. How romantic! Awesome photos, as usual. Have a fabulous time!
Thanks so much and Germany is quite a romantic country. Cheers to you Rebeca!
I’m having a bit of trouble getting a post reply in here and there, but will try again. 🙂 I am really enjoying all your wonderful photos and love them all. and see that you are reading mine. Thanks so much. I will continue to read and follow yours and enjoy all I see. 🙂
Welcome and pleased to meet you! Yes, the WP reader continuously malfunctions and is quite frustrating. Thank you for the kind comment~
Those locks are amazing. I saw that on another blog–but not as thick as here. I love different cultures.
Quite an endearing and romantic sight isn’t it!!! Cheers & thanks~
Awesome Cindy. I wish you happy travels!!!
Very kind Lori and all the best to you! Cheers~
Fabulous, Cindy! Did you attach a love lock? I would if I were there!
I didn’t think of it and couldn’t find any room!!!!
“lol”!!!! It does look intensely crammed!
Such a wonderful way to demonstrate the diverse and beauty in ‘locks’ Cindy! I loved the gorgeous sky in the first picture! I am enthralled with the ‘love locks’ on the bridge of the Rhine. this reminds me of “Letters to Juliet” and the way they are given such prominence in France. The one with the crocodile or alligator is so cool, along with the photo of all of them combined. Thanks for the views, Cindy!
Thank you for your observant and detailed eye my friend and for your always thoughtful comments!
Bill and I are planning a Rhine River trip for next year! These photos are a taste of things to come and thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
One of the loveliest trips in the world, passing through some of the most idyllic villages, and of course the incredible German food. You will have the most delightful time!
Who gets to dredge up all those keys? Enjoy your travels.
Oscar
Laughing, never thought of that!!!! Imagine a metal detector!!!!
I thought I recognized that cathedral 🙂 My paternal grandmother was born in Cologne.
Beautiful city!
Gorgeous photos, Cindy! You certainly picked the best place in Cologne, what a grand location. It’s my favourite place in town (only 20 minutes away from Bonn where I live); the Hohenzollernbridge and the Cathedral always present a different look and magic. Funny; there are more than 35.000 love locks on this bridge. I made a post on the locks a couple of years ago (Forever Love) and your two last images show the same locks I posted! 🙂
Happy travelling!
Wow that is synchronisitic and gives me goose bumps! You are so lucky to live in one of my most favorite places. I am posting soon on Warnemunde, what a wonderful surprise this place was! Cheers to you and thank you~
Maybe this is my favorite! I don’t know; there are too many to choose from. 🙂
This was one day after my mom’s birthday. 😉
Happy belated birthday to your mom and cheers to you~
Awesome article.
So glad you enjoyed and cheers!
I am jealous to see your photography………….
Your photos are amazing! Absolutely stunning! I love them all~ ❤
Reblogged this on penpowersong.
Dear Sir/Madam
I would like to use the picture from your site (https://cindyknoke.com/2014/08/19/love-locks-of-the-rhine) in a academical presentation.
Would it be possible to use providing i state where picture comes from?
thanks in advance
Cesar
Yes of course thank you for asking. I would be honored and you don’t need to ask in the future.