Photo: Brent Petersen

The Pont des Arts in Paris, also known as the Lovers Locks Bridge was a spot where couples would show their devotion by clamping a padlock to the railing of the bridge.  Unfortunately, 45 tons of locks made the bridge structurally unsound and the locks were removed a couple years ago.

This hasn’t stopped a new  generation of lovebirds risking the bridge’s collapse by adding more locks to the bridge.  This picture shows a couple buying a padlock from an enterprising gentleman who has set up shop halfway along the passageway.

In addition to the subject matter of the picture, I especially like the long shadows cast by the sun, slung low on the horizon in the afternoon and the rays of light streaming into the frame.

About the Author

Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides in Setubal, Portugal. Brent has written the novel “Truffle Hunt” (Eckhartz Press) and the short story collection “That Bird.” He’s also written dozens of foodie travel guides to cities around the world on Destination Eat Drink, including in-depth eating and drinking guides to Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, Monsaraz, and Evora in Portugal. Brent’s podcast, also called Destination Eat Drink, is available on all major podcasting platforms and is distributed by the Radio Misfits Podcast Network.