Colmar is one of the places in my I-wish-to -see someday list. I might try the canal if that were to happen. Did the one in Bruges and really enjoyed it. Even though Christmas is over it looks really festive. Thanks for the tip for booking restaurants in advance.
In my opinion, they should ban these locks. Haha, you both are right, it seems they're re-used but unfortunately just polluting the environment. A lock to me symbolizes being imprisoned in the relationship 😁
Maybe use the money instead to plant a tree in the countryside or on a trail just outside the city not too far away named after the couple? They could have a certificate or an app to show where it will be planted so they could re-visit it one-day several years later when the tree is all grown with their names on signage if they please.
Something I think is hilarious about the locks is, I saw a news show years back about a "lovers bridge" with thousands of the locks attached to it (I think it was in Italy but it could have been France or another European country). Anyway, they interviewed a city worker who's job it was to cut off half of the locks once a week and throw them out. He said the locks add too much weight to the bridge so they remove them regularly at night for safety. But its a tourist attraction so they allow it to continue of course. But its super funny that people "lock up their love" or whatever and then some guy comes along 7 days later and cuts the lock and tosses it in the river haha 🤣
The tree idea is a really smart. I like that.
Oh my, haha, the symbolism of the locks being removed weekly and thrown out. 😂 I had no idea someone was removing them lol.
I guess that's the reason why Pont des Arts in Paris decided to change the railing of the bridge to glass panels to eliminate vendors selling locks and stop visitors sealing their love with locks on the bridge.
The tree idea came from a city where my husband and I were wed here in the Philippines. The Tagaytay city mayor wanted all of the brides and grooms to be, as part of the application requirement to obtain the marriage license to plant a tree within a certain area. They could hire someone to do it for them and then in exchange are given a certificate of the tree being named after them.
That's a really cool custom, and smart. I like that.